From the tbr pile

     Three books to introduce today, the first My Natural History: The Animal Kingdom and How it Shaped Me by Simon Barnes, which, according to The Times, "fizzes with verve, romance and delight." It's the story of the author's life told via the animals and natural encounters which have shaped it, and like a contemporary Gerald Durrell, Simon Barnes - who is an award-winning sportswriter, novelist and keen horseman - reaches his readers through humour and infectious enthusiasm for his subject.

     The Report by Jessica Francis Kane is a novel based on a real event, the worst civilian tragedy of World War II. In March 1943, the residents of London's Bethnal Green responded to the air-raid siren by heading, as usual, for the shelter of the Tube station. At the entrance steps, something went wrong, there was panic and 173 people lost their lives in the crush. An enquiry was held and the local magistrate, Laurence Dunne, heard evidence, but the more questions he asked the more difficult he found it to separate truth from rumour. "Decades later, when the case is re-opened by one of the children who survived, the facts can finally be brought to light..."

    Heralded as the new Jodi Picoult for her debut novel The Weight of Silence, Heather Gudenkauf's second book These Things Hidden looks as though it's set to confirm that reputation. "Imprisoned for a heinous crime when she was just a teenager, Allison Glenn is now free. Shunned by those who once loved her, Allison is desperate to make contact with her sister, but Brynn is trapped in her own world of torment and regret. Their legacy of secrets is focused on one little boy, and if the truth is revealed, the consequences will be unimaginable for the adoptive mother who loves him, the girl who tried to protect him and the two sisters who hold the key to all that is hidden....". A powerful page-turner, by the sound of it.

Edited to add: Jessica Francis Kane is to be discussing The Report on this afternoon's edition of Open Book (Radio 4).

Comments

[Darlene]

The Report sounds both fascinating and poignant and is the one I would gobble up first. Thank you for the head's up!

[Cornflower]

I agree, Darlene, it looks very interesting indeed, and it's getting good reviews on Amazon.

[Julie Fredericksen]

How apropos! I have 20 pages left in "These Hidden Things" but I had interrupted my reading to find something on the Internet for my hubby. (FYI - white peppercorns, very hard to find here in Bismarck - he just spent 1/2 hour picking through mixed peppercorns to find the white ones for his flaming peppercorn steaks. Yes, I am a lucky woman.)

Anyway, yes it is a page turner and I highly recommend it and must get back to it. I also liked the first book I read by Gutenkunst, "The Weight of Silence".

If you had asked us on Friday what we were reading, I would have said I just finished Warwick Collins' "The Sonnets". Although I learned about it on this blog (from you or a reader, I cannot remember) I cannot recommend it at all.

[Julie Fredericksen]

PS - Gudenkauf is way better than Jodi Picoult, who seems to have dedicated herself to writing novels on subject "ripped from the headlines" (as "Law and Order" used to proclaim.

[Julie Fredericksen]

And yet another postscript as I apologize for mangling the title of the book, "These Things Hidden"!!! Until just now, I thought "These Hidden Things" was the title. Chalk it up to my dyslexia.

[EB]

Read an advance copy of The Report. An excellent book, highly recommended.

[Claire]

I, too, would go for The Report. It sounds fascinating and is now on the wishlist. I think one Jodi Picoult is probaby enough. Actually, I haven't read any of them so very wrong of me to dismiss her - perhaps I will, possibly, one day!

[Simon (Savidge Reads)]

Oooh I have The Report on the TBR as well, and resting very near the top. I heard about it on the Books on the Nightstand podcast and whilst I am funny about WWII books this one sounds really rather different. I shall be giving it a whirl very soon.

[Cornflower]

Pity about The Sonnets, Julie, but we can't win 'em all!
For anyone wanting to know more about it, my post on that book is here: http://www.cornflowerbooks.co.uk/2010/01/by-the-metre.html
Glad to hear you've been enjoying These Things Hidden.

[Cornflower]

Glad to hear that, EB, and thankyou for letting us know.

[Cornflower]

I've read only one of JP's - Change of Heart - but I couldn't put it down.

[Danielle]

I bought The Report just after the holidays--it does sound good. I've not yet had a chance to read it. I'm off to see if I can listen to that interview--thanks!

[pburt]

I really enjoyed The Report and found it a "different" WWII read. I liked how she took a large event and focused on the individuals effected by that event.

My review http://pburt.wordpress.com/2011/01/22/the-report-a-novel/ if you are interested.

[Cornflower]

Thankyou so much - that's very interesting, and whets the appetite even more.