“Ali and Nino” by Kurban Said (Azerbaijan) Review Readers enjoyed the book immensely. They liked the historical, political and cultural context of the story and the different perspectives of East and West, Muslim and Christian. One reader particularly felt how the protagonists were trapped by these contexts. They found the descriptions of the places colourful and vivid, bringing the different scenes very much alive for … Continue reading Ali and Nino
“How Many Miles To Babylon?” by Jennifer Johnston (Ireland) Review Readers described “How Many Miles To Babylon?” as a beautiful book and most of them were moved by the friendship between Alec and Jerry. Through the author’s rich use of dialogue, they were able to visualise the different characters and the sceneries with ease. They found both the descriptions of the Irish countryside and the … Continue reading How Many Miles To Babylon?
“The Master and Margarita” by Mikhail Bulgakov (Russia) One of Nicola’s 100 Best Books for Inspiration in the 21st century! Book Club Favourite of Season 6 Review Members of the Book Club were unanimous in their appreciation of this novel. They found it funny and philosophical. They loved the descriptions of the many incidents that happen and they liked the different characters, though most found … Continue reading The Master and Margarita
“The Successor” by Ismail Kadare (Albania) Synopsis and Review “The Successor”: any resemblance between the characters and circumstances of this tale and real people and events is inevitable The Designated Successor was found dead in his bedroom at dawn on December 14. Was it suicide or was he murdered? This question sneaks through Ismail Kadare’s masterful psychological novel. As the state insists that the future … Continue reading The Successor
“The Lover” by Marguerite Duras (France) Synopsis and Review “The Lover”: allusive and powerful Winner of the Prix Goncourt in 1984, “The Lover” is set in 1930s Saigon in what was the French colony of Indochina. It is a fictional recollection of the time in the author’s life when, at fifteen and a half, she meets the elegant son of a wealthy Chinese family, who … Continue reading The Lover
“Island” by Aldous Huxley (U.K.) One of Nicola’s 100 Best Books for Inspiration in the 21st century! Synopsis and Review “Island”: pregnant with novel ideas! For over a hundred years the Pacific island of Pala has been the scene of a unique experiment in civilisation. Its inhabitants live in a society where western science has been brought together with eastern philosophy to create a paradise … Continue reading Island
“The Book of Proper Names” by Amélie Nothomb (Belgium) Synopsis and Review “The Book of Proper Names”: a Modern Fairy Tale for Adults “The Book of Proper Names” by Amélie Nothombe is a modern fairy tale for adults complete with an orphan girl, a wicked stepmother, a prince charming, and a happy ending. But like all fairy tales, beneath the surface is a story which … Continue reading The Book of Proper Names
“Snow” by Orhan” Pamuk (Turkey) Synopsis An exiled poet returns to the remote city of Kars on the Turkish border to investigate troubling reports of a suicide epidemic among its young women. While there, he reconnects with the beautiful Ipek and finds himself drawn irresistibly back into their love story. But Kars has become a touchpoint for religious and political violence, and religious extremists are … Continue reading Snow
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