It’s been an odd but varied reading month, but with three trips to London and a trip to Birmingham I have at least been able to read a lot on trains, which is better than spending the journey wondering why we can’t run the service anywhere near as well as practically any other country in the world.
A Flat Place – Noreen Masud
This was not at all what I was expecting, but enjoyable if a little strange. It’s been shortlisted for a number of prizes but I bought it because I’m writing about the Norfolk coast and am interested in flat places. It purports to be a nature writing book but it’s mostly an exploration of Masud’s possible complex PTSD, which she thinks but cannot confirm is a result of her restrictive upbringing in Pakistan. The first flat place she loves is the stretch of fields on her way to school near Lahore. Once she, her mother and sisters escape to Britain, she travels to a number of other flat places to find solace and understanding. It’s well written and is part of a trend of non-fiction books that combine the personal with the factual, making them difficult to classify because of the mixed nature of the subject matter.
How Westminster Works and Why It Doesn’t – Ian Dunt
This feels like it ought to be required reading for most of us. I had no real idea of the ins and outs of the Westminster and parliamentary system, so this is an explainer that is actually a good read. Everything is well explained and it’s balanced – Dunt is a respected political journalist and has quotes in here from MPs and civil servants, past and present, from across the political spectrum. As you’ll tell from the title, the book highlights how many ways this country is far from the fair democratic powerhouse it might like to talk about and instead how deep into the sewer we really are. Looking at this, it’s a wonder that we’ve ever managed to achieve anything at all. Dunt devotes each chapter to a section – MP selection, Parliament, No 10, Cabinet office, Treasury and so on – explaining how it works, how it used to work, and the impact of that section on other areas of government. The most devastating of these is the chapter where he has highlighted a number of issues and demonstrates their complete failure with the example of the evacuation of Afghanistan in 2021. The writing is clear but scathing, not hysterical but with obvious condemnation where it’s necessary. Recommended, but in small chunks so you can spread out your annoyance that we are being failed so badly on every level.
Greener – Grainne Murphy
I bought two books by Murphy this month, Greener is her most recent publication and is about what happens when childhood friends grow up, grow apart and have to come back together again. Helen comes back home in Ireland to visit her father, who is old, infirm and being cared for (professionally) by her childhood friend Annie. The two girls and their friend Laura used to be inseparable but drifted apart – can they now find their friendship after so much time has passed? I enjoyed this – it’s a frank look at friends, manners and emotional burdens, plus it’s well written and about women of a certain age, ie like me. We should star in more books or TV series – we rock.
The Boat – Nam Le
This was the reading group choice this month and I wanted to like it more than I did. It’s a series of short stories and I should be clear, Le is an excellent writer, clearly very talented. But I found the stories didn’t do it for me and I’m not sure why, there was a lot in there, a dark underbelly and tales of crime or relationships that had the requisite amount of grubbiness. Maybe that’s it, I find a lot of short stories these days seem to pack a lot of ‘action plot stuff’ in, going for twists or shocks or some kind of reveal. I know it’s the point in many of them, I just find it hard to read or relate to. These were accomplished without ever being emotionally involving.
In the Garden – various
Daunt Books have a series of books that cover essays on a theme and this is one of those. The latest, about rivers, is just out – to be reviewed when I get to it. As ever the variety of essays is strong, and covers a lot more than you would expect. Gardens and childhood and a lot of talk about growing food, and family memories and mental health. I have little gardening knowledge but the idea of knowing and doing a lot in a big patch appeals. This book helps.
Winter People – Grainne Murphy
A second book by Grainne Murphy, set on the Irish coast and told by three people over the course of a few days. Sis Cotter is the main character of the three, who grew up, married and raised her three children here, and is now being evicted due to the debts run up by her husband and son’s gambling. Next door to her is Lily, who is seeking refuge following a hit and run accident where she hurt someone. And the man evicting Sis is dealing with the terminal illness of his childhood friend. Almost unending misery you say? Well, it doesn’t come across like that. There is a human element of connection and respect, and Sis sounds like she may be doing better without her children, all of whom sound ghastly. I liked this, despite its bleakness. Murphy is published by an independent publisher, and I can imagine the big five stressing that her books aren’t enough like Eleanor Oliphant to interest them, but my goodness, she understands people and writes this very well.
