A History of the Grandparents I Never Had
Book
Ivan Jablonka's grandparents' lives ended long before his began: although Mates and Idesa Jablonka...
Constellations (Shooting Stars #3)
Book
Constellations follows Tess Lee and Jack Miller after three years of marriage as they navigate the...
Women's Fiction Romance
AK Baby & Toddler Recipe App
Food & Drink and Lifestyle
App
Introducing the ultimate toddler & baby food recipe app from the UK’s No.1 children’s cookery...
Adam Colclough (3 KP) rated The January Man: A Year of Walking Britain in Books
Apr 19, 2018
The sometimes awkward, but always close, relationship between journalist Christopher Somerville and his war hero father is at the heart of this hugely engaging mix of memoir and nature writing. Their shared love of walking was the bond that united two very different characters in a story that unfolds against a backdrop of profound social change.
The quiet stoicism that saw a generation of men through the war giving way to rebellion born of affluence, then morphing into the busy atomisation of twenty first century life. This could make for a maudlin exercise in chin stroking, but is saved from it by Somerville’s good humour and inherent optimism.
Added to this is a deep love of nature and the English countryside and the people who have painted, written about or made their living from it over the centuries. Somerville is able to translate this into nature writing that carries the message that we should value what we’ve got without being either sentimental or didactic.
As a memoirist, he has an eye for the eccentricities of family life and a welcome sense of empathy with the experience of his parent’s generation and how it shaped their outlook. Being reserved is not the same thing as being distant, love strong enough to last a lifetime doesn’t need to announce itself with flowers and candy hearts; it manifests in the little acts that make up a life.
This is also a resolutely practical book, something Somerville senior would have approved of, with several associated walks that can be downloaded. Even if the journey from the bookcase to your easy chair is the closest you get to hiking, it is still worth reading.
Love, Loss, and What We Ate: A Memoir
Book
A vivid memoir of food and family, survival and triumph, Love, Loss, and What We Ate traces the arc...
Smart to do list – task reminder
Utilities and Lifestyle
App
"Quick and easy way to create personal task lists and manage your plans Smart to do list planner –...
ClareR (6256 KP) rated The Other Half of Augusta Hope in Books
Sep 29, 2020
Alongside the story of Augusta, chapters are alternated with Parfait and his story. He lives in Burundi - a country torn apart by Civil War. Parfaits family is destroyed by the horrors of this war, so he and his younger brother leave for what they feel will be a better life in Spain. Life has more sadness to throw at Parfait, though - and Augusta is dealt a cruel hand as well. She finds solace in Spain, which is where Parfait and Augusta are destined to meet.
I liked the alternating chapters of Augusta and Parfait - this device really highlighted the huge differences in their lives early on. As the story progresses though, it also shows that no matter how different we may all appear, there are actually more similarities than differences. We are all human; we all experience love and loss.
This was such a good way to highlight the refugee crisis in Europe. At a couple of points in the story, Parfait announces to the Spanish town how many people had died in the Mediterranean that year in their quest to live a better life. This book is heartbreaking in more than this one way. Both characters suffer unimaginable loss, and both learn to value life, a feeling of home and belonging.
It’s a wonderful book, and one that I’d heartily recommend. Many thanks to NetGalley and The Borough Press for my ebook copy.
Love, Loss and What We Ate: A Memoir
Book
A vivid memoir of food and family, survival and triumph, Love, Loss, and What We Ate traces the arc...
Ryker (Owatonna U Hockey #1)
RJ Scott and V.L. Locey
6.0
Rate It
Book
This New Adult book is the first in the Owatonna U Series, a spin off from the best selling...