MacLehose Press Publicity 19/09/11
We begin with the paperback of Daniel Pennac’s wonderfully prognostic book, School Blues – which has caught the attention of both the Economist:
“. . . Describes what faces a school dunce when the teacher before him cannot recall what it felt like to be ignorant . . . Playfully written . . . “School Blues” joyously combines the profound with the seemingly trivial. It gently reminds readers how ignorant it is to have forgotten what it felt like to have but little knowledge.”
And the Sunday Business Post:
“What makes a good teacher? In this reflective and philosophical account, Frenchman and former teacher Daniel Pennac suggests his own theories for this timeless conundrum, in a drily humorous, yet impressively cohesive way. Translated from the French by Sarah Ardizzone, as a manual preaching mutual understanding in the classroom, this is hard to beat. Essential reading for any teacher.”
The Vintage and the Gleaning has made it into the September review pages of the Irish Tatler:
“Written with an authentic voice and infused with beauty, brutality and sadness, this is a compelling observation of men, women and country. A remarkably accomplished debut novel that is unputdownable.”
The paperback of Claudie Gallay’s The Breakers, has been reviewed in the Guardian this weekend:
“ . . . the recursive prose is subtly hypnotic, mimicking the obsessive circularity of mourning and the tendency of insight to be always belated . . . the effect is oddly intriguing.” Chris Ross
Librarian, Aileen Smedley, picks Jacques Bonnet’s outstanding book about
books, Phantoms on the Bookshelves for the Lytham St Anne’s Express:
“It is witty, entertaining and slightly intimidating in its breadth. Well worth a read for anyone passionate about books.”
Journal by Hélène Berr has been reviewed in the South Wales Evening Post:
“A harrowing account but an incredibly important piece of writing.”
Jake Kerridge has reviewed Until Thy Wrath Be Past in this weekend’s Telegraph:
“Larsson’s laid-back style makes her unflinching probing of icy depths of the human heart all the more chilling”
Whilst in the blogosphere a senior member of the Royal Navy reviews Until Thy Wrath Be Past for the website dedicated to members of the British army:
“Set in contemporary rural Sweden the author has created a variety of detailed characters each with a richly painted background … The story unfolds at a quick pace and seems straightforward but there are one or two twists that I didn’t expect which make for great reading. Sadly, despite being 300+ pages in hardback this is a very quick book to complete. Good news for some but I enjoyed it so much I wanted it to continue. In fact the storyline was so good I could see this making a really good feature film. A good book and one I enjoyed so much so that I’m going to hunt out more from the author, to that end I’m giving this book 4 out of 5.”
Yet another review for Until Thy Wrath Be Past, this time found on Winston’s Dad blog:
“I’ve read other Nordic crime books over the last few years and this one needs to sit near the top of the pile . . . The crime is realistic – which is more than I can say of some of the other Nordic crime novels I’ve read. I enjoyed reading female leads that I could get on with as a male reader . . . So much better than Harry Hole [Jo Nesbø’s main character] for me. Yes she is the ‘other’ Larsson but Rebecka [Martinsson] is not another Lisbeth Salander, she is a new face for Nordic crime.”
And the Book Bag also gets in on the Åsa Larsson action, with their review:
“The words ‘third book’ might give you cause for concern, but don’t worry. I have to admit that I, too, was an Åsa Larsson virgin. I suspect that there are spoilers for the earlier books in Until Thy Wrath Be Past . . . but it works perfectly well as a standalone. It’s a good story and a neatly-turned plot which can’t help but pull you in. I knew where the story was going but the evolving detail of the background and exactly who has instigated the murders caught me by surprise. Martinsson makes an excellent protagonist too – intelligent, physically courageous and very much her own woman – and an elegant contrast to Mella with her insecurities.”
And last but not least the paperback of The Road continues to be reviewed
across the papers. This time in the Daily Express (5 stars):
“From satire to comedy and tragedy this is a fantastic collection translated into English for the first time. Including Stalin’s purges and the Holocaust, these short stories and articles are accompanied by introductions that put Grossman’s life into context.”
And the Sunday Times:
“. . . his vivid dispatches, some newly translated for this superb collection, retain a freshness that only the finest journalism can. The 11 short stories also collected here show a writer of infinite variety, and the bulk of them will enhance his reputation . . . his is a powerful voice of conscience.”
