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A Card from Angela Carter by Susannah Clapp
A small and unassuming collection of anecdotes about Angela Carter are linked together through postcards sent from the author to her friend and editor Susannah Clapp. The collection is both celebratory and realistic, offering respectful glimpses into Carter's life and the literary scene of the 1970s and 80s. It is a beautiful portrait of a writer who is missed and appreciated more every year. Hardback £10.00 |
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The London Train by Tessa Hadley Hadley's unusual novel presents the narratives of two distinct characters united by a single journey on the train to London from Cardiff. The two characters, Paul and Cora are imperfect, never seeming to fit within their otherwise normal lives. The attention to the mundane and domestic in this novel is more skilled and intriguing than the epic action and drama of other writer's. A subtle but well-crafted novel.
Paperback £7.99 |
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Great House by Nicole Krauss This is a difficult book to describe as it involves various characters whose only connection with each other is a desk, but its poignant depiction of love and loss will resonate with you long after finished it.
Paperback £8.99 |
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My Dear I Wanted to Tell You by Louisa Young
A great love story as well as a great all around novel about the scars left by war in the bodies and souls of those who live through them. Paperback £7.99 |
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The Tiger's Wife by Thea Obreht At first this appears to be a straight-forward story of a young woman trying to figure out the last few days of her grandfather's life, but it soon turns into a more complex tale. Interwoven with Natalia's story are two legends: one is the story of a man who cannot die, and the other that of a tiger that escaped from a zoo during the Second World War. Together, these tale form a truly remarkable tale.
Paperback £7.99 |
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In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
A true classic of American fiction this chilling real-life account of Capote's investigation into and obsession with the1959 murder of a Kansas farming family deserves a genre all its own. The mix of meticulous fact-gathering, shameless journalism and moral conundrum make this a truly powerful read. Paperback £8.99 |
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The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka The wonderfully told collective story of a group of Japanese women from the moment they sail to meet thier husbands for the first time in America, nearly a century ago, to the moment when their adoptive country turns against them during the 2nd World War. Hardback £12.99 |
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The Paris Wife by Paula McLain If you've read any Hemingway or any Scott Fitzgerald for that matter, this bookwill be right up your alley. An alternative view of the decadent and self-destructive passions of the Lost Generation, as told by Hemingway's first wife. A fascinating, gut-wrenching and great novel! Paperback £7.99 |
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23 Things They Don't Tell You About Capitalism by Ha Joon Chang I'm not usually a fan of non-fiction books, especially when they deal with such complex and dry subjects as economics, but I found this book both easy to read and very informative. And the best thing is, you can pick and choose which “thing” to read.
Paperback £ 9.99 |
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The Death of King Arthur by Simon Armitage Armitage's translation of the alliterative 'morte Arthur' maintains the cut and thrust atmosphere of the original Old English, bringing to life all the political intrigue and chivalry of Arthurian legend with wonderful linguistic skill. A great book for poetry lover or novice alike. Hardback £12.99 |
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Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson The story of a woman who wakes up every morning with no idea of what has happened to her in the past ten years and has to painfully reconstruct it each and every morning. A thrilling story that will have you on the edge of your seat right from the start. Paperback £7.99 |
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The Group by Mary McCarthy Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful! It really annoys me when such great books are given such awful covers, but disregard it and you will find an incredible story about the lives of a group of young women throughout the thirties and forties. We follow them through not only love, marriage and babies, but also politics, class and religion. A really vivid portrait of a nation and its inhabitants between the wars. A forgotten classic well worth reviving. Brilliant! Paperback £8.99 |
