“It was northern Italy which gave him his first taste of freedom, of passion, of companionship under fire, perhaps too of the liberty from the Protestant constrictions of the American heartland in which he had grown up.” (Page 7) When people think of the great writer, how do they picture…
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Back in 1999 R. A. Dalkey experienced his first night of what he describes as wild camping but in fact, is probably more comparable to rough sleeping. What he did realise however is that a small part of him really enjoyed it, even if he was close to getting frostbite….
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It’s October 2010 and Willem Brandt is being dropped off at New Dawn Training Camp with a backpack full of expensive items to help him survive his time there. From khaki trousers and boots, to mess tins and a hunting knife, the list was comprehensive, suggesting to the recipient that…
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What did Suzie say to Alexandra to cause her to throw prosecco over her in front of a full restaurant? Before being introduced to the two main characters of this novel, you can’t help but be drawn in by the prologue. Intrigued by who these two individuals are and what…
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Mandy had always wanted to travel. In fact, she can’t remember a time when travelling wasn’t on her mind. Growing up in the picturesque Lake District, a highly sort after, idyllic location in the UK, her desire to leave may seem odd for some. After leaving school at 16, Mandy…
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At 19 we all argue with our parents thinking we know better so it is of little surprise that the young Robinson Crusoe back in 1651 ignored the well-meaning advice of his father, and joined a ship heading from Hull to London. During this voyage, however, fate struck a nasty…
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“I have been many things in life… But nothing has shaped my life as much as surviving the Pol Pot regime. I am a survivor of the Cambodian holocaust. That’s who I am.” (page 1) In this emotional retelling, Haing S. Ngor relives the brutal treatments he was exposed to…
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Hugues Viane lost his wife five years ago, five long lonely years ago. “He whiled away some of the time by reading magazines and old books, smoked a great deal and, lost in his memories, lingered at the window opening onto the grey weather outside.” (Page 17*) Since his beloveds…
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Would you move half way across the world for love? That is exactly what Sarah Macdonald did. She uprooted her life, moving from Australia and leaving a very successful career as a journalist behind, to join her boyfriend in New Delhi. The contrast between the two worlds really could not…
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Having never read any of Victoria Hislop’s other novels, I really didn’t know what to expect when I was gifted a copy of The Thread. I had heard murmurings of her other books and had always considered picking up a copy of The Island because I was intrigued to find…
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