Bookish Magpie

Book Review: Wanted: Gentleman Bank Robber by Dane Batty

2012-01-29T20:36:00.002Z

Title: Wanted: Gentleman Bank Robber
Subtitle: The True Story of Leslie Ibsen Rogge, One of the FBI's Most Elusive Criminals
Author: Dane Batty
Publisher: Nish Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-615-2684-5-3
Format: Paperback
211 pages
Genre: Non-fiction, Biography
Source: Author

Wanted: Gentleman Bank Robber by Dane Batty is a fascinating true crime biography. As the book's subtitle states, this is The True Story of Leslie Ibsen Rogge, One of the FBI's Most Elusive Criminals. The book reveals how Leslie Rogge turned to a life of crime, starting with hot-wiring cars when he was a teenager, and soon progressing to his favourite "work" - robbing banks. Incredibly, his crime spree lasted for twenty years during which he robbed nearly thirty banks. The book explains how he was so successful that he was able to lead an adventure-filled life while evading capture until ultimately, he was compelled to surrender.

Dane Batty's book is a very personal one because the infamous criminal is his uncle. The author explains in the introduction that he based his book on letters that Leslie Rogge wrote to his sister (Dane's mother) over the years. The letters provided the author with an abundance of details about the crimes that his uncle committed as well as stories about his incredible adventures. The author also interviewed his uncle in prison. It all seems too far-fetched to be true but the author verified everything through newspaper articles and court reports, as well as talking to people who were involved with his uncle Les's escapades.The result is a candid account of how Leslie Rogge committed his numerous crimes, as well as stories about his exciting life style, and wild hair-raising adventures.

The author decided to present his uncle's story as if Leslie is telling it.This use of the first-person point of view is a bit strange since the book is a biography, not an autobiography. However, it does seem to work. When necessary, the author inserts an occasional comment to provide more details or to insert a comment from Judy (Les's common-law wife) about an incident she recalled. The author also includes an assortment of (black and white) photographs of Les and Judy.

Les explains the tricks he would use to rob banks such as always choosing a bank with female employees because he figured (quite rightly) that they wouldn't dare try to stop him. He was called a "gentleman" bank robber since he didn't use a gun.The implied threat was enough to get results.

With the money obtained from his robberies, Les and Judy led a very exciting life indeed, constantly on the move but enjoying themselves immensely.They even went sailing to the Bahamas and Mexico. Some of the situations they
would get into were very funny indeed. And when a situation would turn serious, he would frequently turn to his knowledge of how things (cars, boats, planes) work mechanically - a talent which turned out to be useful for a bank robber on the run.

Wanted: Gentleman Bank Robber is the story of a very intelligent criminal who managed to use simple but ingenious methods to commit all his crimes. His outrageous exploits add up to a very entertaining read although the way it's presented is a bit confusing at times. It's not always clear what year the events are taking place because the stories are a bit disjointed.That said, I did enjoy reading it. It's a very unusual biography. I can see why it won the 2011 Reviewers Choice Award and Pinnacle Book Achievement Award. It's also a finalist for the 2011 Next Generation Indie Book Awards.

I'm grateful to the author, Dane Batty, for sending me a copy of his book to review. If you like to read biographies, and/or you are fascinated by how the criminal mind works, you will enjoy reading Wanted: Gentleman Bank Robber.

2011 Costa Book of the Year announced

2012-01-24T23:57:00.000Z

Andrew Miller has won the £30,000 Costa Book of the Year Award for his novel Pure.
[via BBC News]

Costa Book Awards

Richard and Judy: Spring 2012 Book Club

2012-01-04T23:16:00.000Z

Richard and Judy announce the Spring 2012 Book Club.

The eight titles selected are:

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
Before I Go To Sleep by SJ Watson
Midwinter Sacrifice by Mons Kallentoft
My Dear I Wanted to Tell You by Louisa Young
The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
Yesterday's Sun by Amanda Brooke
A Cold Season by Alison Littlewood
The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon

http://www.richardandjudy.co.uk/home

Costa Book Award: Category winners announced

2012-01-03T23:15:00.001Z

The catagory winners of the Costa Book Award have been announced:

Best novel: Pure by Andrew Miller
Best first novel: Tiny Sunbirds Far Away by Christie Watson
Best biography: Now All Roads Leads to France: The Last Years of Edward Thomas by Matthew Hollis
Best poetry collection: The Bees by Carol Ann Duffy
Best children's book: Blood Red Road by Moira Young

http://www.costabookawards.com/

Galaxy Book of the Year: winner announced

2011-12-23T23:30:00.002Z

The winner of the Galaxy Book of the Year Award 2011 is Caitlin Moran for How To Be A Woman.

The public voted for the Book of the Year from the winners in all categories except Outstanding Achievement Award.

Galaxy National Book Awards

Book Review: Wherever You Go by Joan Leegant

2011-12-23T21:39:00.003Z

Title: Wherever You Go
Author: Joan Leegant
Publisher: W.W Norton
ISBN: 978-0-393-33989-5
Format: Paperback
253 pages
Genre: Fiction
Source: Publisher

Wherever You Go by Joan Leegant is a timely, compelling novel about three young Jewish Americans who go to Israel, and the unexpected consequences when their paths cross.

Yona Stern intends to meet with her estranged sister, Dena, and hopes to make amends for a past betrayal. Mark Greenglass is a highly respected Talmud teacher who has lost his religious passion so he has accepted a new job teaching at a college that has nothing to do with religion. Aaron Blinder is a college dropout who feels stifled by his father's unreasonable expectations so he joins a radical group in Israel.

The perspective shifts seamlessly back and forth between each character as the troubled background of each one is gradually revealed. Their widely different views of Jewishness and the theme of strained family relationships is explored as is the dangerous attraction to Jewish extremism and a search for a purpose in life. Other themes addressed are love, forgiveness, loneliness, and making a commitment to a person and/or place.

I was mesmerized by the touching story of the fascinating characters as they each pursue their different goals. Their inner turmoil is intensified by the unsettling sense of foreboding that makes the reader worry about what will happen next.

Joan Leegant is an American author who has lived half the year in Tel Aviv since 2007 and her first-hand knowledge of Israel is evident with her vivid descriptions of people and places.The author has created a tense, atmospheric novel with very real characters and a powerful storyline that immediately grabbed me and stayed with me long after reading the last page.

Wherever You Go is a haunting, thought-provoking novel with powerful messages that helps to explain the complicated political situation in Israel as well as about what it means to be Jewish. I gained a new perspective about Israeli society and also learned a lot about the Jewish religion. I'm grateful to the publisher, W.W. Norton, for sending me a review copy.

If you like to read novels that address important issues and enlighten as well as enthrall, then you must read Wherever You Go. It's beautifully written, with politics and religion woven into an unforgettable story. I highly recommend it.

Guardian First Book Award 2011: Winner announced

2011-12-01T23:48:00.006Z

A biography of cancer wins Guardian First Book award.

The Emperor of All Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee beats four novels to the £10,000 prize. It was the only non-fiction title on the shortlist.

Guardian First Book award 2011

Book Review: Mafia State by Luke Harding

2011-11-29T07:32:00.001Z

Title: Mafia State
Subtitle: How one reporter became an enemy of the brutal new Russia
Author: Luke Harding
Publisher: Guardian Books
ISBN: 978-0852-65248-0
Format: Paperback
310 pages
Genre: Non-fiction
Source: Random House

Mafia State is a gripping account of a corrupt government and how those in power will resort to unbelievable devious methods to deter anyone - including foreign journalists - from trying to expose the truth about life in modern Russia.

Luke Harding is an award-winning foreign correspondent with The Guardian. In 2007, the British journalist arrived in Russia to start work as the Guardian's new Moscow bureau chief.Three months after his arrival, he discovered someone had broken into his flat - which is on the 10th floor - and opened a window in the children's bedroom. Several hours later he is awakened by a mysterious alarm clock going off somewhere in the flat.

This disturbing incident was the start of an ongoing psychological campaign waged against Luke Harding and his family.

However, Luke Harding chooses to carry on with his work, despite the unsettling harassment - bugging his flat, disconnecting his phone calls, deleting his emails, a number of mysterious break-ins and even being stalked by thugs wearing leather jackets. Indeed, the author's detailed exposé about Russia reads like a spy thriller.

Luke Harding soon realizes that he and his family are under constant surveillance by the Federal Security Service of Russia. The FSB (formerly known as the KGB) is Russia's main domestic spy agency and state security organisation. Apparently, this sinister agency has Luke Harding in its sights because of his persistence in uncovering the truth about Vladimir Putin's regime in Russia, and writing about it. Hence the book's subtitle: How one reporter became an enemy of the brutal new Russia. Indeed, Luke Harding became the first western reporter to be deported from Russia since the Cold War days.

Mafia State is a comprehensive treatise that includes eight pages of photographs plus an extensive index. The book is informative as well as genuinely alarming. The author writes about the long list of human rights activists who have been murdered since Putin took power - and the mystery of who killed Alexander Litvinenko is addressed too. Luke Harding also provides front-line reports from the 2008 war between Russia and Georgia.

There are numerous jaw-dropping revelations in the book - including unpublished material from confidential US diplomatic cables, released last year by WikiLeaks. Luke Harding discovers he isn't the only victim of the FSB's domestic break-ins, when he reads about the daily difficulties faced by American diplomats in Moscow.

The author's determination to persevere with his work even when he knew the FSB had him under surveillance, is very impressive. Luke Harding is an incredibly brave and dedicated journalist. Mafia State is a real eye-opener and I'm grateful to Random House for sending me a copy.

Mafia State is a must-read for those who follow current events and is sure to appeal to those who are interested in politics and particularly to those who want to learn about the new Russia. I found it to be a fascinating and illuminating read.

Watch a video of Luke Harding reading an excerpt from his book, Mafia State, and talk about the FSB's psychological campaign that was used against him and his family:

Top 10 Literary Cities

2011-11-16T23:31:00.001Z

Top 10 Literary Cities in the world - as chosen by National Geographic:

1. Edinburgh, Scotland

2. Dublin, Ireland

3. London, England

4. Paris, France

5. St. Petersburg, Russia

6. Stockholm, Sweden

7. Portland, Oregon

8. Washington, D.C.

9. Melbourne, Australia

10. Santiago, Chile

Costa Book Awards 2011 shortlist

2011-11-16T23:04:00.000Z

Costa Book Awards 2011 shortlist
The shortlist for the Costa Book Awards, announced on Tuesday, sees 20 writers being listed in five categories, each competing to win £5,000. The writer chosen from the entire shortlist to win the overall Costa Book of the Year will be given £30,000.
[link via The Telegraph]

This year's 20 shortlisted books and authors:

Novel:

Julian Barnes for The Sense of Ending
John Burnside for A Summer of Drowning
Andrew Miller for Pure
Louisa Young for My Dear I Wanted to Tell You

First Novel:

Kevin Barry for City of Bohane
Patrick McGuinness for The Last Hundred Days
Christie Watson for Tiny Sunbirds Far Away
Kerry Young for Pao

Biography:

Julia Blackburn for Thin Paths: Journeys In and Around an Italian Mountain Village
Patrick and Henry Cockburn for Henry’s Demons: Living with Schizophrenia, A Father and Son’s Story
Matthew Hollis for Now All Roads Lead to France: The Last Years of Edward Thomas
Claire Tomalin for Charles Dickens: A Life

Poetry:
Carol Ann Duffy for The Bees
David Harsent for Night
Jackie Kay for Fiere
Sean O’Brien for November

Children’s Book:
Martyn Bedford for Flip
Frank Cottrell Boyce for The Unforgotten Coat
Lissa Evans for Small Change for Stuart
Moira Young for Blood Red Road

http://www.costabookawards.com/book-awards.html

Wellcome Trust Book Prize: Winner Announced

2011-11-10T17:25:00.001Z

'Turn of Mind’ by Alice LaPlante wins the Wellcome Trust Book Prize
The third Wellcome Trust Book Prize has been awarded to Alice LaPlante for her debut novel ‘Turn of Mind’, a tale of a family’s secrets exposed by murder and a brilliant mind in terminal decline.

It is the first work of fiction to win the Prize.

The shortlisted books were:

Turn of Mind by Alice LaPlante
The Two Kinds of Decay by Sarah Manguso
The Emperor of All Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
Nemesis by Philip Roth
My Dear I Wanted To Tell You by Louisa Young

The Wellcome Trust Book Prize is an annual prize of £25 000 that celebrates medicine in literature. The prize is open to books published in the UK over the period of one year, including works of fiction or non-fiction. Books published in English translation are eligible.

International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award: long list

2011-11-07T18:43:00.000Z

The nominees for the longlist for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award have been announced today.

There are 147 books on the longlist which was made up of nominations from libraries in 122 cities around the world.

The 2012 Award longlist

The shortlist will be made public on 12th April 2012 and the Lord Mayor will announce the winner on 13th June.

The International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award is the largest award of its kind. It is administered by Dublin City Public Libraries in partnership with IMPAC.
http://www.impacdublinaward.ie/

Galaxy National Book Awards 2011: Winners Announced

2011-11-04T23:14:00.001Z

The Galaxy National Book Awards honour the best books and authors of the year.

