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The Thursday Murder Club -  Richard Osman

🔍 🔍 🔍 

🔍 🔍 🔍 🔍 for the series!

 

This is the first book in a (to date) four part detective series.  The Thursday Murder Club is a small group run by four pensioners who live in a retirement village in the south of England.  They are amateur detectives who meet once a week to investigate unsolved murder cases.  In my opinion the books get better as you read them, with the fourth one (The Last Devil to Die) being the best, so although I’d only describe this one as OK, I strongly recommend the series.  Richard Osman is famous in the UK as a TV presenter and he’s known for his intelligence and great sense of humour, and this definitely comes through in the books.  The characters are likeable individuals and bring different qualities to the investigations. They’re not afraid of dangerous situations either, which keeps the stories pacy and interesting.  One of the reasons I like the books so much is that the main protagonists are not your typical investigators. Richard Osman has given a voice to the older generation and presents them as smart, funny, thoughtful, three dimensional people, in an age when the elderly are often ignored or even patronised. These characters prove that life doesn’t end once you retire and that you still have the personality you had in your youth, just maybe with a few more aches and pains and doctor’s appointments thrown in!  The difficulty for English language learners with this series is going to be the use of idioms and  frequent references to British culture. The books depict a cosy Britain, with lots of mentions of particular food, TV and radio programmes, brands of biscuits, and shops. British readers recognise them immediately and understand the humour but many language learners may be confused by the jokes and some of the cultural references. However, you might still be interested in looking at this series as Steven Spielberg has bought the rights to the books and is planning to film them, and more importantly, they’re a really enjoyable read!

To look at this book on Amazon click here

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Spare - Prince Harry

👑 👑 👑

Wow! There’s been such a lot of publicity about this autobiography you’d have to be living on Mars not to know about it, so I thought I’d better do a quick review in case any English language learners are wondering about reading it.  Firstly, the English is not too difficult.  It’s well written, using short sentences and lots of very short chapters, which is often a relief when reading in another language.  The most challenging aspect is the use of idiomatic expressions and a chatty style, but it is enjoyable to read.  In a nutshell Harry seems to be a nice but needy guy who sadly never got over the death of his mother and has transferred all that adoration onto his wife (which may turn out to be difficult for her eventually!) He’s very kind and gracious about his ex-girlfriends and often mentions falling out with his brother William but surely that’s normal? The boys in my family used to fight so fiercely at times I was terrified! His father Charles comes out of it pretty well considering his reputation is as a cold, unloving parent. There aren’t nearly as many shocking revelations about the Royal Family as the papers would have us believe, although I was quite surprised at his disclosures of regular drug use. The strongest message in the book is his understandable hatred of the media. I knew the royals have little privacy but I was shocked to read just how invasive, cruel and persistent it’s been and how utterly blatant the lies are that have been written about them all. Although I personally think it might not be a good idea to publish things about your private life I totally understand why he felt the need to put his side of the story out there in the face of so many lies.  My verdict - it’s mildly interesting, probably more so if you’re interested in the Army and trips to Africa.

To look at this book on Amazon click here

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The Constant Soldier - William Ryan

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This is the second William Ryan book on this page, but it's the best book I’ve read in ages so I had to put it on! I actually stayed up till 2 a.m. recently to finish it because I desperately needed to know how it ended!  It’s the story of a Second World War German soldier (Paul Brandt) who returns to his home village after being badly injured on the Eastern Front. There is a luxury residence nearby where officers from the SS come to stay to relax and recover from injuries, and although we quickly recognise that Brandt is ‘one of the good guys’ he takes a job there because he realises a woman he knows is a prisoner working inside.  Meanwhile, the Red Army is moving swiftly west and heading in their direction and, as a hardened army veteran, Brandt understands the chaos and bloodshed that will ensue when they arrive. The army's advance is described through the experiences of Polya, a Soviet woman tank driver who is also really likeable, and it seems obvious that at some point these two characters’ lives are going to clash.  Of course, it’s difficult subject matter but it reads like a suspenseful thriller, with two main characters who are really engaging. There are plenty of bad guys to hate,  but they’re multi-layered, not just textbook villains, so although the narrative is straightforward, you do learn what the various characters think (which is why I usually prefer books to films).  There are also partisans who chop and change the narrative with added surprises, and small clues in Brandt’s actions that are relevant to the climax of the novel, where the tension really ratchets up! English language learners will appreciate the short sentences and the fact that the chapters aren't long either, and I think you’ll find it an uncomplicated but fascinating and exciting read!

To look at this book on Amazon click here

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Rebecca - Daphne du Maurier

⛵️ ⛵️ ⛵️ ⛵️

This very famous psychological thriller is a fantastic story but be warned, it’s not easy English for language learners.  That said, I’m including it in my list of recommended books because it’s so brilliant! The story is told by an unnamed narrator.  She is a very young, innocent and naive woman who marries a wealthy widower. As she begins her new life in his wonderful country home, she gradually becomes overwhelmed by the constant reminders of his dead first wife Rebecca and intimidated by the housekeeper Mrs Danvers, who strongly resents her as Rebecca’s replacement. The past is full of secrets and hints and we the readers begin to question her husband’s character and his true reasons for marrying again.  The fact that he’s twice the age of the narrator makes her appear even more vulnerable to manipulation by both her husband and Mrs Danvers.  The narrator has a vivid imagination and she describes her dreams and imaginings throughout the book. This, and a great deal of dramatic description of the landscape, trees, plants, shrubs, weather and the sea are what make the text quite difficult. Don’t be tempted to look up every word because it’s tedious and time consuming and it will put you off reading this great story. Try to get a sense of the context; it will be obvious which words or phrases are repetitive or important enough to check.  Du Maurier is a poetic writer with some beautiful turns of phrase and you may find listening to an audio book gives you a better sense of the atmosphere of the novel.

