Book review: The Promise by Damon Galgut
I was attracted to The Promise after hearing positive reviews of it following its Booker win. The Promise is set…
Book review: Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley
The author of Nightcrawling, Leila Mottley, conceived the idea for the novel after hearing a news story in her home…
It’s possible to read a book badly, and I’ve just done it
Does the reader have a responsibility to read a book ‘well’? And what does that even mean? In the past,…
Good bye Hilary Mantel, and all of the books you might have written
I was shocked to hear last night that Hilary Mantel had died, aged 70. I had read and adored Mantel's…
Book review: The Dispossessed by Ursula le Guin
I have to admit right now that science fiction is not my thing. For some reason, the idea of distant…
What I love about bookish events … and Ann Cleeves!
It was in the middle of a busy week that I'd organised to meet some bookish friends at an author…
Book review: Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason
I'm so glad I finally got around to reading Sorrow and Bliss, after it had received glowing reviews from almost…
I find a prizewinning book harder to put down … does that make me a literary snob?
It is prize season in the Australian book industry, with Jennifer Down's Bodies of Light winning the Miles Franklin award…
Book review: French Braid by Anne Tyler
If you want a comforting family saga, it’s hard to go past Anne Tyler. Having recently read and enjoyed A…
Book review: The Women of Troy by Pat Barker
I have to admit I’ve become a bit of a Pat Barker fan in the past few years, having read…