These are the 2011 winners:

Waterstone's UK Author of the Year:
The Stranger's Child by Alan Hollinghurst (Picador)

Outstanding Achievement award: Jackie Collins

Specsavers popular fiction book of the year:
A Tiny Bit Marvellous by Dawn French (Penguin)

More4 popular non-fiction book of the year:
How to be a Woman by Caitlin Moran (Ebury Press)

Crime and thriller of the year (available on iBookstore):
Before I Go to Sleep by S J Watson (Doubleday)

Daily Telegraph biography of the year:
Charles Dickens by Claire Tomalin (Viking)

International author of the year:
A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan (Corsair)

Food and drink book of the year:
The Good Cook by Simon Hopkinson (BBC Books)

WHSmith paperback of the year:
Room by Emma Donoghue (Picador)

National Book Tokens children's book of the year:
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (Walker Books)

Audible.co.uk audiobook of the year:
My Dear, I Wanted to Tell You by Louisa Young, read by Dan Stevens (HarperAudio)

Galaxy new writer of the year:
When God was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman (Headline Review)

The public will be able to vote to select their favourite from the winners as the overall Book of the Year. Voting closes on the 20th Dec and the winner will be announced shortly after.

Book Review: More Postcards From Across The Pond by Michael Harling

2011-11-04T22:49:00.001Z

Title: More Postcards From Across The Pond
Subtitle: Dispatches from an accidental expatriate
Author: Michael Harling
Publisher: michaelharling.com
ISBN: 13: 978-1461173892
Format: Paperback
194 pages
Genre: Non-fiction
Source: Author

More Postcards From Across The Pond is appropriately titled since it is the follow-up to Michael Harling's first book, Postcards From Across The Pond. In both books, the author writes about his experiences as an American expat who lives in England.

The author shares a different short anecdote in each chapter.These anecdotes are about everyday situations that (I promise you) will make you literally laugh out loud. The rule "If anything can go wrong, it will" (Murphy's Law) seems to sum up much of what happens to Michael Harling. Fortunately, his laid-back attitude means that he accepts everything that happens with admirable good humour and determination to make the best out of a bad situation.

It's truly amazing how the author always seems to be able to see the funny side of circumstances that would make others angry and upset. For example, in the chapter about British trains,"Blame It On The Railroad", Michael Harling states: "When traveling by train, it is best to keep your expectations low; I didn't try hard enough." He then proceeds to relate his unexpected experience with an escalator at Reading station that is impossible not to laugh at because he describes the whole incident in excrutiating detail and with his characteristic self-deprecating wit.

More Postcards From Across The Pond is not just about England.The author shares stories about other parts of the UK too as well as trips to Europe and to the US. And it's worth noting that even though the book is mostly very funny, the author also includes some details about more serious experiences too (such as a trip to Krakow).

Michael Harling's writing style is very down-to-earth and he shares his stories in a way that makes you feel like you are there with him. He has a wonderful way with words and a self-deprecating sense of humour that made me cry with laughter. I am very grateful to Michael Harling for sending me a copy of his book to review.

I think More Postcards From Across The Pond is a brilliant book and I highly recommend it to everyone, whether you are a resident of the UK or wished you were. I'm also an American expat living in England so I can attest to the author's observations which are spot-on. The glimpses of everyday life in England are delightful to read and entertaining as well as informative. There is also a handy glossary of British words at the end of the book.

Are you an Anglophile? Do you dream about moving to England? If so, and you want to know the unvarnished truth about life in England, then you must read More Postcards From Across The Pond. Michael Harling provides his honest (often hilarious!) views about the real England.

Man Booker Prize 2011: Winner Announced

2011-10-18T23:15:00.004+01:00

The Sense of an Ending wins The 2011 Man Booker Prize for Fiction

Bookies' favourite, Julian Barnes, triumphs with Man Booker Prize win
Julian Barnes is tonight (Tuesday 18 October) named the winner of this year's £50,000 Man Booker Prize for Fiction for The Sense of an Ending, published by Jonathan Cape

Man Booker Prize

Galaxy National Book Awards 2011: Shortlist Announced

2011-10-17T18:36:00.000+01:00

The shortlist for the the Galaxy National Book Awards 2011:

Waterstone's UK Author of the Year

The Sense Of An Ending by Julian Barnes (Jonathan Cape)
Jamrach's Menagerie by Carol Birch (Canongate Books)
The Bees by Carol Ann Duffy (Picador)
The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz (Orion)
The Long Song by Andrea Levy (Headline Review)
The Stranger's Child by Alan Hollinghurst (Picador)

Popular Fiction Book of the Year
A Tiny Bit Marvellous by Dawn French (Michael Joseph)
Daughters-in-Law by Joanna Trollope (Doubleday)
Gillespie and I by Jane Harris (Faber and Faber)
My Last Duchess by Daisy Goodwin (Headline Review)
Snuff by Terry Pratchett (Doubleday)
The Radleys by Matt Haig (Canongate Books)

WHSmith Paperback of the Year

Room by Emma Donoghue (Picador)
The Brightest Star in the Sky by Marian Keyes (Penguin)
The Postmistress by Sarah Blake (Penguin)
The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory (Simon & Schuster)
When God was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman (Headline Review)
You're Next by Gregg Hurwitz (Sphere)

Thriller & Crime Novel of the Year in association with iBookstore

Before I Go To Sleep by SJ Watson (Doubleday)
The Fear Index by Robert Harris (Hutchinson)
Heartstone by CJ Sansom (Pan)
The Family by Martina Cole (Headline)
The Impossible Dead by Ian Rankin (Orion)
Trick Of The Dark by Val McDermid (Sphere)

Popular Non-Fiction Book of the Year

A History of the World in 100 Objects by Neil Macgregor (Allen Lane)
How To Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran (Ebury Press)
Madeleine by Kate McCann (Bantam Press)
Map of a Nation by Rachel Hewitt (Granta Books)
The Good The Bad and The Multiplex by Mark Kermode (Random House Books)
Wonders of the Universe by Brian Cox (Collins)

New Writer of the Year

Before I Go To Sleep by SJ Watson (Doubleday)
Grace Williams Says it Loud by Emma Henderson (Sceptre)
Pigeon English by Stephen Kelman (Bloomsbury)
Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch (Gollancz)
Snowdrops by AD Miller (Atlantic Books)
When God was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman (Headline Review)

Food and Drink Book of the Year

Home Cooking Made Easy by Lorraine Pascale (HarperCollins)
Jamie's Great Britain by Jamie Oliver (Michael Joseph)
Made in Sicily by Giorgio Locatelli (Fourth Estate)
Rick Stein's Spain by Rick Stein (BBC Books)
The Good Cook by Simon Hopkinson (BBC Books)
The Vintage Tea Party Angel by Adoree (Mitchell Beazley)

Biography/Autobiography of the Year
Charles Dickens by Claire Tomalin (Viking)
Genius in My Basement by Alexander Masters (Fourth Estate)
Hitch 22 by Christopher Hitchens (Atlantic Books)
Life by Keith Richards (Phoenix)
Mud Sweat and Tears by Bear Grylls (Bantam Press)
Red Dust Road by Jackie Kay (Picador)

International Author of the Year

A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan (Corsair)
1Q84 by Haruki Murakami (Harvill Secker)
Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (Harvill Secker)
On Canaan's Side by Sebastian Barry (Faber and Faber)
The Leopard by Jo Nesbo (Vintage)
The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht (Phoenix)

National Book Tokens Children's Book of the Year

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness (Walker Books)
Dead Man's Cove by Lauren St John (Orion)
My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece by Annabel Pitcher (Indigo)
One Dog and His Boy by Eva Ibbotson (Marion Lloyd Books)
Stuck by Oliver Jeffers (Harper Collins Children's Books)
The Highway Rat by Julia Donaldson illus. by Axel Scheffler (Alison Green Books)

audible.co.uk Audiobook of the Year

Any Human Heart by William Boyd, narrator Mike Grady (Whole Story Audiobooks)
Before I Go To Sleep by SJ Watson, narrator Susannah Harker (Random House AudioGo)
My Dear I Wanted to Tell You by Louisa Young, narrator Dan Stevens (HarperAudio)
My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece by Annabel Pitcher, narrator David Tennant (Orion Audio)
Snowdrops by AD Miller, narrator Kevin Howarth (Whole Story Audiobooks)
The Player Of Games by Iain M Banks, narrator Peter Kenny (Hachette Digital)

The winners of the 2011 Galaxy National Book Awards will be revealed on Friday 4th November at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Knightsbridge.

Follow Friday: October 14, 2011

2011-10-14T23:55:00.021+01:00

These are my recomendations for Follow Friday on Twitter today:

#FF Enquire Librarian @AskALibrarianUK "Enquire instantly connects you to library staff trained to help you find answers to your questions."

#FF @suemonkkidd The author of one of my favourite books, The Secret Life of Bees.

#FF Susan Hill @susanhillwriter writer and publisher http://www.susan-hill.com Author of numerous books including Woman In Black (fab book!).

#FF Catrina @theladywrites "...writer,friend, content provider, support resource, marketer and geek goddess" http://thewritingnetwork.com/

Book Review: The Good, The Bad and The Multiplex by Mark Kermode

2011-10-13T22:52:00.001+01:00

Title: The Good, The Bad and The Multiplex
Subtitle: What's Wrong With Modern Movies?
Author: Mark Kermode
Publisher: Random House
ISBN: 978-1-84-794603-4
Format: Paperback
328 pages
Genre: Non-fiction
Source: Publisher

The Good, The Bad and The Multiplex is Mark Kermode's second book (the first was It's Only a Movie: Reel Life Adventures of a Film Obsessive) about movies.

In this book, the renowned English film critic asks 'What's Wrong With Modern Movies? - and how can we make it right?' Mark Kermode presents an astute analysis of how multiplex cinemas work and rants about why the standard movie-going experience tends to be so disappointing.

Do you always enjoy going to the cinema? Or do you get irritated when some members of the audience (inevitably) behave badly? What about the movie? Have you ever noticed it doesn't look and/or sound right but you weren't sure what was wrong?

Mark Kermode devotes his attention to all these questions and more as he points out the problems associated with the growing trend for films to be shown in a multiplex cinema chain. He bemoans how the great anticipated cinematic experience "...has been replaced by an automated drone of electronic information that requires no supervision..." (thus no need for projectionists) and that the audience have to endure bad behavior because there are no ushers.

The author explains how the movie industry works and the complex reasons why blockbusters make money no matter how bad they are. I was amazed to learn the logic behind this depressing fact. And as he points out, if that's true then what are film critics for?

He also goes into great detail about the history of 3D movies and explains why he dislikes them. And even though Hollywood studios keep trying to foist them onto the public, Mark Kermode insists 3D movies have never been the future of cinema and that it's just another way for movie studios to try and make more money. Indeed, he uses persuasive arguments to make his case.

The chapter called "The British Aren't Coming...Or Going" is very informative. I found it to be a real eye-opener regarding how the Academy Awards (the 'Oscars') work. The author points out that one American movie mogul in particular, is connected to many Oscar winners. He also points out the simple reason why American movies are almost always the Oscar winners.

Mark Kermode presents his (very strong!) views in a witty, conversational style and includes lots of very funny stories. He shares his knowledge about movies with pithy remarks about why some movies are so bad, and despairs of how cinema-goers are so willing to tolerate - and pay to watch - truly awful movies.

This a fun and informative book for any real movie buff and I'm grateful to the publisher, Random House Books, for sending me a copy. I learned a lot about the movie business and also to appreciate the work involved in being a film critic.

If you love movies, you must read The Good, The Bad and The Mulitplex.

Follow Friday: October 7, 2011

2011-10-07T23:26:00.001+01:00

These are my recomendations for Follow Friday on Twitter today:

#FF Victoria Hislop @VicHislop The author of one of my favourite books (The Island).

#FF Susan Wittig Albert @SusanWAlbert "Award winning author, NYT bestseller (China Bayles, Darling Dahlias mysteries, memoir)."

#FF Mark Mason @WalkTheLinesLDN "London fan walks the whole Tube system overground, mixing observation and historical trivia..." Fab book!

#FF @elizabethbuchan "Best selling author of Revenge of the Middle Age Woman, Separate Beds and other novels..."

#FF @JillEdmondson Author - Sasha Jackson Mysteries. http://jilledmondson.com/

Book Review: Walk the Lines by Mark Mason

2011-09-30T22:52:00.000+01:00

Title: Walk the Lines: The London Underground, Overground
Author: Mark Mason
Publisher: Random House
ISBN: 978-1-847-94653-9
Format: Hardcover
376 pages
Genre: Non-fiction
Source: Publisher

Walk the Lines: The London Underground, Overground is precisely what the book is about. Mark Mason decided to walk the entire length of the London Underground, overground.The author shares details about how he completed his unusual challenge and in the process, he provides a comprehensive view of London that entertains as well as informs.

Starting with the Victoria Line in the first chapter, the author shares tidbits of information such as where you can find Little Ben (a replica of Big Ben),why there are no formal flowerbeds in Green Park, and why the correct tea making etiquette is definitely not pouring milk in first.

In each subsequent chapter, another line is walked and the author reveals more fascinating details about each of the stations he visits and the surrounding area. Along the way, the author discovers all sorts of historical facts and trivia about London. He also explains the origins of place names, and expressions.

Interspersed in his cheerful narrative about the places he visits, the author also writes about various people he meets along the way such as a student as she sets out to do the Knowledge (a special test which all London taxi drivers must complete) and the man behind the original 'mind the gap' voice. The author also delights in sharing snatches of conversations he overhears and observations of people he sees during his walks.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Walk the Lines, and I'm grateful to the publisher, Random House Books, for sending me a copy. The plethora of fascinating details about London and the author's easy-going style make it a lot of fun to read. Every page has another interesting (quirky) fact and all the footnotes are a must-read too. The author's obvious delight when he learned something new and his enthusiasm for the task he set himself is infectious.

