Reviews of Books
Posted in Fiction, Recommended on Feb 2nd, 2012
I read Middlesex and love it – in fact I lent it to someone and they never returned it (don’t you hate that?) Anyway, that mean I was keen to read The Marriage Plot doubly so because I’m also keen on 19th century literature. Here is the blurb … Madeleine Hanna was the dutiful English major [...]
Posted in Fiction, Recommended on Feb 1st, 2012
There haven’t been any posts for a while because I find it very tricky to collect my thoughts while the girls are home on holidays, but school is back today and I have quite a back log of books read. I’ve been meaning to read Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell for such a long time, [...]
Posted in Fiction, Recommended on Dec 6th, 2011
This is my favourite Whipple to date. I found this novel compelling reading when and how would Mr Lockwood’s fraud be discovered? What would happen to all of the Hunters? Whipple’s ability to write about ordinary people in an interesting manner is amazing. I find it difficult to understand why she is not more wildly [...]
Posted in Fiction, Recommended on Dec 2nd, 2011
This was a book club selection – we occasionally like to try the Booker winner (2011). Here is the blurb … The story of a man coming to terms with the mutable past, Julian Barnes’s new novel is laced with his trademark precision, dexterity and insight. It is the work of one of the world’s [...]
Posted in Non-Fiction, Recommended on Nov 19th, 2011
I read a review of this book somewhere (probably The Australian Review) and thought it sounded interesting and then I found a copy on sale at Borders – it was meant to be. The Pattern in the Carpet: A Personal History with Jigsaws is an original and brilliant work. Margaret Drabble weaves her own story [...]
Posted in Recommended, Serious on Nov 14th, 2011
A friend recommended this book to me at least a year ago. I picked it up a couple of times in various different book stores, but wasn’t that interested. Then I saw it in my local $5 book store and picked up a copy. In the way these things go, I really enjoyed it and [...]
Posted in Fiction - Light, Recommended on Oct 31st, 2011
This book seemed to be everywhere for a while and that kind of popularity always puts me off. I’m sure it won’t live up to it’s reputation. However, several friends read it and loved it and I ran out of things to read on holiday (horrifying thought) so I decided to read The Help and despite [...]
Posted in Recommended, Serious on Oct 25th, 2011
I bought this novel based solely on the title – there should be more dancing, don’t you think? I have read and enjoyed Summer at Mount Hope, so that might have made me more receptive to buy a book knowing nothing at all about it. Rosalie Ham is Australian and this novel is definitely Australian. It [...]
Posted in Fiction - Light, Recommended on Oct 18th, 2011
This novel was recommended on a blog I read (possibly this one). I didn’t know anything about it, but reserved if from the library – there was quite a queue. Here’s the description … In the opening pages of Jamie Ford’s stunning debut novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, Henry Lee comes [...]
Posted in Fiction - Light, Recommended on Oct 12th, 2011
As it is school holidays, reading is happening, but thinking and writing is not. I read a review of The Best of Everything here and was intrigued, Luckily I could get a copy for my Kindle (have I said how much I love my Kindle?). This novel is Mad Men from the girls’ perspective, although [...]