Sea Defences – Hilary Taylor
I picked this up because it was set on the crumbling Norfolk coast and I am halfway through writing (very slowly) a book set on the crumbling Norfolk coast. This has more plot than mine though. Rachel lives with her husband and two children in Norfolk and is training to be a vicar. When her daughter disappears on the beach, her faith and sanity is sorely tested. Meanwhile Mary, mother of Adam who has learning disabilities, is fighting a battle of her own as her house gets closer to a cliff edge, her sight is failing and her desire to remain in her home grows stronger. These two stories collide and weave together in a well written debut by this older author.
Army Without Banners – Ann Stafford
This is touted as a novel but is essentially a piece of reportage repurposed to have a fictional element. Written during the Blitz, it tells the story of women who volunteered throughout the bombardment and what life was like back then. The sheer terror, destruction and simultaneous moments of boredom are dealt with strongly, as are the sense of achievement and creativity shown by all concerned. It’s an interesting look at a time that seems so incredibly different and strangely portrayed these days, but Stafford is clear that she also wants to make a point about the poverty of the East End being as bad as the Blitz, or worse, if you realise that the Blitz ended. Anyway, despite this being thinly veiled diary entries, it’s so good to hear authentic women’s voices from the time and realise the huge responsibilities many of them picked up.
Eddie Winston is Looking for Love – Marianne Cronin
This is the second book by Cronin, who wrote the very sweet Hundred Years of Lennie and Margo, and this has a very similar inter-generational plotline as that first book. It’s published in August and I was sent a review copy as I’d said nice things about Lenni and Margot. Eddie W volunteers in a charity shop but sometimes takes the sentimental donations home, to care for them. Eddie is 90 and never been kissed, though he has had a great love. Bella is very young and grieving the death of her boyfriend Jake. She donates some personal items of Jake’s to the shop and Eddie takes care of them for Bella until she’s ready to look at them again. The two of them become friends and you get the idea of how this will develop. It’s deftly done, bordering on twee but if you want a sweet read, this will do it. As I said, out in August.
Maybe Perhaps Possibly – Joanna Glen
I also read and reviewed another book, the new Joanne Glen, but that will have a proper write up closer to publishing so keep an eye out. I think that’s August too.
Ms Demeanor – Elinor Lipman
I enjoyed the frank humour of a previous book by Lipman and this was a similar style, if a totally batshit plot. Jane gets caught by a neighbour when she has impromptu sex on her apartment building roof, and loses her job and freedom after a court case. Sentenced to six months home confinement, she starts filling her time by making TikToks of her cooking vintage recipes while complaining about her life, and going to make friends with another member of the building under house arrest. So far fine, but when she goes to make friends with another person and simultaneously find out more about the person who called the police for her indecent exposure it all went a bit nuts.
These Streets – Luan Goldie
This has been on the shelf for a while as I bought it off the back of reading Nightingale Point which I enjoyed a lot. This has a similar theme – a point to be made about the precarity of life and how rubbish the housing crisis is – within a wider family story. This was not as poignant or strong as Nightingale Point, however the point about housing was clearly made. Essentially single mum Jess is asked to leave by her landlord who is selling the house and moving to Surrey, she gets made redundant, and finds a new boyfriend as well as having to try and look after her alcoholic chaotic father and both her rebellious teenager daughter and deaf anxious son. And there’s an unresolved storyline about her brother. It was a quick read, enjoyable enough.
Moments of Pleasure
I’ve had some time off work this month and have been to London not once but twice, to see museums and exhibitions and shows and just generally to walk the streets and take in the people. Some highlights:
Hazlitt’s hotel, a night away with the Mr while E was in Paris with school. We were upgraded to a suite and generally spoiled.
John Singer Sergent at Tate Britain, very enjoyable exhibition of his portraits and the dresses many of the women wore.
E and I had a few days in London the following week for half term and a birthday treat for her to watch Hamilton. We also visited Highgate Cemetery which I’ve been meaning to do for years and it’s fascinating stuff – we had a tour of the West side highlights and then ambled round the East side. It’s the only one of the big cemeteries run by volunteers, there’s so much history and many things to see as well as all the old friends I said hello to (well their graves anyway.) Highly recommended.
Susan E Barsby 