While the men were at war women ruled the streets. Kate Thompson tells the vivid and moving stories of the matriarchs who remain the backbone of London’s East End to this day.
Second World War
BOOK REVIEW: A Nail, A Rose
Brought back into print by Pushkin Press, Madeleine Bourdouxhe’s 1944 short story collection highlights the lives of conflicted female characters in beautiful prose.
THOUGHTS ON: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Written with warmth and humour as a series of letters, this novel appeared in my life when most needed.
NONFICTION NOVEMBER: Nonfiction Book Pairing
Week two of a month-long celebration of favourite non-fiction reads. In this post we look at a perfect book pairing.
BOOK REVIEW: The Cake Tree in the Ruins
A necessarily brief review (I’m posting this from a sandy beach in Cyprus) of a dark but inventive short story collection set on 15th August 1945 – the day Japan surrendered and the Second World War formerly ended.
BOOK REVIEW: An Untouched House
A short but shocking Dutch war classic by a writer who has drawn comparisons to Joseph Heller and Kurt Vonnegut.
THOUGHTS ON: The Little Prince
A moral allegory and spiritual autobiography, The Little Prince is the most translated book in the French language.
BOOK REVIEW: White Houses
The story of an unexpected and forbidden love affair that developed between America’s First Lady and a well-known female journalist.
How to Read a Novel: Week #4
I have completed the fourth and final week of my online course, How to Read a Novel, in which we turned our attention to setting.
BOOK REVIEW: The Second Winter
Craig Larsen’s novel is a harrowing tale of survival in desperate circumstances. It will undoubtedly appeal to readers of gritty noir wartime thrillers.
BOOK REVIEW: Estoril: A War Novel
Estoril is a comedy-cum-spy story set in a luxurious hotel during the height of the Second World War.
BOOK REVIEW: Walking Wounded
Walking Wounded is a brilliantly crafted, often harrowing, powerfully intense piece of work, which deserves to win awards.
BOOK REVIEW: A Chill in the Air: An Italian War Diary 1939–1940
Iris Origo was known to me as being one of the finest diarists of the 20th century for her moving and compassionate journal detailing Italy’s disastrous involvement in the same conflict.
BOOK REVIEW: The Tattooist of Auschwitz
In late 1942, when Ludwig (Lale) Sokolov passed through the most notorious gates in modern history, he was a healthy, bright, outgoing young man with a penchant for the company of women.
THOUGHTS ON: Life After Life
It is difficult to know how to define Life After Life, Kate Atkinson’s 2013 Costa Book Award winning novel.