Eats/Reads

Not as moving or sophisticated as his second effort but still pretty impressive for a 21-year-old.

I had no idea this had won the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction until I saw it written on the cover. I chose it because I completely adored Strout's first novel, Amy and Isabelle (I remember finishing it, and then turning right back to the beginning because I didn't want it to be over!), and enjoyed the more recent Abide with Me . Olive Kitteridge is truly Strout at the top of her game. The connected stories - all involving, though sometimes tangentially, the title character - are beautifully written and emotionally intense. Vivid and powerful. The New England setting made me so homesick. There was a sadness to it - the hardship in the character's lives. Cold, dark Maine. And me reading it in chilly, dark London. But I will come back to this, I know. I haven't felt so moved to re-read since discovering Alice Munro many moons ago.

Couldn't stop myself - had to go for another Barbara Pym. This was a darker, sadder topic than Jane and Prudence - four lonely older people in London in the 1970s - but done with such a light touch, so delicately as to avoid being emotionally manipulative. And thankfully there was plenty of hope at the end. Phew.

Sooo lovely. Just what I was wanting. A sweet comedy of manners and romance set in 1950's Britain - both village life and London life covered. Some hilarious scenes about geography students which would be brilliant on film. Something like a Miss Marple without the murder.

This isn't a book you read all the way through - it's a reference book - but I thought I'd note that I read the intro and it's really changed my whole attitude about housework. I've cleaned out all the kitchen cabinets (wiping the shelves as well as reorganising pots and pans etc), hired someone to clean the windows and have plans to move the furniture and clean the floors beneath! This book has generally helped me come to terms with what it means to 'keep house' - it's not as bad as I thought.

I was really disappointed with the quality of much of the writing in this collection. I guess it is a periodical so a) can't be as picky as with books/have to fill pages and b) don't always have time to edit and rewrite. Best story was from V. S. Naipaul (of course). Also enjoyed Brian Doyle's 'No' .

Don't usually read much science fiction but enjoyed Atwood's approach, which has some fine writing and real enough characters for me to relate. Thought some of her character motivation/plot elements were hard to buy - perhaps she was dealing more with 'ideas'. Guess it can be hard to balance both. My book clubbers liked the prequel to this - Oryx and Crake - better. Might try that too, soon.