Treated Myself to Some New Books

Went to Buchan's, a small, but great, bookstore in Kerrisdale and bought four new books to read in the New Year:

First:  "The Luminaries" by Eleanor Catton, winner of the 2013 Man Booker prize, which has outstanding reviews. The story is based in New Zealand, so that should bring back memories of our trip there.  From the jacket cover:  "Richly atmospheric and brilliantly constructed, 'The Luminaries' is a fiendishly clever ghost story and a gripping page-turner in which readers will gladly lose themselves.  It confirms Eleanor Catton's reputation as one of the most exciting and boldly inventive writers at work today".

Second:  Bill Bryson's "At Home" - the illustrated edition.  I had borrowed it from the library about a year ago and started to read it but didn't have time to finish it.  I found the history fascinating, so decided to buy it to allow me a leisurely read, and then add it to my home library. From the book cover: "A fascinating excursion into the history behind the place we call home".

Third: "Unexploded" by Alison Macleod, which was long listed for the 2013 Man Booker prize. Based in May 1940 in Brighton in wartime Britain.

Fourth:  "The War that Ended Peace" - The Road to 1914, by Margaret MacMillan. From the jacket cover: "A masterpiece of narrative non-fiction, a fascinating portrait of Europe from 1900 up to the outbreak of World War I."  Margaret MacMillan also wrote "Paris, 1919".

 

Should be an interesting few months reading two novels and two non-fiction histories. Better than shopping for clothes during the Boxing Day Sales!