You can see a great 1940 film version for free on Youtube here:  

https://youtu.be/YZ_PBT-1vGA

Netflix has got a recent version as well, which is also very good. Interestingly both films play about with the ending and I think they’re both better than du Maurier’s original, which does end very suddenly and less satisfactorily, which is why I give the book four stars instead of five.  In fact, the Netflix ‘Rebecca’ gives the heroine a much more gutsy role at the end and it’s interesting to see her develop from a sweet, naive, mousey type of girl into a brave, assertive woman who actually ends up saving her husband from a terrible fate. 

If you’re still unsure about tackling a difficult book, watch this video about reading books in foreign languages: 

https://youtu.be/c5NboRNXYRA

To look at this book on Amazon click here

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The Holy Thief - William Ryan

🪆 🪆 🪆 🪆

This is a detective novel by Irish writer William Ryan.  It’s the first in a series of three books about Moscow detective Captain Alexei Korolev. (Somewhere on the internet I’ve seen the genre described as Moscow noir!)  It’s 1936 and our hero detective is a divorced (of course!) veteran of the First World War and the Russian Civil War, who is respected by his colleagues for his crime solving skills.  What I liked most about this book is the way the author describes Soviet life so realistically. The everyday privations like queues and housing conditions, and the paranoia and fear of being denounced and arrested that were a fact of life for Russian citizens are vividly depicted.  It’s set just at the beginning of Stalin’s ‘great terror’ and the secret police (NKVD) are a large, threatening presence throughout. Interestingly, the writer Isaac Babel is one of Korolev’s neighbours and makes several appearances as a character in the book.  If you’re a fan of Russian history or just looking for a different take in detective fiction I think you’ll enjoy this book.   Be warned though, it does begin with a particularly gruesome torture scene ⚠️  As far as the language is concerned I’d say it’s for advanced readers -  more complicated than Agatha Christie but not as hard as John le Carré!

To look at this book on Amazon click here

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The Pull of the Stars - Emma Donoghue

✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨

I thought I’d write a review of this historical fiction book in case some of you non-native learners have seen the hype and were thinking about reading it.  It’s a bestseller and as it’s set during the 1918 flu pandemic it obviously resonates with readers today.  It’s so interesting to recognise the parallels between the two pandemics 100 years apart.  Nonetheless, be warned - the English is really difficult!! I’d recommend reading a translation in your native language first and then tackling an English copy. The prose is amazing - Emma Donoghue is a wonderful writer, but I think language learners will find it challenging.  She tells the story of a maternity nurse, Julia Power, working in a Dublin hospital on a side ward reserved for pregnant women with influenza. We follow Julia over three days as she manages the small ward alongside a young volunteer, Bridie Sweeney, who is sent along to assist her. (I have to say that Bridie may have become one of my favourite literary characters ever!) Julia is working well over her pay grade, the hospital is extremely understaffed and short of even basic equipment, and I think healthcare workers in particular will read many of the passages with a rapidly increasing heart rate as they recognise the incredibly stressful, emergency situations that she has to deal with on her own! The author is writing for a non-medical audience, so the (many) diagnoses and practices are described and explained clearly.  However, this book is not for the squeamish as there is lots of blood and vivid descriptions of some horrible obstetric procedures!  It’s powerful stuff and as well as the medical practices of the time we read about the consequences of poverty, crowding and malnutrition, the impact of the ongoing World War, the struggle for Irish independence, and the Catholic Church’s treatment of orphans and unmarried mothers. It’s incredible how the author, who isn’t a midwife or wasn’t alive in 1918 can write with such insight.

I did read one review that said the book ends on a cliché, but I didn’t think so. For me the end offers a whisper of promise that takes us forward, away from the terrible ordeals endured by the characters. The themes that shone out for me were the power of humanity, kindness, dedication, love, the ability to look on the bright side, and to keep on living.  These positive elements, in addition to the many bleak and heartbreaking events, result in a compelling novel . You won’t forget it afterwards. Yes it’s graphic but it’s realistic and if you can face it, I think this book will leave a huge imprint on your life.

To look at this book on Amazon click here

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Falling - T J Newman

✈️ ✈️ ✈️🛬

In the mood for a summer blockbuster? This thriller could be the book for you 🏖

It tells the story of an American airline pilot whose plane is hijacked and his wife and children held to ransom. He’s told to crash the plane or his family will die. It’s so full of clichés I unintentionally laughed out loud several times. He’s a stand-up, regular guy, reliable and great at his job. His wife is a supportive partner and a great mom. The senior flight attendant is very experienced and great at her job and finds reserves of heroism she didn’t know she had when faced with a crisis. She’s working with a comedy sidekick and a newbie who is just out of training school. The hero on the ground happens to be her nephew - he’s an FBI guy who is from the ‘unorthodox but gets the job done’ school of caricatures, and the bad guys are Middle Eastern (although I think their backstory is very moving). There are also several ordinary American unsung heroes who step up and show their true noble and courageous natures, despite the prospect of imminent death, and a not knowing who you can really trust onboard situation!

The author was a flight attendant for many years so she really knows her stuff and has a lot of insight into the crew dynamics and flight procedure, which I found very interesting. This is going to make a great movie. Twenty years ago Tom Hanks would definitely have played the captain! I flew through this book (no pun intended!) as I was impatient to see what happened next. The plot is tightly constructed and moves at a fast pace. As far as the English goes, the narrative is straightforward, the language doesn’t get really flowery and profound, but it will expand your vocabulary and draw your attention to natural speech in American English (an audio book version would really heighten the drama!) Here’s an extract that made me laugh out loud - it’s so like a 1970s plane disaster movie!

Bill grasped at his wounded shoulder, pulling his hand back to find it coated with blood. He needed to stop the bleeding. He needed to land the plane. There was so much he needed to do. But his body betrayed him.

