Dave Ross

All posts tagged with british

32 posts found

The Golden House

In the humid, over-ripened air of a post-Obama Manhattan, where the sunlight hits the brownstones of Greenwich Village with a cloying, amber insistence, we find the “Gardens”—a private enclave of old-world quietude suddenly invaded by the operatic. Nero Golden, a man of heavy, sepia-toned secrets and a girth that suggests a kingdom lost or perhaps merely packed into high-end luggage, arrives with his three sons like refugees from a myth that has lost its footing. They have shed their Indian...

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The Enigma of Arrival

The story unfolds in the Wiltshire countryside, where the protagonist rents a modest cottage on the grounds of a decaying manor estate owned by a reclusive landlord named Mr. Phillips. This setting becomes a microcosm for broader themes. The narrator, a thinly veiled version of Naipaul, recovering from illness and the exhaustion of his earlier travels, immerses himself in the rhythms of rural life. He observes the changing seasons, the estate’s crumbling grandeur, and the lives of its inhabitants: the...

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Hitch-22

Christopher Hitchens reflects on his upbringing, the influences that shaped him, and the philosophical foundations of his worldview. The memoir serves as both a personal narrative and a broader commentary on culture, politics, and belief. One of the book’s strengths is Hitchens’ engaging writing style. His eloquence and command of language draw readers in, making complex ideas accessible. His vivid storytelling, combined with sharp wit and humor, keeps the narrative lively and compelling. We are treated to a rich tapestry...

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The War Against Cliché

The War Against Cliché by Martin Amis is a collection of essays that delve into the intricacies of literature, focusing on the importance of originality and the pitfalls of cliché. Amis critiques the tendency of contemporary writers to rely on worn-out phrases and familiar tropes, arguing that such reliance undermines the power and clarity of their work. He advocates for a commitment to fresh expression, emphasizing that true literary artistry demands innovation and a willingness to challenge conventional norms. In...

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Thursday Murder Club

The Thursday Murder Club is a best-selling detective novel by Richard Ossman. It is about a group of British pensioners living in a retirement village. They spend Thursdays solving old mysteries for enjoyment. One day, a real murder case turns up for them to solve involving a land deal and someone digging up graveyards.

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Never Let Me Go

Never Let Me Go is a thought-provoking dystopian novel written by Kazuo Ishiguro external link . The novel is set in an alternate version of late 20th-century England. Three friends, Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy grow up in a secluded boarding school called Hailsham. Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go unfolds through Kathy’s introspective and nostalgic narration as she reflects on her upbringing. Her friendships and the unsettling truth about their existence are all part of such introspection. It becomes clear...

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Emma

Characters in Emma by Jane Austen have many prejudices that Austen challenges the reader to find rather than state them. Set in the fictional country village of Highbury, the novel involves the relationships among people from a small number of families. Emma was first published in December 1815, although the title page is dated 1816. As in her other novels, Austen explores the concerns and difficulties of genteel women living in Georgian–Regency England. Emma is a comedy of manners. “I...

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Klara and the Sun

Kazuo Ishiguro sets Klara and the Sun in a dystopian future when some children are genetically engineered for enhanced academic ability. On-screen tutors provide educations. Society limits socialization so parents who can afford it often buy their children androids as companions. Klara, one such android companion, is the narrator of the book. A teenage girl named Josie picks out Klara and has her mother purchase her. Josie suffers from an unspecified illness, and her mother hopes that Klara will provide...

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Intimations

Zadie Smith authored Intimations , which was published in 2020 amidst the global COVID-19 pandemic. The book reflects on the unprecedented times and offers Smith’s observations and reflections on various aspects of life during this period. The essays in “Intimations” touch on a range of topics, including the impact of the pandemic, racial injustice, social inequality, and the role of art in times of crisis. Smith explores the ways in which the pandemic has exposed and exacerbated existing societal issues,...

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The History of Rasselas

Rasselas, the fourth son of the King of Abyssinia (modern-day Ethiopia), is shut up in a beautiful valley called The Happy Valley, “till the order of succession should call him to the throne”. Rasselas enlists the help of an artist who is also known as an engineer to help with his escape from the Valley by plunging out through the air, though they are unsuccessful in this attempt. Rasselas grows weary of the factitious entertainments of the place and, after...

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The Silmarillion

The Silmarillion is the tale of the creation of the world. In the First Age, is the ancient drama to which the characters in The Lord of the Rings look back and in whose events some of them, such as Elrond and Galadriel, took part. The three Silmarils were jewels created by Fëanor, the most gifted of the Elves. Within them was imprisoned the Light of the Two Trees of Valinor before the Trees themselves were destroyed by Morgoth, the...

