Tower and Town, June 2023 (view the full edition)A Good ReadI went "Aaaargh!" when the "It's T&T Time" reminder email pinged into my inbox this month, because I'm rather struggling to think of anything to write about. I've been busy with the shortlist for the Richard Jefferies prize, so I'm learning (though I don't expect to remember) lots about wildflowers, and fishing, and trees and bog plants. They're all very good, very readable, and I'm enjoying them, but it's getting in the way of reading new things that I can recommend to you. And when I'm not concerned with feather footing my way through the plashy fen* figuratively speaking, I've been engrossed in a massive volume (published ten years ago, and it might take me another ten years to finish it) about George III and the Hanoverians. I knew very little about him, just the usual stuff about Farmer George, pink-faced and pop-eyed, losing the Colonies, and running madly round Windsor in his nightie, and Nancy Mitford's Linda describing him as "The son of poor Fred and the father of Beau Brummell's fat friend". I'm having to concentrate, it's three or four generations of vast families, all called George or Frederick, or Sophia or Augusta, with the odd major or minor Caroline or Charlotte thrown in. Family get-togethers would have been a nightmare, but as they hardly spoke to each other I don't suppose it was an issue. So I wailed to Angus that I needed help, and he said "Tell them about Damascus Station", which he's just read and enjoyed. Some of you will have read it already, but I think it's worth a heads up in case you've missed it. The author, David McCloskey is an ex-CIA officer, so it reads convincingly and we can probably assume a certain level of veracity, which may or may not be a good thing; Angus says it's absolutely terrifying. Initially a bit 'bitty' as the scene is set and the characters established, it quickly becomes a 'viciously tense' espionage tale. The reader rapidly becomes fully engaged with the characters, and the context in which they have to make their choices, or to accept there are in fact no choices, making it (I'm reliably informed) a nerve-wracking read. Oh wait, I've just remembered - Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson is about the morality of inherited wealth, and an eye-wateringly, rash-inducingly rich New York family living their privileged life. But are they happy? Well, obviously not entirely or there'd be no story. It's clever and lively, I thoroughly enjoyed it. *Scoop. But you knew that of course. Note from the Editor: The White Horse Bookshop has 'Place Names of Marlborough' by David Chandler in stock in the local history section £9.99. Debby Guest |