My verdict: Corny as hell but a real page turner!! If you want to know more, here’s a professional review:

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/may/04/jaws-35000-feet-falling-torri-newman-debut-novel-terror-skies

To look at this book on Amazon click here

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The Greengage Summer - Rumer Godden

🍈 🍈 🍈 🍈 🍈

I can’t believe I’ve only recently discovered this coming-of-age novel, which was first published in 1958!  It tells the story of five English children on holiday in a French hotel, probably in the 1920s, although the year isn’t specified. Their mother has become unwell and is in hospital, so the children are left to their own devices, but they have themselves, the hotel staff members and other guests for company.  An enigmatic English guest (Eliot) takes the children under his wing and because he’s so kind they instinctively monitor him closely. The narrator is thirteen year old Cecil and as the story is described through her eyes, the language is quite straightforward and shouldn’t cause many problems for English language learners.  (The book is less than 200 pages long, so again, it shouldn’t be too challenging to read.)  As the story develops it becomes obvious that things are happening on two different levels - the world seen through the eyes of the children, and the hints that we as adult readers start to follow about what’s happening between the adults in the hotel and particularly about Eliot’s secretive behaviour!  The mystery builds and you become more and more curious about comments made by the adults, and their activities, but that the children justify naively with their own interpretations.  Rumer Godden is a wonderful writer. She describes the countryside, the weather and the food beautifully, and she cleverly builds up the tension in the book in a subtle and unhurried way. It’s only when you reach the dramatic climax at the end that you realise how many hints as to what was really going on there were in Cecil’s story!

To look at this book on Amazon click here

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A Short History of the World According to Sheep - Sally Coulthard

🐑 🐑 🐑 🐑 🐑

Question: What links the Medici family, Leonardo da Vinci, the piano, Britain’s wet weather, the invention of scissors, berets, hoodies, smocks, Vitamin D, language, Man’s Best Friend, the British and European landscape, country banks, Burberry, fairy tales, sea travel, Queen Victoria, child labour, the American War of Independence, the French Revolution, World War II, smuggling, the Black Death, tartan, anthrax, and condoms?

Answer: Sheep, of course! 

You’ll find out how in this informative and entertaining book, which I suppose I’d file under the history/science & nature genres. I bought it because I heard the author being interviewed on the radio and she was so engaging I really wanted to read it, despite its unusual subject matter! I hadn’t realised how important these commonly seen creatures have been to human history - they’re everywhere, yet I doubt many people know the crucial role they’ve played in our story.  Trust me - you’ll be immediately absorbed by the tale of our interwoven lives. As it’s not a novel, the language is straightforward and clear, so it’s not too challenging for English language learners, although you might want to look these words up before you start: graze, flock, knitting, weaving, herd, shepherd, and rural because they make several appearances! Sadly, there are no photos in the book, so I’d advise you to have Google to hand as there will be loads of historical objects you’ll want to look at. And finally, in case you’re still not convinced about reading a book about sheep (unlikely I know!), I’ll share a shock revelation with you - our woolly friends aren’t actually as stupid as we think they are!

To look at this book on Amazon click  here

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Starman - Jamie Doran & Piers Bizony

🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀 🚀

This is a biography of the first man in space Yuri Gagarin and I can’t recommend it enough!  I was hooked from the first paragraph.  Gagarin was unlucky enough to be a child during the Second World War and the German army reached his village.  Enemy soldiers were billeted in the Gagarin family home and the shocking details of what the villagers suffered would make a book in its own right.  Later, of course, Yuri Gagarin was one of only 20 cosmonauts chosen from 2,200 candidates from across the Soviet Union for arduous training for space travel (the reader is also given a sympathetic description of the brave volunteers who underwent extreme tests to see what the human body could endure).  The authors have shone a light into an area of history that has been a closely kept secret for years.  The political cunning needed to work and survive in the Soviet system is astutely described.  I found the pre-flight build-up and the actual flight itself really emotional reading. The enormity of the achievement, the danger, the human ingenuity (particularly when you learn about the temperamental technology and pressure from the Kremlin to surpass each incredible achievement) - everything about many events in this book is extremely powerful!  You don’t have to be a space fan to enjoy it. If you’re interested in amazingly talented people, politics, history, (and maybe space, I guess!) you’ll love this book.  You don’t just get a feel for Yuri the man, but also an insight into the Soviet generation who survived the war and the Stalinist era. This book is full of extraordinary people who achieved incredible things, and anecdotes that will astound you.  As it’s a biography, the English is straightforward, the language is untechnical and understandable, and at only 238 pages, you won’t be daunted by its length.  If you read one book in English this year, make it this one - поехали! 🧑‍🚀

To look at this book on Amazon click here

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Star of the North - D.B. John

😊😊😊😊🤨

This is a thriller.  It tells the story of an American woman, Jenna Williams, who works for the CIA and discovers that her twin sister, missing for twelve years and presumed dead, might actually be alive and living in North Korea.  Fortunately, Jenna’s a kick-ass female role model (professor and martial arts expert!) so she’s the perfect person to mount a rescue operation.  The search for her sister is interwoven with the stories of several North Korean characters living during the repressive dictatorship of Kim Jong-il.  I found the descriptions of life in North Korea fascinating, terrifying, tragic, moving, nerve-wracking, depressing and uplifting.  I really cared about the characters in the story, rooted for them and worried about them!  The book moves along at a rattling pace and it’s difficult to put down.  I’d give it five stars if it weren’t for an annoying James Bond moment with guns and Taekwondo in a confined space near the end, so it’s a 4 3/4 from me, and if you haven’t got a tear in your eye at the end, you’re utterly heartless!

