The Pursuit of Love

I started reading Nancy Mitford and took an interest in her after hearing about her on the BBC Radio 4 Great Lives programme.  She sounded so wonderfully witty, sharp and unsentimental that I decided to buy a few of her books.

The Pursuit of Love is a as much as finding love as it is about celebrating the love that an extended family can bring. If you are lucky enough

Platform by Michel Houellebecq

Well it’s been a long time since I read such crap. I’m not an avid reader of the french novel or peruser of their “great” cinema but apart from a few notable classics (in French but not necessarily from France, Camus coming to mind) I’ve always had a narrow-minded notion that The French are inherently sexist and it won’t wash well with me.

I know beauty is subjective but when Depardieu is cast alongside Audrey Tatou a little piece of me sighs in that awful way I used to when

The Forty Rules Of Love

I just finished reading The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak.  The author is one of the high profile names that participated in this year’s Asia House Festival of Asian Literature.

This is the first book I have read by Elif Shafak and I was drawn to it as I read the back cover and saw three words: Sufi, Rumi and Shams…sold!!  This book is like Kryptonite for my sister full of spirituality and love.

50 Shades of Feminism

At work we are all reading 50 Shades of Feminism – less than £10 and in hardback (unless you prefer Kindle) so get your copy asap, you will love it.  I would recommend this book particularly if like me, you have a short commute to work and love to read little bite-size nuggets of delightfully well-written essays.

This book is written by 50 authors, young and old, and from all different backgrounds

Mansfield Park

Mansfield Park is one of Jane Austen’s least likeable books amongst die hard Austen fans.   I only decided to re-read Mansfield Park as it was the first Jane Austen book I saw on my bookshelf.  I have a guilty confession that I am suffering from period drama withdrawal symptoms ever since series three of Downton Abbey ended (over all it was pretty awful I hope there won’t be a series four).

The main character, Fanny Price, at once invokes sympathy and hatred and frustration.  What a reaction towards a fictional character, such is Jane Austen’s skill!