Walk the Lines will appeal to everyone who loves London. Whether you live and/or work in London or you are a tourist, this book is for you. It's a perfect book if you are an Anglophile. Indeed, the book has something for everyone. It's not just about walking the lines, it's about maps, language, history, geography, and people. It's about how one man completes his plan to Walk the Lines: The London Underground, Overground and thus reveals a unique perspective of London. An impressive task, and a very entertaining book.

Book Review: The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown

2011-09-14T23:19:00.001+01:00

Title: The Weird Sisters
Author: Eleanor Brown
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 978 0 00 739372 5
Format: Paperback
353 pages
Genre: Fiction
Source: Publisher

The Weird Sisters is a charming story told with a fun, tongue-in-cheek style.

Rosalind, Bianca, and Cordelia are The Weird Sisters, so-called because of their names and because of their father's obsession with Shakespeare's work. When a family crisis compels the three sisters to return to their childhood home, they eventually learn a life-changing secret about each other.

Rosalind (Rose), thirty-three, is the oldest and known to always take charge when there's any problem. She never strays far from the family home and now cheerfully takes charge when her parents need her but is it at the expense of her own happiness? She's in love but uncertain about leaving her hometown. Will she allow her head to overrule her heart?

Bianca (Bean), thirty, is the middle sister - and unlike her older sister - Bean couldn't wait to leave the small town they grew up in. Bean eagerly moved to New York City where she expected to lead an exciting life but discovered it wasn't that easy. To outward appearances, she has it all so why does she suddenly seem keen to stick around her small hometown?

Cordelia (Cordy) is the youngest sister. Aged twenty-seven, she is a free-spirit, never staying in one place for long, and enjoying a life without any ties to anyone or any place. Her simple lifestyle suited her until now. It looks like she has come home to stay but why?

The Weird Sisters is a refreshing story told with a unique slant. The author chose to narrate the story using the combined perspective from the three sisters but alternating at times from one or two sisters at a time. It takes a while to get used to the narrative style but I thought it added to the feeling of how strong sisterly connections are. The author also throws in witty asides aimed directly at the reader, which made me chuckle.

It's about sibling rivalry and about growing up and learning how to choose the direction you want your life to take, even if that path may not be the one you originally chose. It's about taking responsibility for mistakes and making tough decisions.

The story is set in Ohio, in a small town called Barnwell - also known as "Barney" - and I enjoyed all the little details about growing up in a small town where everyone knows everyone else and they look out for each other but also where secrets never stay secret for long.

I adored the characters and thought the way the sibling rivalry is portrayed is spot on. The author is the youngest of three sisters, so no doubt this helped her to create such convincing situations and sharp dialogue. The way the sisters speak to each other made me smile knowingly. It's very believable - and yes, I have a sister.

The connection to Shakespeare's works is an important theme to the story,and the way the characters think and converse by frequently using quotes from Shakespeare, is very cleverly woven into the story. They are also a family of dedicated bookworms which is a very appealing feature for anyone who loves to read.

I thorougly enjoyed reading The Weird Sisters and I'm very grateful to the publisher, HarperCollins, for sending me a review copy. It was a joy to read, and I can see why it is a New York Times Bestseller. Congratulations to the author, Eleanor Brown, for writing such a brilliant first novel. I loved it.

I highly recommend The Weird Sisters.

Man Booker Prize 2011 shortlist

2011-09-06T14:02:00.001+01:00

Man Booker Prize 2011 shortlist announced

The six books, selected from the longlist of 13, are:

Julian Barnes The Sense of an Ending
Carol Birch Jamrach’s Menagerie
Patrick deWitt The Sisters Brothers
Esi Edugyan Half Blood Blues
Stephen Kelman Pigeon English
A.D. Miller Snowdrops

The winner of the 2011 Man Booker Prize for Fiction will be announced on Tuesday 18 October at a dinner at London’s Guildhall.

The Man Booker Prize

Book Review: The Dispatcher by Ryan David Jahn

2011-09-04T19:34:00.000+01:00

Title: The Dispatcher
Author: Ryan David Jahn
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
ISBN: 978-0-230-75596-3
Format: Paperback
416 pages
Genre: Fiction, thriller
Source: Publisher

The Dispatcher is a tense, fast-paced thriller about a father doing whatever he has to do so that he can rescue his daughter from her abductor.

Ian Hunt is a police dispatcher for a small town and near the end of his shift one night he gets a call from his daughter Maggie who was abducted when she was seven years old. Now, seven years later, Ian hears her voice as she begs for help but the call ends abruptly with the sound of Maggie screaming. Ian is galvanized into action and immediately stops everything else so he can focus all his efforts on finding Maggie.

As Ian sets out on his quest to rescue his daughter, he resorts to sickening means to attain the information he needs to locate the kidnapper and rescue Maggie. Her abductor seems to be one step ahead of Ian though, while Ian's loyal friend and fellow police officer, Diego, is one step behind Ian.

The point of view alternates between Ian and Maggie and her abductor, so that the reader is aware of just how determined Ian is; how brave and feisty Maggie is; and how fiendishly clever and wicked the abductor is.

The characters, their motives and actions as well as the consequences all add up to a gritty story that leads to a frantic and violent cross-state chase.

The Dispatcher is a stomach-churning thriller with an exciting plot, realistic charaacters, and scenes of violence that leave little to the imagination. The tension is palpable throughout the story and I was hooked from the attention-grabbing first sentence to the terrifying conclusion. I'm very grateful to the publisher, Pan Macmillan, for sending me a copy.

If you like thrillers, you must read The Dispatcher. You won't be disappointed. I highly recommend it.

Guardian First Book Award: the longlist 2011

2011-09-01T16:04:00.000+01:00

Guardian First Book Award: the longlist 2011

The Possessed: Adventures with Russian Books and the People Who Read Them by Elif Batuman
Sidereal by Rachel Boast
The Book of Lies by Mary Horlock
Chavs: The Demonisation of the Working Class by Owen Jones
Pigeon English by Stephen Kelman
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
The Emperor of all Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee
Down the Rabbit Hole by Juan Pablo Villalobos
The Collaborator by Mirza Waheed
The Submission by Amy Waldman

An at-a-glance guide to the 10 books

Richard and Judy Book Club: Autumn Reads Announced!

2011-08-31T15:54:00.000+01:00

Richard and Judy Book Club have selected these 8 books for the Autumn:

The End of Everything by Megan Abbott
The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender
The Black House by Peter May
Left Neglected by Lisa Genova
Dark Matter by Michelle Paver
Jamrach’s Menagerie by Carol Birch
Everything and Nothing by Araminta Hall
Next of Kin by David Hosp

Book Review: Happy Birthday by Danielle Steel

2011-08-28T23:21:00.001+01:00

Title: Happy Birthday
Author: Danielle Steel
Publisher: Transworld Publishers
ISBN: 9780593056868
Format: Hardcover
339 pages
Genre: Fiction, chick-lit, contemporary romance
Source: Publisher

Happy Birthday is a sweet story about how three people discover their lives are changed after they each celebrate a milestone birthday on the same day.

Valerie Wyatt is a famous TV presenter of a show about entertaining and decorating the home. She's been divorced for years, and happily devoted her life to her career but now as she turns sixty, she feels sad about being alone.

Valerie's daughter, April, is also single but happy to be on her own. She is a chef and owner of a popular, successful restaurant in New York and has no time for anything else in her life. She only considers what she might be missing in her life as she turns thirty.

Jack Adams is a former football star who has become a popular sports presenter on TV. He's rich and famous and enjoys the attention from his adoring female fans but now he's depressed because he is turning fifty.

The story revolves around these three characters and is about how their lives are turned upside down by a series of events which lead to a turning point in their lives and inevitably to a predictable conclusion.

Happy Birthday is a light-hearted story which I enjoyed reading although there is too much repetition, and the characters are almost too perfect. That said, I thought it was a charming, feel-good story and I'm grateful to the publisher for sending me a copy.

Danielle Steel is the author of numerous bestsellers and with this novel, she has written a romantic, life-affirming story which will appeal to anyone looking for a fast-paced, easy read.

Happy Birthday is pure escapist reading.

Book Review: Remembering Ronnie Barker by Richard Webber

2011-08-24T22:30:00.001+01:00

Title: Remembering Ronnie Barker
Author: Richard Webber
Publisher: Arrow Books (The Random House Group)
ISBN: 9780099545569
Format: Paperback
289 pages
Genre: Non-fiction, Biography
Source: Publisher

Remembering Ronnie Barker by Richard Webber, is a thoughtful biography about the famous British comedy actor.The author has written numerous TV-related books and in this book, he has written an insightful memoir that reveals fascinating details about Ronnie Barker's life and career.

Ronnie Barker started out as an assistant stage manager at the Manchester Repertory Company in 1948 and that significant beginning helped him to set out on a path towards attaining his goal - to become a professional actor.

He had a natural talent for characterisations, and his career soon blossomed. From acting in stage productions, he went on to acting (and writing) for tv and radio shows. He also appeared in over a dozen films but he became famous for his starring role in TV classics such as Porridge, The Two Ronnies and Open All Hours.

In addition to his remarkable acting talents, Ronnie Barker was also a very talented comedy writer. Indeed, he wrote some of the sketches for The Two Ronnies, which he tried to keep secret by adopting a fictitious name. The story about how Ronnie Barker's name was finally revealed to be the anonymous writer, is told in an amusing anecdote by Ronnie Corbett.

The author includes lots of interesting stories by other actors who worked with Ronnie Barker. Through these stories, it's clear that Ronnie Barker was an incredibly talented actor with a meticulous eye for detail. He was a perfectionist who obviously worked hard at his craft and it's easy to see why he became so successful and such a legend. When he died on 3rd October 2005, the nation lost a great comic actor.

The author provides eight pages of photographs in the middle of the book plus Notes, Career at a Glance, and a Bibliography at the end of the book.

I enjoyed reading Remembering Ronnie Barker. I didn't know much about the actor before reading this biography so I learned a lot about his life and why he was so revered by his peers as well as the nation as a whole. I'm grateful to the publisher for sending me a copy.

This book is sure to appeal to Ronnie Barker's fans as well as to anyone who is a fan of British comedy.

Book Review: Who is Mr Satoshi? by Jonathan Lee

2011-08-14T23:24:00.002+01:00

Title: Who is Mr Satoshi?
Author: Jonathan Lee
Publisher: Windmill Books
ISBN: 9780099537687
Format: Paperback
295 pages
Genre: Fiction
Source: Author

Who is Mr Satoshi? is Jonathan Lee's first novel, and very impressive it is too. It's a thought-provoking story about an unhappy Englishman who sets out on a life-changing journey when he searches for a mysterious stranger in Japan.

Rob Fossick, aged forty-one, is a photographer who no longer works because he suffers from depression and intense bouts of panic attacks.

On the day his mother dies, Rob finds a package his mother had addressed to a 'Mr Satoshi' in Tokyo. Rob is keen to find out more about the mysterious stranger. So, despite his constant state of anxiety, Rob decides he must try to find 'Mr Satoshi' and personally deliver the parcel to him.

In Japan, Rob (aka Foss) experiences more panic attacks and is overwhelmed by the task he has set for himself. He is befriended by Chiyoko, a friendly young Japanese woman who speaks fluent English. Chiyoko is intrigued by Foss's plan to deliver a parcel from his mother to a complete stranger, and she decides to help Foss try and find Mr Satoshi.

Together, Foss and Chiyoko begin to piece together clues about the enigmatic Mr Satoshi and try to discover his whereabouts. During their research, they discover a possible connection to a disturbing incident that occurred in 1946.

Why is the report about the incident so mysterious? What really happened? Who is Mr Satoshi? What does the package contain? Why was his mother so keen for the package to be delivered to Mr Satoshi?

Who is Mr Satoshi? is an intriguing story with more than one mystery to keep the reader enthralled until the satisfying ending. It's very clever to see how the mysteries all fit together and to realize their far-reaching implication.

The backstory to explain why Foss suffers from such intense anxiety and deep melancholy, is revealed little by little, and it's fascinating to see how his character changes when he is in Japan.

It is a journey that will dramatically change Foss's life but it's also a very funny story with appealing, quirky characters like a a former sumo wrestler who owns a 'love hotel' called the Hotel Villa Dolly because he is a Dolly Parton fan.

I loved all the touches of humour and the amusing dialogue, particularly when Chiyoko uses English expressions that aren't quite right. I also enjoyed all the bits of information about Japanese culture and history, that are woven into the story.

Who is Mr Satoshi is a gem of a story and it's obvious why Jonathan Lee was featured on the BBC’s Culture Show as one of the best new British novelists. I'm grateful to the author for sending me a copy.

I highly recommend Who is Mr Satoshi?

Book Review: Two Unknown by Alan Hamilton

2011-07-31T22:38:00.001+01:00

Title: Two Unknown
Author: Alan Hamilton
Publisher: Sparkling Books
ISBN: 978-1-907230-27-1
Format: Paperback
290 pages
Genre: Fiction
Source: Author

Why do the words 'Two Unknown' appear on the memorial to the victims of the Charfield rail disaster?

This novel is based on that intriguing question about the mystery of two victims of a tragic train crash that occurred in 1928 in England in which sixteen people were killed. Two Unknown is a well-crafted story imagining a plausible reason as to why two bodies - said to be that of a school-age girl and boy - were never claimed.

Set in a town in the English Midlands, the novel is about a family of two adults and two children that appears outwardly to be respectable and normal. However, the shocking truth about the reality of their lives is revealed in a backstory which starts about a year before the fateful train disaster.

The family is headed by Ian Markham, a busy doctor in a successful general practice and his wife, Alice, a former nurse.The children - Jessica and David -aged thirteen, are the illegitimate twins, by another man, of the doctor's former lover who died 4 years before Ian and Alice were married.

