Tom Rachman strikes again. I loved this just as much as The Imperfectionists. Rachman is just so damn good at writing completely believable charactersTom Rachman strikes again. I loved this just as much as The Imperfectionists. Rachman is just so damn good at writing completely believable characters, those I love and those I hate. I listened to this read by Sam Alexander (who read it exceptionally well), and I loved it so much I'm going to have to buy the physical book. It is the life of Charles (Pinch) Bavinsky, and we first meet him when he is five in his father's painting studio in Rome in 1960. Bear Bavinsky is a famous, philandering, egotistical, larger-than-life painter and Pinch is both terrified of him and in awe to him, and really remains so for the whole of his life. And yet although everyone crumples in the path of Bear - his several wives, his many children and so on - Pinch has the last laugh, although it's still not funny. For the most part Pinch's life is a sad one (the cover might say this book has some dark humour, but I didn't find it), solitary, unfulfilled, dissatisfied, but so real. I wanted to shake him. I loved him. ...more
This brought back so many memories for me. I went to Moscow and Leningrad in 1988 as a trip with Art School. This is set later, after the USSR has becThis brought back so many memories for me. I went to Moscow and Leningrad in 1988 as a trip with Art School. This is set later, after the USSR has become Russia, but many of the things that Viv describes: the amazingly empty shops, the babushkas on every hotel corridor corner, the grim buildings and much more, were really evocative for me. When Viv is 20 she lives in Moscow for a year as part of her university degree, teaching English and living with a local family. She meets and falls in love with Bogdan (which translates as Gift of God), a Ukrainian rock musician. While he is off gigging she meets other people, changes jobs, changes who she's living with, and generally it seems, has a (mostly) good time, waiting for the summer, which Bogdan has promised they will spend together in his hometown. It's a long time coming, and when she does finally get there, it's not exactly as she was expecting. One Ukrainian Summer is witty, well written, and captures a particular time and place perfectly. And if you want to win a signed copy, visit my Instagram: @writerclairefuller...more
At the height of the pandemic Jay is working delivering groceries in upstate New York and living out of his car, when he delivers food to a remote houAt the height of the pandemic Jay is working delivering groceries in upstate New York and living out of his car, when he delivers food to a remote house on an estate of many acres. The woman who meets him at the door turns out to be Alice, his girlfriend from when he was an art student in 1990s London, and whom he hasn't seen for 20 years. Moreover Alice is still married to Jay's best friend, and fellow artist, Rob. Told in flashbacks (which I would have preferred to sink into more fully) we learn that Jay was a conceptual / performance artist who decided to disappear for his last piece. Jay is ill with the virus and Alice decides to hide him on the property. I really enjoyed this, both the present day sections and the past, and the writing. It asks some interesting questions: about whether art is art if there is no one there to witness it, whether art is real art if it is made for profit, whether the twenty years in which Jay was missing counted as part of his 'performance' even if it was documented, and when does a piece of art like this, end? It also asks questions about race but sometimes I felt these were a little shoe-horned in. ...more
Not my favourite Sue Miller, but still great writing, and able to see into a human heart. Lily is in her 70s and has Parkinsons. She's a famous memoirNot my favourite Sue Miller, but still great writing, and able to see into a human heart. Lily is in her 70s and has Parkinsons. She's a famous memoirist who has a view on the Black civil rights movement in America, and is currently living with her son, Alan and his wife. Visiting is Linnet, a journalist, writing a piece on Lily. There are a lot of high-brow conversations about what went on in Lily's church when she was first married, and it felt as though Alan's view of her, and the fame of her memoir hinged around that, but it just wasn't controversial enough to drive the present-day story for me. 3.5 stars. ...more
My goodness, what a story: coming to terms with a horribly abusive father, while at the same time finding out the truth behind the family story that CMy goodness, what a story: coming to terms with a horribly abusive father, while at the same time finding out the truth behind the family story that Cumming's maternal grandfather died in a shooting accident. ...more
