E. L. James Favourite Quote: I don’t subscribe to luck or chance, Miss Steele. The harder I work the more luck I seem to have. Review: A hard to imagine novel reminiscent of Twilight style where the main character – infinitely more “grey” in personality than the titular character – falls in love with someoneContinue reading “Fifty Shades of Grey”
Author Archives: westj93
Greyfriars Bobby
Eleanor Atkinson Favourite Quote: Bobby does not need a monument, but I think we need one of him, that future generations may never forget what the love of a dog may mean, to himself and to us. Review: An engaging tale of the famous Skye Terrier those familiar with Edinburgh lovingly walk past. Written inContinue reading “Greyfriars Bobby”
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood
Howard Pyle Favourite Quote: “So passed the seasons then, so they pass now, and so they will pass in time to come, while we come and go like leaves of the tree that fall and are soon forgotten” Review: Were I to retitle this novel I would change it to “The Many Adventures of RobinContinue reading “The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood”
Range
David Epstein Favourite Quote: “Learning stuff was less important than learning about oneself. Exploration is not just a whimsical luxury of education. It is of central benefit” Review: This book starts out incredibly strong with a wonderful comparison of the success of two sporting superstars – Tiger Woods and Rodger Federer. Reading the different approachesContinue reading “Range”
And Then There Were None
Agatha Christie Favourite Quote: “Ten little soldier boys went out to dine; One choked his little self and then there were Nine.” Review: My first plunge into the world of Agatha and certainly not a disappointment. A great story which is beautifully foreshadowed in the poem – a teaser of which is in the favouriteContinue reading “And Then There Were None”
The Catcher in the Rye
J.D. Salinger Favourite Quote: “That guy Morrow was about as sensitive as a goddam toilet seat” Review: The perfect novel for anyone feeling lost in life. To describe this book in one word I would use the word angsty. Giving us the perspective of a rebellious teenager at ends with those around him and strugglingContinue reading “The Catcher in the Rye”
The Quaker
Liam McIlvanney Favourite Quote: “Not everything’s a chess problem, son.” Review: An exciting thriller set in 1960s Glasgow which will excite all those familiar with the area or for those interested in hearing a sprinkling of Scots in their literature. With a compelling lead character who is sufficiently different to his counterparts to keep youContinue reading “The Quaker”
No Country for Old Men
Cormac McCarthy Favourite Quote: “There is no description of a fool, he said, that you fail to satisfy. Now you’re goin to die” Review: A true cat and mouse tail this novel is one of the most enticing I have come across. All three main characters are provided sufficient detail for us to draw interestContinue reading “No Country for Old Men”
Dear Life: A Doctor’s Story of Love and Loss
Rachel Clarke Favourite Quote: “But what dominates palliative medicine is not the proximity to death, but the best bits of living. Kindness, courage, tenderness – these are the qualities that so often saturate a person’s last days.” Review: Poignant and a genuine insight into the emotional difficulties of supporting a loved one through a terminalContinue reading “Dear Life: A Doctor’s Story of Love and Loss”
A Bit of a Stretch: The Diaries of a Prisoner
Chris Atkins Favourite Quote: “Modern laws would prohibit Harlow from repeating his experiment today, but it’s still acceptable to inflict this terrible treatment on human beings.” Review: An enlightening read into life in a maximum-security UK prison. Not focused on the facts and figures so much as the diary entries of a one man’s dailyContinue reading “A Bit of a Stretch: The Diaries of a Prisoner”
Kindle Keeps 