Fiction:
The Gathering by Anne Enright winner of the Man Booker Prize 2007 published by Cape, hdbk, 272pp, our price £21 Signed 1st edition 2nd printing.
The nine surviving children of the Hegarty clan gather in Dublin for the wake of their wayward brother Liam. It wasn’t the drink that killed him – although that certainly helped – it was what happened to him as a boy in his grandmother’s house, in the winter of 1968. His sister Veronica was there then, as she is now: keeping the dead man company, just for another little while.
The Gatheringis a family epic, updating the Irish literary tradition with new twists. It is also a sexual history: tracing the line of hurt and redemption through three generations – starting with the grandmother, Ada Merriman – showing how memories warp and family secrets fester. Anne Enright is a wonderfully stylish writer - highly recommended.
‘A Round of Stories by the Christmas Fire (Dickens). Published by Hesperus 112pp, pbk. Our price £5.99, rrp £6.99. Published in its entirety for the first time since 1852, this is a Christmas number of Dickens’s periodical Household Words, and is one of his earliest collections of stories for the holiday season. It includes traditional ghost stories, some inspiring whilst others are chilling, as well as tales of romance, theft, justice and family reunions. And, apparently, some surprising ruminations on topics as diverse as disability and interracial love. Just the right kind of book for these longer, colder nights.
‘The Book Thief’ by Markus Zusak our price £10.40 rrp £12.99 hdbk.
Narrated by all-knowing Death, this unusual novel traces the story of Liesl, the ‘book-thief’ of the title, fostered by a Bavarian couple after her ‘Kommunist’ parents disappear in ‘thirties Germany. Featuring accordions, a Jewish fist-fighter, a blond boy obsessed by Jesse Owens and the aforementioned book thefts – and largely based on the childhood of the author’s grandmother. It’s unlikely that you’ll finish it dry-eyed.
‘Suite Francaise’ by Irene Nemirovsky our price £6.99 rrp £7.99 pb.
A recently rediscovered novel whose author died in Auschwitz. The novel – intended to be the first in a sequence – was written in occupied Paris, tracing the lives of ordinary French people in extraordinary times. Hauntingly beautiful.
If, like some of us, you’ve been enjoying Elizabeth Gaskell’s ‘Cranford’ on BBC, or if indeed you were forcefed the book at school at the age of about 12, and just didn’t get it, this could be the time to actually enjoy reading it. Bloomsbury have produced a good-looking edition, 226pp, our price £6.99, rrp £7.99, which they call ‘The Cranford Chronicles’. It includes the three short stories the BBC have woven into the original ‘Cranford’ – ‘My Lady Ludlow’, ‘Mr. Harrison’s Confessions’ and ‘The Cage at Cranford’.
You can hardly avoid the film version of Philip Pullman’s ‘Northern Lights’ (‘The Golden Compass’ is the title of the US edition) at the moment, but if you’ve not read the books, don’t let this put you off. They really are a stunningly good read, full of superb inventions and ideas – the now-famous daemons, armoured bears, gay angels, parallel worlds, flying witches (ok, so not all these ideas are new!). ‘Northern Lights’ is available from Scholastic 448pp, our price £5.99, rrp £6.99, or you could treat yourself to the new one-volume hardback (‘Northern Lights’, ‘The Subtle Knife’ and ‘The Amber Spyglass’), our price £20.00, rrp £25.00.
Sarah Waters’ ‘The Night Watch’ (Virago) our price £6 rrp £7.99is an extraordinary tale of London during WW2, following the lives of disparate but connected individuals as they survive the Blitz and each other. The reverse chronology somehow works; an unusual and gripping take on the war years. Put it like this – I was so deep in it that if the train hadn’t terminated in Plymouth I’d have ended up in Cornwall!
‘Half of a Yellow Sun’ by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, 448pp, published Harper Perennial our price £6.99, rrp £7.99, has been one of the outstanding novels of the year. Based on the experiences of the author’s own parents, it presents the impact of another, very brutal war, this time the Nigerian/Biafran Civil War, on the lives of individuals caught up in conflict. It’s about Africa, about the end of colonialism, about race and class – and how love can complicate all of these things.
‘The Observations’ by Jane Harris, (Faber), our price £6.99, rrp £7.99, is an unusual historical novel. Set in 19th century Scotland, the story is told by a young Irish woman, Bessie, who becomes maid to a fascinating but fragile young aristocratic woman whose sanity is rather open to question. Bessie herself is a wonderful creation, gutsy and loyal, with a refreshing turn of phrase and equally refreshing approach to people who cause her grief.
Biography:
There’s a new collection of diaries from Tony Benn – More Time for Politics: Tony Benn Diaries 2001-2007, ed. Ruth Winstone, pub. Hutchinson. Hdbk, our price £16.00, rrp £20.00. When Tony Benn left Parliament after 51 years he quoted his wife Caroline’s remark that now he would have ‘more time for politics’. And so this has proved: in the first seven years of this century he has helped reinvigorate national debate through public meetings, mass campaigns and appearances in the media, passionately bringing moral and political issues to wide audiences. And throughout, as ever, he has been keeping his diaries. Bringing us up to date, this volume makes clear that Tony hasn’t mellowed despite having a son in the new cabinet. He’s still confrontational, challenging – and very, very popular. Quite right too! And if you want a treat, you can listen to the diaries read in the unmistakeable voice of the author himself, now out (abridged) on CD, our price £12.99, rrp £14.99.