Another amazing novel by Sue Miller - the fourth I've read this year. It gets a lot of negative reviews on Goodreads but I can't agree with any of theAnother amazing novel by Sue Miller - the fourth I've read this year. It gets a lot of negative reviews on Goodreads but I can't agree with any of them. Miller's writing is wonderful here, again, and she just gets (difficult) new motherhood, old age, and prickly women exactly. Meri and her new husband move into a semi-detached house in a small New England town, next door to Delia Naughton, the wife of liberal senator Tom. Despite their age difference the two women become friends and Meri becomes rather obsessed with Delia. Tom has had many affairs and he and Delia have come to an arrangement of what might be called an open marriage. Meri has a baby finds new motherhood difficult, and at the same time Tom has a stroke and Delia takes him in, to care for him. I loved how Miller puts these women both literally and metaphorically side by side and asks us to compare their lives. There is a remembered scene at the end which is really shocking but also one of those scenes that you feel is absolutely right for the characters and who they are. I think I actually gasped and then said, 'oh, of course'. Now I just have to decide which of Miller's books should go on my favourite reads of the year, because I can't possibly have four! ...more
A weird little story. The unnamed narrator, a recent widow and writer, decides to write the biography of Helen Ralston, most famous for being a male wA weird little story. The unnamed narrator, a recent widow and writer, decides to write the biography of Helen Ralston, most famous for being a male writer's model, but who was a writer and artist in her own right. The narrator is given one of Ralston's paintings of a Scottish island which can also be seen as a woman's naked body on full display and which is entitled My Death. The narrator eventually meets Ralston who provides her with some very unsettling information. I liked this for its weirdness but it didn't work for me completely. Enjoyable though. ...more
Cheri jumps straight onto my top books of the year, except is it a book, or a novella, or even a short story? Is it fiction or biography or narrative Cheri jumps straight onto my top books of the year, except is it a book, or a novella, or even a short story? Is it fiction or biography or narrative non-fiction? Who cares, it's amazing. Cheri is about the final days of a woman's life. She's dying from cancer and her two adult daughters have come to stay to look after her. It's very short - 76 pages- but has everything - life, death, memory, love. If you're interested in reading it you might rather buy The Collected Works of Jo Ann Beard (as I am going to do now) and read Cheri as well as other pieces. I cried. A lot. Thanks to Julie Myerson for the recommendation. ...more
With punchy prose and a harrowing story of staggering resilience and fortitude, Fagan's memoir should be required reading. Many years in the writing, With punchy prose and a harrowing story of staggering resilience and fortitude, Fagan's memoir should be required reading. Many years in the writing, this memoir details Fagan's time growing up in care in Scotland. It's difficult reading at times, but so worth it. ...more
This apparently reprises the character of Jane who first appeared in Bank's debut novel, The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing, which I haven't readThis apparently reprises the character of Jane who first appeared in Bank's debut novel, The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing, which I haven't read. And now I am going to go and buy a copy because I loved this! It's only 58 pages long (a long short story really), and was part of Penguin's celebrations at 70, published in 2005. The writing is wonderful - succinct and clear-eyed and funny - and Jane is a great character. She gets back together with her ex-boyfriend just as her father tells her that he has had leukemia for many years. There are so many brilliant lines. I thought it was witty and funny and sad. A contender for my books of the year. ...more
While I was Gone has of course, Miller's trademark subtle, precise writing, which I love. I wouldn't say this was my favourite of hers (I'm making my While I was Gone has of course, Miller's trademark subtle, precise writing, which I love. I wouldn't say this was my favourite of hers (I'm making my way through her backlist), but very enjoyable all the same. Jo Becker has a settled life as a vet, living with her loving minister husband, and with three grown children - one of which is still difficult but nothing too unusual there. But when Jo was in her twenties she left her first husband and went to live in a shared hippy house in Boston, where something terrible happened. Everyone scattered and Jo thinks she has put this event behind her until Eli, one of previous housemates turns up many years later, disturbing her equilibrium. Jo starts to feel that she doesn't want to be travelling a road where she can see what's coming, she would like a turn in the road and have something unexpected happen. I've been having a hard time recently and this idea, of a turn in road was weirdly helpful for getting things a little straighter in my head. ...more
Lessons is the story of the life of Roland Baines, cash poor, house rich, part-time bar pianist, looking back to when he was eleven and went to boardiLessons is the story of the life of Roland Baines, cash poor, house rich, part-time bar pianist, looking back to when he was eleven and went to boarding school, moving forward into his seventies, and sometimes sideways into other people's lives. And throughout there is comment on the times Roland is living through. The novel is ambitious, sweeping, and wonderful. Roland and all the people who come and go in his life have filled my head for several days as I read voraciously during any spare moment. I hope they will stay for longer. Roland has three significant women in his life: his piano teacher, Miriam, his ex-wife Alissa, and his second wife, Daphne. There is a reckoning to be done with all of them, although the last is really not her fault (there is a brilliant scene where he fights over her ashes with a junior minister on a bridge in Yorkshire and loses). Miriam seduces Roland when he is only fourteen and changes the course of his life. Alissa walks out on him and their eight month old baby, and becomes a famous and successful novelist. McEwan clearly draws much on his own life with this novel (North Africa, boarding school, discovered brother) but has Alissa says, everything is fair game. I liked how McEwan plays with this, and I also love the questions he raises around a woman leaving a husband and baby in order to create a masterpiece. It doesn't happen often, is it worth it? Will certainly be in my top ten reads of the year. ...more
