First published 2020. Picador paperback, 2021, pp 376, c.80,000 words (main text). It had never struck me before that the word ‘alphabet’ is simply a contraction of the names of the first two letters of the ancient Greek alphabet. This is about the only point that Flanders doesn’t make in this book on the subject […]
Place for Everything, A — Judith Flanders Read More »
First published 1976. Gollancz paperback, 2006, pp 293 (inc. c.60pp illustrations/notes), c.70,000 words (main text). Pohl was a big figure in the SF community in America in the 20th century, acting as a literary agent, SF magazine editor, as well as conference and society presidents. He published many stories in magazines, under his own and
Gateway — Frederik Pohl Read More »
First published 1900. Wordsworth paperback, 2002, pp 261 + 40p of introduction, notes, etc., c.120,000 words (main text). Conrad must have been a natural linguist to be able to write so well in English, his third or possibly fifth language: after Polish and French and probably Russian and German. He is little concerned with the
Lord Jim — Joseph Conrad Read More »
First Published 1987. Abacus paperback, 2013, pp 362, c.97,000 words. Mock-rock biopics are fertile ground to plough owing to the excesses of prog-rock and heavy metal bands. This is Spinal Tap, the 1984 film, set a blistering pace with several snippets become culturally embedded such as ‘turning it up to eleven.’ This is Banks’ take
Espedair Street — Iain Banks Read More »
First published 1970. Gollanz paperback, 2005, pp 288, c.95,000 words. This is the book that gave Niven his breakthrough. He won the Hugo and the Nebula for it, as well as other awards. Later he went on to write three sequels as well as a lot of other SF. It stands up well as a
Ringworld — Larry Niven Read More »
First published 1975. Fontana paperback, 1976, pp 253, c.96,000 words. Bagley wrote thrillers in the second half of the twentieth century of a type that was common then: with an everyman hero who is placed in some unfamiliar situation and set in an exotic (to most readers) and harsh environment. This is one of his
Snow Tiger, The — Desmond Bagley Read More »
First published 1993. Coronet paperback, 1994, pp 383, c.130,000 words. Gavin Lyall wrote a series of successful thrillers from the 1940s through to the 1990s. Initially they were in the in the Alistair McLean and Hammond Innes mould of ordinary people sucked in to some extraordinary situation. A number were set in the world of
Spy’s Honour — Gavin Lyall Read More »
First published 2018. Solaris paperback, 2019, pp 527, c.140,000 words (main text). This is an alternate history set in the 1950s where the USA has just won the space race but then a large meteorite smashes into the sea just off the coast, utterly destroying Washington and much of the surrounding eastern seaboard, and triggering
Calculating Stars, The — Mary Robinette Kowal Read More »
First published 1962. Penguin paperback, 1964, pp 213, c.62,000 words. This the sequel to O’Brien’s The Country Girls. Its original title was The Lonely Girl, but changed presumably to tie in to the film made from it. It can be read as a stand alone novel, but it is significantly richer for being read in
Girl with Green Eyes — Edna O’Brien Read More »
First published 2000. Phaidon paperback, 2000, pp 512, 500 illustrations with a paragraph about each. The introduction states: ‘The Garden Book is a comprehensive illustrated survey of 500 of the world’s most influential garden makers – designers, patrons and owners – and their gardens.’ [p3] The editors have carefully chosen their words but perhaps are
Garden Book, The — Tim Richardson Read More »