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Gillespie and I by Jane Harris What starts as a simple recollection of a long-lost friendship, gradually becomes a dark tale of deception and intrigue. A great mystery novel that will have you glued to the pages. Paperback £7.99 |
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There But For The by Ali Smith The tantalising story of a man who locks himself in somebody else's bedroom and refuses to come out. For months. A breathtaking writer, this book is definitive evidence of Smith's linguistic craftmanship. Hardback £16.99 |
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In the Seventies: Adventures in the Counterculture By Barry Miles Miles delivers again with a fantastic portrait of several facets of the seventies from San Francisco to London and from hippy culture to punk rock. A great assortment of characters and scenes; like taking a road trip through the US and UK at its coolest! Paperback £14.99 |
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Hitch-22 by Christopher Hitchens A brilliant book. You will probably disagree with a lot of Hitchen's opinions, but it is difficult not to be seduced by his wit. £9.99 Paperback |
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Waterline by Ross Raisin In his new novel, Ross Raisin follows the tragic fall of former shipyard worker Mick Little after the death of his wife, Cathy. Brilliantly written, intensely moving, Waterline ranks as one of the best novels of the year by a writer with a unique talent. Highly recommended. Paperback £12.99 |
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The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides Eugenides's long-awaited third tells the stories of Madeleine, Leonard and Mitchell, three college students on seperate journeys for sex, love and sanity. Clever, insightful and darkly comic, this book is a wonderful blend of Easton Ellis-style cynicism with a One Day-like romance! Hardback £18.99 |
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Anthropology of an American Girl by Hilary Thayer Hamann
This immense novel about teenage friendships and love is an intense read but written so beautifully that it's worth the effort. The main character, although flawed in many ways, is so well drawn that her presence stays with you long after the book ends. Paperback £8.99 |
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The Milkman in the Night by Andrey Kurkov
My book of the year! His prose is such a joy to read, it's easy to forget how intricate and complex the plot is. The atmosphere of modern day Kiev and the freezing temperatures are vividly brought to life. I would recommend this book to anyone. Superb! Paperback £12.99 |
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The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern Without a doubt the best book I have read this year. This story of a magical competition within the confines of a black and white circus, is so spellbindingly good that you cannot help wishing the circus really did exist, and you could become one of the rêveurs who follow the circus everywhere it goes.
Hardback £12.99 |
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Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey If you're looking for action, this book delivers in spades. Set on the wild Utah border in the 1870s, it tells the story of Jane Withersteen, heir to her father's fortune and Cottonwoods. As she tries to choose between her independence and her faith, rustlers, riders and gun-men fight it out in the sage. With brilliant chases on horseback, gun totin' and the occasional fainting damsel, this is western drama at its classic, breathtaking best.
Paperback £7.99 |
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Jamrach's Menagerie by Carol Birch The captivating tale of a sea voyage in pursuit of a mythical creature - a page turner if ever I read one! Paperback £7.99 |
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Strictly English by Simon Heffer A must for anyone who writes, whether professionally or for pleasure. I found even the most basic stuff quite revelatory as I had never been 100% on grammar. At least now one can learn the rules before one breaks them! Paperback £7.99 |
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Promised Land: A Northern Love Story by Anthony Clavane Supporting Leeds Utd since the 1960s has never been easy and the traumatic ups and downs are vividly brought to life in this fascinating book. Part memoir, part social history and most definitely the best book on football for some time, Promised Lands was the worthy winner of this year's British Sports Book of the Year. Paperback £8.99 |
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Franny and Zooey by J. D. Salinger An equisitely written set-piece that centers on a family of child prodigies. Vivid and engaging, Franny and Zooey is proof that Salinger was no one-hit-wonder, but instead a true great writer, famous for more than just Catcher in the Rye.