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Time's Arrow

Doctor Friendly has just died, but he moves “out of blackest sleep” to find himself surrounded by doctors and on the deathbed of a man in whose body he is imprisoned. After weeks of improving in the hospital, he is sent home to his affable, melting-pot, primary-colors existence in suburban America. As Friendly breaks up with his lovers in a prelude to seducing them and mangles his patients before he sends them home, his life races backward toward the one...

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Love is Blind

William Boyd’s Love is Blind follows the life of Brodie Moncur, a young Scottish piano tuner with a remarkable talent for his craft. The novel explores themes of love, passion, and the complexities of human relationships.Brodie Moncur, working for an Edinburgh piano company, is sent to Paris to oversee the expansion of the company’s business. There, he meets Lika Blum, a talented Russian pianist with whom he falls deeply in love. However, Lika is already involved with a famous composer...

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The Time Machine

The Time Machine is a classic science fiction novel by H.G. Wells and published in 1895. It tells the story of an unnamed Time Traveller who invents a machine capable of traveling through time. The novel explores themes of social class, evolution, and the possible future of humanity. The Time Traveller gathers a group of acquaintances at his home and demonstrates his invention. He then embarks on a journey into the future, specifically the year 802,701 A.D. There, he encounters...

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A Brief History of Time

While A Brief History of Time deals with complex scientific concepts, Stephen Hawking ensures that readers without a scientific background can still grasp the main ideas. He uses vivid examples and analogies, such as comparing the expansion of the universe to the motion of raisins in a rising loaf of bread, to make abstract concepts more relatable. Hawking takes readers on a journey through the history of cosmology, from ancient Greek philosophers to modern scientific theories. He explores key concepts...

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Homage to Catalonia

The book provides a firsthand account of Orwell’s experiences during the Spanish Civil War, where he served as a soldier in the Republican militia fighting against the Nationalist forces led by General Francisco Franco. Homage to Catalonia begins with Orwell’s arrival in Barcelona in 1936, shortly after the outbreak of the civil war. He joins the Workers’ Party of Marxist Unification (POUM). The POUM is a revolutionary socialist group, which became actively involved in the fight against Franco’s forces. Orwell...

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Boswell's Life of Samuel Johnson

The Life of Samuel Johnson is a biography written by James Boswell and published in 1791. It is a comprehensive and influential account of the life of one of the most prominent figures in 18th-century English literature, Samuel Johnson. One of the notable features of Boswell’s Life of Samuel Johnson is the inclusion of numerous conversations and anecdotes. Johnson’s wit, wisdom, and idiosyncrasies are all here. These dialogues provide insights into Johnson’s views on a wide range of topics, including...

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Night of Wenceslas

The Night of Wenceslas is the debut novel of British thriller and crime writer Lionel Davidson. This Bildungsroman describes the reluctant adventures of Nicolas Whistler, a dissolute young man of mixed English and Czech parentage who finds himself caught up against his will in Cold War espionage. The novel won the Crime Writers’ Association’s Gold Dagger Award in 1960 and the Author’s Club First Novel Award. It was filmed in 1964 under the title Hot Enough for June. (wikipedia)

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The Quiet American

In Graham Greene’s The Quiet American it’s 1955 and British journalist Thomas Fowler has been in Vietnam for two years covering the insurgency against French colonial rule. But it’s not just a political tangle that’s kept him tethered to the country. There’s also his lover, Phuong, a young Vietnamese woman who clings to Fowler for protection. Then comes Alden Pyle, an idealistic American working in service of the CIA. Devotedly, disastrously patriotic, he believes neither communism nor colonialism is what’s...

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Trainspotting

The narrative of the novel Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh is presented through a series of interconnected short stories, each focusing on different characters within the group. The central character is Mark Renton, a young man caught in the grip of heroin addiction. The novel delves into Renton’s experiences, his attempts at quitting drugs, and the cyclical nature of addiction and relapse. Renton’s friends, including the hot-tempered and unpredictable Francis Begbie. The affable and naive Spud. The ambitious Sick Boy. And...

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The Peregrine

The Peregrine is a nature book written by J. A. Baker and published in 1967. It is a deeply immersive account of the author’s observations of peregrine falcons in the British countryside. Baker divides the book into diary entries spanning several years. During this time, Baker meticulously documents his encounters with these birds of prey. His observations focus on a particular pair of peregrines and their hunting expeditions. Baker’s prose is rich and evocative. It captures the beauty and power...

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King Lear

King Lear is a tragic play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1603 and 1606. The play tells the story of an aging King Lear who decides to divide his kingdom among his three daughters. But the consequences of this decision lead to a series of tragic events. Act I Act I introduces the characters and sets the stage for conflicts that drive the rest of the play. King Lear decides to divide his kingdom among his...

