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Bolt From the Blue (2020) Jeremy Cooper A novel in the form of letters/postcards written between a mother and daughter across several decades starting in 1985 and ending in 2018. Cooper does a good job of offering small snippets of their lives until, by coalescing effect, it builds into a larger picture whereby you can sense the general volume of their lives, their relationships, their work, their gradual ageing and experience. In that sense, the small entries are effective as little pieces that add to the picture but it also means a lot of them are slightly redundant, easily dismissed, and the urge to skim read becomes increasingly tempting. I think I zoomed through this whole thing rather quickly in the end. As for the two protagonists, I can't say that I actually liked either of them to be honest but I especially found Lynne, the daughter, to be slightly insufferable. Not in any bad way, simply that she represents the banal middle-class rather beautifully and exhibits all the traits required for such a performative life (the book did remind me a little of Latronico's Perfection in this regard). She begins as an art student and over the years garners a certain amount of success as an artist possessing all the mundane political outlooks and opinions which such a person might. She marries an older man, Richard, doesn't want children, and fundamentally maintains a character which I found a tad cliched. Her mother is a little less overbearing, prone to keep at least one foot in the real world, but occasionally they write barbed letters to one another in a manner that strongly hints at anger, resentment, and an open dislike of one another. I guess this was Cooper's attempt at realism, making sure it never becomes too bland. For the most part, it's effective and overall I would say I enjoyed the book but found it mostly inoffensive and ultimately a little forgettable. There's something very light-weight about it, the story being trivial and bland, a snapshot of normality but one which is a little tedious, and it should be noted that the format is one which, I would imagine, was very easily manufactured given that it requires no plot, not great writing, and no particular effort. Plus, it's not exactly realistic, is it? People writing letters in 2014 etc. Cooper even comments on this in the form of an opening blurb by the daughter Lynne where she acknowledges (rather conveniently) it by reiterating: Well sure, in the fictional setting that's true but it's still a novel, Jeremy, still a piece of art created by an author. And, as such, you would hope there'd be a little more to it, a greater substance. But there isn't. So the book is very easy to read and did a reasonable job of (briefly) fleshing out two fictional creations into something more but was, when all is said and done, ultimately a rather gentle offering. I enjoyed Brian a lot more than this but I am still very much a fan of Cooper's writing. 7/10

I read Stone and Sky awhile back. I forgot to put it on my books read list. I thought it was one of his better books.

Hi All, Can anyone suggest a really excellent graphic novel? Something like Persepolis, Maus, Ghost World etc, but maybe a bit more modern. Thanks heaps in anticipation! 🙂

Naked in the Rain - Blue Pearl

Oh yes definitely, I do try to do most of them! In fact I've still got the folklore one outstanding, which I do intend to catch up with.

Singing in the Rain - Gene Kelly (this may be my favorite musical scene)

I’m sorry to hear that. I hope that you’ll consider the next category in the new year.

Jane Harper is another very good Australian author, she has a trilogy with investigator Aaron Falk as the main character, plus a few stand alone books too. Peter May is another author, he has several series set in various locations around the world, his Lewis trilogy (set on the Scottish island of Lewis) is excellent.

I really enjoyed the previous Peter Grant book, after a couple of slightly below par books, so good to see another one on the way.

I don't fancy Moby Dick, I read Animal Farm at school, and read all the Herriot books when they first came out! thanks for the suggestions but I think I'll give this category a miss.

Here comes the rain again - Eurythmics

Barry, the Fish with Fingers, is another book by Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet. Adrian makes me laugh, because the other fish ask Barry what he can do with his fingers. While Barry explains he can cut paper chains, knit and play with finger puppets, Adrian has taken to walking across the room, because the next page says 'tickling'. This makes me think Adrian has started to recognise words, but it is possible he recognised the picture.

the police said shocking

I loved his book The Moon and Sixpence, loosely based on the artist Paul Gaugin and his life in Tahiti.

a dismal dungeon where

Alone Again, Naturally ~ Gilbert O' Sullivan

Love this song, very familiar with the Nat King Cole version but haven't heard the Roger William's one before. Very dramatic!

I know. That is where I got the info for me to read it. 😀

I was not aware you had had a child. Belated congratulations.

A very quick round up of just some of what I've read since last clocking in properly: Gabriel's Moon by William Boyd is vintage Boyd, this story about a reluctant spy in the early 1960s iss an absolute gem. Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton Chloe Dalton found a very young leveret and raised it without much hope it would survive. It did and I found the book fascinating, in particular because she took great care to raise Hare as a wild animal in great contrast to my own family where my mother raised a badger from a few hours old who most definitely became a house badger and a pet. Sadly it seems from the ending that The Shadows of Men by Abir Mukherjee is going to be the last in the series, this one was just s good as the previous ones We Solve Murders by Richard Osman is sadly just not as good as his his Thursday Murder Club books but still readable. Out of Time by Jodi Taylor is the sixth in her Time Police series and like the rest very funny. The Last Word by Elly Griffiths is frankly unmemorable. For all those who were worried about Ben Aaronovitch running out of steam, the good news is that in Stone and Sky, Peter Grant's latest outing; he most definitely hasn't.

Just a few ideas: Mick Herron - both series Anne Cleeves Robert Galbraith Abir Mukherjee Peter Lovesey Chris Hammer Peter James

I read this year and loved it.

Moby Dick? As mentioned, I read James Herriot as a teen and he had me laughing out loud. Animal Farm? Nature, Ralph Waldo Emerson?

I read this about 15 years ago and remember it as being superb. I don't know why I always have to be prodded to read Maugham because I love his writing when I do.

Can I suggest Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton (which I read before this topic started). It's a wonderful account of how the author found a very young leveret and raised it, always aware that it was a wild animal and should not be a pet. It's one of those books that stays with you.