Paperback £8.99 |
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Homer and Langley by E.L. Doctorow A quicky and original tale of two very rich and very eccentric borthers living through most of the 290th century in golden isolation. Paperback £7.99 |
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The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes Sortlisted for the 2011 Man Booker Prize, Barnes' beautifully crafted novella is sure to be a front runner. Engrossing and compelling and highly recommended to fans of Ian McEwan's On Chesil Beach. Hardback £12.99 |
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The Rules of Civility by Amor Towles Very classy and very entertaining, this book is like a Jazz Age Jane Austen meets Working Girl or Mad Men. Our narrator is the smart and intrepid Katey Kontent. We follow her as she flirts with New York aristocracy and climbs the professional ladder, all set against the backdrop of thirties, prohibition era Manhattan. Great stuff! Hardback £12.99
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The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett A real slice of hard-boiled New York. Join the wise-cracking and reluctant detective Nick Charles, as he is forced to come out of retirement to solve the Wynant Family case of a missing father, a dead secretary and several red herrings. Plenty of ugly characters and suspicious behaviour goes on as Charles and his canny wife Nora solve the crime in between slugs of bourbon and Christmas parties. Great, no-nonsense writing and a story that draws you right in. Paperback £9.99
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Wild Abandon by Joe Dunthorne From the author of Submarine comes this brilliant new story about famiyl, growing-up and finding independence. Set against the backdrop of a sustainable farming community in Wales, this sometimes dark comedy is wonderfully written and often moving. Most of all, it is a well observed portrait of a modern-day family struggling to come to terms with who they are. Great stuff! Paperback £12.99 |
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Lucky Break by Easther Freud Lucky Break tells the story of a group of acting students during their time at drama school and their subsequent attempts to 'make it' in showbusiness. Filled with believable and intriguing characters and set in London with a mid-90s backdrop, Esther Freud skillfully evokes a world of fame and fortune, poverty and pressure and cold competitiveness. Paperback £11.99 |
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How to be a Woman by Caitlin Moran Utterly marvellous! Moran deals with some very big ideas with wit and irreverance. Laugh-out-loud funny, its not only an extremely readable and down-to-earth treatise on what it means to be a woman - or a man - today, but also a great story about growing up during grunge and Britpop in the eighties and nineties. I can't recommend it enough. Read it NOW!
Paperback £11.99 |
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The Understudy by David Nicholls If you have read the brilliant One Day by David Nicholls and want to read more of his work, you won't be disappointed with this book: It's a witty look at the struggle many actors suffer trying to get near the top, drawn from Nicholl's own experiences. Very funny, not to be missed. Paperback £7.99 |
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The Best of Everything by Rona Jaffe
Ignore the comparisons with Sex and the City, this book is much more than just shopping and boyfriends! Closer to The Apartment or Mad Mad, this is an exciting and moving story about women at work, in love and on their own. Stylish and scintillating! Paperback £8.99 |
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The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman If there is only one book you take to the beach or by the pool this summer, this is the one. Brilliantly written, engaging and full of characters that will stay with you long after the last page is turned, this is one of the summer's must-reads! Paperback £7.99 |
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Night Waking by Sarah Moss The best book I've read in a long time. Totally compelling and with a funny, likable and believable main character. The chapters about sleep deprivation and young children are brilliant! Paperback £12.99 |
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Smut by Alan Bennett Classic Alan Bennett - hilarious as always, but he pulls the rug from under your feet when you are least expecting it. Brilliant! Hardback £12.00 |
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A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan Winning literary prizes is not always a guarantee that you have a great book in your hands. Luckily, A Visit from the Goon Squad lives up to all the hype. This is a book truly like no other and it is difficult not to be entertained and amazed by Egan's writing. Paperback £7.99 |
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Just Kids by Patti Smith Excellent! Patti Smith is a really likable, surprisingly down-to-earth, narrator and she paints an intense portrait of her late friend and former lover Robert Mapplethorppe. Life in seventies New York and the Chelsea Hotel scene, home to Ginsberg, Burroughs and Warhol, is vividly brought to life. Hendrix, Edie Sedgewick and Janis Joplin all make an appearance. The book's resounding message however, is both Smith's and Mapplethorpe's dedication to their art and to each other. £ 8.99 Paperback |
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Pearl of China by Anchee Min On opening this book, you are letting yourself get lost in an incredible story from the very first page. This is a story of about an unusual friendship that suffered war byt survived regardless. The author provided a beautiful picture of a little chinese village, complete with all its secrets. I was with the characters every page. I enjoyed it a lot and can only recommend it! Paperback £7.99 |
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Zeitoun by Dave Eggers A gripping, shokcing book, getting to grips with the total devaluation of hurricane Katrina and its traumatic effect on Abdulrahman Zeitoun and his family. Masterly, brilliantly written, this book is a truly astounding read! Paperback £8.99 |
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Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald A wonderfully evocative novel that not only depicts Fitzgerald's sparkling and optimistic 20s era but contrasts it with the considerably more down to earth and dissillutioned 1940s. It tells the story of Nicole and Dick Diver, golden couple amongst their expat friends and acquaintances, and the complexities of their marriage and extramarital affairs. Elegantly written and set in both Paris and the south of France, I highly recommend this for anyone planning a summer on the French Riviera wanting a more sophisticated beach read.
