‘The beginning (unless you’re Kurt Vonnegut or perhaps Martin Amis) is invariably a strong position from which to start.’
Tag: Review
Review: Bring up the bodies, by Hilary Mantel
‘Hilary Mantel’s successes lay as much in the depth of character she presents in her main protagonist, as in her unique handling of such famous narrative.’
Review: Stoner, by John Williams
‘I didn’t like him at first. John Williams that is, not William Stoner.’
Review: In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote
‘Tragic, sympathetic, human and terrifying in equal measures. Frankly, I’ve never read a book quite like it.’
Recent reading, ratings & reviews
Reviews in brief of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, Raymond Chandler’s The Big Sleep, and others’
Review: ‘NW’, by Zadie Smith
An unconventional, stylish stroll through north-west London with three wonderfully constructed, yet fundamentally flawed native thirty-somethings as our guide.
Review: ‘Antwerp’, by Roberto Bolano
‘A confusing and unsettling journey into Spain’s criminal underworld guided by a unique and improvisational voice.’
Review: ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls’, by Ernest Hemingway
‘A stunning and picturesque critique on the futility and irony of war.’
Review: ‘Provided You Don’t Kiss Me: 20 Years with Brian Clough’, by Duncan Hamilton
A stunning, no punches pulled personal account of the best manager England never had.