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The Satanic Verses

The Satanic Verses is a novel written by Salman Rushdie and published in 1988. The story revolves around two main characters, Gibreel Farishta and Saladin Chamcha, whose lives become intertwined in a series of surreal and fantastical events. The novel begins with a plane explosion over the English Channel, in which Gibreel and Saladin miraculously survive. However, their bodies undergo a transformation, blurring the boundaries between reality and imagination. Gibreel starts experiencing vivid dreams and visions, while Saladin develops physical...

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Any Human Heart

William Boyd wrote and published Any Human Heart in 2002. It is a fictional autobiography that follows the eventful life of the protagonist, Logan Mountstuart, during the 20th century. Boyd presents the narrative through Logan’s journal, which Logan keeps throughout his life. The novel spans various periods and locations, offering a panoramic view of historical events. These events include World War I, the Spanish Civil War, World War II, and the Swinging Sixties. Boyd portrays Logan as a complex and...

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To Set Prometheus Free

In 2007 Anthony Grayling external link (Wikipedia bio) wrote Against All Gods, a collection of polemical essays attacking religion. In To Set Prometheus Free he develops those themes more comprehensively. He unpacks the claims and arguments of religious apologists. He summarizes the views of his fellow secularist Bertrand Russell. In particular, he details the controversy over ‘Intelligent Design’ and outlines his personal, naturalistic worldview. In To Set Prometheus Free , Grayling robustly calls for humanity to choose deliverance from religion....

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The Lemon Table

The Lemon Table is a collection of short stories written by Julian Barnes and published in 2004. The book explores themes of aging, mortality, and the complexities of human relationships through a series of interconnected narratives. The stories in The Lemon Table revolve around characters who are either facing the challenges of old age or grappling with the loss of loved ones. Barnes delves into the emotional and psychological aspects of aging, examining the fears, regrets, and reflections that come...

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Poems of Philip Larkin

The Poems of Philip Larkin show him to be one known for his introspective and often pessimistic view of the world. Here is a summary of some of his notable poems: “Be the Verse” Larkin’s most famous and controversial poem. It reflects on the negative impact of family and inheritance on individuals. The poem emphasizes the perpetuation of unhappiness and disappointment across generations. They fuck you up, your mum and dad. They may not mean to, but they do. They...

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The Sense of an Ending

The narrative of The Sense of an Ending unfolds in two parts. The first part focuses on Tony’s youth and his friendships with a group of intellectual classmates. His close friend Adrian Finn is of particular interest in the plot. The second part takes place in Tony’s later life as he receives an unexpected bequest. It forces him to reevaluate his understanding of the past. As Tony delves into his memories, he confronts the fallibility of memory itself and the...

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Mrs. Dalloway

Virginia Woolf wrote Mrs. Dalloway in 1925. Set in London in the early 20th century, the story takes place over a single day. It follows the thoughts and experiences of various characters. The novel centers around Clarissa Dalloway, an upper-class woman preparing for a party she is hosting in the evening. As Clarissa goes about her day, her thoughts and memories intertwine with events and encounters with other characters. Through her perspective, Woolf delves into themes of identity, social conventions,...

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The Horse's Mouth

The Horse’s Mouth is a novel written by Joyce Cary and published in 1944, centering on the compelling character of Gulley Jimson. An unconventional artist, Gulley is larger-than-life and tirelessly pursues his passion for art, reflecting the complexities and chaos of the art world. Gulley’s fervent dedication to his craft drives his eccentricity and talent. He relentlessly seeks inspiration, often pushing boundaries to create his masterpieces. Despite his artistic prowess, Gulley grapples with societal expectations and frequently clashes with the...

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The Siege of Krishnapur

J.G. Farrell wrote and published The Siege of Krishnapur in 1973. Set during the Indian Rebellion of 1857, aka the Sepoy Mutiny, the story depicts the harrowing experiences of British residents. They find themselves trapped in the fictional town of Krishnapur, located in British India. The novel begins with British residents of Krishnapur living an idyllic life, protected from the realities of the Indian rebellion. However, as the rebellion gains momentum, the town becomes besieged by rebel forces, cutting off...

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The Singapore Grip

J.G. Farrell wrote The Singapore Grip in 1978. Set during World War II, the story takes place in Singapore and explores the lives of a diverse cast of characters against the backdrop of an impending Japanese invasion. The novel primarily centers around the Blackett family, British rubber merchants who have prospered in Singapore. The protagonist, Matthew Webb, is a young British man who joins the Blackett’s firm. He quickly becomes entangled in their complex business and personal dynamics. As the...

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