The Great Escape by Paul Brickhill
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Paul Brickhill’s book is full of information about the methods of building their tunnels and producing false documentation as well as the experiences of the prisoners of war. Two of the main pleasures about reading The Great Escape was comparing it to the film, which, like so many others I’ve watched at least twice, and knowing that it is a true story. Some of the details are upsetting when you see how many times all of their efforts to escape came to nothing.

Disappointing would not cover it and the fortitude, strength of purpose and hope of the POW’s is incredible to read about. When I stopped to think how many hundreds of men were imprisoned at the compound, and how much fear, despair and anger there would have been on hearing that so many had been shot after they had been recaptured, I was full of admiration at how they kept up their spirits, still determined to continue with their escape plans. The ingenuity of the prisoners making civilian clothing, false passports, hiding tunnel entrances, and shoring up the tunnels to ensure they were safe was just so amazing.

The ending of the book was both sad and happy. Sad because of all the escapees who lost their lives on Hitler’s orders, but happy when you know the remaining prisoners were delighted to hear how much trouble their efforts had caused the Gestapo and German military authorities.
Highly recommended.

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The Ghost Road by Pat Barker
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I began reading this book aware of its high literary reputation as a fictional portrayal of some of the men suffering the after effects of their battle experience during World War One. I did not realise initially that some real characters like William Owen and Siegfried Sassoon would also feature in it, but not as significantly as they had in books 1 and 2 of the trilogy. Although this can be read as a stand-alone novel I was obviously not aware that The Ghost Road is the third book. However, from the start of the novel I found much of it too stark in its often graphic narrative descriptions of supposed sexual behaviour between the main character, Billy Prior, and prostitutes. The thoughts, fears and doubts of Prior are mostly well done. And his treatment from Dr. Rivers, as well as the doctor’s previous experiences amongst a tribe of head hunters in Melansia, helped a little in understanding some of the extreme and crippling mental effects the patients had to endure. It was intriguing to read about and compare the medical treatment offered by Dr. Rivers and the tribe’s shaman but, for me, not very convincing.

As a historical fiction it was obviously full of the kind of research that the genre fan hopes to find, but as an enjoyable read it was not the book that made me want to read novels 1 and 2. In the end I could not relate to any of the characters and found too many of the conversations and historical characterisations unreal.


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Bartleby, the Scrivener: A Story Of Wall-Street by Herman Melville
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What an unusual short story! The narrator is unknown other than the master of the office where Bartleby and two other clerks work. There seems to be many legal documents to be prepared, often with some urgency, but one day Bartleby stops. He stops pretty well everything: moving from his preferred spot, writing, conversing with his fellow workers. Whenever the narrator encourages, or orders him to comply with his demands, he is met with the phrase, "I prefer not, sir," every time. And that is pretty well the whole plot, until the very sad and inexplicable end. I will be bemused and confused by this book for weeks! It is, however, masterfully written as one would expect from a genius like Herman Melville.

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My Sugar in Sugar Land by Dee Osah
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was full of twists and turns and I found it quite difficult at times to follow who was speaking, and what was happening. This confusing narrative continued for many of the earlier pages. Although I usually avoid the genre of RomCom, I carried on reading to see who would fall in love. It was well written throughout and most of the characters had a distinct identity but I found Silas, Kay and Tonye were often mixed up in my mind. For me many of the frequent romantic conversations were a little too sickly but I suppose that could be a reflection of my older mind.

The general plotline about Ibelema struggling to become a film maker who is looking for the right man to play the lead in her new movie was quite interesting. And the references to Nigeria and the trouble there that leads to Silas running away to the USA seemed so recently topical and I wanted to know more. I’m unsure about the religious aspects as someone who is a non-believer. The inner conflict between the younger characters faith and the more traditional viewpoint of their parents’ generation was intriguing and quite understandable I suppose. But because I am quite unaware of the Christian theology referred to then, unfortunately, those sections were less interesting to me.

Another problem I had initially was assuming that ‘Sugar Land’ was a fictional place made up by the author. But later I discovered it really is a place in Houston, Texas, USA! So, of course then the movie connections began to make more sense and became very relevant to the story.

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Barnhill: A Novel by Norman Bissell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is described as a novel but it is a semi-fictional insight about George Orwell’s life. In it he is referred to often as George but just as often by his real name, Eric Arthur Blair. Barnhill is where Orwell lived while he attempted to write ‘Nineteen eighty-four,’ his dystopian masterpiece. It is a farmhouse on the Scottish island of Jura, a mountainous bare land covered with large areas of blanket bog. Orwell’s book was mostly written in a dank bedroom on his old typewriter during a very difficult period when he was suffering from TB.

At the same time Orwell was convinced that the British government would eventually be taken over by a ruling autocracy that would be controlling every aspect of the peoples’ lives. His new book would be a warning of this. Norman Bissel’s writing includes this fear of Orwell’s and the fictional conversations with his close friends and colleagues allow you a certain amount of intrigue and suspicion of their authenticity. A long while ago I read the biography of Orwell by Bernard Crick and Bissel’s novel encouraged me to read it again. Having read Crick’s book I can recall being left then with feelings of similar curiosity and intrigue, allowing for the general situation of world politics immediately following World War 2.

I have read and enjoyed all of Orwell’s novels and his polemical works such as The Road to Wigan Pier and Homage to Catalonia. Encouraged by reading Barnhill maybe I will also take yet another look at the works of the great man.

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'Tis by Frank McCourt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The most interesting thing about Frank McCourt’s second book was to see what he would do with his life now that he was grown-up. However, having said that, there are a few events that might not have happened to him in the USA if he hadn’t been so naïve. For me this was a most intriguing and beguiling ‘coming of age’ tale, with funny and shocking events in equal measure. Now we read about Frank and his own problems with booze. Never quite as serious as his own father but, nevertheless, affecting his aims and relationships including the one with his mother and even with his desperate love life.

