Alas, I have just had a really bad run. Very annoying when that happens. Not always the book’s fault. Emma Donaghoe’s newly shortlisted for the Booker prize, Room is clearly absolutely brilliant, I just can’t read it whilst my children are so small- The Road upset me for a long time. I used to be able to read the bloodiest and nastiest of serial killer things, but now I simply can’t. We recently had a break-in to our garage, nothing serious, but my five year old asking me very seriously if the robbers were going to come back with guns, and me promising him faithfully that it didn’t matter, we would always keep him safe, and him happily going to sleep, even though I have of course just told him a lie, kind of got to me. The idea of any child unable to sleep and unsafe is just too harrowing- fictional or otherwise; and of course Jack in Room is only *just* fictional.
ANYWAY, that’s a digression. What else came up? I shan’t name them, nothing worse than an innocent author googling themselves and finding something awful: I would know. Let me see, there was an Into Thin Air rip-off about K2 that was both disrespectful and a cash-in, written by someone who admits freely in the introduction that he doesn’t really give a toss about climbing; a follow up to an office workplace book that I had absolutely adored, which is totally tedious (possibly it’s a lot better if you work in an office); a 1970s style farce comedy that wouldn’t have made it through the slushpile these days and a romance about a man who eats metal. Yeah, that didn’t really work for me either. Okay. I need NEW BOOKS. OOH and it is my birthday next week and I have been hinting heavily for a kindle. OOH that will be exciting. If I get it…
All good new book suggestions more than welcome…
Dear Jenny, Dipping back in time..have you read any books by Ada Leverson? Friend of Oscar Wilde (He called her the Sphinx)..read “Love’s Shadow” and the 2 that follow. All Dorothy Whipple books but especially “They Knew Mr Knight”. The quartet by Kate Atkinson starting with One Good Turn or Case Histories you have probably read?
Jenny..whilst on MY holiday I read “The Good The Bad and The Dumped” which i found in the villa. I enjoyed it v much but can’t prevent myself from mentioning the error re: Scapa Flow. This isn’t an archaelogical site in Shetland but an area of water..in Orkney. I wondered if you were getting confused with Skara Brae(Orkney)or Jarlshof(Shetland)?
Anyway..keep up the good work and hope you might pick up one of the books I have suggested if they are new to you. Kind regards,
Sue
Thanks for the suggestion, Sue. Argh, I did mean Jarishof of course, I was there just a couple of years ago. How annoying and thanks for pointing it out! Jxx