The Mitfords: Letters between Six Sisters edited Charlotte Mosley, published Fourth Estate, hdbk, 624pp, our price £20.00, rrp £25.00.
The Mitford family was undoubtedly fairly bonkers, but this collection of letters between the six sisters, many previously unpublished, is likely to be excellent value and hugely entertaining. Charlotte Mosley is the daughter-in-law of Diana, and has had access to the whole archive of their correspondence – and correspond they did! Endlessly writing to each other, even when at complete loggerheads over political disagreements, they confided, commiserated, teased, raged and gossiped – often scandalously..If you want more, ‘Decca: the Letters of Jessica Mitford’ are now available in paperback from Orion, 768pp, our price £10.99, rrp £12.99. The collected letters of ‘Decca’ Mitford, the most idiosyncratic and irrepressible of the sisters, and the one who became a lifelong committed Communist, have had critical praise heaped upon them. ‘One of the funniest, most enthralling and gloriously honest collections of contemporary letters I have yet read’ (Miranda Seymour in The Observer). And you can’t say fairer than that.
Local girl Mary Wesley lived a life considerably more disreputable than her far-from-virtuous characters and Patrick Marnham has written a fascinating account of her life in Wild Mary, published Vintage, 304pp, our price £7.99 rrp £8.99. Despite his subject proving formidably obstructive, the author gives us a disarmingly honest, no-holds-barred account of an extraordinary life that culminated in Mary Wesley becoming a bestselling author at the age of 70.
‘Lorenzo da Ponte: the Extraordinary Adventures of the Man Behind Mozart’ by Rodney Bolt, pub. Bloomsbury, our price £7,99, rrp £9.99. Da Ponte is best known as the librettist of Mozart’s most famous operas, but his life is as unlikely and intriguing as any opera plot. Born Jewish in 18th century Italy, his father sent him to a Catholic seminary to become a priest (good survival strategy), but despite as well as taking orders, he became a poet, womaniser and friend of Casanova, before moving to Vienna where he worked first with Salieri, then with Mozart. He ended his days in New York, where he founded the city’s first opera house and because first professor of Italian at New York University. A most enjoyable and evocative biography.
Lastly, more letters – the hugely well-received ‘Letters of Ted Hughes’, 800pp, published by Faber, our price £25.00, rrp £30.00. At some point Hughes would have realised that his private letters would become public property and wrote in the knowledge of that. Despite the inhibiting effect this must have had on the content at times, the letters give real insight into the poet, his relationships, and especially his passion for the natural world. He was aware, earlier than many, of the dangers to the countryside – and the planet as a whole – caused by our wholesale exploitation and abuse of it, and wrote and campaigned passionately in his later years.
Non Fiction:
You may have been following – and riveted by – the BBC series, Earth: the Power of the Planet recently. The book of the series (240pp, our price £17.50, rrp £20.00) uses brilliant imagery to back up the science explaining how the earth functions and give you visual reminders and facts to jog your memory after the TV imagery has faded. Iain Stewart is almost a local boy (apart from being Scottish, of course), working from the University in Plymouth, and makes a marvellously enthusiastic and passionate guide to the volcanoes, the glaciers, the oceans and the atmosphere of this world – as well as getting to do lots of show-offy things like swimming/climbing/flying/diving/climbing into volcanoes and hacking his way through ice in the most spectacular parts of the world!
For would-be stargazers, we recommend the ‘Stargazers’ Almanac 2008’ from the small but delightful Hawthorn Press, our price £10.99, rrp £12.99, pbk 32pp. The book contains 12 monthly charts, each featuring two views of the night sky looking north and south; a visual guide to the phases of the moon; and information about key planets and other objects. Observing notes cover the science, history, folklore and myths of the stars and planets. Amongst other things, it gives information on the British Astronomical Association’s Campaign for Dark Skies – yeah!
Printed on environmentally friendly paper and packaged in an attractive gift box, it’s the perfect present for beginners, children and back-yard astronomers – no telescope needed! Patrick Moore (amongst others) rates it too.
If you’re uneasily aware that you’re hopelessly urban and know practically nothing about the natural world around you, don’t miss The Armchair Naturalist: How to be Good at Nature Without Really Trying by Johnson P. Johnson, published October by Icon Books, our price £8.99, rrp £9.99. Johnson is known as ‘the naturalist’s naturalist’ for his lifelong research into Britain’s flora and fauna so despite the apparently frivolous title, it's packed with accurate and useful information. It’s also gloriously illustrated with line drawings and woodcuts. As the blurb promises, ‘Astonish your friends as you plunge your hands into nettles without being stung. Impress even the most demanding of passing ramblers with your ability to date ancient hedgerows. Be secretly amazed at your newfound talent for predicting the weather, befriending sea birds, and knocking up a nourishing breakfast from even the most unpromising undergrowth. The Armchair Naturalist – your best friend in a world where half of all blackbirds are, in fact, brown.’ Great stuff!