As the story unfolds, it becomes obvious that all is not right within this family. Ian's unhealthy obsession with Jessica and his obvious dislike for David, are revealed in a disturbing story of how two innocent children have to endure quiet lives of desperation.

The story explains why the children would have been on the train and also as to why their bodies were never claimed. I was impressed by the way the author created such a believable story that made me feel like these were real people and that Jessica and David were the real victims. And because the reader knows that the children are going to be killed in the horrific railway accident, it adds even more emotional impact to the heartbreaking moment when the children end up on the train.

The author obviously did a lot of extensive research (the Author's note at the end provides more information) about the accident and he has created a very believable version of what might have happened. Indeed, the details about each of the characters and the reasons for their behavior, make the story seem very real.

The story of how the children ended up on their fateful journey and why their bodies were never identified or claimed, is one that will stay with me. It's a powerful story about terrible secrets and the power that adults have over children.

Two Unknown is a story worth reading, albeit a depressing one. I was enthralled by it and I'm grateful to the author for sending me a copy.

Follow Friday: July 29, 2011

2011-07-29T23:12:00.000+01:00

These are my recomendations for Follow Friday on Twitter today:

#FF Julianna Baggott @jcbaggott (aka Bridget Asher) author of The Provence Cure for the Brokenhearted. A lovely story. Highly recommend it.

#FF Vanessa Diffenbaugh @VDiffenbaugh Author, The Language of Flowers.

#FF Ken Follett @KMFollett author of numerous best-sellers, including one of my favourite books, The Pillars of the Earth.

#FF @BBCBookCafe Everything about books, every Monday afternoon on BBC Radio Scotland http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0079gb9

#FF @GrantaMag The Magazine of New Writing - publishing the best in fiction, reportage, poetry and photography four times a year.

The Man Booker Prize 2011 longlist

2011-07-26T15:28:00.001+01:00

The Man Booker Prize 2011 longlist is announced:

Julian Barnes The Sense of an Ending (Jonathan Cape - Random House)

Sebastian Barry On Canaan's Side (Faber)

Carol Birch Jamrach's Menagerie (Canongate Books)

Patrick deWitt The Sisters Brothers (Granta)

Esi Edugyan Half Blood Blues (Serpent's Tail - Profile)

Yvvette Edwards A Cupboard Full of Coats (Oneworld)

Alan Hollinghurst The Stranger's Child (Picador - Pan Macmillan)

Stephen Kelman Pigeon English (Bloomsbury)

Patrick McGuinness The Last Hundred Days (Seren Books)

A.D. Miller Snowdrops (Atlantic)

Alison Pick Far to Go (Headline Review)

Jane Rogers The Testament of Jessie Lamb (Sandstone Press)

D.J. Taylor Derby Day (Chatto & Windus - Random House)

The shortlist of six authors will be announced on Tuesday 6 September. The winner of the 2011 Man Booker Prize for Fiction will be announced on Tuesday 18 October.

Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year

2011-07-21T21:52:00.001+01:00

Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award is announced:

The winning novel is ...

61 Hours by Lee Child

and the Theakstons Old Peculier Outstanding Contribution to Crime Fiction Award, was presented to P.D. James.

PD James honoured for life of crime (link via guardian.co.uk)

Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year

Book Review: The Provence Cure for the Brokenhearted by Bridget Asher

2011-07-21T16:34:00.002+01:00

Title: The Provence Cure for the Brokenhearted
Author: Bridget Asher
Publisher: Allison and Busby
ISBN: 978-0-7490-0993-9
Format: Uncorrected Bound Proof
413 pages
Genre: Fiction
Source: Publisher

The Provence Cure for the Brokenhearted is about a young widow who can't stop grieving until she spends a summer in an old family home in Provence where the house works its legendary magic and she begins to live and love again. It's an enchanting story about life, death, love and family.

Every good love story has another love hiding within it.

Henry died in a car accident two years ago, and now Heidi and her young son, Abbot, are both trying to deal with their grief but they are floundering. Heidi has lost interest in running her business, the Cake Shop, which had been a joint passion and venture with Henry, and Abbot suffers from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder with an extreme phobia about germs, and constant hand-washing.

At her sister's wedding celebrations, Heidi is told by her mother that a fire has damaged the family home in Provence. She wants Heidi and Abbot to go to Provence for the summer and oversee the renovation of the house. And Heidi's sister, Elysius, decides that her teenage step-daughter, Charlotte, should go with them too.

Heidi and Elysius used to spend every summer at the family house in Provence with their French mother but Heidi hasn't been back since she turned thirteen. Now, she's about to return with her eight-year-old son and her sixteen-year-old niece.

The story of what happens in Provence is at the heart of the novel. The old family house has a history of making romantic and unusual things happen. As the story progresses, it's fun to discover how the house in Provence works its magic on Heidi - and Abbot and Charlotte too.

The intense feelings of deep grief and loss are nicely balanced with moments of sheer delight and joy with some very well-drawn scenes involving comical situations that made me laugh out loud. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and I'm grateful to the publisher, Allison & Busby, for sending me a copy.

I felt like I was there in Provence with Heidi, and I loved all the details about the French scenery, the traditions, the food (a few recipes are included at the end of the book) and the people of Provence. It reminded me of the novel, Chocolat by Joanne Harris. It's also similar to Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes.

The Provence Cure for the Brokenhearted by Bridget Asher (a pseudonymn for bestselling author, Julianna Baggott) is a charming, feel-good story with appealing characters and a lovely French setting. It's a perfect escapist read.

BBC Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction: winner announced

2011-07-07T14:51:00.001+01:00

The winner of 2011 BBC Samuel Johnson Prize was announced yesterday (Wed 6 July):

Mao’s Great Famine: by Frank Dikötter

Coverage of the winner and shortlisted books will be broadcast in a special edition of BBC Two’s The Culture Show on 7 July at 7pm

BBC Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction 2011: A Culture Show Special

The BBC Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction

Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year: SHORTLIST

2011-07-01T17:27:00.001+01:00

Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year SHORTLIST announced:

• From The Dead by Mark Billingham (Sphere)

• Blood Harvest by SJ Bolton (Corgi Books)

• 61 Hours by Lee Child (Bantam Books)

• Dark Blood by Stuart MacBride (Harper Fiction)

• The Holy Thief by William Ryan (Pan Books)

• The Anatomy of Ghosts by Andrew Taylor (Michael Joseph)

The winner of the prize will be announced on the opening night of the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate on 21st July.

On the same night, a special presentation will be made to the winner of the second Theakstons Old Peculier Outstanding Contribution to Crime Fiction Award, which this year is presented to P.D. James.

Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year

Book Review: Dead Light District by Jill Edmondson

2011-06-30T17:47:00.002+01:00

Title: Dead Light District
Author: Jill Edmondson
Publisher: IGUANA
ISBN: 978-0-986683-80-0
Format: Paperback
264 pages
Genre: Fiction
Source: Review copy provided by author

Dead Light District is the second installment of the Sasha Jackson Mystery series by Jill Edmondson. Sasha is a feisty, streetwise, private investigator.

Dead Light District is set in the sleazy red-light district of Toronto. Sasha is hired by Candace Curtis, a classy madam who runs a thriving bordello business, to find a missing Mexican hooker named Mary Carmen.

When a vicious pimp turns up dead in a hotel, Sasha soon figures out what prompted Mary to run away but Mary is determined not to be found and is resourceful in her ways to evade everyone. Will she be able to evade Sasha too?

The story about why Mary ran away and how she manages to keep one step ahead of Sasha, is interspersed with Sasha's investigation. Mary is desperate to get back to Mexico and has decided the end justifies the means.

As Sasha delves into the world of hookers, pimps, and strippers, she suspects a client that uses the bordello is being blackmailed. Is there a connection to the murdered pimp and Mary's disappearance?

Sasha boldly immerses herself in the seedy underworld of commercial sex and gets to know some outlandish characters such as Todd, a friendly drag queen, and Terra, a ditzy hooker. Finding Mary is a challenge for Sasha but she uses her ingenious methods to be able to put disparate clues together and to follow Mary's trail. As Sasha stubbornly pursues Mary and throws caution to the wind, she puts her own life at risk as she gets closer to solving more than one mystery and finding Mary.

The sleazy business of the sex trade is graphically portrayed in Dead Light District so it isn't as light-hearted as the author's first novel, Blood and Groom, but saying that, the story still manages to have some very funny dialogue, as well as some amusing, quirky characters. Indeed, although the sex-for-sale theme is treated seriously, the story has lots of humour and the protagonist is every bit as likeable as she was in the first Sasha Jackson Mystery.

Dead Light District includes gritty language and a disturbing sexual theme but it is also a rollicking, engaging story with a fabulous - and very satisfying - ending. Like Blood and Groom, the setting of Toronto is again featured prominently throughout the story, and the protagonist, Sasha Jackson, is once again solving a mystery with a combination of her intelligence, tenacity, and (amusing!) snarkiness.

Dead Light District is a lively and exciting read and I wish to thank the author for providing me with a copy for review.

I recommend Dead Light District for those who like a fast-paced mystery with an amusing tone. The story is about a serious subject (prostitution) but the author has balanced it with plenty of humour, quirky characters, and a compelling mystery.

Book Review: Blood and Groom by Jill Edmondson

2011-06-21T21:57:00.000+01:00

Title: Blood and Groom
Author: Jill Edmondson
Publisher: Dundurn Press
ISBN: 978-1-55488-430-8
Format: Paperback
254 pages
Genre: Fiction
Source: Review copy provided by author

Blood and Groom is Jill Edmondson's debut novel. Set in Toronto, it's a fun, fast-paced story about a newly qualified private investigator (and former rock band singer) who is hired to investigate a murder.

The author states: think "Nancy Drew" meets "Sex and the City" on her blog - and that is a very apt description indeed!

The protagonist, Sasha Jackson, is feisty, tough-talking, intelligent and very likeable. She uses her sharp street-smarts and intuition plus her new detective skills to help her solve the mystery. Along the way, she gets help from her best friend, Lindsey; a nerdy friend called Victor; and her gambler dad.

The murder victim, Gordon Hanes, was a groom-to-be who had cancelled the wedding four months before the date and Sasha soon discovers a puzzling pattern of other murdered fiancés. She also finds that her list of potential suspects appear to be mixed up in their own secret, corrupt affairs but not necessarily murder. So who did murder Gordon and why? Is there a connection to the other murdered fiancés?

Sasha uses clever subterfuge to gather evidence about what the suspects are hiding and to make sense out of an assortment of clues. As Sasha gets closer to the truth, she refuses to give up even when she reaches a conclusion that may put her own life in danger.

The author has a distinctive style with a flair for snappy, gritty dialogue and lots of humour. The plucky protagonist, Sasha Jackson, with her snarky inner thoughts and witty observations, made me laugh out loud. Her tough-talking banter with an assortment of bizarre characters plus an edgy story with a surprise ending, makes for a very entertaining read indeed. The author also includes vivid descriptions of various places in Toronto (where the author lives).

Blood and Groom is a witty, fast-paced murder mystery with an assortment of down-to-earth (quirky) characters and I'm very grateful to the author for sending me a copy.

Blood and Groom is the first of the Sasha Jackson mystery series. I enjoyed it so much that I've already started reading the next one, Dead Light District.

If you like mysteries and you want a fast, fun read, Blood and Groom is the book for you.

Andrea Levy wins Walter Scott Prize for The Long Song

2011-06-20T22:06:00.002+01:00

The winner of the the second Walter Scott Prize is Andrea Levy.

Andrea Levy's story of the end of slavery, The Long Song, has won the £25,000 Walter Scott prize for historical fiction.

Last year's inaugural award was won by Hilary Mantel, for her story of the life of Thomas Cromwell, Wolf Hall.
[link via Guardian]

Walter Scott Prize

Andrea Levy

Follow Friday: June 17, 2011

2011-06-17T23:43:00.000+01:00

These are my recomendations for Follow Friday on Twitter today:

#FF @Mslexia the magazine for women who write http://www.mslexia.co.uk/index.php

#FF @KateMayfield Author of 2 books,magazine articles, and most recently,a memoir. http://www.katemayfield.com/default.html

#FF @Jan_Marshall shares lots of useful links about writing.

#FF @LDNBookLovers A home for book lovers in London and beyond. http://www.londonbooklovers.com/

#FF @janeholland1 Poet, novelist, critic.Tudor historical THE QUEEN'S SECRET to be published in 2012. Executive editor of Embrace Books
(Though should note THE QUEEN'S SECRET being published under @VictoriaLamb1 )

#FF Bethanne @thebookmaven Inventor of #FridayReads, author of two books and Editor at @ShelfAwareness

#FF @BBCWBC BBC World Book Club

Book Review: The Unreliable Life of Harry the Valet by Duncan Hamilton

2011-06-16T07:47:00.000+01:00

Title:The Unreliable Life of Harry the Valet: The Great Victorian Jewel Thief
Author: Duncan Hamilton
Publisher: Century Random House
ISBN: 9781846058134
Format: Hardcover
311 pages (including Author's Notes and Index)
Genre: Non-Fiction
Review copy provided by the publisher

The Unreliable Life of Harry the Valet is a fascinating account of the life of a man who was famous in Victorian times for stealing jewels from the rich while constantly evading the police. As the book's subtitle states, Harry was The Great Victorian Jewel Thief. But who was Harry? Why was he known as Harry the Valet? Why was he so remarkable? How did he evade capture for so long?