To look at this book on Amazon click here

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The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows

😊😊😊😕

Don’t be put off by the eccentric title - this book isn’t as twee as it sounds!  It’s a historical novel and the action takes place in London and Guernsey in 1946. It also goes back in time to tell the story of some of the islanders during the German occupation.  There are some funny, loveable, engaging characters in the story that you really warm to, plus a mystery and some romance thrown in for good measure.  Rather than use a conventional narrative, the story is told through a series of letters between the characters.  The main protagonist, Juliet Ashton, is a successful writer who begins a correspondence with the literary society through a shared love of books. Juliet then travels to Guernsey with the aim of writing about the society’s members and learning more about life under the occupation.  A genuine love of literature shines out of this book, and anyone who enjoys reading will totally be able to relate to this.  However, I didn’t particularly enjoy the ‘letters’ format and personally would have preferred a more conventional approach. I think it would have given the book more colour and depth. That said, if you’re an English language learner, this format does give you very short chapters and a nice chatty style that’s probably easier to read than a traditional novel.  Unusually, I actually preferred the film to the book - it has a tighter plot line and you get to see beautiful Guernsey! I’d give the film 5/5 and the book 3 1/2.

To look at this book on Amazon click here

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Harry Potter Series - J.K.Rowling

🧙‍♀️ 🧙‍♀️ 🧙‍♀️ 🧙‍♀️ 🧙‍♀️

No book review would be complete without mentioning these novels!  Yes, they were written for kids, but the bottom line is, the fight between good and evil is a theme that’s endured for so long in storytelling, humans of all ages can’t get enough of it! There’s also comedy, mystery, sadness, tragedy, excitement, and danger - a lot of danger. The wizarding world is not for the faint-hearted!  I’m sure I don’t need to tell you who Harry Potter is, although it’s easy enough to find out online if you happen to have been living on Mars for the last twenty years! The novels mirror the characters’ progress through Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, with each book representing a school year.  The themes develop as the characters age, which means that the narrative becomes darker and the danger intensifies, ending in a gripping final confrontation with the villain (I shan’t name him, obviously!)  J.K.Rowling is a lovely, intelligent writer and English language learners will benefit a lot from her use of descriptive vocabulary and her engaging style - she’s so enjoyable to read.  I can’t recommend these books enough, for readers of all ages and would give the entire series 5/5. FYI, my personal favourite - The Half Blood Prince.

To look at these books on Amazon click here

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Dracula - Bram Stoker

🧛‍♂️ 🧛‍♂️ 🧛‍♂️ 🧛‍♂️ 🧛‍♂️

Mwah ha ha haaa! Go with your imagination and let yourself be scared by this classic Gothic horror story!  But don’t be afraid of the English! Although this book was published in 1897 it’s still easily understandable to modern readers and it’s broken up into manageable chunks as the story is told through the various characters’ journals and letters.  Here’s a short extract to give you an idea of the language:

I only slept a few hours when I went to bed, and feeling that I could not sleep any more, got up. I had hung my shaving glass by the window, and was just beginning to shave. Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder, and heard the Count’s voice saying to me, ‘Good morning.’ I started, for it amazed me that I had not seen him, since the reflection of the glass covered the whole room behind me. In starting I had cut myself slightly, but did not notice it at the moment. Having answered the Count’s salutation, I turned to the glass again to see how I had been mistaken.  This time there could be no error, for the man was close to me, and I could see him over my shoulder. But there was no reflection of him in the mirror!  The whole room behind me was displayed, but there was no sign of a man in it, except myself. Classic! And as an added bonus, because it’s an old classic you’ll be able to pick up a copy for pennies.

To look at this book on Amazon click here

I've just discovered a new podcast called Re: Dracula. If you would prefer to listen to the story I can really recommend it:

https://shows.acast.com/re-dracula

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Primo Levi - Ian Thomson

⚛️ ⚛️ ⚛️ ⚛️ ⚛️

I love reading about people’s lives (because I’m basically a very nosy person) and this prize-winning biography of the Italian chemist, writer and Auschwitz survivor Primo Levi shines as one of the best.  It is over 500 pages, which sounds challenging, but the writing is so engaging it doesn’t feel like a slog. Don’t be put off English learners! The language isn’t tough even though the subject matter is and although Primo Levi was a very private man, he comes alive through Ian Thomson’s writing. I also learnt a lot about Italian history and politics from this book, which is crucial to giving context to the events that occurred in Primo Levi’s life.  I’ve read some online criticisms and the most common complaint seems to be that readers think it contains too many insignificant details, but I regarded this as thoroughness on the part of the author and a credit to the incredible amount of research he undertook to write this biography.  A comprehensive tribute to an amazing man.

To look at this book on Amazon click here

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Dark Matter - Michelle Paver

👻 👻 👻 👻

This is a ghost story but probably not that scary if you’re a true horror fan. However, I’m a coward and it was unnerving enough for me!  It’s set in 1937 and tells the story of Jack Miller, a young physicist who joins a British scientific expedition planning to spend the long winter months in the Arctic. Everything starts off very positively during the days of the midnight sun but as the long polar nights lengthen the general ambience in the camp starts to darken and, through a series of events, Jack ends up on his own at the cabin - and it’s seriously spooky! This is an incredibly atmospheric book and the author describes the environment and the experience of living in the far north vividly.  It’s also a fascinating insight into the effects of solitude and darkness on the imagination and Michelle Paver skilfully and slowly builds up the tension as Jack tries to deal with the threat (real or imagined?) lurking outside his front door. If you want to know more, here’s a link to the writer talking about the book:

http://www.michellepaver.com/dark-matter/

Note: there is another popular book with the same title!

