A. D. Miller's "Snowdrops" is indeed a page-turner, as the judges of the Man Booker award have indicated. (Miller's debut is shortlisted for the award.) Much of its allure is the insider's view of modern Russia and the atmospheric, snow-charged, toe-numbing winters.
Month: September 2011
History is now and England, 2060-1940
Thank you Connie Willis for science fiction I've embraced and enjoyed in "Blackout/All Clear," award-winning time travel that goes backward in time, from 2060 to 1940.
An impulsive reaction turns fatal
Will Allison's "Long Drive Home" is a tense psychological and emotional drama so well executed it made me want to never put it down and nervously walk away from it at the same time.
Man Booker finalists that “zip along”
It's that time of year when the Brits count down to the best new 2011 novel published in the British Commonwealth or Republic of Ireland. Here's the final six, with links to synopses to help you make choices for your reading table. Also, the interesting premise that influenced the judges.
A famous “fait divers” in Paris, 1933
Sarah Maza's book about Violette Nozière's patricide, her trial and its outcome offer a look into the culture of crime in 1930s Paris overshadowed in history books by Hitler's rise to power. This is a satisfying story, interesting and historically rich.
The Longest Chapter 