Portrait of an Unknown Woman, the most recent Gabriel Allon book. In the opening pages, Daniel Silva describes Allon’s new studio a having British-made audio system. Unfortunately, no pictures.
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Going through the outer reaches of my library, I found these two mid-1970s artefacts, which I’m going to re-read…
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We are off to Tehran with a washed up spy searching for his son.
First from this author for me although praise for his books seems far reaching.
As ever with my appetite for novels …. a Kindle cheapy.
Just stared reading.
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@crispyduck. Found this post of yours from about a year ago. Daughter #2 recently moved to Sydenham and is an avid book reader/collector (read English at Exeter Uni). I’m sure she’ll be interested.
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Love that bookshop - a friend’s daughter used to work there whilst at uni’ and after.
And by co-incidence, Mum is at Daughter#2’s house at this very moment, on cat-sitting duty! She is going to wander over for a look.
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Finished Crossroads. He’s a good storyteller, but I was seriously put off by the narrative tone. Not sure if it has changed from his earlier work, or whether I have changed. It’s part I of a trilogy; I don’t see myself reading II or III.
I should note that the reviews were very favorable, with many critics calling it his best work, so YMMV.
Definitely point her in the direction of Kirkdale Books - brilliant independent shop with lots of second hand books as well
Bought Red Earth and Pouring Rain when it came out.!Enjoyable and informative.
Robert Kershaw, Dunkirchen 1940. Dunkirk from the German point of view. tbh not started it yet but it’s had some good reviews.
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I read the Cambridge University Press book, A Concise History of Japan. Actually I have read it three times as it takes multiple passes for much of the information to sink in. Enjoyed it, so when I saw this at the University Press bookshop I picked it up and was heading for the till. I briefly looked at the back, priced £75, so returned it to the shelf. Mentioned the book at my local independent book shop and the bookseller told me that paperback versions are often print on demand from CUP. £26 later, collected from my bookshop.
The book itself is far more of a lens on the social aspects of Japan than descriptions and dry histories of castles.
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Dunno about that
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Essentially a diary of Rush drummer Neil Peart’s motorcycle trip around North America after losing his daughter then wife in quick succession. Yes rock stars can be human too.
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I also enjoyed reading this a number of years ago and the hope he found at the end is reflected in the cover shot. An interesting chronicle of grief that is surprisingly uplifting although somewhat coloured for me by subsequent events.
I read it too a few years ago after my wife passed, just to get someone else’s perspective. I found it sad but heartwarming and glad he found happiness again in subsequent years.
Peter
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