To look at this book on Amazon click here

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My Left Foot - Christy Brown

😊 😊 😊 😊

Christy Brown was born with cerebral palsy and learnt to write by holding a pen with his left foot.  He became a successful writer and artist and this candid autobiography describes his journey, from his birth in 1932 into a large family in Dublin, up to the completion of the first chapter of this book. It’s a short read - my copy is only 175 pages, so English language learners won’t be intimidated by its length. In addition, the style of writing is clear and concise.  He doesn’t overdo it with flowery language and tons of adjectives.  Interestingly, at one point he describes how he learnt to write so neatly. Apparently, his doctor told him his first attempt was unreadable, the language overblown and full of clichés and that he needed to read less Charles Dickens!  It was valuable advice - the final product is written with wit, warmth and honesty and the style is engaging and accessible. One final point - it might be particularly interesting for occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech therapists and doctors to read and compare modern treatments and therapies for cerebral palsy with the treatment that was available in the 1940s and ’50s.

To read more about the author and see some photographs, click here:

https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/christy-brown-daniel-day-lewis

To look at this book on Amazon click here

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The Old Man and the Sea - Ernest Hemingway

🐟 🐟 🐟 🐟

This is a novella, which means it’s really short - 127 pages!  The paragraphs are short too and the language is precise and to the point, so it’s perfect for English language learners. That’s the good news. The bad news is some of the vocabulary might be a bit challenging; there were some nautical words that I didn’t actually know myself - gaff, skiff and bitt spring to mind!  It’s likely you’ll need a dictionary at the beginning but trust me, it’s worth the effort. There’s a reason this is probably Hemingway’s most famous work (although I’ve knocked a ‘star’ off my grading system due to the stilted, unnatural-sounding dialogue that you get in a lot of his writing).  It’s the story of an old Cuban fisherman and his epic battle with a huge marlin that he catches far out to sea whilst fishing alone on his small boat, and oh, the colours! It’s full of purples, lavenders and blues - you really feel like you’re on the beautiful Cuban coast when you read this book. It’s about perseverance, endurance, and determination in the face of adversity.  You might ask yourself why the old man doesn’t simply quit when the struggle gets too tough, or you might wonder instead about what is driving him on. Either way, it will make you think, and being a Hemingway story, you have no idea until the end how this battle will be resolved.

To look at this book on Amazon click here 

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Sapiens - Yuval Noah Harari

🐵🙈🙉🙊

Well, this book certainly seems to divide opinion! I enjoyed it, one of my students thought it was really boring, and the internet is full of accusations of ‘speculation’ and ‘lack of depth’!  I’d say it comes under the umbrella of history/anthropology (it’s subtitled ‘A Brief History of Humankind’) and I think a lot of the critics failed to notice the word ‘brief’, although it still comes in at over 400 pages. I don’t think the author is claiming to have written the final word on absolutely everything to do with human beings ever! He’s entitled to his opinions, surely? You get a whistle-stop tour of the development of language, agriculture, science, religion and money and I found the effects of agriculture on diet, leisure and disease particularly interesting (I’ve just realised how boring that sounds! But it isn’t, trust me!) If you’re an expert in anthropology, history, biology or economics then this book probably isn’t for you, but I’m not and I think it’s a well-written, engaging introduction to thousands of years of human history. In my opinion, English language learners won’t find the style difficult.  It’s written in an informal way, so although the writer manages to convey a lot of information, you don’t feel like you’re being weighed down by tons of academic jargon. Actually, it wouldn’t surprise me if it sparks your interest in one of the many subjects it discusses and induces you to explore specific topics in more detail.

To look at this book on Amazon click here

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The Savage Garden - Mark Mills

🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳 🌳

Who can you trust?? In this book, possibly no-one! In online reviews…..it’s down to personal preference. Some of the commentaries I’ve read describe it as boring, interesting, predictable, unpredictable, absorbing, tedious, full of plot holes, provocative, slow paced and having terribly written sex scenes!  I love travel, history and mystery, which is probably why I really enjoyed this book.  It’s about a Cambridge student (Adam Strickland) in the 1950s who travels to Tuscany to study a renaissance garden for his thesis.  So far, so boring, but as time passes, he begins to realise that within the layout of the garden lie several clues to its true history.  In addition, it transpires that the family who own the garden have their own secrets, stemming from the German occupation of their villa during the war.  Adam ends up unravelling two mysteries, separated by 400 years. Reading this book in wintry Britain may be part of the reason I enjoyed it so much. The descriptions of Tuscany, the food, weather, scenery, are lovely and the characters are engaging (some nice, some mysterious!) too.  Think about what you want from a book. If it’s a mystery, set in a wonderful location, with a likeable protagonist, that’s not too challenging intellectually but neither is it pulp fiction, then you’ll probably enjoy it as much as I did! 

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Poldark Series - Winston Graham

🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯 🕯

Brace yourself! There are twelve average-sized books in this series of historical novels and believe it or not, they’re all equally good - what an amazing feat by the author Winston Graham!  They are set in 18th century Cornwall and chart the life of Ross Poldark, an ex-soldier and mine owner, over almost forty years (1783-1820).  It’s a character-driven series of books and a host of different people appear in them, goodies and baddies (there is a villainous arch enemy of course!)  You really care what happens to Ross, his family and friends - they almost begin to feel like people you actually know!  The historical detail from 18th century England is interesting and many factual events are woven into the stories.  There are genuine moments of tension and sadness here and, it being the 18th century, the reader is constantly apprehensive about the fact that the characters could die at any moment (sadly some do, and it hurts!) I had to ration myself with these books because I didn’t want to get to the end of them but couldn’t wait to start the next in the series. By the time I got to the last one I felt almost nervous about what was going to happen to them all!  The BBC have filmed several of the books over (up to now) four series and they’re excellent productions, so if you don’t fancy the books, you’ll still enjoy the TV programmes.  You can read more about them here:

https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/tv-radio/2018/08/poldark-one-biggest-shows-britain-so-why-does-it-get-so-little-attention

