Tuesday Book Report

"Excuse me, sir, but may I be of assistance? Ah, I see I have alarmed you. Do not be frightened by my beard: I am a lover of America." I picked up this book at the airport and surrendered after reading the first paragraph. This is pure delight. Beautiful, alarming and urgent it deals with the world post 9/11 and how living in fear and mistrust affects us all. At the same time it's funny and very exciting, more of a thriller than many crime novels I've read. Do read this, you'll be a better person for it. And should you have a thing for John Le Carré (hello Mr Slättner), the language will have you drooling in no time. Buy it here. Yes, please do.


I'm currently reading this diary of a British housewife during World War 2. She was part of something called "The mass observation project" and very thoroughly recorded her thoughts and feelings during and after the war. She writes about what she's making for tea, how her chickens are doing, the cost of a new perm and how work at the Womens Volunteer Centre makes the days bearable. She gets angry at her husband, worries about her sons and takes comfort in her old dog as she's sleeping underneath a led roof in the livingroom to survive the bombings. It's a great book and Nella Last's turned 0ut to be very good company. Especially when she's angry! Find Nella here.

Leo would like both these books. He'd probably buy a copy of The Reluctant Fundamentalist for president Bartlet.