L. Baston, Borderlines: a history of Europe in 29 borders (2024)
C. Brenchley, Mary Ellen, Craterean! (2024)
L. Booth, (ed.), Wisden cricketers Almanack (2025)
R. Gaafar, A mouth full of salt (2024)
R. Heinlein, The moon is a harsh mistress (1966)
H. Kashiwai, Restaurant of lost recipes (2024)
S. Mawer, The glass room (2009)
A. Patchett, Truth and Beauty (2004)
A. Petersen, On the edge of the dark sea of darkness (2008)
A. Sen, Home in the world (2021)
One of A's many virtues is that she can pick out superb books for me. A few years ago, she found Chaz Brenchley's amazing fusion of pre-golden age science fiction (in this case Imperial Mars) and school stories for girls (in this case, especially the Chalet School). They're a marvel. This is the third and they remain wonderful.
One of A's many virtues is that she can pick out superb books for me. A few years ago, she found Chaz Brenchley's amazing fusion of pre-golden age science fiction (in this case Imperial Mars) and school stories for girls (in this case, especially the Chalet School). They're a marvel. This is the third and they remain wonderful.
It does, mean, horrifically, that even the old feeling books were modern. Thankfully, at read some actual golden age science fiction to keep at least one thing before 2000 (even if seven were in the 2020s). As well as being modern, a lot of the other readings were deeply frustrating books. They weren't bad (apart from Petersen), but they could have been so much better. In particular, I thought Gaafar struggled for resolution, Sen for narrative drive, and Baston for consistency, while Mawer wrote an excellent 200 pages before really tailing off in the second half. On balance, I am glad I read them all though.
No balance needed for my favourite. Having completed all of Ann Patchett's novels this year, I've knocked off the memoirs now. Those precious days is her COVID memoir and it's beautiful. All the things you expect of her writing. I think I've read everything of her's now. This is right up there.