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Small Island - Andrea Levy

🇯🇲🇬🇧🇯🇲🇬🇧🇯🇲

What a book!  Andrea Levy manages to write from the perspectives of male and female characters (with very different personalities) with incredible insight in this award-winning, historical fiction novel.  This is the story of four people shortly before, during and after the Second World War.  A married Jamaican couple (Hortense and Gilbert Joseph) migrate to London following the war and board in the house of an English couple (Queenie and Bernard Bligh).  (The author’s own parents had themselves taken the same route from Jamaica to the UK in 1948.)   The narrative moves back and forth in time, so we encounter the characters before they are together in London and learn about their dreams and desires.  Hortense is a qualified teacher and Gilbert (as did Bernard actually) fought for Britain during the war.  The contrast between their expectations of migration and the reality of life in London is shocking. We often hear of the ‘hostilities’ of war but the incredible hostility and racism experienced by Gilbert and Hortense, by a tough and ungrateful post-war society, makes for difficult reading.  Yes it’s powerful, shocking, moving and dramatic but there’s also humour in their story, shot through with flashes of humanity that restore your faith in human beings!  A point for English language learners about some of the dialogue - naturally there are some Jamaican expressions but I did read online that one Jamaican reader believed the author had toned down the stronger elements of dialect so non-Jamaican readers could follow the speech more clearly.  I think all dialogue in literature is difficult for learners because we use a lot of idioms and few people in real life speak like they’ve swallowed a grammar book, so don’t worry if it’s occasionally confusing.  Finally, a word of warning from personal experience - don’t read the end on public transport unless you want to spend twenty minutes staring out of the window so the other passengers can’t see your tears!!

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Crooked House - Agatha Christie

🔎 🔎 🔎 🔎 🔎

Of course, there are dozens of books by the ‘Queen of Crime’ to choose from and some readers might be disappointed that there’s no appearance from Hercule Poirot or Miss Marple here. This is a standalone book, just over 200 pages long, and apparently one of Agatha Christie’s favourites.  I think her writing is particularly suitable for English language learners - she’s straightforward and easy to follow, without being a bad writer.  Did you know that she worked as an apothecary’s assistant during the First World War?  She gained an extensive knowledge of toxins through this work, so whenever her characters are poisoned, remember that she knew what she was writing about!  In this book, several generations of a family all live together in the ‘crooked house’ of the title.  The head of the family, who happens to be extremely rich, is murdered, poisoned by his own eye medicine.  Naturally, there are several suspects and red herrings. I couldn’t guess who had committed the crime and was shocked and surprised when it was revealed!  I’ve read several Agatha Christie books and this is the one that stands out for me as the best.  Channel 5 (UK) made a film with a great cast based on the book which I’d also recommend. You can read a review of it here:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2017/12/17/agatha-christies-crooked-house-sumptuous-fifties-adaptation/

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Tell No One - Harlan Coben

🧐🤔🤭😲👏

Summer is fast approaching and here’s a great holiday book! This is a real thriller/mystery page turner that keeps you guessing right until the end!  And guess what? The hero of the story is a paediatrician!! Not many books can claim that honour! Dr David Beck is an all round good guy who sadly lost his wife in a gruesome murder eight years previously. One day he receives a mysterious email from an unknown source with a link that leads him to some video footage of a random city street where, for a brief second or so, a woman looks straight at the camera and shockingly - she’s the exact double of his dead wife! Or is she actually his dead wife? We don’t know!! What’s going on???! Fortunately the email has a cryptic clue that leads Beck on a helter-skelter chase to find out what really happened on that terrible night eight years ago.  He has to dodge the police, the FBI and the bad guys that were responsible for the whole situation in the first place and it’s all done at a hectic pace.  This is an American book and some readers might find the dialogue challenging at times but if you’re familiar with US TV shows you shouldn’t have too many problems.   It might also interest you to know that there’s an excellent French film version of this book - you can read more about that here:

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/tell-no-one-2008

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Longbourn - Jo Baker

🧹🧺🥁☕️🥧

This is one of my favourite books, so although the language might be challenging I feel you should know about it!  I’d advise you to read it electronically so you’ve got easy access to a dictionary, and I’ll save you the bother of looking up ‘the necessary house’ by telling you that it was an outside toilet.  The characters use the necessary house because this book is set in the early 1800s and they share a house with Elizabeth Bennet, famous to English literature fans as the heroine in Jane Austen’s classic Pride and Prejudice.  Question: Who answered the door when Mr Darcy came to call? Who washed Elizabeth’s muddy petticoats and cleaned her boots after she’d been tramping through muddy fields? Who was the footman who handed Jane Bennet a recently delivered letter?  What’s the backstory with Mr Bennet and Hill the housekeeper?! 😳 In Austen’s (wonderful) novel, these people don’t have a voice, so Jo Baker decided to give them one! She’s a beautiful writer and the lives of the servants ‘below stairs’ are vividly portrayed.  Yes, there was drudgery, but there’s also mystery, humour, drama and surprise and it’s all cleverly woven through the time lines of the characters we’re familiar with from Pride and Prejudice.  I can’t recommend this book enough but I do think to fully appreciate its merits you should familiarise yourself with Jane Austen’s original gem, which I’ll review next week.

