A shorter, but by no means a lesser book, this is the story of Marie -Ange, daughter of an American man and French woman, who grows up in an idyllic chateu in the 1950s. The book is in two parts. The first describes how, at the age of 11, Marie-Ange's world falls apart when her … Continue reading Danielle Steelathon II – Leap of Faith pub. 2002
Author: jesshaigh
Danielle Steelathon I – Daddy pub. 1991
Reading this book was, for me, a little like reading Marilyn French's The Woman's Room, only backwards, from the other side, and with (slightly) more foaming at the mouth. The basic premise is this (and I apologise in advance if I go off on one); Oliver (think David Cameron meets Charlotte's first husband played by … Continue reading Danielle Steelathon I – Daddy pub. 1991
Danielle Steelathon- Introduction
My Grandma is amazing. Not only does she ply me with tea, biscuits and family gossip on a monthly basis, she also passes along shed loads of books for the Travelling Suitcase Library. Recently she donated 14 Danielle Steels, with publishing dates ranging from the 1980s onwards, for me to 'lend' out to people. Now … Continue reading Danielle Steelathon- Introduction
Horrible Histories
I love history. I was my third favourite subject at school (after English and Drama), I did it for my A Level (along with, you guessed it, English and Drama) and am a massive massive fan of historical fiction (especially when it is on the telly, thus combining English, History and Drama, at which point … Continue reading Horrible Histories
Middle Class blah blah blah
When I was a teenager, one of my favorite authors was Deborah Moggach, author of many books including Tulip Fever, Seesaw and, my favorite, Close Relations. Close Relations is a 'family drama' following the lives of the fair to affluent Hammond family, builder-dad Gordon, his wife (very much in that order I'm afraid) and their … Continue reading Middle Class blah blah blah
Psycho Killer, qu’est-ce que c’est
Strangely, for a summer that should surely be made of entirely superfluous 'beach reads', where drippy Modern Women find there feet and stand up to their philandering husbands/ bosses/ bank managers etc etc ad naseum, the last few books I've read have been very intense. I am blaming this entirely on my friend B. B … Continue reading Psycho Killer, qu’est-ce que c’est
Oh go write a poem about it…oh wait, you did!
***WARNING CONTAINS MASSIVE SPOILERS about a book you should actually read because, and I know this is gonna sound weird when you read what I've said about it, because I've kind of ripped it apart, it is not that bad and you should (if you're a quick reader, as there are so many other books … Continue reading Oh go write a poem about it…oh wait, you did!
Fannie Flagg, Tearmaker Extrordinaire
Feeling severally hormonal, having previously wept at the picture of the mummy oranutang kissing the baby oranutang better, yesterday was not good day to finish reading Fannie Flagg's latest book, Can't Wait to Get to Heaven on the train home. I was inspired to read the book after watching the adaptation of Flagg's 1987 novel, … Continue reading Fannie Flagg, Tearmaker Extrordinaire
You Know You’re Getting Old When…
Possibly my favourite of all my neighbours has to be R, the coolest ten year old in the world. She is an avid reader, I've lived next door to her for two years (in two separate houses, funnily enough) and over that time I am proud to have introduced to her such classics as Nicobobinus, … Continue reading You Know You’re Getting Old When…
World Cup Reading-Long Walk to Freedom
As this summer's World Cup is taking place in a country I have never been to, and know little of, I decided my World Cup Reading would be the autobiography of the country's former leader, Nelson Mandela. I began reading the book on the evening of the opening ceremony. Long Walk to Freedom is over … Continue reading World Cup Reading-Long Walk to Freedom
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