The author answers all these questions and more. He provides an intensive study about the man who committed the crimes, and shows respect for Harry's skills as a charming thief. At the same time,the author portrays Harry's victims (dukes and duchesses, earls and baronets, and wealthy businessmen) in much the same way that Harry viewed them - as careless, spoiled, shallow members of wealthy society. Indeed, his victims almost seemed to deserve having their jewels stolen.

The story of how Harry refined his talent for stealing is told through numerous vignettes that show how his crimes were committed. Harry carefully observed the journeys taken by members of the aristocracy and thus predicted when the most opportune moment was available for him to steal the jewels.

Harry also studied the lives of his intended victims and he kept a record of their habits and their friends. He dressed in expensive clothes and moved in the same circles but always used a different pseudonym. In so doing, he managed to live nearly the same luxurious lifestyle as the rich people he was stealing from while also managing to evade the police.

He moved across the landscape like the Great Fire. Most of these thefts went unreported - often to protect the victim from embarrassment - and others went unsolved. The police attributed them nonetheless to the Valet, who was soon a thief of repute to Scotland Yard and among other criminals.

The Unreliable Life of Harry the Valet isn't just about Harry though but also about his wealthy victims, and about the police force.The details about the shortcomings of a disorganised Scotland Yard (as it was back then) versus the cunning of the Valet are made very apparent.The way trials were held and the way some prisoners got special treatment is also covered in the book.

The author obviously did extensive research as the book is filled with lots of fascinating information and specific details about people, places and events.

The author provides a comprehensive analysis about London society in Victorian times, particularly that of the lives of the aristocracy.The rich and famous were the focus for gossip and scandal just as they are today.

Ultimately, it was Harry's love for a woman who betrayed him that was his downfall. His infatuation led to a particular crime, stealing jewels (worth nearly £2 million today) from the Dowager Duchess of Sutherland in October 1898, which was to become one of the most widely reported crimes of that era.

The Unreliable Life of Harry the Valet is an enthralling story of an enigmatic real-life character who enjoyed an extravagent lifestyle as well as an infamous career as a skilled jewel thief. It's a true story but reads like detective fiction. I'm grateful to the publisher for sending me a copy.

If you are a fan of true crime stories such as The Suspicions of Mr Whicher by Kate Summerscale which also took place in the Victorian era, you will enjoy reading The Unreliable Life of Harry the Valet.

International Impac Dublin Literary Award winner announced

2011-06-15T23:18:00.000+01:00

Irish author Colum McCann wins lucrative literary award
Irish author Colum McCann has won the International Impac Dublin Literary Award for his latest novel, Let The Great World Spin.

McCann's book was chosen from 10 shortlisted titles to win the world's most lucrative literary prize worth 100,000 euro (£88,000).

[link via BBC News]

International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award

Colum McCann

The BBC Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction 2011

2011-06-14T19:46:00.000+01:00

The shortlist for the 2011 BBC Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction was announced this evening:

•Mao's Great Famine by Frank Dikötter (Bloomsbury)

•Caravaggio by Andrew Graham Dixon (Allen Lane)

•Liberty's Exiles by Maya Jasanoff (HarperPress)

•The Rational Optimist by Matt Ridley (Fourth Estate)

•Bismarck: A Life by Jonathan Steinberg (Oxford University Press)

•Reprobates by John Stubbs (Viking)

The BBC Samuel Johnson Prize rewards the best non-fiction published in the UK. Now in its 13th year the Prize is worth £20,000 to the winning author.

The BBC Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction

Book Review: Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

2011-06-09T07:20:00.000+01:00

Title: Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
Author: Jamie Ford
Publisher: Allison & Busby
ISBN: 978-0-7490-0919-9
Format: Hardcover
391 pages
Genre: Fiction
Review copy provided by the publisher

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet is an enchanting story about loyalty, friendship and first love. It's also a thought-provoking story about a time when Japanese Americans were sent to internment camps by the US government.

Set in Seattle, the story opens in 1986. Henry Lee is fifty-six and a recent widower. His wife, Ethel, who Henry was devoted to, died six months ago.

When Henry hears about a commotion over at the Panama Hotel, the gateway between Seattle's Chinatown and Japantown, he walks over to see as the new owner reveals an amazing discovery - the belongings of Japanese families that were left there for safekeeping when they were sent away to internment camps during World War II.

As Henry watches a Japanese parasol being opened, he is swept away by memories to the time back in 1942 when he was twelve years old.

Henry's Chinese parents were proud when he was accepted at the all-white elementary school but they don't know that Henry is constantly bullied. Henry was born in Seattle but his classmates taunt him and call him a 'Jap' because they think Chinese and Japanese look the same and they are treated with the same disdain.

When Keiko, a second generation Japanese, is sent to the same school, she and Henry become best friends. Henry quickly becomes infatuated with Keiko but events occur that lead to heartbreaking consequences for both of them.

In the background is the growing distrust of everyone who looks Japanese.

'There's even a curfew now.'
'Curfew?'
Keiko nodded slowly, contemplating its effects as she looked around the barren streets. 'No Japanese are allowed outside of our neighborhoods from eight o'clock at night to six in the morning. We're prisoners at night.'

All the characters and their relationships are vividly portrayed as are the details about life in the USA during the 1940s, particularly the shameful way that all Japanese Americans were treated. Eventually, all persons of Japanese ancestry were forced to evacuate and sent to internment camps.

An interesting point is also made in the story about how it seemed to be just Japanese Americans who were rounded up and sent away to internment camps but not other nationalities who were also considered the enemy.

They pass some order saying they can round up all the Japanese, Germans, and Italians - but do you see any Germans in that crowd? You see them rounding up Joe DiMaggio?'

The issues of racism, paranoia, bullying, friendship, loyalty, father and son relationships, a search for identity and belonging, patriotism, and the sweet innocence of first love, are all woven seamlessly into the fabric of the story, as are fascinating details about Chinese and Japanese traditions and customs.

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet is a mesmerising love story with unforgettable characters. It's also an important reminder about a time when thousands of Japanese American citizens were treated so disgracefully by their fellow Americans. Bitter and Sweet indeed.

There's some interesting information in the Author's Note at the end of the book too.

The subtitle on the cover of the book states: THE BOOK A MILLION PEOPLE HAVE FALLEN IN LOVE WITH and I must add my name to that long list.

This is Jamie Ford's debut novel and I look forward to his next book. He is a sensational writer. I am very grateful to the publisher, Allison & Busby, for sending me a copy. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet is a book that I will certainly be recommending to everyone.

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet is a must-read. Dazzling and wonderfully satisfying.

And finally, please note the competition on the publisher's website:
WIN a MUJI VOUCHER and copy of HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF BITTER AND SWEET

Winner of the Orange Prize for Fiction 2011

2011-06-08T19:47:00.001+01:00

The winner of this year's Orange Prize is... Tea Obreht for The Tiger's Wife.

Téa Obreht wins 2011 Orange Prize for Fiction

Orange Prize for Fiction

Follow Friday: June 3, 2011

2011-06-03T23:25:00.000+01:00

These are my recomendations for Follow Friday on Twitter today:

#FF @hersilia_press Publishing the best crime, thriller and detective fiction by Italian authors. http://hersilia-press.blogspot.com/

#FF @BrysonAtHome History as you've never read it before. Facts from Bill Bryson's latest paperback At Home

#FF @StephanieCowell "historical novelist: MARRYING MOZART and CLAUDE & CAMILLE: a novel of Monet (Crown April 2010). Shakespeare lover!"

#FF @Rosamundlupton Author of 'Sister' published in 2010 in the UK, pub in the USA on June 7th. Second novel,'Afterwards' to be pub in 2011

#FF The legendary @Nancy_Pearl is a well-known librarian, author, and literary critic. http://www.nancypearl.com/

Book Review: The Eloquence of Desire by Amanda Sington-Williams

2011-05-31T20:03:00.000+01:00

Title: The Eloquence of Desire
Author: Amanda Sington-Williams
Publisher: Sparkling Books
ISBN: 978-1-907230-16-5
Format: Paperback
303 pages
Genre: Fiction
Review copy provided by the author

The Eloquence of Desire is a provocative story set in the 1950s, about a family and how they all suffer from the consequences when the husband is unfaithful.

George, his wife Dorothy, and Susan, their twelve-year-old daughter, live a quiet life in England until they all have their lives turned upside down when George has an affair with the daughter of his boss and he is punished by being sent to work in Malaya. Dorothy has no choice but to go with him but they decide to leave Susan in a boarding school in England.

Inevitably, this forced exile puts an immense strain on the family and each of them deals with it in a different way.

George and Dorothy attempt to settle into their new life and deal with the circumstances that have altered their lives so dramatically by maintaining the pretense of a happy marriage but Dorothy becomes a frightened recluse and George becomes involved with another woman. When their daughter subsequently arrives, an incident occurs that affects all of them in a profound way.

The author creates a strong sense of time and place with the exotic setting in Malaya brought to life with vivid descriptions of the birds, the gardens, and the intense heat. The contrast between the lifestyle of the native Malay people and that of the British expats with their live-in servants is also striking.

There is a constant threat from the Communist uprising in the background of the story. That threat plus the hot, humid climate adds an extra layer of tension to the story and a sense of foreboding. Indeed, I had a strong feeling of claustrophobia while reading the story which reflects how the characters feel - trapped in an unhappy marriage and in a place far away from their safe lives in England.

All the characters are superbly drawn although it has to be said that none of them are particularly likeable characters, especially George. However, saying that, the author makes it easy to understand how each of the characters feels and why they react the way they do.

The Eloquence of Desire is about the repercussions of infidelity, and the way individuals cope when their lives start to unravel. Ultimately, it's about how desire and obsessive love can destroy relationships but also about how people can adapt and change.

The Eloquence of Desire is an atmospheric novel with thought-provoking themes, and I wish to thank the author for providing me with a copy.

Follow Friday: May 27, 2011

2011-05-27T18:58:00.001+01:00

These are my recomendations for Follow Friday on Twitter today:

#FF @susanhillwriter Susan Hill is the author of numerous books and also runs the small publishing company: http://www.longbarnbooks.com/

#FF @Witneybookfest The Witney Book Fest is being held for the first time in June 2011 http://witneybookfestival.wordpress.com/ #Oxfordshire

#FF Beth Hoffman @wordrunner New York Times bestselling author of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt. http://bethhoffman.net/

#FF @gabrielle_kimm Author of 'His Last Duchess' (Sphere 2010) and 'The Courtesan's Lover' (Sphere 2011). http://gabriellekimm.co.uk/

#FF @JanetRudolph "I'm all about Crime Fiction, Chocolate and Team Building." http://dyingforchocolate.blogspot.com/ Friendly, fun tweets!

#FF @JaneRusbridge Author: The Devil's Music - Nominated for 2011 International IMPAC Literary Award http://www.janerusbridge.co.uk/

#FF @JodyHedlund Writer of Historical Romance. First book, The Preacher's Bride, Oct. 2010. http://jodyhedlund.com/ useful tips for writers!

Book Review: King of Tuzla by Arnold Jansen op de Haar

2011-05-25T07:30:00.001+01:00

Title: King of Tuzla

Author: Arnold Jansen op de Haar
Publisher: Holland Park Press
ISBN: 978-1-907320-06-4
198 pages
Paperback
Genre: Fiction
Dutch to English translation by Paul Vincent
Review copy provided by the publisher

King of Tuzla is a fictional account of a commanding officer of a company of Dutch Grenadiers, deployed to Bosnia, as part of the UN. The story is based on real events and drawn from the author's personal experience with the Grenadier Guards. Arnold Jansen op de Haar was the commanding officer of the unit that secured Tuzla airbase before the arrival of UN aid in 1994.

The protagonist in King of Tuzla is Captain Tijmen Klein Gildekamp, known as the "King" who as the commanding officer of Alpha Company, the elite unit (the first "red berets") of the Dutch Grenadiers, is sent to Bosnia to assist the UN.

Tijmen is proud of his men and pleased to hear they will be sent to Bosnia because he is keen to see some action:

Tijmen felt as if he were being slowly sucked towards danger. He felt a kind of exhilarating fear. Thank God he was no longer somewhere on the periphery of society, but where it was all happening: in the spotlight. Action at last.

However, as they progress through the war-ravaged landscape and Tijmen witnesses at first hand, the full horrors of the conflict, he realizes he just wants to be a good soldier and bring all his men back.

The reader sees the war in Bosnia through Tijmen's eyes, as he relates the various incidents he's involved in, first as a fresh young officer who is excited about seeing action but then gradually in a more dispassionate voice, as the reality of war hits the weary, disilluisioned officer.

It becomes clear towards the end of the book that the diary Tijmen writes in every evening is how he is finally able to reveal the full horrors of everything that he and his battalion had witnessed. He observes how the people living in a war-zone try to cope under such horrific circumstances, and how war affects everyone, soldiers as well as civilians.

The story makes for a compelling read although the way the details are related can be a bit difficult to follow sometimes because the storyline jumps around a lot and there isn't always a smooth transition from one incident to the next one.

King of Tuzla is a thought-provoking story about the conflict in Bosnia. The author uses beautiful prose (he became a full time poet after leaving the Grenadier Guards) to create a vivid feeling of the time and place, and an intense emotional narrative about the realities of war.

The author provides a very real glimpse into the everyday life of a soldier and the challenges that he must have faced in Bosnia while undertaking the work of a peacekeeper. I've gained more of an understanding of how incredibly difficult the situation was for everyone involved in the war in Bosnia.

Arnold Jansen op de Haar has created a moving account about the far-reaching effects of war in his debut novel, King of Tuzla, and I'm grateful to Holland Park Press for sending me a copy.