Power, privilege, and #MeToo, and how it's too easy for a murdered woman to become nameless, one of thousands. Bodie Kane is nearly forty when she takPower, privilege, and #MeToo, and how it's too easy for a murdered woman to become nameless, one of thousands. Bodie Kane is nearly forty when she takes a two-week job at her old New Hampshire boarding school to teach a podcasting course. Returning brings back all her difficult teenage memories of being an outsider, and the murder of her roommate Thalia, when they were both seventeen. Two of Bodie's students take on Thalia's murder as a subject for their podcast, looking at whether the conviction of Omar - the school's sports technician - was correct, and Bodie can't help but fall down her own rabbit hole of who killed Thalia. It's a literary thriller, slow in all the right places, and very satisfying. My only quibble is that all the backstory and even the court case is reported or memories. I think it might have been even more thrilling if the reader had been allowed to experience the action some more, but of course then it would have been a different book. ...more
How many pages do you read before you give up on a book? For me - especially if it's a proof that I haven't requested - it might be as few as one or tHow many pages do you read before you give up on a book? For me - especially if it's a proof that I haven't requested - it might be as few as one or two. I might have given up on The Namesake if I wasn't reading it for my book group and thought that I should press on. And I'm so glad I did - when I was just past page 100 I was hooked. Up until then I felt that it didn't stop and examine any one thing closely enough - it was just this happened, and then this happened, and then this. Something seemed to change with Gogol the main character finds his first serious girlfriend, and everything slowed and became much more enjoyable. Really very enjoyable. It's the story of Gogol's life (and before - his parents' lives) - the first child of Bengalis who have emigrated to American, and how he is torn between his heritage and parents' culture, and his American life. ...more
Well-written, literary thriller. A teenager is found stabbed to death in a park, and Jacob - a classmate is accused of the murder. His father, Andy, iWell-written, literary thriller. A teenager is found stabbed to death in a park, and Jacob - a classmate is accused of the murder. His father, Andy, in whose voice this story is told and who is a District Attorney doesn't believe Jacob has done it. This is a courtroom drama within a courtroom drama and I was sure that I knew what was coming, but I didn't - I loved the shocking ending (although - Audible, please leave a little gap after the final words before you intone, 'This has been an Audible production...') Landay asks how responsible parents should hold themselves for the (possible) actions of their children (and if you think this is giving anything away, it isn't), and whether there is a murder gene that can be passed down through the generations. Highly recommended. ...more
The book opens with a young mother, Kim Jiyoung having some psychotic episodes when she believes she is one of her friends who has died. We then go baThe book opens with a young mother, Kim Jiyoung having some psychotic episodes when she believes she is one of her friends who has died. We then go back to Jiyoung's childhood, studies, first jobs, and when she has her child. Everything is shown through the lens of the misogyny and sexism Jiyoung faces in South Korea, which although shocking, is written in such a dry and stilted style, it is hard to get into the story. Perhaps this was the wake-up call South Korea needed because it has been a bestseller there. ...more
Charming and moving and very well written, this memoir by the actress (and musician) Minnie Driver is a series of ten essays which start in childhood Charming and moving and very well written, this memoir by the actress (and musician) Minnie Driver is a series of ten essays which start in childhood when she is an unhappy boarder at her school in Hampshire (not too far from where I live), and finish with the poignant and wise (without being sentimental) essay about the death of her mother. In between are her first break into acting, the end of a significant relationship, and the birth of her son. Don't expect a celebrity tell-all, this is so much more. I'm looking forward to see what she writes next. I listened to it as an audio book, read by the author, which has a bonus interview at the end, but sadly (of course) not the photograph of Driver's mother which is included at the end of the other editions. I would have loved to see Gaynor, standing with her hands on her hips. ...more
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