Reviews 

Pleased that the local library is open again post lockdown; I am probably borrowing too many books, and the choices there are quite...

I enjoyed this more than I expected. I can’t see anything special about his prose style. But I enjoyed this as a novel about an American...

Bought this by mistake, as P already has a copy and I read it 18 months ago. But I like Chevalier and it is quite a good book. About a...

A real curate’s egg, if that is the right expression. Half (or less page wise) is set in France in 1916 and reminded me a lot of...

This was on the radio and bits of it were set quite locally in Binfield, so I thought I would give it a go. Bits I liked, for instance...

An Xmas present from Cristina next door, who is I think a fan and may even have met the guy. Very good, not the sort of book or writer I...

One of Paddy’s and this was brilliant. Set in the early 1930’s and about a 38 year old spinster whose intended had been killed the 1st...

Obviously having my own Prague spring as this was inspired by 677 above, and apart from Kafka, Hasek is the major Prague writer from the...

I loved this; she said she likes to write about people on the periphery of major events so here we have a WW1 novel set in Zennor, just...

Possibly her first (famous or actual first?) book. Good, but difficult and hard work. The main narrative is a Tristram Shandy like...

Never read this, or any of her books, before. Huge cast of characters, introduced in short ensemble sketches, so very difficult to...

Another birthday present; this one from Patrick Stephenson. This is a geographical/historical picture, city by major city, of the world...

Wonderful! Boyd is fast becoming my favourite modern English novelist. I have read this before (don’t know whether an earlier reading is...

My other birthday book! I read this years ago, enjoyed it, and couldn't find it on Amazon for the kindle, hence the paperback purchase. I...

Took me all week to read this, because I began the week trying to read 'Mary Barton' by Mrs. Gaskell. I seem to have had a fall out with...

Never read any of his before. Enjoyed it but it was long. Why are all the characters (nearly all-male) gay? Even the central female...