Reviews of Books
Posted in Miscellaneous, Recommended on Mar 2nd, 2010
This is the first Anne Bronte novel I have read. I’ve read Emily Bronte Wuthering Heights (which I hated), and Charlotte Bronte Jane Eyre (I liked it) and Shirley (I liked it).
I must say I was pleasantly surprised. It was very long and religious – not for a modern audience – but still I finished it.
Here [...]
Posted in Recommended, Serious on Feb 9th, 2010
I picked this book us from the library (in large print! – I quite like large print I wonder if that means I need reading glasses?).
I liked Anne Tyler. I like how her novels focus on more domestic themes – everyday life with all of its complexities.
Here is the book description …
In 1965, the happy [...]
Posted in Recommended, Serious on Dec 31st, 2009
While reading this novel I got the feeling that I’ve read it before, but I couldn’t remember what happened so I kept going.
This is the story of Jeanette, adopted and brought up by her mother as one of God’s elect. Zealous and passionate, she seems destined for life as a missionary, but then she falls [...]
Posted in Non-Fiction, Recommended on Dec 30th, 2009
I picked this book up from here while looking for a Christmas present for my Sister in Law (I don’t think I did very well on the christmas present).
Early one autumn afternoon in pursuit of an elusive book on my shelves, I encountered dozens of others that I had never read, or forgotten I owned, or [...]
Posted in Fiction - Light, Recommended on Dec 29th, 2009
I think I bought this book based solely on the title. Here is the blurb …
Renee is the concierge of a grand Parisian apartment building on the Left Bank. To the residents she is honest, reliable and uncultivated – an ideal concierge. But Renee has a secret. Beneath this conventional facade she is passionate about [...]
Posted in Fiction - Light, Recommended on Dec 14th, 2009
I’m a keen L M Montgomery fan – so keen I’ve travelled from Australia to Prince Edward Island. When this book was released I wasn’t entirely convinced I wanted to read it – I had already read The Road to Yesterday which I believed contained all of the stories, but I read a review on [...]
Posted in Recommended, Serious on Dec 12th, 2009
I bought this book years ago while on holiday in Sydney. I was quite keen to read it again when it was suggested at book club. Plus it’s the perfect read in the lead up to the busy Christmas season (short).
Here is the stuff from the back …
At the staid Marcia Blaine School for Girls, [...]
Posted in Recommended, Serious on Nov 15th, 2009
I found this book in a second hand book store while on holiday. I do like Elizabeth Taylor novels – such understated, character driven stories.
“Spending the holiday with friends, as she has for many years, Camilla finds that their private absorptions – Frances with he painting and Liz with her baby – seem to exclude [...]
Posted in Recommended, Serious on Oct 27th, 2009
I’m a keen Margaret Atwood fan so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this week. Being slightly more organised that normal, I re-read Oryx and Crake (although I think The Year of the Flood can be read without having first read Oryx and Crake).
The way Atwood uses language is breath taking – it [...]
Posted in Recommended, Serious on Oct 26th, 2009
I’ve been making an effort to get books from the library and this is one I found while browsing (I was looking for Sarah Waters). It one the 1989 Pulitzer Prize for fiction.
I liked this one – Maggie is so annoying. She interferes with the best of intentions and then just makes every thing worse. [...]