Eating for England: The Delights and Eccentricities of the British at Table by Nigel Slater Our price £14.99 rrp £16.99. Published by Fourth Estate.
The British have a relationship with their food that is unlike that of any other country. Once something that was never discussed in polite company, it is now something with which the nation is obsessed. But are we at last developing a food culture or are we just going through the motions?
‘Eating for England’ is an entertaining, detailed and somewhat tongue-in-cheek observation of the British and their food, their cooking, their eating and how they behave in restaurants, with chapters on – amongst other things – dinner parties, funeral teas, Indian restaurants, dieting and eating whilst under the influence.
Whilst we miss having another of Nigel’s glorious cookbooks, we know this’ll be hugely entertaining and enlightening – if you enjoyed his idiosyncratic memoir ‘Toast’, you’ll know what an extraordinarily good writer he is.
CALENDARS AND DIARIES 2008:
Where do we begin? Whilst, sadly, we can’t offer you the range for which we were rather famous, there are some old favourites that we can supply.
Gardening and Planting by the Moon 2008, published by Foulsham, our price £7.99, rrp £8.99. One of our steadiest sellers over the years. It provides a daily chart of moon phases, with detailed notes on what to plant when, and when to harvest. The widest range of people swear by it – it must work!
The Animals Diary 2008 by Mark Gold, published Jon Carpenter, our price £5.00, rrp £5.00, 128pp. An excellent diary and resource for anyone who’s concerned about the way we treat and mistreat animals. It includes notes on vivisection legislation, the new Animal Welfare Act, the validity of animal-based medical research, the effect of livestock farming on global warming, bird flu: a disease of factory farming – and much more. Calendars and holiday information, photos, veggie recipes and a handy directory of relevant organisations. Published 01/10/07.
Llewellyn publish a wide range of pagan/New Age diaries and calendars which have traditionally been very popular. Their best-sellers are Witches’ Calendar 2008, our price £10.99, rrp £11.99, and the 2008 Astrological Calendar, with full-colour artwork by Linda Holt Ayriss, our price £10.99, rrp £11.99. Not to mention that perennial favourite, We’moon Diary 2008, our price £13.99, rrp £15.99. With its dramatic artwork, packed with information for women on the spiritual path, it sells year after year. The 2008 We’moon Calendar is also available, our price £9.99, rrp £11.99.
Also available from Llewellyn are the 2008 Astrological Pocket Planner, 192pp, with tables and charts, our price £5.95.
2008 Daily Planetary Guide, spiral bound with daily ephemeris, 208pp, our price £7.50, rrp £8.50.
2008 Herbal Almanac, covering herbal uses in gardening, cooking, crafts, health, beauty and myth/lore. Pbk, 336pp, our price £5.99, rrp £6.99.
2008 Magical Almanac, pbk, 384pp, including the Moon’s sign and phase, incense and colour correspondences, astrological data and Pagan and business holidays. Our price £5.99, rrp £6.99.
2008 Moon Sign Book, pbk, including astrology almanac, new and full Moon forecasts, weekly gardening guide etc. 384pp, our price £5.99, rrp £6.99.
2008 Sun Sign Book, pbk, 384pp, including horoscopes for each month with special highlights on relationship, health and finances. Our price £5.99, rrp £6.99.
2008 Tarot Reader, pbk, 216pp, with information on the latest decks, spreads, new card interpretations, readings etc. plus provocative discussions on the Death card, Tarot and Kabbalah and more. Our price £6.99, rrp £7.99.
2008 Witches’ Datebook, spiral bound, 144pp. One week to 2 page-spread. Includes Sabbat recipes, Moon rituals, meditations, articles, dates for planting and harvesting, Pagan and business holidays, Moon signs and phases etc. Our price £7.99, rrp £8.99.
2008 Witches’ Spell-a-Day Almanac, pbk., 264pp. A collection of spells,one for each day of the year, each one categorised by purpose - health, love, money, purification etc. Astrological data included. Our price £5.99, rrp £6.99.
For particularly beautiful diaries, don’t forget the range produced by Frances Lincoln Publishers, which we used to stock. The Royal Horticultural Society Diary 2008 comes as a Desk Diary, 112pp, 56 colour illustrations, our price £9.99, rrp £11.99 or as a Pocket Diary, 112pp, 56 colour illustrations, our price £4.99, rrp £5.99. Both are illustrated with colour prints from four great 19th century anthologies of rare and unusual plants from around the world – stunning.
The British Library Diaries 2008 also come as a Desk Diary, 112pp 56 colour illustrations, our price £10.99 rrp £12.99, and as a Pocket Diary, 112pp, 56 colour illustrations, our price £4.99, rrp £5.99. These feature images of Georgian Britain, cities, towns and countryside, from the great collection gathered
by George III. With lavish double-page images, it presents a beguiling picture of late 18th century Britain (at least its more attractive aspects!). Delectable.