After the death of her mother, Emma Brockes wants to understand the fierce loving character that her mother was and why she left South Africa alone in her late twenties. This is an outstanding memoir, written with restraint and affection, that will linger in your mind days after.
Lovely. Like a long coffee klatch, where you get to hear all the juicy bits without having to hold up your end. All you have to do is read, smile appreciatively, and shed a tear or two.
Tim Parks brilliantly and with good humor explains Italy through her trains. This is a great introduction to how Italy works that should also appeal to frequent visitors. Don’t forget to validate your tickets! Great armchair reading as well.
“The book that launched 1,000 BBC Miniseries...” Fiesty Powell gives voice to the working class of England in this memoir. She doesn’t idolise the landed gentry she works for, and gives us the inside scoop of life for a kitchen maid in the 1920s. A tell-all from another age.
Kaboom! Names don’t just drop in Frank Langella’s dishy memoir, they explode! Valentines and daggers fly at luminaries of the stage and screen who crossed his path over a 50-year acting career. There's even a politician or two. Darling, this book is fun!
Bourdain’s gritty behind-the-scenes look at the restaurant biz launched his successful television career. If you are a fan of “No Reservations” or “The Layover,” you’ll love this inside look and following his personal journey. The afterword is a great inclusion. A must-read!
~Antonia
I gave this book to my father for his birthday. He made the mistake of leaving it on the coffee table half-read, whereupon I picked it up and refused to put it down for the next two days. Macintyre presents a witty, fascinating portrait of a group of remarkable people--and a story so outrageous it could only be true.
~Fiona
“The problem with interviews is that no truly interesting question can be answered satisfactorily within the formal constraints (magazine space, radiotime, public decorum) for an interview.”
