The femmes universally slammed Anne Tyler’s Back When We Were Grown-ups when we read it back in 2004; in fact it was the book that gave rise to the famous “itchy tights” quote from our Connoisseur. The biggest problem we had with it was annoyance
Fourteen years after the success of his first book ‘Three Summers with Jackapple Joe’, all Jay Mackintosh can do is write trashy science fiction novels under a pseudonym and drink heavily coasting on the remnants of his literary reputation. He’s
There was plenty of hype about Monica Ali’s debut novel ever before it got published. Ali was nominated amongst the Granta Best of Young British Novelists last year and was shortlisted (as favourite) for the 2003 Booker Prize. After reading Brick Lane, it’s
Faith and Peter have been married for fifteen years, which is a minor feat in itself in this day and age. Faith arranges an anniversary party; they have a lot to celebrate. Or do they? Faith is 34 years old, a mum and a minor celebrity, maintaining a daily
As a repeat visitor to Las Vegas and something of a gambler at heart, I want to believe that it is possible to beat the house. So, when asked if I would like to borrow this book, I jumped at the chance. I think many of us would admit that there is nothing quite
The story of Bobby Sands is well known to anyone who has taken even a cursory glance at Northern Irish history. A member of the IRA since the early seventies, Sands served his first prison term as a ‘special category’ or political prisoner in
Based on extensive historical research by author Philippa Gregory, ‘The Other Boleyn Girl’ is the story of Mary, younger sister of the tragic Anne Boleyn, who was queen of England for three short years in the 1500s. Brought to King
Having just purchased a new home in Leeds, ex football player and rising radio star Matt Harper, is horrified to find a skeleton of a small child in the attic. His grisly discovery takes him back to the Summer of 1969, when he lived with his aunt just
When Françoise Sagan failed to pass her Sorbonne exams in 1953, she decided to write a novel. At just 18 she wrote Bonjour Tristesse and the book is a remarkable achievement, not just due to her youth, but because it’s a total classic. It follows
Do you live in Dublin? If you do you are bound to have a Bono story, like the time you saw him on Grafton Street, or how he offered to carry your Granny’s shopping, or you saw him sitting at the bar in some hip and trendy nightclub
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