New books for August

I've enjoyed selecting and buying the new books for Book Club this month:

A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick – set in rural Wisconsin in 1907 a man has advertised for a ‘simple honest’ woman to become his wife.

Jamrach’s Menagerie by Carol Birch – set in 1857 London, Jaffy Brown is running along a street in the East End when he is confronted by an escaped circus animal. He is saved by Mr Jamrach and Brown develops a friendship with him and goes on a nautical adventure to the Dutch East Indies.

In the Company of Angels by Thomas E. Kennedy – an escapee from Pinochet’s regime and a survivor of an abusive marriage meet in Copenhagen. They begin to heal, forgive and trust themselves to love.

Please Look After Mother by Kyung-Sook Shin - a poignant tale set in Korea. An elderly woman becomes separated from her husband on a crowded train and disappears. As her children and husband search we begin to discover the desires, heartaches and secrets she’s harboured within.

The Life of an Unknown Man by Andrei Makine – an elderly survivor of the Siege of Leningrad tells his story to a young writer.

One Day by David Nicholls – from 1988 two students Emma and Dexter resolve to meet one day each year when they finish college.

A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan – story revolves around several key characters and their friends, lovers, relatives and colleagues, spanning several decades and is constantly engaged with the music of each period. Won 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.

The Last Letter from Your Lover by Jojo Moyes – set in 1960s and also the present. A journalist finds a letter written in 1960 asking a lover to leave her husband.

The End of the Wasp Season by Denise Mina – a millionaire commits suicide leaving behind wife and two children. Meanwhile a young woman is found savagely murdered. What is the connection between these two events?

Russian Winter by Daphne Kalotay – a former Russian ballerina now living in Boston looks back on her live in Stalinist Russia and tries to forget the terrible past. But two people will not let the past rest as they unravel a literary mystery that may change all their lives.

The Midwife’s Confession by Diane Chamberlain – a woman commits suicide leaving behind a hidden letter which reveals a terrible secret that challenges everything her friends thought they knew and changes their lives.

The Memory of Love by Aminatta Forna – in a Sierra Leone hospital a man looks back on his past when desire drove him to acts of betrayal. A young surgeon in the hospital is trying to forget the pain of love and the torments of the civil war there. A British psychologist tries to heal them both.

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett – a scientist in Brazil is developing a revolutionary new drug but refuses to report on her progress. A researcher sent to investigate is apparently killed and a friend of both tries to track down the truth.

Inheritance by Nicholas Shakespeare – a man is running late for his former teacher’s funeral. Life is hard for him at the moment but the funeral leads to unexpected circumstances. The story explores the temptations of unanticipated wealth.

Hand Me Down World by Lloyd Jones – a hotel maid working at an upmarket hotel in Tunisia is swept off her feet by a German tourist, becomes pregnant and her baby is taken and trafficked back to Europe. She begins her journey as an illegal immigrant as she searches for her baby.

The Sandalwood Treet

I thoroughly enjoyed The Sandalwood Tree by Elle Newmark which was set in India in two different times. An American couple Evie and Martin go to India with their 5-year old son in 1947 so Martin can study the effects of Partition. India is thrown in to turmoil when Partition is brought forward and Moslems and Hindus scramble to their British designated areas. Evie and Martin are struggling with their marriage as Martin is haunted by his European wartime memories and refuses to discuss them with Evie. So Evie is left to find her own interests and then discovers some correspondence hidden behind a brick in the wall of their house. The letters date back to the 1850s when the "Indian revolution" was just beginning and as she probes further through records of the time she finds a story of forbidden love. The author beautifully blended the two time periods, two love stories, two significant periods in Indian history. Highly recommended. 5/5

The Countesses of Castello

I enjoyed this small easy to read book The Countesses of Castello by Milena Agus (translated from Italian). Three sisters, Noemi, Maddalena and Countess Ricotta live in their crumbling ancestral home, now divided into separate apartments, with some sold off. Noemi and Countess Ricotta are looking for love and Maddalena enjoys a loving marriage but yearns for a child. They each have very different personalities - Noemi a very serious lawyer intent on repurchasing the rest of their building and thinks she's too old for love. Maddalena is very passionate and has a beautifully erotic relationship with her husband. Countess Ricotta - so named by her Nanny for her clumsiness is a single mother to a young son. This is a delightful, fun read. 31/2/5

Ghost Child

This novel Ghost Child by Caroline Overington was an unusual murder story. The author has twice won the Walkley Award for Investigative Journalism and that experience seems to have been brought to this, her debut novel. Five year old Jake dies in mysterious circumstances. He is one of four children - 6 year old Lauren, 3 year old Harley and toddler Hayley. They live in a "welfare house" with their single mother and her latest "deadbeat" boyfriend. The parents are convicted and imprisoned for Jake's murder and the story is told in the first person by a number of the characters involved including the investigating detective, the welfare worker, foster parents, reporter, and the children as they look back on the 20 years since the crime. The reader learns what happened to the children and the tragic truth behind Jake's death. 4/5

