What to Read Now: Vol LXXXVI
| Bournville by Jonathan Coe £20 From the Costa award-winning author of Middle England, Bournville is a poignant and sweeping novel of family, history and change. Centred around a young girl named Mary and the story of her family in a small suburb in Birmingham, Coe’s latest takes us through coronations and weddings, funerals and pandemics. As her family grows and their lives change, Coe’s characters move through the years with a readability and charm that no other author can conjure. Buy Now |
| A Guest at the Feast: Essays by Colm Tóibín £16.99 One of the most popular contemporary writers to have come out of Ireland, Tóibín’s fiction has taken us from 1950s New York City all the way back to the life of Mary, mother of Jesus. In his essay writing he turns his hand to a collection of ideas and interests that are just as varied. From the writing of Marilynne Robinson and John McGahern to his own struggle with cancer, these essays are accessible, intriguing and brilliantly written. Buy Now |
| Everything is Washable and Other Life Lessons by Sali Hughes £26 How often do you wish that you had one book to turn to in order to answer the real every day questions? In her latest book, journalist and broadcaster Sali Hughes has an answer for nearly everything. How to cope with working mom guilt, how to support a friend or loved one going through IVF, every day acts to improve your mental health and how to split finances with your partner; it’s all here, and it’s all accessible. The perfect book for every home. Buy Now |
| The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man: A Memoir by Paul Newman £25 For over fifty years Paul Newman was one of the most prolific actors of our time. From The Hustler to Hud, Newman was as talented and charismatic as they come. In this incredibly candid memoir, compiled of an oral history given to Stewart Stern over five years, that same charisma shines through as Newman leaves no stone unturned. Touching on his often traumatic childhood, the scope of his career, his drinking, his thoughts on the other actors of his generation and his biggest passions and joys in life, this is a remarkable man laying bare his remarkable life. Buy Now |
| Papyrus: The Invention of Books in the Ancient World by Irene Vallejo, trans. by Charlotte Whittle £25 Books have always been a part of our lives and cultures. Once made of the reeds taken from the river Nile, they have grown, transformed and infiltrated every aspect of our histories. Taking us back to the ancient world and throughout the lives of writers, booksellers, librarians and scribes, Vallejo’s enthralling history of books is an inviting and enriching read, perfect for book and history enthusiasts alike. Buy Now |
| Love Lucian: The Letters of Lucian Freud, 1939 – 1954 by David Dawson & Martin Gayford £65 Once described by a close friend as ‘something not entirely human’, the enormity of Freud’s talent and brilliance are on full display in this collection of his letters from his early years. Placed alongside the beginnings and evolution of his art, the letters show a boy and a young man who was full of wit, emotion and enormous talent. From his friendships to his schooldays, the beginnings of his recognition as one of the most foremost portraitists of 20th-century England to his more intimate thoughts, Love Lucian is a glittering depiction of a fascinating man. Buy Now |
| The Big Book of Mysteries by Tom Adams & Yas Imamura £16.99 Do you believe in the Loch Ness monster? What about Big Foot, or the lesser known mysteries of Mothman and The Jersey Devil? In this amazing collection of over 100 of the most mystifying and fascinating stories and legends from around the world and throughout history, Adams and Imamura take us into the the depths of the unsolved; you might just leave believing in more than you did before you started reading. Perfect for mystery loving readers aged 8+ Buy Now |
| Mountainfell by Katharine Orton £7.99 Erskin is used to living amongst danger. Her home lies right in the shadow of Mountainfell, a place teeming with wild creatures and unruly magic. When her sister is taken by the most dangerous creature of all – the cloud dragon – Erskin must set off on a journey that will test her fears and save her sister from the depths of the mountain. Packed to the brim with adventure, magic and endless imagination, Orton’s latest is perfect for readers of Katherine Rundell aged 9+ Buy Now |
