The Truth About The Harry Quebert Affair by Joel Dicker

English: the forests in new hampshire in autumn (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This is the author (and book) that has been touted as the new European bestseller in the vein of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. 

Written by Swiss author Dicker and set in America, it has garnered lots of accolades even before being translated into English. So what’s it all about?

Thirty-three years ago , fifteen-year-old Nola Kellergan is glimpsed fleeing through the woods, never to be heard from again. According to the plot that was the day Somerset, New Hampshire lost its innocence.

Today Marcus Goldman, successful young novelist is visiting Somerset to see his mentor, Harry Quebert, one of Americas most respected writers, to find a cure for his writers block. But Marcus’s plan ends when Harry is implicated in the cold case murder of Nola Kellergan.

As the national media  convicts Harry, Marcus launches his own investigation, following a trail of clues through Harry’s books, the backwoods and beaches of New Hampshire and the hidden history of Somerset.

I found his to be an interesting read and compelling as the various plot turns unfold using interesting and different ways of treating the storyline. For example scattered through the book are tips that Marcus received from his mentor about how to write – each of which gives a hint of how the next section of the story will unfold.

I did feel though that the author’s ‘voice’ was somewhat naive which maybe attributable to the translation.  Overall though an extremely readable and enjoyable book, one of those that you look for any excuse to pick up (hide to read, if you will!).

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God Is Not Great (How religion poisons everything) by Christopher Hitchens

Christopher Hitchens (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In this book Hitchens even-handedly skewers most of the major religions of the world and also many of the well known religious figures, contemporary as well historical.

To quote the Sydney Morning Herald “This easily the most impressive of the present crop of atheistic and anti-theistic books: clever, broad, witty and brilliantly argued”.

 His primary target are the three major mono-theistic religions in the world with the major target being Christianity. And just reading the chapter headings gives some insight into his arguments. (and I wish I could articulate an argument as succinctly as Hitchens does – any argument).

For example: Chapter Three - A Short Digression on the Pig; or, Why Heaven Hates Ham. Hitchens browses over fish on Fridays before moving onto Judaism and Islamic hatred of pigs and managed to bring in a discussion on Animal Farm and its banning in all Muslim countries and the irony thereof.

And; Chapter Nine – The Koran Is Borrowed from Both Jewish and Christian Myths

Then; Chapter Thirteen – Does Religion Make People Behave Better

 And lastly; Chapter Sixteen – Is Religion Child Abuse?

I think you get the idea.  Hitchens argues against religion and for a secular life based on science and  reason, and calls for a renewed enlightenment based on the proposition that the proper study of mankind is man, and woman. And further that we no longer depend on a few heroic souls but that today  it is within the reach of the average person.

Read this, or not, it’s your choice.

Highly recommended 

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Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

Thomas Cromwell, chancellor of Henry VIII (Photo credit: lisby1)

England in the 1520s is a heartbeat from disaster. If the king dies without a male heir the country could be destroyed by civil war. Henry VIII wants to annul his marriage of twenty years and marry Anne Boleyn. The pope and most of Europe oppose him. The quest for the petulant king’s freedom destroys his advisor, the brilliant Cardinal Wolsey and leaves a power vacuum and a deadlock.

Into this impasse steps Thomas Cromwell the son of a blacksmith, a political genius, a briber, a bully and a charmer. Cromwell has broken all the rules of a rigid society in his rise to power and is prepared to break some more as he picks his way deftly through a court where ‘man is wolf to man’. Pitting himself against parliament, the political establishment and the papacy he is prepared to reshape England to his own and Henry’s desires.

Mantel ‘s approach I found interesting as she delves into the thought processes of Cromwell as he copes with court intrigues, political manoeuvring and also personal disasters. We see through his eyes what life may have been like in Henry’s reign and also his thoughts about the part he played, his plans and schemes and his views on the historical figures of the time. I particularly liked his take on Anne Boleyn, who she was as person/character.

So it’s a large book and easy to read. If you are interested in history, politics and how life was lived in the time of Henry VIII this book is for you.

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The Casual Vacancy by JK Rowling

Een Goede raad (Photo credit: Djumbo)

I put off reading this for a while as I was nervous about how JK Rowling could make the transition from wizarding to writing ‘adult’ fiction. I’m happy to report that my fears have been allayed.

So, a brief overview of the book - when Barry Fairbrother dies in his early forties, the town of Pagford is left in shock. Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty facade is a town at war.

Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, and teachers at war with their pupils…Pagford is not what it first seems.

And the empty seat left by Barry on the Parish Council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen.

Well, in addition to my nervousness, the blurb on the dustjacket put me off for a little while but this is definitely worth the read. Rowling has assembled a large cast of characters, all clearly delineated and all fit in well to the design of the story.

 It's a book of discovery as we find out how each character interacts with others and it has a rising tension that culminates in a final tragedy that I never saw coming. This book shows that Rowling has moved out the shadow of the boy wizard and onto a broader stage befitting of her talent. This is definitely a good read.

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