C. Achebe, A man of the people (1966)
A. Glenconner, Lady in Waiting (2019)
M. Kamman, When French women cook (1976)
W.S. Maugham, The painted veil (1925)
J. Rayner, The last supper (2019)
J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2007)*
I. Suzuki, Terminal boredom (2021)
O. Tokarczuk, Drive your plow over the bones of the dead (2009)
It's an effort, Short's monumental book on Mitterrand. It's almost 600 pages and it really covers the ground. This has downsides - it took a third of the month to read, and sometimes I think it does lose its way in the details of the Presidency. And it does help that I didn't know the background. I'm sure students of the (frankly, insane) French political system in the Fourth and Early Fifth Republics will find less new and interesting than I did. Equally, People whose knowledge of the resistance is not based largely on 'Allo 'Allo may find the earlier chapters less fresh.
But, caveats aside, it does fulfil its very broad and ambitious scope. The writing is crisp, and though Short inherits a vast treasure trove of material, he marshals it well. He brings to life the background and underlying personality of Mitterand - with some great anecdotes. And that's important, because by the post-war period, that's clearly overlaid by his vast ambition and the layers of 'ambiguity' described here. It's very good on Mitterrand's pre-presidency career, and his critical decision to oppose De Gaulle, as well as how he sidestepped better placed rivals to lead that faction. I'm very glad I read it.
Quick note for The Painted Veil. I really like Maugham's writing and I think he's criminally underread now. This was again excellent. Everyone should start with Cakes and Ale, but it's all great.