King of Tuzla is a novel but it reads more like non-fiction. If you like reading about historical events and military campaigns, you will enjoy this novel.

Philip Roth wins the Man Booker International Prize 2011

2011-05-18T20:13:00.002+01:00

Literary giant wins fourth Man Booker International Prize

Philip Roth is today announced as the winner of the fourth Man Booker International Prize at a press conference at the Sydney Opera House.

The other contenders for the Man Booker International 2011 were:

Juan Goytisolo (Spain)
James Kelman (UK)
John le Carré (UK)
Amin Maalouf (Lebanon)
David Malouf (Australia)
Dacia Maraini (Italy)
Rohinton Mistry (India/Canada)
Philip Pullman (UK)
Marilynne Robinson (USA)
Su Tong (China)
Anne Tyler (USA)
Wang Anyi (China)

Roth's award will be celebrated at a formal dinner in London on 28 June 2011.

Watch Philip Roth's acceptance speech:

The Man Booker Prize

The Philip Roth Society

Profile: Philip Roth (via Guardian.co.uk)

A guide to Philip Roth (Times Online)

New competition to find ‘The People’s Novelist’

2011-05-16T19:01:00.000+01:00

An exciting new competition for aspiring writers!

HarperCollins and ITV’s The Alan Titchmarsh Show have launched a competition to find 'The People's Novelist'.

The Alan Titchmarsh show is currently off-air but will be returning soon.

Cathy Kelly, one of the UK's bestselling authors, will be working with the show to help discover new talent.

The winner will receive a publishing deal with HarperCollins Publishers and an advance of £10,000.

Alan Titchmarsh - People's Novelist Competition : Full terms and conditions

Book Review: The Devil's Music by Jane Rusbridge

2011-05-15T18:00:00.004+01:00

Title: The Devil's Music
Author: Jane Rusbridge
Publisher: Bloomsbury
ISBN: 978 1 4088 0101 7
306 pages
Paperback
Genre: Fiction
Copy provided by the author

The Devil's Music is the first novel by Jane Rusbridge and what a fabulous novel it is! It's a poignant story about family relationships, in particular the strong bond between a mother and her children.It's about love, family secrets, childhood memories and a shocking misunderstanding.

Set in England, the complicated story is told from two different viewpoints alternating between the mother and her son, Andy. The time frame alternates too, with their memories from the 1950s and 1960s - and shifting to Andrew thirty years later but it's all very cleverly woven together.

Andrew returns to The Siding, the seaside place where an incident occurred when he was nine years old, and he was left to mind his youngest sister, Elaine. He is a doting brother, extremely protective of Elaine because he's been told that she is 'not quite all there’.

Andrew is troubled by fragments of memories from his childhood and he is reluctant to face the past. However his sister, Susie, is keen to find their mother who has been missing for years. Their father is dead now and The Siding has been left to their mother.

Where is she and why did she leave her children?

Andy's relationship with his father is a troubled one but Andy and his beloved "Grampy" have a very special bond. It's a loving relationship demonstrated so well by the charming endearments Grampy calls his grandson, like 'Duck' and 'Treasure'.

Andy learns how to make rope knots (there's a useful glossary in the book) from his grandfather, and he becomes obsessed with tying knots:

Grampy tells me that in ancient times, the art of knot tying was held in great esteem because knots kept treasures safe.

He also tells Andy about a seafaring legend that claims:

Whistling is the Devil's music. It can make a storm come.

Andrew as an adult is a loner but he is befriended by a woman from next door. The way his relationship with Sarah develops and how it ultimately leads to a dramatic turn of events makes for a very compelling story.

I was struck by the way the author created such strong characters and is able to convey a child's perspective on life (and his vivid imagination) as well as the viewpoint of a troubled adult man. The different perspectives are very clear and also quite believable.

The twist at the end is breathtaking and only then does it become apparent how all the clues about the past have been leading to the unexpected - and satisfying ending.

The writing is incredibly beautiful with lyrical descriptions that create a real sense of the characters and a strong sense of the time and place. All of the characters seem very real indeed.

I follow the author on Twitter, and was fortunate to win a (signed!) copy from Jane Rusbridge. Thank you, Jane! I was hooked after reading the first two pages. It's simply brilliant.

The Devil's Music is a thoughtful, deeply moving story that is sure to captivate you too. It's easy to see why it was nominated for the 2011 International IMPAC Literary Award.

Follow Friday: May 13th, 2011

2011-05-13T23:50:00.000+01:00

These are my recomendations for Follow Friday on Twitter today:

#FF @MarDixon American mom/wife in Salop UK. Big on fun, education, art, science, #savelibraries

#FF @BubbleCow Publishing experts tweeting links to help you get published and sell more books.

#FF @LeeGoldberg TV producer, author, screenwriter: Monk and Diagnosis Murder http://leegoldberg.typepad.com/a_writers_life/

#FF @rebeccawoodhead "English Author of Palaces and Calluses,Social Media Columnist for Writing Magazine,Blog about writing" Friendly & fun!

The Richard and Judy Summer Book Club 2011

2011-05-11T11:07:00.002+01:00

The W H Smith Richard and Judy Summer Book Club list has been announced.

The eight Book Club titles are:

When God Was A Rabbit by Sarah Winman

The Confession of Katherine Howard by Suzannah Dunn

The Death Instinct by Jed Rubenfeld

The Novel in the Viola by Natasha Solomons

The Poison Tree by Erin Kelly

The Return of Captain John Emmett by Elizabeth Speller

Every Last One by Anna Quindlen

The Summer of the Bear by Bela Pollen

http://www.richardandjudy.co.uk/home

Follow Friday: May 6, 2011

2011-05-06T22:45:00.002+01:00

These are my recomendations for Follow Friday on Twitter today:

#FF @CarmelaTheTwit Author of NOM DE PLUME: A (SECRET) HISTORY OF PSEUDONYMS (HarperCollins), out in June. http://www.carmelaciuraru.com/

#FF @mark_logue Filmmaker, grandson of Lionel Logue and author of the King's Speech.

#FF @elizabethscraig Author. Also creates the Writer's Knowledge Base: The Search Engine for Writers http://hiveword.com/wkb/search Useful!

#FF The author of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, The Sunday Philosophy Club, and the 44 Scotland Street series @McCallSmith

#FF How exciting is this? Mariella Frostrup "Journalist, TV and radio presenter, campaigner" is on Twitter! @mariellaf1

#FF @LesleyDewar1 writes "stories that educate and entertain 7-12 yo children" Leslie tweets @NanaStories too!http://storiesmynanatells.com/

#FF @lynneguist An American linguist in England. About American English vs British English. http://separatedbyacommonlanguage.blogspot.com/

#FF @WriterThesaurus Angela Ackerman likes to share great writing resources. Very useful blog too: http://thebookshelfmuse.blogspot.com/

#FF @crimeficreader Friendly and informative tweets by Rhian about books, mainly crime fiction. Fab blog too: http://itsacrime.typepad.com/

Follow Friday is an easy way for you to recommend other people to follow on Twitter. You simply tweet the names of Twitter users you like (preferably include a reason) and tag it with the hashtag: #followfriday or #FF.

Book Review: Blood Sisters by Alessandro Perissinotto

2011-05-05T21:37:00.005+01:00

Title: Blood Sisters
Author: Alessandro Perissinotto
Publisher: Hersilia Press
ISBN: 978-0-9563796-1-0
253 pages
Paperback
Genre: Fiction, Mystery
Translated from Italian by Howard Curtis
Review copy provided by the publisher

Blood Sisters is an intriguing mystery set in the foggy countryside near Milan, Italy. The fog and the gloomy conditions add to the tension of this atmospheric novel.

The protagonist - also the narrator - is soon involved in something far removed from her normal line of work, as this excerpt explains:

I should have been having a quiet life,with everything mapped out: husband, home, children to be picked up from school and taken to their judo or dance classes. Instead of which I was alone, childless, and penniless. So penniless I'd had to accept an absurd job...

Anna Pavesi is a psychologist, not a detective but she is short of money so she agrees to an unusual assignment from a new client, Benedetta Vitali.

Benedetta wants Anna to investigate the strange circumstances of a road accident that killed her half-sister, Patrizia and the mysterious disappearance of Patrizia's body.

Was the road accident that killed Patrizia really a simple hit-and-run accident?

Does Benedetta know more about the incident than she is telling Anna?

As Anna begins questioning everyone connected to the case, she soon begins to piece together the puzzling details by using her professional knowledge about how people behave and being able to determine if someone is not telling the whole truth. However, her acute powers of observation soon lead Anna to uncover more than she bargained for, and she feels an increasing desperation to solve the mystery of the missing body.

The story about how Anna works to methodically put all the clues together to solve the mystery surrounding Patrizia's death, is intercut with Anna frantically digging the ground, searching for something that she dreads discovering but is keen to find.

As Anna slowly discovers the truth, the whole story is revealed to the reader. It all makes perfect sense, and adds up to a very satisfying ending.

If you like a good mystery, then I am certain you will enjoy reading Blood Sisters as much as I did. Indeed, I enjoyed reading this book so much, that I immediately read it again. I like the way the clues are presented and how the story unfolds little by little. I also liked the protagonist because she seemed very real. I particularly enjoyed her self-deprecating humour.

Blood Sisters is a fast-paced mystery which I thoroughly enjoyed reading and I wish to thank the publisher, Hersilia Press, for sending me a review copy.

Happy Birthday William Shakespeare!

2011-04-23T21:13:00.000+01:00

As well as St George's Day (England's national day) today, it's also William Shakespeare's 447th birthday!

Happy Birthday Shakespeare!

http://birthday2011.bloggingshakespeare.com/

Follow on Twitter: @ShakespeareBT - The offical twitter account for the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.

In honour of Shakespeare's birthday:

Shakespeare In Love - Trailer

Romeo + Juliet (1996) trailer

"Macbeth" - Dench/McKellen -1979

The Man Booker 'Best of Beryl Award' announced

2011-04-19T23:00:00.005+01:00

Beryl Bainbridge's 1998 novel, Master Georgie, is today (Tuesday 19 April) announced the winner of a special prize created to honour the late, much-loved author - the Man Booker Best of Beryl.

Read more here: http://www.themanbookerprize.com/news/stories/1494

The 2011 Orange Prize for Fiction: shortlist

2011-04-12T14:08:00.002+01:00

The Orange Prize for Fiction, the UK’s only annual book award for fiction written by a woman, today announces the 2011 shortlist:

SHORTLIST

Emma Donoghue: Room
Aminatta Forna: The Memory of Love
Emma Henderson: Grace Williams Says it Loud
Nicole Krauss: Great House
Téa Obreht: The Tiger’s Wife
Kathleen Winter: Annabel

The winner will be announced on the 8th of June at a ceremony at the Royal Festival Hall in London.

Orange Prize for Fiction

Book Review: The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

2011-04-09T18:29:00.007+01:00

Title: The Language of Flowers
Author: Vanessa Diffenbaugh
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
ISBN: 978-0-230-75258-0
465 pages
Genre: Fiction
Proof copy provided by the publisher

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh is the author's debut novel and was the subject of a 9-publisher auction.

It is the poignant story of a young woman searching for love and a sense of family and finding both through her remarkable talent for knowing the meaning of flowers.

Victoria Jones spent her childhood in the foster care system and now at the age of 18, she is homeless and sleeping in a public park. Despite her circumstances, Victoria finds a sense of purpose by planting a small garden in the park and her talent and knowledge about flowers is discovered by Renata, a local florist.

The backstory of Victoria's troubled past is interwoven with the story of her present life, working in Renata's florist shop.Victoria loves the work and because she is able to convey emotions through the language of flowers, it means that her special talents are soon in demand.

Victoria meets a charming young man, a vendor at the flower market and she is attracted to him but she must confront a haunting secret from her past, before she can take a chance on accepting love and happiness.

When Victoria was ten years old, she is placed in foster care with Elizabeth, the woman who taught her about the language of flowers.

Victoria learns about love and trust from Elizabeth, and believes she has finally found a place where she wanted to stay but there is an incident that will dramatically alter both their lives.

Later, as an adult,Victoria learns about the healing power of love and friendship, and ultimately about taking a second chance at finding happiness.

The references to the meaning of flowers are fascinating to learn about and I was pleased to see "Victoria's Dictionary of Flowers" is included at the end of the book.There is also a very interesting Author's Note explaining how the dictionary of flowers came about.

The Language of Flowers is reminiscent of Chocolat, the novel by Joanne Harris. Both stories are about a woman with an unusual talent that affects her and those around her, and about how this talent helps to change their lives.

I loved The Language of Flowers. It was a real joy to read and I wish to thank the publisher, Pan Macmillan, for sending me a proof copy.

I highly recommend The Language of Flowers.

The Man Booker International Prize 2011: Finalists

2011-03-30T03:59:00.001+01:00

John Le Carre on shortlist for international Booker Prize
John le Carre, the author of the George Smiley spy novels, has been shortlisted for the international Booker prize - despite having asked for his novels never to be considered for the main prize in the UK.

(link via telegraph.co.uk)

The Man Booker International Prize is given to an author rather than a novel, and is awarded every two years for overall contribution to fiction.

Thirteen authors have made it on to the list of finalists for the fourth running of the prize. This year's finalists are:

Wang Anyi (China)
Juan Goytisolo (Spain)
James Kelman (UK)
John le Carre (UK)
Amin Maalouf (Lebanon)
David Malouf (Australia)
Dacia Maraini (Italy)
Rohinton Mistry (India/Canada)
Philip Pullman (UK)
Marilynne Robinson (US)
Philip Roth (US)
Su Tong (China)
Anne Tyler (US)

The Man Booker International Prize winner will be announced 18th May and the winner will be celebrated at an awards ceremony in London on 28th June 2011.

