Author: 730bookclub

De Courcy, Anne (2012) The Fishing Fleet: husband-hunting in the Raj. Weidenfeld & Nicolson. From the late nineteenth century when the Raj was at its height, many young women suffering from the lack of eligible young men back home, followed in the wake of Britain's 'best' to India.  These young women were known as the… Continue reading April Picks →

  Jonasson, Jonas (2012) The 100 year old man who climbed out the window and disappeared.  Hesperus. Allan escapes via the bedroom window of his rest home because he can't face the planned 100th birthday. Adventures begin with murders, stolen cash, unlikely companions acquired along the way (including an elephant!) plus revelations about Allan's life… Continue reading March Picks →

Livesey, Margot (2012)  The flight of Gemma Hardy.  Harper.  A retelling of Jane Eyre set in Scotland and Iceland in the 1950s.  When her widower father drowns at sea, ten-year-old Gemma Hardy goes to to live with her uncle's family. But the death of her doting guardian soon after leaves Gemma under the resentful eye… Continue reading Jan’s Holiday Reads – January 2013 →

BOOK OF THE YEAR Isaacson, Walter (2011) Steve Jobs. Little Brown. (reviewed February 2012). An extraordinary and inspiring read;  this masterly biography is filled with learnings about innovation, imagination, character, values and leadership.  Highly recommended. SHORT-LIST De Goldi, Kate (2012) The ACB with Honora Lee. Longacre (reviewed November 2012).  De Goldi creates wonderful links between young and old in this warm… Continue reading 7.30 Bookclub Books of the Year 2012 →

Jan's been reading: De Goldi, Kate (2012) The ACB with Honora Lee.  Longacre.  Nine-year old Perry's parents are busy people, and they seek to keep their only child Perry busy too.  But Perry has a plan; she is making an alphabet book for everyone at Santa Lucia.  At Santa Lucia lives her grandmother Honora Lee… Continue reading November Picks →

Carol's been reading: Patrick, Jenny (2012) Skylark. Black Swan.  A love story set amid real figures from nineteenth-century theatre.  Lily Alouette was singing and dancing almost as soon as she could walk. When she is left an orphan in an unfamiliar country after her parents have emigrated to the goldfields, it is performing in a… Continue reading October Picks →

Jan's been reading: McEwan, Ian (2012) Sweet Tooth. Cape. In Britain in 1972 Serena Frome, the beautiful daughter of a Bishop, has been groomed for the intelligence service.  This is a period of industrial unrest and terrorism, and she is sent on a  secret mission (codenamed 'Sweet Tooth') that brings her into the literary world of Tom… Continue reading September Picks →

Ann's been reading: Funder, Anna (2011)  All that I am.  Hamish Hamilton. Gripping from the first line - 'When Hitler came to power I was in the bath.' A novel based on a true story of Jewish German dissidents who had escaped to London in the 1930s to avoid the increasing brutality in Hitler's Germany.… Continue reading August Picks →

Jan's been reading: Mantel, Hilary (2012) Bring up the bodies. Fourth Estate. Sequel to Man Booker Prize winning Wolf Hall.  By 1535 Thomas Cromwell is Chief Minister to Henry VIII, his fortunes have risen with those of Anne Boelyn.  But Anne has failed in her promise to bear a son to secure the Tudor line.… Continue reading July Picks →

Jan's been reading: Morgenstern, Erin (2011) The Night Circus. Doubleday.  The circus arrives without warning. It is a unique and magical circus called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night. The circus is the stage for a fierce competition - a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained… Continue reading June Picks →