£ 8.99 Paperback |
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Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simpson A truly wonderful read. If you're looking for a heart-warming read but with credible characters then look no further. A gem! £7.99 Paperback |
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Country Driving by Peter Hessler I loved this book, its funny, moving and higly entertaining. It's got quite a bit to do with hazards of driving in China and is brilliantly written by the long time Beijing correspondent for the New Yorker. It's gives a unique insight intothe people of China and is a fascinating account of the modernisation of this great country. £9.99 Paperback |
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True Things About Me by Deborah Kay Davies
This is an incredibly dark but utterly compelling novel. The story follows the events following the narrator's encounter with handsome but unsuitable man. While this book is disturbing it is compelling and Davies's poetic writing style makes this a unique read. £7.99 Paperback |
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Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick This compelling account of life and death in the People's Democratic Republic of Korea is eye-opening and often heart-rending. Demick's perceptiveness in describing the inner life of individual North Koreans – their stories of starvation, discrimination and political brutality – both enthralls and horrifies. This journalist's view of survival in one of the world's least understood countries is one of the books of the year and winner of the BBc Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction 2010.
£ 8.99 Paperback |
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The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas Full of bad language, drug-taking, racism and sexism, this book is truly nasty and definitely not to everyone's taste. But although I disliked most of the characters, once I got used to the raw honesty of the writing, I really could not put it down. This is a big sprawling mess of a book which covers issues like race, immigration, family relationships, ambition and betrayal. Read it if you dare... £ 8.99 Paperback |
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We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson
A brilliant (and short!) book by an American author whom I had not previously come across. This was the last novel she wrote, before her death in 1965 and is quite chilling but absolutely gripping and beautifully written.
£ 8.99 Paperback |
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Lush Life by Richard Price Brilliant. Brilliant. Brilliant. Gritty and hard-hitting crime novel with no word wasted. Crisp dialogue and a fast moving plot. Read it! £7.99 Paperback |
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Faber New Poets 5 by Joe Dunthorne A wonderful new collection of poems by the author of Submarine; outrageously funny and satirical poems about everyday life and the hilarity of human existence. My favourite is the one about the pigs! Brilliant!
£ 5.00 Paperback |
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The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver I loved the Poisonwood Bible, so I knew I had to check out Kingsolver's latest. A really well written story, full of interesting portraits of historical figures like Frida Kahlo and Trotsky as well as intriguing fictitious characters. A man's life, cleverly recounted through his diaries and letters that covers huge swathes of twentieth century American history. A slow burner but an extremely good read.
£ 7.99 Paperback |
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The Earth Hums in B Flat by Mari Strachan This is a haunting coming-of-age tale set in a rural Welsh village not long after the Second World War and focuses on Gwenni, a 12 year old girl who flys in her dreams. When a man from the village goes missing and then is discovered drowned, the lives of many are changed forever as well kept family secrets are dragged to the fore bringing, in equal measures, both misery and liberation. Very well written and told from Gwenni's perspective, the story unfolds slowly at first, but builds up to a devasting crescendo.
£ 7.99 Paperback |
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City of Veils by Zoe Ferraris A compelling crime thriller set in Saudi Arabia. A fasciniating mystery, brilliant page-turner and an examination of the treatment of women in his fiercely traditional country.