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Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen

🎩 🎩 🎩 🎩

“I often want to criticize Jane Austen, but her books madden me so that I can’t conceal my frenzy from the reader; and therefore I have to stop every time I begin. Every time I read Pride and Prejudice I want to dig her up and beat her over the skull with her own shin bone!”  - a harsh but hilarious quote from Mark Twain about one of Britain’s most beloved classic novels! You would think that only the most studious English learner would happily tackle this book, due to its challenging nineteenth century style, but one quick browse on the internet shows how popular Austen’s books are and how much pleasure people get from reading her work over and over again.  This is a love story (and a good story) with lots of witty observations about nineteenth century society, and a female character in Elizabeth Bennet with plenty of spirit. I can imagine that if most women were as wet as Jane Bennet in those days, Elizabeth must have breezed through these pages like a Regency Lisbeth Salander! You do follow the characters’ dramas with interest and you’re pleased that everything ties off so well at the end - everyone loves a happy ending, surely?  A word of warning though - the language, particularly the dialogue, is tough (another book I recommend reading electronically, with easy access to a dictionary) and you might want to view the excellent BBC drama before you attempt it.  Here’s the Wiki page:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pride_and_Prejudice_(1995_TV_series)

 

And if you don’t quite feel ready to tackle the original, here’s a simplified easy reader:

https://www.wattpad.com/story/55560699-a-simplified-pride-and-prejudice

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The Lost Man - Jane Harper

🦘 🦘 🦘 🦘

This 2018 mystery is set in the Australian outback.  (4/5 kangaroos because I’d worked out a couple of things before they were revealed in the story.)  It begins with the harrowing death of cattle farmer Cameron Bright, who has apparently succumbed to heat exposure in a desert environment where the temperature is known to reach 45 degrees. Strangely though, the dead man was born and bred in this harsh territory and his well-stocked, mechanically sound 4x4 was parked nearby with a full tank of petrol, so how on earth could this have happened?  As the story progresses, the initial suspicion of suicide appears more and more unlikely. The main protagonists are Cameron’s family whose own individual stories from the past thirty or so years are gradually revealed.  The significance of things that happened years ago becomes more and more relevant - it’s a good story and a real page turner.  But for me, the most compelling feature of this book is the description of life in the outback. It’s so evocative. It’s as if you were listening to someone describing how they survive living on Mars, it’s that removed from the way most people live.  You get a real feel for how tough, dangerous, isolated (the nearest neighbours are three hours away) and unforgiving life here is. The distances, unrelenting heat, dust and loneliness are so strikingly portrayed by the author that part of the mystery for me is why anyone would want to live there at all!  It’s not like any other book I’ve ever read.  That’s not to say the language is complex. It’s well written, with only the occasional typically Australian phrase in the dialogue, so it will only test you as much as any other piece of accomplished English language writing.  Challenge yourself - it’ll definitely be worth it!  I’m off to go and research Jane Harper to decide which one of her other books I’m going to read next.  👩‍💻

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Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine - Gail Honeyman

⭐️⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

I only read this novel because it was lent to me by a friend. The blurb on the cover doesn’t describe the type of book I usually read (essentially, the moving tale of a lonely woman, adversity, compassion, devastation blah blah blah) but I’m so glad I did!  Eleanor is a creature of habit and has a lonely, uneventful life.  At first you think, mmm, where’s this going? But you soon get sucked in because she is so dry and funny and there are some genuinely laugh out loud moments with some of the things she thinks and says.  She doesn’t bother with niceties or false politeness; she just tells it as it is (kind of like what we’d be thinking but are too diplomatic to say!)  It quickly becomes obvious she has a strange relationship with her mother and as the book progresses we start to realise, through intriguing clues that appear with more regularity, that actually, something really sinister has happened in Eleanor’s past.  She’s befriended by an I.T. colleague from work and slowly starts to come out of her shell but don’t worry, it doesn’t turn into a sloppy ‘woman finally finds love’ experience! It’s just a nice vehicle for enabling Eleanor to move her life forward and come to terms with the horrendous childhood ordeal that is the cause of her particular character traits.  This might be a good audio book to try as it would be useful for English learners to listen to the cadence of Eleanor’s speech.  Her language is extremely precise and almost robotic at times, so I think it would be clearly understood by non-native speakers.  I’ve read lots of online discussions about how unrealistic this book is, and that Eleanor is too much of a caricature, and I accept that.  However, remember that this is just a novel, with lots of really nice characters interacting with each other, not an academic piece on autism, therapy or the UK care system. It made me laugh and held my interest right the way through, and God knows I’ve read hundreds of books that didn’t manage to do that!

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Happy as a Partridge: Life and Love in Madrid - Kate Boyle

😀😀😀🙂

If you’re thinking about a lifestyle or career change or just love reading about other countries, this comedy/romance/travel book might be just for you. It tells the story of Evie, a British woman about to hit thirty who leaves a job in PR in London to go and teach English in Madrid. She’s a homebird, so this is a big change for her. The first chapter reminded me a lot of Bridget Jones - the sad singleton surrounded by smug couples, and I thought I was going to find it a bit derivative and predictable, but the minute Evie arrived in Madrid I was totally hooked (and probably a bit jealous too!) Her first impressions are vividly depicted. There are some lovely descriptions of Madrid and the people she meets there. Yes there are some caricatures (it’s a comic novel after all) but there’s no malice intended. Evie believes she will be working in a school but ends up working as the only woman in a mechanics’ institute. She’s on the receiving end of lots of sexual innuendo which is very often laugh out loud funny! Anyone who has studied a foreign language will relate to her problems with Spanish and some of the hilarious English mistakes made by her students and friends. This is an enjoyable, humorous, undemanding book, full of really nice people whose priorities are family and friends. As a typical Brit, the regular 4 a.m. finishes and ‘invasion of personal space’ take Evie a bit of getting used to but ultimately ‘work to live’ and ‘keep your heart happy’ are the lessons she learns during her time in Spain. From an English language perspective - be warned! The print version is only 272 pages and the chapters are short (hoorah!), BUT - it’s written in a chatty, idiomatic style, with plenty of adjectives and lots of dialogue, and as we know, this type of language can be hard to follow! Nonetheless, it’s all useful, common vocabulary, so in my opinion, definitely worth persevering with. The nights are drawing in now, so what better way to pass the time than taking yourself off to sunnier climes?! 