Although it was understandable, there were times in this book that I found the likeable boy growing up in Angela’s Ashes was much less likeable, who needlessly did or said things that reflected a kind of bitterness about his poor Irish roots. McCourt’s style of writing still has its own special kind of immediacy making one hasty to continuously turn the pages for the tale to unfold so uniquely.

It was heart breaking at times when we discover some of Frank’s health problems have stayed with him in America. Encouraged from all sides to ‘stick with your own kind’ and often mocked if he tried to do so, he achieves a measure of success in teaching and writing, but only after a tremendous battle with cynical kids and pompous colleagues.
Highly recommended.


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Felicity and the Scary Bear by Loralee Evans
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the fourth children's book in a series about Felicity, a brave little sparrow, who without doubt will delight her young readers just as much as in the previous stories. It revolves around Halloween and trick or treat night. Felicity and her sparrow friend, Cairn, become frightened at first by their ‘person’ friends who are dressed up in various costumes. They soon become used to the scary appearances and start to find it is fun after all, when the kids start collecting bags of sweets and candy.

But the two sparrows begin to feel threatened by circumstances involving a haunted house and mistaken identity. It is well written because most children reading the story will probably get the idea about what is happening well before the feathered friends. And it’s that which adds to the fun for the young readers.

There are lessons to be learned about loyalty and bravery, as well as a lot of fun about language with the sparrows using words like ‘tricky’ or ‘treaty’ for example. I was pleased to see their special person friend again, Mister Yellow Horse, who appears in previous books. The kids will also be delighted to find a real baby bear called Vincenzo as one of the characters in the tale. Later, the ‘mad scientist’ adds a strong feeling of tension and danger to the mix, when the pace speeds up.

Unfortunately, the book requires some editing as I found a few annoying typos in it but they did not detract from the enjoyment overall. It would be a lovely adventure book to read to very young children or for slightly older ones to read for themselves.



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Angela's Ashes by F. McCourt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What an awesome book. Undoubtedly one of the best books I have ever read. Bittersweet, funny and heartbreaking in equal measure. Written as a child might speak with tales of the Irish poor and the Catholic church just before WW2. Although as a retired teacher, I will admit to some discomfort at the complete lack of traditional punctuation and grammar throughout the whole book, I loved it from start to finish! Maybe I'll take another 'look' at some of James Joyce's books?

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Hues Of Hope: Selected Poetry by Balroop Singh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Hues of Hope poetry collection was a pleasant surprise in a world that currently seems so full of doom and gloom for so many people. It is a salutary gathering together of one person’s poems, such that they reflect the many different tints and tones of the colours that life can throw at you throughout your own existence. And at all times Balroop Singh is able to link her words to a common theme, one of the hope to be found within one’s own heart. Despair and anguish become subdued and even defeated by the things she so ably describes and reminds us of.

It was hard to pick out my favourite poems from such a large number, but as I am particularly fond of verse that explores and celebrates anything about the natural world I will say that there are two that touched me: ‘Dawn Whispers’ and ‘Finding Peace’ had all of the gentle elements and words I was looking for. A couple of verses from each poem may help to explain that:

Dawn Whispers:
Until the sun starts its journey
And the day reminds us:
It’s the symphony of surroundings
That whispers life into us.

Finding Peace:
Shining in our own characters
Away from ear-shattering sounds,
We soar away from strife and animosity
Earthly identities seem insignificant.

I know that I’m not alone in finding the seemingly endless news, whether TV, radio or online, so full of sadness and futile desperation. And it was quite refreshing to find someone like Balroop Singh who is able to bring some hopefulness to everyone who reads her poems. There was a general direction in the way the poems were arranged, following from the expectations of youth through to the resignation of older age.

This collection is not to be missed. My only criticism would be that there is perhaps too much to take in such a single ‘wholesome meal’ because after reading about 25 plus poems, I thought, ‘OK! I’ve got the message!’ Such a dietary collection needs to be spread over a longer time. But maybe that’s just me?

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Hypochondriac Gambler, A tale of Hermes by Neil M. Campbell
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This book attempts to illustrate the ease with which the main protagonist, Kate, falls prey to her obsession with gambling. There are plenty of twists in the tale to intrigue you and a curious list of well-written characters throughout. She suffers a lot of pain that is explained away by her physician/therapist as imaginary since medical tests cannot confirm Kate’s suspicions that there are real causes, like tumours and so on. After reading the first few chapters of the slow start I began to consider the plot as contrived and slightly unbelievable when you are expected to accept that Kate is also a trained and experienced psychiatrist. However, I continued to read in the hope that the story would begin to feel more authentic.

The book is written with Kate’s chapters in the first person whilst all other chapters are written as a third person narrative, which always comes across to me as a kind of cheat that rarely seems to work. Kate’s chapters often felt self-obsessed and puerile, and not at all like the educated professional she was meant to be. Unfortunately, the frequent departure into the Hermetic worlds of Greek and Egyptian philosophy did nothing to confirm for me the idea that the story was not too pretentious to be believable after all.

There was a character called Ray Hopkins that never became a ‘real’ person in my imagination, even though all of the other characters were quite engaging and acceptable. The ending explanation about Kate’s hidden memory of her fiancé’s death was even more contrived for me; much in the same way that the many coincidences in the story were included in the rather tedious re-telling(s) of Kate’s situation was. Although the blurb describes the book as a Romance I’m not sure that many fans of that genre would agree or enjoy it. In addition, there were some editing issues that needed correcting.

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