The Man Booker International Prize

Book Review: To Touch the Stars by Jessica Ruston

2011-03-22T21:09:00.009Z

Title: To Touch the Stars
Author: Jessica Ruston
Publisher: Headline Publishing Group
ISBN: 978 0 7553 7031 3
358 pages
Paperback
Genre: Fiction, Chick Lit
Proof copy provided by the publisher

To Touch the Stars tells the story of the wealthy Cavalley family, headed by Violet Cavalley who has created a world-famous millinery business. Her three adult children, Flip, Blue and Fran, are also involved in running the business.

Violet Cavalley is talented and ambitious and quite-rightly proud of Cavalley's, her successful company, and proud of her family too but she is also haunted by each of the various tragedies in her life and is convinced they are the result of the 'Cavalley Curse'.

The story begins as Violet is celebrating her 60th birthday surrounded by her family and friends, at a huge party. As Violet contemplates which of her three children she will choose to run Cavalley's after she is gone, she finds her world is about to be turned upside down by an unexpected guest.

I was captivated by the backstory about Violet's upbringing and how she had transformed herself into a sophisticated and extremely rich businesswoman and I was quickly drawn into Violet's world of hats and high fashion. I wanted to find out more about her, and her family.

What was the mystery about her adopted daughter, Fran? How did Fran get the scar on her face? What happened to Scarlet and Sebastian?

As Violet's secrets are gradually revealed, it becomes obvious that her children are concealing secrets of their own.

This fascinating rags-to-riches story of a talented, powerful woman and her complicated family, reminded me a lot of the fabulous books by Barbara Taylor Bradford which feature the wonderful Emma Harte character. I was pleased to find To Touch the Stars is a similar engrossing saga.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading To Touch the Stars and wish to thank Headline Publishing Group for sending me the proof copy.

New "Jane Eyre" movie out this year!

2011-02-16T17:02:00.000Z

This latest movie version of Jane Eyre looks like it will be very good! It stars Michael Fassbender as Edward Rochester, Mia Wasikowska as Jane Eyre,
Jamie Bell as St John Rivers, and Judi Dench as Mrs. Fairfax.

The movie is due to be released in the USA on 11 March 2011 (lucky them!). We have to wait until 9 September 2011 for it to be released in the UK. I'm looking forward to seeing it!

'Jane Eyre' Theatrical Trailer (via Yahoo! Movies):

If you haven't yet read Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, I suggest you do. It's one of the great literary classics and a wonderful (and suspenseful) love story.

Book Review: The Snowman by Jo Nesbo

2011-02-13T02:08:00.003Z

Title: The Snowman
Author: Jo Nesbo
http://www.jonesbo.com/
Publisher: Vintage Books
ISBN: 9780099520276
550 pages
Genre: Crime Fiction
Price: £6.99
Paperback

I was hooked after reading the first chapter of this gritty crime novel. The story is about a worrying number of wives and mothers who have gone missing over the years in Norway. The mystery of their disappearance soon turns into a desperate murder investigation.

The story is set in Oslo in the winter. The wintry weather adds a chilly (sinister) element in more ways than one. Why does the killer strike after the first snowfall? What is the meaning behind the snowman?

I was quickly drawn into the terrifying story. I wanted to know what happens next despite feeling increasingly unsettled by the sense of evil which permeates the story until the nail-biting climax.

Detective Harry Hole begins to suspect a serial killer is on the loose and the clues to solving the case are slowly revealed to Harry as well as to the reader.

The gruesome details make for some uncomfortable reading. The full horror was very easy to visualize, so much so that a couple times I had to stop reading for a little while.

The central character, Harry Hole, is a tough (but kind) detective. He's also an alcoholic. An alcoholic cop probably sounds like a predictable stereotype but Harry Hole is anything but boring. He's obsessed about his work and he has a cynical attitude about everything which makes him all the more appealing.

I enjoyed the snappy dialogue between all of the characters and the way they relate to each other in a realistic way, whether it's between children and their parents, or between the detectives, or detectives questioning suspects.

The plot is convoluted with more than enough suspects to keep the reader guessing. It's a challenge to put the clues together to figure out the identity of the killer, although I think most readers will guess who the killer is before the end.

The climactic scene is jaw-dropping but I have to admit that I thought it was a bit over-done. It's still a fabulous story though and I highly recommend it if you are looking for an exciting crime thriller.

The Snowman is the first book I've read by Jo Nesbo but I don't think you need to have read the other books in the series to appreciate this one. I now intend to read all of Jo Nesbo's other books featuring the very likeable character, Detective Harry Hole.

It's worth noting that the author has announced (via his website) that The Snowman is to be adapted into a film. I'm looking forward to that!

Here's a video trailer to promote the book:

11 words for 2011 - inspiration to start the year

2011-01-10T18:34:00.000Z

This is so cool:

11 words to inspire, provoke and encourage you in 2011

http://www.boxofcrayonsmovies.com/

Richard & Judy Spring 2011 Book Club

2011-01-05T18:36:00.003Z

The Richard and Judy Spring Book Club 2011, exclusively with WHSmith, has been announced today.

The eight new titles are:

The Postmistress by Sarah Blake
Room by Emma Donoghue
Trespass by Rose Tremain
You're Next by Gregg Hurwitz
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson
The Blasphemer by Nigel Farndale
Hothouse Flower by Lucinda Riley
This Perfect World by Suzanne Bugler

Richard and Judy Spring 2011 Book Club (official Richard & Judy site)

Costa Book Awards 2010 - category winners announced

2011-01-04T20:30:00.002Z

The Costa Book Awards 2010 category winners were announced on BBC Radio 4's Front Row programme tonight:

Costa Novel Award

Maggie O'Farrell - The Hand That First Held Mine

Costa First Novel Award

Kishwar Desai - Witness the Night

Costa Biography Award

Edmund de Waal - The Hare With Amber Eyes

Costa Poetry Award

Jo Shapcott - Of Mutability

Costa Children's Book Award

Jason Wallace - Out of Shadows

Costa Book Awards

World Book Night campaign: Apply to be a Book-Giver

2010-12-07T22:35:00.004Z

World Book Night: The Largest Book Give-Away Ever Attempted!

The inaugural World Book Night will take place on Saturday, 5 March 2011, two days after World Book Day.

"One million books will be given away by an army of passionate readers to members of the public across the UK and Ireland."

Twenty-five titles have been selected to be distributed.

Apply to be a Book-Giver

If you would like to be a book-giver then you have to apply before 0900 UK time on Tuesday, 4 January 2011. Successful applicants will be contacted on Friday, 28 January, and you will receive your box of 48 books in the week before World Book Night, which is on Saturday, 5 March 2011.

Follow WorldBookNight on Twitter

BBC National Short Story Award 2010 - Winner Announced

2010-11-29T23:30:00.001Z

National Short Story award goes to David Constantine
Judges praise Tea at the Midland for its 'rich poetry' and 'deep understanding of the form'

(link via guardian.co.uk)

Costa Book Awards 2010 Shortlists Announced

2010-11-16T23:01:00.001Z

Costa Book Awards 2010 Shortlists Announced

Category Shortlists:

Costa First Novel Award

•Witness the Night by Kishwar Desai
•Coconut Unlimited by Nikesh Shukla
•The Temple-Goers by Aatish Taseer
•Not Quite White by Simon Thirsk

Costa Novel Award

•Whatever You Love by Louise Doughty
•The Blasphemer by Nigel Farndale
•The Hand That First Held Mine by Maggie O'Farrell
•Skippy Dies by Paul Murray

Costa Biography Award

•How to Live A Life of Montaigne by Sarah Bakewell
•My Father's Fortune by Michael Frayn
•The Hare with Amber Eyes by Edmund de Waal

Costa Poetry Award

•Standard Midland by Roy Fisher
•The Wrecking Light by Robin Robertson
•Of Mutability by Jo Shapcott
•New Light for the Old Dark by Sam Willetts
Costa Children's Book Award

•Flyaway by Lucy Christopher
•Annexed by Sharon Dogar
•Bartimaeus: The Ring of Solomon by Jonathan Stroud
•Out of Shadows by Jason Wallace

Costa Book Awards

BBC National Short Story Award 2010: The Shortlist

2010-11-11T23:00:00.001Z

James Naughtie, Chair of the Judges of the BBC National Short Story Award 2010, has announced the five authors shortlisted for this year's prize.

The five shortlisted stories are:
Tea at the Midland by David Constantine

Haywards Heath by Aminatta Forna

Butcher's Perfume by Sarah Hall

If it Keeps on Raining by Jon McGregor

My Daughter the Racist by Helen Oyeyemi

Each of the five stories will be read on Radio 4 at 3.30pm, Monday to Friday next week. They will also be available as a podcast for two weeks after broadcast. The winner will be announced live on Front Row at 7.15pm on Monday 29 November.

BBC National Short Story Award 2010 - shortlist

Galaxy National Book Awards 2010

2010-11-11T22:00:00.002Z

Stephen Fry, David Nicholls, Hilary Mantel and Andrew Marr among the winners at last night's Galaxy National Book Awards.

Stephen Fry won biography of the year for his second volume of memoirs, The Fry Chronicles. Popular fiction book of the year went to David Nicholls' One Day. Andrew Marr won the non-fiction prize for The Making Of Modern Britain. Hilary Mantel won the UK author of the year award and Jonathan Franzen won the International Author of the Year for Freedom.

Galaxy National Book Awards
The public will subsequently be invited to vote online for the Galaxy Book of the Year and the final result will be announced on December 13th. The awards ceremony will be televised on More4 on November 13th.

Book Review & Giveaway: Britain & Ireland by Robin Currie

2010-10-23T07:00:00.004+01:00

Title: Britain & Ireland: A Visual Tour of the Enchanted Isles
Author: Robin Currie
Publisher: National Geographic Society
ISBN: 978-1-4262-0627-6
352 pages
Genre: Non-fiction, Travel
Price: U.S. $35.00 (can be purchased via National Geographic)
Hardcover

Britain & Ireland: A Visual Tour of the Enchanted Isles by Robin Currie, provides extensive information about Britain and Ireland, with stunning photographs, and useful illustrations.

As well as cultural and historical references about each region of Britain and Ireland, the author shares lots of fun facts and bits of trivia. For example, I learned that Westminster is the biggest Gothic palace in the world and that Windsor Castle is the world's oldest and largest occupied castle.

Each chapter devoted to a geographic region, contains detailed historical background as well as lists that highlight interesting facts (coastal landmarks, historic pubs, great stately homes, etc.). Also, at the end of each chapter, there is a two-page spread which features a useful list of "Sites and Sights" about the particular region.

Britain & Ireland is the perfect book for anyone interested in learning more about the British Isles. It is also a useful reference book for planning a visit to the British Isles.

I enjoyed reading this book and I'm very pleased to be able to offer a free copy of Britain & Ireland: A Visual Tour of the Enchanted Isles to one of my readers of this blog post. (UK residents only)

For your chance to win a copy, please leave a comment on this post. A winner will be selected by a random drawing on Monday, October 25th, 2010, at about 6:00 pm and announced here shortly thereafter.

Many thanks to National Geographic Books for providing two copies of this book (one for me to review and keep, and the other book to give away).

Life Ascending wins Royal Society Prize for Science Books

2010-10-21T23:30:00.001+01:00

Life Ascending by Nick Lane wins Royal Society Prize for Science Books

(link via telegraph.co.uk)

Nick Lane was presented with a £10,000 prize at an award ceremony held at the Royal Society in central London.

The six books shortlisted were:

We Need To Talk About Kelvin by Marcus Chown (Faber and Faber)
Why Does E=mc2? by Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw (Da Capo Press, Perseus Books Group)
Everyday Practice of Science: Where Intuition and Passion Meet Objectivity and Logic by Frederick Grinnell (Oxford University Press)
God’s Philosophers: How the medieval world laid the foundations of modern science by James Hannam (Icon Books)
Life Ascending by Nick Lane (Profile Books)
A World Without Ice by Henry Pollack (Avery Books, Penguin Group)

The authors of each shortlisted book were awarded £1000.

Book Review: A Place of Secrets by Rachel Hore

2010-10-16T19:30:00.002+01:00

Title: A Place of Secrets
Author: Rachel Hore
http://www.rachelhore.co.uk/
Publisher: Pocket Books, part of Simon & Schuster UK
ISBN 978-1-84739-142-1
454 pages
Genre: Fiction
Price: £6.99
Paperback

A Place of Secrets is a wonderful, convoluted story set in present day about Jude, working in London as an auctioneer and valuer of books and manuscripts. When Jude is asked to value a collection of manuscripts and scientific instruments that had originally belonged to Anthony Wickham, an 18th-century astronomer, Jude is intrigued and when she realizes it means going to Norfolk where she grew up, she eagerly agrees.

As Jude spends time learning more about Anthony Wickham and his adopted daughter Esther and about the folly they used for viewing the stars, she realizes she feels a strange affinity to Esther. Jude and her young neice share the same disturbing dream and somehow the dream seems to be connected to Esther's life. How can this be?

It soon becomes a story within a story, as Jude uncovers more clues about Esther. The way the past affects Jude's life - and her family, is central to the story and I was impressed by how everything comes together in a very clever way. I was also fascinated by the details about astronomy (obviously well-researched by the author).

A Place of Secrets is a charming story, with a very satisfying ending. I loved it. I can certainly see why it is included in the current Richard and Judy Book Club list.

