Author Archives: groveReader

The State of Africa – Martin Meredith

Not every book we discuss on this website is fiction – we have plenty of writers who appreciate non-fiction and the chance to learn something about a particular subject.  The book which is the subject of this post is a … Continue reading

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Lords of the Last Frontier – Lawrence G. Green

Some years ago while visiting a pub somewhere in rural Leicestershire, I was browsing the books that were lining the shelves.  These books are not really there to be read – they’re a literary backdrop to the business of the … Continue reading

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Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks

This article is partly about the recent BBC television adaptation of Sebastian Faulks novel Birdsong and partly about the original novel itself. Birdsong tells the story of Stephen Wraysford, a young Englishman who travels to France before the First World … Continue reading

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Measuring the World by Daniel Kehlman

Written in 2005 by the German author Daniel Kehlman, Measuring the World was not translated into English until 2006, meaning that English language readers were unable to appreciate this fine piece of writing until late that year. Measuring the world … Continue reading

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The Ascent of Rum Doodle by W. E. Bowman

W. E. Bowman’s ‘The Ascent of Rum Doodle’ resides in that strange category of books which could be described as literature you’ve never heard of but which instantly becomes one of your favourite reads. It’s a comedy, as you might … Continue reading

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Birdsong by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Again a short story taken from the 20 under 40 issue of the New Yorker Magazine. This short story is written by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, which was born in Nigeria in 1977 and moved to the USA. She published some … Continue reading

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The Lost City of Z by David Grann

I don’t normally read adventure books or history books. I leave this to when I do research for things I write, and also then I read only what I think is relevant. Life’s short and there are way too many … Continue reading

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Bangkok Days by Lawrence Osborne – book review

Like with many other books I read, Bangkok Days just happen to find its way to the side of my bed. I didn’t buy it, never heard of it before, but somehow the woman who was reading it left it … Continue reading

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Book review: A million little pieces by James Frey

Not sure why I’m drawn to the theme of addiction and self destruction (see my review on Joshua Ferris’ short story The Pilot). This week I was reading the very long story of James Frey. It’s a memoir, or at … Continue reading

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Short stories collection by Xiaolu Guo: Lovers in the Age of Indifference

I love good Asian literature. I heard once that the Japanese have words for emotions we don’t give words to. What we will need a sentence to describe, they have a word for it. I’m not sure about Chinese, but … Continue reading

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