Book Recommendations Archives

Jessica Rudd author of Campaign Ruby and Ruby Blues, reveals… The 5 best novels I read this year are… The Novel in the Viola by Natasha Solomons The tale of an immigrant’s experiences in England, Natasha Solomons describes a story of the sea, of love lost and found, and of a novel hidden inside a viola. When they started coming for people like us, I was forced to swap my life ... Read more

Word has just come in from the UK… The contenders for the Man Booker Prize this year have already divided the literary world. Some have said that the shortlisted books were too popular for the world’s most famous literary award. But readers have reacted well and sales of all the books have been strong. The noise on twitter alone has been extraordinary with everyone choosing their fa... Read more

I have been reading Murakami’s 1Q84 for some weeks now. I am a slow reader and it is a big book. But that isn’t why it has taken so long. This has been a very busy period for me personally and I haven’t had the hours and hours of reading time I usually enjoy. Which is one explanation for why I have been feeling a little bit odd lately. Reading is my mental safety valve. I have... Read more

Over the weekend while I was doing the weekly shop I found Mr Thirteen buried in a fridge digging for a Coke bottle with his name on it. His name wasn’t there. He was so annoyed he bought one which said Giulia, because he didn’t believe it was a real name. This morning I arrived at work to find a colleague of mine drinking from a bottle of Coca-Cola which had her name printed in bol... Read more

It is a common sentence that Knowledge is power; but who hath duly Considered or set forth the power of Ignorance? Knowledge slowly builds up what Ignorance in an hour pulls down. Knowledge, through patient and frugal centuries, enlarges discovery and makes record of it; Ignorance, wanting its day’s dinner, lights a fire with the record, and gives a flavor to its one roast with the burned... Read more

THE BOOKTOPIA BOOK GURU’S GIFT GUIDE FOR FATHER’S DAY Though I think it right to celebrate Father’s Day, I do believe it is prudent to temper our collective enthusiasm for the day slightly. Granted, some dad’s deserve unchecked praise, but we all know that these few are in the minority. To allow Father’s Day to carry the same emotional weight as Mother’s Day ... Read more

A page later I knew I was in the hands of a master - someone whose deliberately crafted prose, stunning ability to weave a story, intelligently thought through issues leaves the reader humbled, in a state of grace, in awe. Read more