Nine Book Reviews

 

Summer is here and the television is full of football and politics, with the election approaching. If you want a break from all of this, why not try reading a book? Here are nine of my recent book reviews that could give you some ideas.

 

Showtime 2020: The Collected Works of Newham Writers

The strength here is this collection’s variety.

 

Sex in Cyberspace (Men WhoPay For Sex) by Sarah Earle and Keith Sharp

They say prostitution is the oldest profession, therefore those men who visit prostitutes must be the oldest Customer Demographic, but what do we know about them?

 

Johnny Come Home by Jake Arnott

Against the backdrop of 1972 London, four lost souls collide.

 

Taken at the Flood by Agatha Christie

At the height of the Second World War, millionaire Gordon Cloade’s home is bombed, killing all the inhabitants except for his new bride Rosaleen and her brother David.

 

Goodbye to Berlin by Christopher Isherwood

It is 1930s Berlin and “Christopher Isherwood” is enjoying the notorious nightlife and culture of the city.

 

The People V. O.J. Simpson by Jeffrey Toobin

A mountain of evidence pointed to OJ Simpson as the killer of his ex-wife and her friend but he was found not guilty of their murders. How did this happen?

 

The Use of Reason by Colm Tóibín

A small time Dublin thief suddenly finds himself out of his depth. Used to stealing cash and jewel he now finds that the paintings he stole are a Rembrandt, a Gainborough and two Guardis.

 

Injury Time by Beryl Bainbridge

This is a fine example of Bainbridge’s dark but accurate view of life. Life wasn’t always better in flares.

 

Sleep No More by P.D. James

This was the second collection of short stories published posthumously after PD James’s death. Not known for her short story, this collection gives a very different view of James’s writing.

 

Happy reading

Drew

Nine Book Reviews

Summer is over and winter is drawing in. Now is the time to think about something new to read, or something different, or both.

Here are links to my nine, most recent book reviews. They may give you some inspiration for your next read.

 

Men in Caring Occupations by Ruth Simpson

What does it mean to be a man in a female dominated profession?

 

Curtain: Poirot's Last Case, by Agatha Christie 

Hercule Poirot is ill, he is dying, and he invites his old friend, Arthur Hastings, for one, last investigation

 

A Tiny Bit Marvellous by Dawn French

This is a story of modern family life, told through the diaries of three different members of one family

 

The Clothes They Stood Up in by Alan Bennett

This is a slim volume but Bennett still manages to pack a punch with his sparse prose, with many touches of his sharp and on-the-nail humour.

 

The Part-Time Job by PD James

This is another slim volume, just one short story and an essay, but it’s a perfect quick read as an eBook.

 

Tales Of The City by Armistead Maupin

It is 1976 and Mary Ann Singleton changes her visit to San Francisco into a permanent move.

 

How to Talk to Girls at Parties by Neil Gaiman

It’s the suburbs in the 1970s, and two teenage lads, Enn and Vic, go to a teenage party to meet girls.

 

Rude Britannia: One Man's Journey Around the Highways and Bi-ways of British Sex By Tim Fountain

Tim Fountain set out here to explore Britain’s sexual highways and byways, to explore the fetish clubs, swingers’ clubs, dogging sites and much, much more.

 

The Fallen Curtain by Ruth Rendell   

Ruth Rendell was known for her dark psychological thrillers, but she also wrote many short stories. This was her first collection of them.

 

Happy reading

Drew

Nine Book Reviews

The summer is here so why not find something new to read. Here are nine of my book reviews that might give you some ideas what to read next.

 

The Machine Stops by EM Forster

This was a fascinating read and so surprising coming from the pen of EM Forster.

Three Ex Presidents and James Franco by John Buchanan

It is 2008 and John, an Irish university student, is spending a year at an American liberal arts college.

Mother's Boy by Patrick Gale

The title of this novel has a double meaning and Patrick Gale uses both of them with skill and breadth.

Gay, Straight, and the Reason Why; The Science of Sexual Orientation by Simon LeVay

Simon LeVay is a neuroscientist and takes an evidence-based approach to his subject.

Holocaust Tips for Kids and Smite the Heathens, Charlie Brown by Shalom Auslander

Satire is a difficult form to get right.

A Judgement in Stone by Ruth Rendell

“Eunice Parchman killed the Coverdale family because she could not read or write.”

Stonemouth by Iain Banks

Iain Banks’s prose almost effortlessly evokes the Scottish town that has passed its sell-by date and the people who remained there for their many different reasons.

The Final Solution by Michael Chabon

Here Chabon has tried to write a “new” Sherlock Holmes story but as an old man no longer interested in crime.

The Unexpected Guest by Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie had an equally successful career as a playwright as well as a novelist. The Unexpected Guest is a fine example of her murder mystery plays.

 

Happy reading

Drew