image: goodreads.com This is a book about many things. Ostensibly you could say that East West Street is about a lawyer and historian, Phillippe Sands, exploring the lives of his maternal grandparents (and his mother) before and during the Second World War. It starts as that, catalysed by Sands being invited to give a lecture… Continue reading East West Street: On the Origins of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity by Phillippe Sands (2016)
Tag: World War II
House of Glass by Hadley Freeman (2020)
Let me preface this review by saying that I have not written a book review, or any blog post, for months now so please bear with me... in June I went back to work after maternity leave, but due to lockdown my little one's nursery was not open at the time and so my husband… Continue reading House of Glass by Hadley Freeman (2020)
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Catching up on reviews…
I don't often do multiple reviews in one post, but, as I mentioned here, I am a bit behind with reviews, including a couple of books I read several months ago, so this time around it's easier to put a few together in one post. Let me know what you think! Little by Edward Carey… Continue reading Catching up on reviews…
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No Place to Lay One’s Head by Françoise Frenkel (1945), trans. Stephanie Smee
I came across Bookish Beck's review of No Place to Lay One's Head last month and knew I just had to read it. It is the memoir of Françoise Frenkel, a Jewish woman from Poland who opened the first French-language bookshop in Berlin, in 1921. She had studied in France, and when on a visit… Continue reading No Place to Lay One’s Head by Françoise Frenkel (1945), trans. Stephanie Smee
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Her Hidden Life by V.S. Alexander (2018)
I bought this novel on a whim in the supermarket (something I hardly ever do) because I was just in the mood to buy a book. It happens. Almost all of the novels on sale were sensational crime, romances, or what was once called 'chick lit' and this was the only one that appealed to… Continue reading Her Hidden Life by V.S. Alexander (2018)
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Re-reading: Alone in Berlin by Hans Fallada (1947)
I first read Alone in Berlin in 2011 just after I'd left university. I'd read a lot of books about the Second World War for a course at university, and my further reading (and time on Twitter) led me to this novel. It was only translated into English in 2009, so in 2011 it was… Continue reading Re-reading: Alone in Berlin by Hans Fallada (1947)
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The Women of the Castle by Jessica Shattuck (2017)
[A side note: in the US, the title is The Women in the Castle.] I’ve always been interested in the literature of the Second World War, ever since a course on the Literatures of Genocide at university. I’ve read history books, personal accounts, and novels such as Alone in Berlin and City of Women; so,… Continue reading The Women of the Castle by Jessica Shattuck (2017)
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Blog tour: The Dark Circle by Linda Grant
I don't often agree to review brand new books anymore, or take part in blog tours - but The Dark Circle intrigued me. I had heard lots of good things about Linda Grant but never actually read her books, and the premise of this novel appealed to me. In 1949, twins Lenny and Miriam are both… Continue reading Blog tour: The Dark Circle by Linda Grant
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If This is a Woman by Sarah Helm: A Reading Experience
More than one of my fellow reviewers on GoodReads wrote that reading this book is more than that - you 'live it' as well. It is an experience I will never forget. If This is a Woman took me ten days to read, which for me is a long time - but then it is… Continue reading If This is a Woman by Sarah Helm: A Reading Experience
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Good Evening, Mrs Craven: The Wartime Stories of Mollie Panter-Downes
I bought this book last year, and somehow have only just got around to reading it. Too many books as always. Despite being about life during the Second World War I knew that it would not be a heavy read - and so I took it with me on holiday to Mallorca. The introduction and… Continue reading Good Evening, Mrs Craven: The Wartime Stories of Mollie Panter-Downes
These Little Words 