February 2013
Maps for Lost Lovers by Nadeem Aslam
In an unnamed town Jugnu and his lover Chanda have disappeared. Rumours abound in the close-knit Pakistani community, and then on a snow-covered January morning Chanda's brothers are arrested for murder. Telling the story of the next twelve months, Maps for Lost Lovers opens the heart of a family at the crossroads of culture, community, nationality and religion, and expresses their pain in a language that is arrestingly poetic.
'This is a deeply pastoral novel, tied to the seasons and resonating with birdsong . . . Like Aslam, I was heartbroken when the dense, dark tapestry was finished.' Independent on Sunday
'Despite the violence that lies at the heart of the novel, it is a celebration of love and life. Sights and sounds, smells and colours are not so much vivid backdrops for the narrative as structural, mood- and texture-enhancing parts of it . . . This is that rare sort of book that gives a voice to those voices that are seldom heard.' Observer.
Those that were at the meeting all agreed that the author was extremely good at describing in fine detail even the most mundane thing. The book is slow to read because of the descriptions, and the story is harrowing - it is unbelievable how there can be so much hostility between people of different religions and how they can accept that their actions are acceptable - even murder! I felt that Shamas was the bridge between these religions - he cares about the people not the religion, and he would not take a 2nd wife even though his religion allowed it. Are Jugnu and Chanda dead?
Those that were at the meeting all agreed that the author was extremely good at describing in fine detail even the most mundane thing. The book is slow to read because of the descriptions, and the story is harrowing - it is unbelievable how there can be so much hostility between people of different religions and how they can accept that their actions are acceptable - even murder! I felt that Shamas was the bridge between these religions - he cares about the people not the religion, and he would not take a 2nd wife even though his religion allowed it. Are Jugnu and Chanda dead?
Overall verdict: Slow, but beautiful prose, an intriguing insight into another culture. Not a book for those liking a fast paced light read.
No Its Us Too by Miranda Hart
September 2012: No, It’s Us Too! became the most pre-ordered - non-erotic!- ebook of the season yesterday, with over 52,000 copies released on publication. The ebook sits at number two in the Amazon Top 100 Free chart only one day after release, and is also available from the iBooks, Kobo and Google Play stores.
Miranda invited fans to contribute tales of their most awkward moments in life to No, It’s Us Too!, a digital prelude to her first book, Is It Just Me?
Fans were asked to share their own cringe-inducing tales of embarrassment to mirror Miranda’s collection of awkward moments – and advice on how to deal with them – catalogued in Is It Just Me?, which is to be published by Hodder and Stoughton in October and is expected to be one of the biggest books this Christmas.
Is It Just Me? will be a rallying cry against the unexpected pitfalls and horrors of growing up. Drawing on her life experiences, Miranda will offer her younger self some much needed advice on how to cope with life’s rocky paths, whether it’s resisting unforgivable fashion choices, knowing what not to do when on a date, or lamenting the fact that getting past midnight at a social event has become distressing at 38. All of life’s lessons are here for young Miranda to mull over, and largely ignore.
This book was originally available as a free download for Kindle, but now seems unavailable. I skimmed through it and was disappointed as it was really just a log of tweets to Miranda responding to her "Is it Just Me".
This book was originally available as a free download for Kindle, but now seems unavailable. I skimmed through it and was disappointed as it was really just a log of tweets to Miranda responding to her "Is it Just Me".