£ 7.99 Paperback |
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The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood
Set in a not-too-distant future, Atwood revisits some of her earlier characters from Oryx and Crake in this apolcalyptic tale. In it she explores the powerful mix of Christian fundamentalism and hardline environmentalism promoted by God's Gardeners, a religious group attempting to reverse the erosion of the natural world by capitalism and our modern ways of living. As Ren and Toby recount the story for us, we get a glimpse of an entirely plausible incarnation of human life and a highly altered natural world, as well as the fate of the Gardeners and their various members. This book really picked up speed as it went on and is full of mind-boggling ideas! Paperback £ 7.99 |
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The Three Weissmanns of Westport by Cathleen Schine A fabulous read. Sense and Sensibility in modern day Connecticut. Brilliantly written - a real gem. £7.99 Paperback Other titles you might like to try: A Proper Education for Girls by Elaine di Rollo The Trespass by Rose Tremain |
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Operation Mincemeat by Ben Macintyre A fantastic tale of lies, seduction and betrayal on a monumental scale during a period fraught with danger. British Intelligence surely deserve an oscar for this particular deception plan that played such a big part in the Allied Forces winning the War. Engaging, full of wit and humour and a real page-turner, this book makes a perfect Christmas gift! £7.99 Paperback Other titles you might like to try: Agent ZigZag by Ben Macintyre The Man Who Never Was by Ewen Montagu and Alan Stripp Ian Fleming's 007 series |
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The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway I have to admit, I didn't really get it at first. I found Hemingway's staccato style a bit cold and too deliberate. But by the end, I was hooked. Definitely a good one for a first time Hemingway reader. It's hard not to get drawn into the world of toil and endurance presented to us by this portrait of an elderly fisherman, striving to redeem his honour and sense of self-worth. A book that will certainly stay with me. £ 7.99 Paperback
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The Financial Lives of the Poets by Jess Walter Having lost his job and with his hopes of keeping his family and home fading fast, Matt Prior is up against it in the present day American Great Depression. Jess Walters hilarious, heartfelt and totally engaging novel is a timeley look at one man's life spinning out of control. A brilliant book - one of the novels of the year! £ 8.99 Paperback |
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Must You Go? by Antonia Fraser
Antonia Fraser's characteristic eloquence makes these memoirs of her life with playwright Harold Pinter a wonderful, heart-warming read. £ 9.99 Paperback |
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Sister by Rosamund Lupton A great mystery novel which deals with the complicated emotional bond between sisters. Tess goes missing in London and her older sister Beatrice is forced to play detective. The story really draws you in and keeps you guessing until the very last page. £ 7.99 Paperback |
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West End Girls by Barbara Tate
A touching account of Barbara Tate's time as a Soho maid. Written with honesty and warmth, the working girls of post-war London are brought vividly to life – their stories both shocking, funny and saddening. Very enjoyable read. £ 7.99 Hardback |
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A Film by Spencer Ludwig by David Flusfeder
This is a funny and moving book that follows director Spencer Ludwig embarking on a road trip to Atlantic City with his elderly father Jimmy. As the title would suggest, film and cinematography play an important role in both the unfolding plot and Flusfeder's writing style as well. The book is cinemagraphic as Spencer cannot help but to view his life as a film in his head. This makes for an interesting viewpoint for the reader to watch the developing father and son relationship. This book comes highly recommended. £ 7.99 Paperback |
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By Nightfall by Michael Cunningham
The author “The Hours” has returned with yet another superbly written book. Peter Haris is a happily married New York art dealer is thrown by the arrival of his troubled, much younger brother-in-law. The themes of family, ageing and sexuality are often explored by authors, but this book stands out as Cunningham manages to create a great deal of suspense despite his economy with words. This is one of my favourite books I have read in a long time and the quality of all my future reads will be compared to this. £ 16.99 Hardback |
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The Long Song by Andrea Levy
This was such an atmospheric novel – if you enjoy historical fiction you should love this. The characters are well rounded and believable and the story is sometimes truly shocking. The book lingered in my mind long after I turned the last page. £7.99 Paperback |
