This a book about South Africa. It follows through four decades of history as is the South Africa as seen from an Afrikaner family – albeit a dystopian Afrikaner family. Ma dies during the last days of apartheid, but before she does, she asks Pa to make a promise. The promise is that Salome, the ...
Imperial Island by Charlotte Lydia Riley sets out to be ‘a history of empire in modern Britain’, as its subtitle tells us. It follows the history of Britain from 1939 to the present day and tries to show how the British Empire is still at the core of what makes Britain tick. This is a ...
Paul Theroux is a well-travelled man. He has travelled to most places in the world and has written novels, short stories and travel writing reflecting his travels. He began his writing career as a novelist in the 1960s (Waldo) and since then has published 29 novels. Many of these successful, some of them turned into ...
The Little Liar by Mitch Albom is a very readable tale of loss of innocence and the compassion, because of Nazi brutality. The book is a story of four people, three of them children. They live contended lives in the Greek city of Salonika where they learn to grow knowing and respecting the truth. Then ...
John Boyne’s novel, the first of four based on the elements, is a journey with a woman who is trying to find her way forward after an horrific experience. She can only do this by looking back and understanding something about herself while she does so. As a senior teacher in a London school many ...
Why are we scared and What are we scared of? “Fear: An Alternative History of the World” by Robert Peckham, published by Profile Books Ltd, explores the pervasive and often manipulative role of fear throughout human history. This review delves deep into the book’s analysis, offering insights into how fear has shaped societies from ancient ...
Babel, or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators Revolution is a clever journey into an imaginary history. It is exciting, thoughtful, and entertaining. Rebecca Kuang is obviously a very clever woman. Although only 27 she already holds degrees from Georgetown University (BA), Cambridge University (MPhil), Oxford University (MSc), and is ...
Yellowface: A Deep Dive into Rebecca Kuang’s Latest Novel. Yellowface is the latest novel from a talented and prolific author. It is a significant change from her previous four books, but it does illustrate the development of a writer who has not yet reached her peak. Rebecca Kuang began her writing career when she was ...
In the labyrinth of modern literature, where echoes of the past reverberate with the clang of the present, D J Taylor revisits the enigmatic world of George Orwell. Orwell Reimagined by DJ Taylor. This is not merely a retelling, but a reimagining – a bold venture into the caverns of history armed with new torches ...