The Glass Rainbow

I enjoyed The Glass Rainbow by James Lee Burke which is a murder thriller. Detective Dave Robicheaux and his private detective mate Clete Purcell investigate the murders of two teenage girls. Dave's investigation is compromised when his daughter, Alafair, goes out with a man who seems to be connected with criminals and their activities. The story is set in the deep south where old money still talks and little has changed since the "plantation" days when the races were deeply divided. The story has many "thrills and spills" as the investigators try to figure out the perpetrators and their motives as the body count climbs. Some parts were a little predictable and the ending a little unsatisfactory, but it was a good ride. 4/5

The Tiger's Wife

I very much enjoyed this novel The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht which looks at the life of a man through the eyes of his granddaughter. The story is set in the Balkans from pre-World War II till after the more recent war in that troubled area. Natalia is a doctor, following in her grandfather's medical footsteps. She is on her way to treat orphans when she learns of her grandfather's death. They had always been close and she had listened to the stories of his childhood and early life and shared his interest in tigers at the local zoo. He told her stories of "the tiger's wife" who looked after a tiger that had escaped the zoo during the bombing in World War II and he had a fascination with his copy of The Jungle Book. He met "the deathless man" and wagered his precious book with him. There are so many interesting and well-rounded characters in this beautifully written book from this first time author (won 2011 Orange Prize). Highly recommended. 5/5

22 Britannia Road

I very much enjoyed 22 Britannia Road by Amanda Hodgkinson which was set in England immediately after World War II. Janusz Nowak escaped from Poland during the War making his way to England where he joined the RAF. After the War he finds his wife Silvana and son Aurek are in a refugee camp and sends for them to join him in his new home at 22 Britannia Road. The reunion is difficult and Silvana and Janusz's stories of their wartime experiences are told in "flashback" chapters. They are no longer the same people who fell in love before the War. Many secrets can form as there is no guarantee they will be alive at the end. As the daughter of a Polish refugee who came to Australia, I could relate to some of the stories. There is often pain and joy in surviving where others did not. Highly recommended reading for this first time author and I look forward to reading more of her work. 41/2/5

A Beautiful Lie

I enjoyed A Beautiful Lie by Diane Chamberlain which is another story where the past catches up with the present. Young woman, Corinne, learns that her mother Eve is not the person she thought she was. Many years before in "another life" Eve as a teenager, with a different identity as CeeCee, is infatuated with an older man and agrees to to be involved with the kidnapping of the Governor's wife. She keeps the wife in a remote cabin waiting to hear from her "boyfriend" but circumstances take a tragic turn when the wife gives birth. A good story. Reader beware - this book has two other titles - "The Lost Daughter" and "The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes", see also Diane Chamberlain's Blog. 4/5

July Book Club

Had another lovely evening at book club last night, hosted by Kathy. She's bought some great new books to read as well as providing a delicious supper for us. I so enjoy getting together with these women every month to share what we've been doing and telling about the books we've read. We were missing a few last night with Marilyn in Hong Kong, Ulla being unwell and Robyn also not able to come. A continuing discussion topic was the ongoing and unbelievable payroll fiasco that has embroiled one of our government departments, which has directly affected some of us. We are constantly amazed by the incompetence of government (though we shouldn't be!). Anyway, not to spoil our evening which we all enjoyed. Next month it's my turn to host so I've got all the books, so I'm like a kid in a candy store. I'll also be buying the new books this month - so many good ones to choose from.

Rescue

I've read Rescue by Anita Shreve, a story covering about 20 years in a family's life. Webster, a young paramedic, meets Sheila when she is in a car accident after drinking. They develop a relationship and Sheila falls pregnant. She is trying to escape her own "demons" mainly in the form of alcohol and eventually they separate, leaving Webster to bring up his daughter, Rowan, on his own. Will history repeat itself? All a bit soap-opera-ish?? Anyway, an easy read. 3/5

Left Neglected

I enjoyed this novel Left Neglected by Lisa Genova as I could relate to a lot of it with my present situation. Sarah Nickerson is on her way to work when, looking for her mobile phone, she has a serious accident which leaves her brain damaged with a condition called "left neglect". This means her brain doesn't recognise anything on her left side, including her own left body. Sarah had been a "supermum", juggling high powered career and family but then she is forced to literally slow down and reassess her life priorities. Her estranged mother re-enters her life and there are new challenges for her husband Bob as well. This is beautifully written as the author describes the loving care given Sarah by her husband. 4/5