

The Pull of the Past – Three books on memory from Maxwell, Capote and McClenahan
No 378 Inhuman Resources by Pierre Lemaitre, translated by Sam Gordon
I read Pierre Lemaitre’s novel Blood Wedding last year and very much enjoyed it so was keen to read more of his work. Inhuman Resources doesn’t disappoint, featuring a perfectly paced plot, thrilling narrative and ingenious structure. Middle-aged Alain Delambre had a stellar career before he was made redundant from his job in HR. Four…

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Announcing 20 Books of Summer ’22: Add your links here!
No 379 The Night of the Gun by David Carr
Before his untimely death in 2015, David Carr was an acclaimed journalist, editor and culture correspondent for the New York Times. Ta-Nehisi Coates claimed that he owed his writing career to Carr’s support and Carr is often credited as the man who launched Lena Dunham thanks to his championing of the original script of Girls.…

No 380 Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis for the #1954Club
I’m squeezing in one more review for the 1954 Club this week, with a book that has been languishing on my TBR shelves for more years than I care to remember! Regarded as one of the finest comic novels of the twentieth century, Lucky Jim caused quite a scandal when first published in 1954. The…

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No 381 Messiah by Gore Vidal for the #1954 Club
This week I am taking part in the 1954 Club, hosted by Kaggsy and Simon. The idea is simple – just read a book from the year in question and review it! I can’t always take part in the bi-annual Club events, but was delighted this time round to find a book in the 746…

No 382 The Dark Hole Days by Una Woods
I read The Dark Hole Days by Una Woods as part of Reading Ireland Month, but have only just got round to reviewing it. A slim novella, The Dark Hole Days presents the parallel lives of Joe and Colette, two young people living in Belfast from either side of the sectarian divide, who don’t know…

The Children of Dynmouth by William Trevor #readingirelandmonth22
The Children of Dynmouth is probably the most impressive of William Trevor’s novels that I have read so far. At the heart of this slim novel, set in the seaside town of Dynmouth, is a fabulous creation in fifteen-year old Timothy Gedge, an awkward, insinuating boy who spends his time hanging around the town and…

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