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Magpie Murders - Anthony Horowitz

🔎 🔎 🔎 🔎 🔎

If you enjoy a good mystery you get two for the price of one with this clever thriller.  Here’s a quote from page 2: “I lit a cigarette. I began to read the book as you are about to. But before you do that, I have to warn you. This book changed my life.”  The scene is set.  The editor of a famous series of detective novels is settling down to read the manuscript of the next book. You the reader then get to read the 270 page manuscript as she does.  It’s set out like a genuine book, with a brief biog of the author, a list of previous books from the series, and snippets of reviews by genuine newspapers and authors. The latest story begins with a death - a housekeeper has fallen downstairs whilst hoovering in a locked house. There’s a theft from the dispensary at the surgery, which is in a typical English village with a manor house, vicarage, bakery, tea room, garage and pub, all inhabited by sundry characters who behave suspiciously and may each have a reason to kill the housekeeper - of course! Then the dead woman’s employer is killed and in true murder mystery style, everyone looks guilty!  The chapter headings are cleverly taken from a famous nursery rhyme about magpies - here’s a link to its history:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_for_Sorrow_(nursery_rhyme)

As the investigation reaches a conclusion, the famous detective (Atticus Pünd) announces that he knows who the murderer is but there it suddenly ends; frustratingly, the final pages are missing, and then there’s a real life murder! The second part of the book is narrated by the editor as she tries to locate the lost pages, solve the murder and decode the secret messages that the author had inserted into the manuscript. It’s an ingenious and entertaining device that holds your interest right the way through.  Although this is a long book (560 pages) it’s very much in a straightforward style similar to Agatha Christie’s writing and isn’t too challenging for English language learners.  It’s a bestseller for a reason and definitely worth investigating - ha! ha! 🕵️‍♀️

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The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time - Mark Haddon

🐶🐀🚉👨‍🎓

If you Google ‘English novels for language learners’ this award-winning mystery turns up on practically every list!  The narrator is Christopher Boone and he is ’15 years and 3 months and 2 days’.  Christopher has Asperger syndrome and he’s very precise about things. He uses simple language and short sentences, doesn’t like idioms (so he doesn’t use them), and he’s very logical, which makes for straightforward reading for people learning English.  He also explains a lot of things that may seem quite obvious but can be helpful if you’re unsure of the precise meaning when English isn’t your first language. The book begins with the murder of a neighbour’s dog and Christopher decides to investigate. He’s a fan of the well-known detective Sherlock Holmes, and there’s a nice chapter about his famous case, ‘The Hound of the Baskervilles’, so if you fancy reading something a bit more challenging after this book (tougher English) you could have a go at this (I’ll make it a project to review it soon!)

Before you read this book however, you might want to read about Asperger syndrome to give you some insight into Christopher’s actions, thought processes, and use of language. There’s a clear, concise description on this website:

https://www.autism.org.uk/about/what-is/asperger.aspx

Here’s a direct quote from the page about people with Asperger’s: ‘Many have a very literal understanding of language, and think people always mean exactly what they say…People with Asperger syndrome often have difficulty 'reading' other people - recognising or understanding others’ feelings and intentions - and expressing their own emotions. This can make it very hard for them to navigate the social world’.  The author captures these characteristics really well in Christopher’s behaviour, interests and routines. As he narrates his story, he doesn’t shy away from sharing other people’s frustrations or anger with him (including his parents’!) It’s both funny and sad, but never sentimental, and there’s a good chance you’ve never read a book like this before - definitely well worth a read.

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The Hound of the Baskervilles - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

🔍 🔍 🔍 🔍

All good literature contains challenging language, so don’t be put off by something written in 1901! Some of the dialogue sounds old fashioned of course, but in general the language is OK and it’s a really good, short story (just over 100 pages).  You can read it here:

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/2852/2852-h/2852-h.htm

There’s also a free audiobook version on YouTube.  Listening to a narrator’s tone often helps with understanding text, so you could listen and read at the same time:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7We_HAYds5g

There have also been many film and TV versions of this book, so you might already know the story. It’s a really good tale actually and it intrigues you as it develops. Sherlock Holmes is asked to investigate the possibility that a huge, savage, demonic dog is roaming the moors attacking people. It’s interesting to follow how Holmes logically reaches his conclusions and Conan Doyle is a good writer, particularly when he is describing the spooky, atmospheric landscape and the strange activity in the house at night. Is something supernatural really going on or is there a more realistic explanation for the mystery? Naturally, there are a few red herrings too, and an exciting climax on the foggy, dangerous moorland, leaving the reader satisfied with the explanations for the events that made up the story and entertained by the overall experience.

Here’s the first line, to give you an idea of the language:

‘Mr. Sherlock Holmes, who was usually very late in the mornings, save upon those not infrequent occasions when he was up all night, was seated at the breakfast table.’ You may find the style more difficult than a modern book, but look on the bright side - it’s still much easier than Shakespeare or the Bible!  Before you begin, make sure you know the meanings of ‘moor’ and ‘mire’ because they come up a lot! It might also help you to know that when characters in the story ‘have a wire’ and ‘have arms’ it means they’ve received a telegram and are carrying a gun!

Two difficult bits: A manuscript from 1742 is reproduced at the start of the story. It is hard to read (it’s part of a Baskerville family legend). Essentially it tells the story of the wicked Hugo Baskerville who kidnapped a young woman and locked her in an upstairs room at his manor house. The woman escaped, he chased her across the moors and was found by his companions dead on the ground with a huge dog that had torn out his throat standing next to him.  Later on, there is a newspaper article describing the death of the current inhabitant of Baskerville Hall, Sir Charles Baskerville.  This is written in very pompous, turn of the century English and is also quite hard to read. In a nutshell, it describes how he died outdoors, with a terrified look on his face, and near to the body there were the footprints of an enormous hound! Don’t worry about these two pieces or let them put you off reading the rest of story :)  It’s a classic for a reason and definitely worth investigating!

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