Man Booker Prize for Fiction 2010 Winner

2010-10-12T22:44:00.002+01:00

Man Booker Prize: The shortlist

Peter Carey – Parrot And Olivier In America
Emma Donoghue – Room
Damon Galgut – In A Strange Room
Howard Jacobson – The Finkler Question
Andrea Levy – The Long Song
Tom McCarthy – C

Howard Jacobson wins the Man Booker Prize for Fiction 2010

Howard Jacobson is tonight (Tuesday 12 October) named the winner of the £50,000 Man Booker Prize for Fiction for The Finkler Question, published by Bloomsbury.

The Man Booker Prize

Book Review: Sister by Rosamund Lupton

2010-10-11T07:00:00.001+01:00

Title: Sister
Author: Rosamund Lupton
http://www.rosamundlupton.com/
Publisher: Piatkus Books
ISBN 978-0-7499-4201-4
358 pages (plus A Sister Reading Guide and Author Q&A)
Genre:Fiction
Price: £6.99
Paperback

Sister is an enthralling story about the strong bond between two sisters.

Beatrice is summoned to London because her younger sister, Tess, has disappeared. Beatrice knows how her sister would have behaved and refuses to believe otherwise even when confronted by views from so-called experts. Her absolute devotion and belief in her sister is what drives the story forward and it quickly turns into an intense thriller.

Beatrice uses her knowledge about Tess to make sense of each clue she discovers and becomes obsessed as she soon realizes that she may be the only person able to find the truth about what happened to her sister.

The story is full of clever twists and turns and I found it impossible to guess what would happen next. It also becomes apparent that there is an additional mystery concerning Beatrice but this mystery doesn't make sense until the very end.

It's obvious the author did extensive research about cystic fibrosis because this medical condition is an important element in the story. I thought the story was believable and the author has created an unsettling, thought-provoking read. This is the author's first novel, and it's a very impressive debut.

Sister is the first book on the current Richard and Judy Book Club list. I'd say it was an excellent choice! I highly recommend you read it.

National Poetry Day in the UK

2010-10-07T17:09:00.007+01:00

National Poetry Day celebrates poetry across the UK. Our theme is HOME.

National Poetry Day Official Web Site

There were a variety of events around the UK to celebrate National Poetry Day today.

This isn't in keeping with the theme of "Home" but this poem is one of my favourites (and the first poem that I memorized):

The poem "Daffodils" written in 1804 by William Wordsworth read by the actor Sir Jeremy Irons:

Do you have a favourite poem?

Agatha Christie's 120th anniversary

2010-09-15T11:48:00.004+01:00

You could hardly miss the fact that today is Agatha Christie 120th birthday anniversary because Google has marked the event with a special Google Doodle.
[link via Telegraph]

The famous British mystery writer is (aptly) called the 'Queen of Crime' and to celebrate Agatha Christie's 120th anniversary you can bake her a special birthday cake created by Jane Asher! The recipe for Delicious Death cake is inspired by a passage in one of the Miss Marple books, her 50th novel, A Murder is Announced.

You can also enter this cool competition: Win Every Christie Novel In Your Language
Entry only via registering to www.agathachristie.com and leaving your answer to the multiple choice question on the specified forum page.

Christie Week 2010

BBC opens Agatha Christie archive

2010-09-11T17:41:00.004+01:00

BBC opens Agatha Christie archive

To mark the 120th anniversary of Agatha Christie's birth, BBC Archive is releasing a small collection of radio and television items in tribute to the world's most successful crime writer.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/agatha_christie/

Man Booker Prize 2010 shortlist

2010-09-07T15:07:00.003+01:00

The Man Booker Prize for Fiction Shortlist 2010:

Peter Carey Parrot and Olivier in America
Emma Donoghue Room
Damon Galgut In a Strange Room
Howard Jacobson The Finkler Question
Andrea Levy The Long Song
Tom McCarthy C

The winner of the 2010 Man Booker Prize for Fiction will be announced on Tuesday 12 October

Richard and Judy Book Club 2010

2010-09-02T14:53:00.002+01:00

Richard and Judy return with a brand new book club!

The new Richard and Judy Book Club 2010 exclusive to WHSmith.

The chosen books are:

Sister by Rosamund Lupton
A Place of Secrets by Rachel Hore
The Snowman by Jo Nesbo
The Wilding by Maria McCann
No And Me by Delphine de Vigan
Waiting For Columbus by Thomas Trofimuk
The Crying Tree by Naseem Rakha
Operation Mincemeat by Ben Macintyre

Richard and Judy Book Club

Richard and Judy Book Club launches this week

2010-08-31T12:37:00.001+01:00

New Literary Competition Launched in UK

2010-05-26T13:27:00.004+01:00

The UK based internet publishing website abook2read.com has launched its inaugural literary competition.

The top prize this year is £1,000 and a three year rolling contract with abook2read.com.

You can enter by post or online.

The minimum length of submissions is 40,000 words and the maximum length is 180,000 words. Stories can be on any fictional subject.

Prize Details 2010

Closing date for entries is 30th of September 2010

BBC Samuel Johnson Shortlist Announced

2010-05-26T11:43:00.002+01:00

The BBC Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction 2010 Shortlist:

Alex’s Adventures in Numberland by Alex Bellos
Nothing to Envy: Real Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick
Blood Knots by Luke Jennings
Too Big to Fail by Andrew Ross Sorkin
A Gambling Man by Jenny Uglow
Catching Fire: How Cooking made us Human by Richard Wrangham

The judges will announce the winner of the Prize at an awards event on 1 July at the Royal Institute for British Architects (RIBA).

The winner receives £20,000, and each of the five shortlisted authors, £1,000.

The BBC Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction

J. G. Farrell wins the Lost Man Booker Prize

2010-05-20T14:15:00.000+01:00

JG Farrell wins Lost Man Booker Prize for Troubles
JG Farrell, widely believed to be one of the most talented writers of his generation, has posthumously been awarded the 'lost' Booker Prize for 1970 for his novel Troubles.

(link via telegraph.co.uk)

The Man Booker Prize

Orange Prize for Fiction 2010 shortlist announced

2010-04-20T18:01:00.000+01:00

Orange prize shortlist pits Mantel against debut novelists
Last year's Man Booker winner, Wolf Hall, leads shortlist alongside two first-time authors

(link via guardian.co.uk)

The Orange Prize for Fiction 2010 shortlist:

Hilary Mantel Wolf Hall
Rosie Alison The Very Thought of You
Barbara Kingsolver The Lacuna
Attica Locke Black Water Rising
Lorrie Moore A Gate at the Stairs
Monique Roffey The White Woman on the Green Bicycle

Orange Prize for Fiction

Impac Dublin Literary Award: shortlist revealed

2010-04-12T02:00:00.000+01:00

The shortlist for the the Impac Dublin Literary Award has been unveiled

The shortlisted titles are:

The Twin by Gerbrand Bakker
The Elegance Of The Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
In Zodiac Light by Robert Edric
Settlement by Christoph Hein
The Believers by Zoe Heller
Netherland by Joseph O'Neill
God's Own Country by Ross Raisin
Home by Marilynne Robinson

The result will be announced by Patron of the Award, Lord Mayor of Dublin Emer Costello, on Thursday June 17

(link via BelfastTelegraph.co.uk)

International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award

The Lost Man Booker Prize shortlist announced

2010-03-25T23:15:00.003Z

The shortlist of six titles for the Lost Man Booker Prize was announced today.

The six books are:
• The Birds on the Trees by Nina Bawden
• Troubles by J G Farrell
• The Bay of Noon by Shirley Hazzard
• Fire From Heaven by Mary Renault
• The Driver's Seat by Muriel Spark
• The Vivisector by Patrick White

Vote for the novel you think you should win the Lost Man Booker Prize.

The public vote closes on 23 April 2010.

The overall winner will be announced on 19 May 2010.

Orange Prize longlist announced

2010-03-17T18:01:00.000Z

Booker winner Hilary Mantel on Orange Prize longlist

She is joined on the 20-strong list by fellow Booker nominee Sarah Waters, previous Orange Prize winner Andrea Levy, and seven first-time novelists.

(link via BBC News)

The Orange Prize for Fiction 2010 longlist

Rosie Alison, The Very Thought Of You
Eleanor Catton, The Rehearsal
Clare Clark, Savage Lands
Amanda Craig, Hearts And Minds
Roopa Farooki, The Way Things Look to Me
Rebecca Gowers, The Twisted Heart
M.J. Hyland, This is How
Sadie Jones, Small Wars
Barbara Kingsolver, The Lacuna
Laila Lalami, Secret Son
Andrea Levy, The Long Song
Attica Locke, Black Water Rising
Hilary Mantel, Wolf Hall
Maria McCann, The Wilding
Nadifa Mohamed, Black Mamba Boy
Lorrie Moore, A Gate at the Stairs
Monique Roffey, The White Woman on the Green Bicycle
Amy Sackville, The Still Point
Kathryn Stockett, The Help
Sarah Waters, The Little Stranger

The Lost Man Booker Prize announced

2010-02-01T01:03:00.002Z

The Lost Man Booker Prize

The Lost Man Booker Prize is a one-off prize to honour the books which missed out on the opportunity to win the Booker Prize in 1970.

Here are the 22 longlisted books:

Brian Aldiss, The Hand Reared Boy
HE Bates, A Little Of What You Fancy?
Nina Bawden, The Birds On The Trees
Melvyn Bragg, A Place In England
Christy Brown, Down All The Days
Len Deighton, Bomber
JG Farrell, Troubles
Elaine Feinstein, The Circle
Shirley Hazzard, The Bay Of Noon
Reginald Hill, A Clubbable Woman
Susan Hill, I'm The King Of The Castle
Francis King, A Domestic Animal
Margaret Laurence, The Fire Dwellers
David Lodge, Out Of The Shelter
Iris Murdoch, A Fairly Honourable Defeat
Shiva Naipaul, Fireflies
Patrick O'Brian, Master and Commander
Joe Orton, Head To Toe
Mary Renault, Fire From Heaven
Ruth Rendell, A Guilty Thing Surprised
Muriel Spark, The Driver's Seat
Patrick White, The Vivisector

The shortlist will be announced in March but, as with the Best of the Booker in 2008, the international reading public will decide the winner by voting via the Man Booker Prize website.

The overall winner will be announced in May.

Christopher Reid wins 2009 Costa Book of the Year

2010-01-26T21:11:00.000Z

Christopher Reid wins Costa book prize
Poet picks up £30,000 prize and huge increase in readership for A Scattering – which has sold less than 1,000 copies

(link via The Guardian)

Costa Award shortlist announced

2010-01-04T19:30:00.003Z

Costa Award shortlist announced

Irish novelist Colm Toibin has been shortlisted for the Costa Book of the Year
Raphael Selbourne, Graham Farmelo, Patrick Ness and Christopher Reid complete the nominees, with the winner announced on 26 January.

Colm Toibin - Brooklyn
Christopher Reid - A Scattering
Raphael Selbourne - Beauty
Graham Farmelo - The Strangest Man
Patrick Ness - The Ask and the Answer

(link via BBC News)

Man Booker Prize 2009 winner: Hilary Mantel for Wolf Hall

2009-10-06T21:05:00.002+01:00

The Man Booker Prize

This is the 41st edition of the award, which selects the best novel written by a citizen of the British Commonwealth, Ireland or Zimbabwe. The winner receives £50,000.

Booker Prize 2009 shortlist:

A. S. Byatt -- The Children's Book
J. M. Coetzee -- Summertime
Adam Foulds -- The Quickening Maze
Hilary Mantel -- Wolf Hall
Simon Mawer -- The Glass Room
Sarah Waters -- The Little Stranger

The Man Booker Prize for Fiction 2009 winner is:
Hilary Mantel for Wolf Hall

Mills & Boon book club night launches at new Soho tearoom

2009-09-08T16:00:00.001+01:00

This is a cool new bookish event for those of you who love reading Mills & Boon novels:

Mills and Boon night launches in Soho
Guilty pleasures book club night launches at new Soho tearoom Yumchaa - bring along your favourite copies and you'll be serenaded while drinking aphrodisiac tea
(link via thelondonpaper.com)

Yumchaa Soho Tea shop

Enjoy discussing your Mills & Boon books while you sip tea & listen to music. They aren't my sort of books (I almost said it's not my cup of tea!) but I'm sure the book club will be a lot of fun for those of you who are fans of the books.

Yumchaa, tonight, 6.30pm-8pm, 45 Berwick Street, W1, yumchaa.co.uk, admission free

2009 Man Booker Prize for Fiction Shortlist announced

2009-09-08T10:36:00.002+01:00

The judges for the 2009 Man Booker Prize for Fiction have announced the shortlist for this year's prize.

The shortlisted titles are:

The Children's Book by A S Byatt (Random House, Chatto and Windus)

Summertime by J M Coetzee (Random House, Harvill Secker)

The Quickening Maze by Adam Fould (Random House, Jonathan Cape)

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel (HarperCollins, Fourth Estate)

The Glass Room by Simon Mawer (Little, Brown)

The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters (Little, Brown, Virago)

The Man Booker Prize

Introduction: About me

2009-09-07T14:05:00.001+01:00

Welcome to my book blog, Bookish Magpie.

My name is Maureen. I'm an American expat (from Minnesota) residing in the UK. I live in a small town near London with my English husband and our two sons.

In addition to being a bookworm, I enjoy birding, gardening, and knitting.

Some of my favourite books are:

The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Empire Falls by Richard Russo
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson
Three Junes by Julia Glass
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb
Tara Road by Maeve Binchy

I read a lot and own a lot of books - hence the name of my blog. I really am a Bookish Magpie!

You can follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/bookishmagpie

I also have another blog: A View from England