I began the month with John Burnside’s new novel, GLISTER. It’s the second of his books that I’ve read this year and is as dark and unsettling as THE DEVIL’S FOOTPRINTS but I liked it a little more. The setting – a depressing industrial place called Innertown – evokes a gloomy atmosphere over the story of young boys who go missing every year and whose disappearances the police never investigate. Told in a variety of voices and styles, the most effective is 15 year-old Leonard. The novel may not be for everyone, but it makes compulsive reading.
I followed this with Australian writer Helen Garner’s THE SPARE ROOM, the story of another Aussie writer named Helen who takes her friend Nicola, who is dying from cancer, into her home for 3 weeks while she undergoes a course of alternative medicine. Moving at times, the novel is also surprisingly funny, and never once veers towards sentimentality. As Helen grows more concerned with how she might be left alone to look after Nicola, it becomes a very human portrait. There was some criticism that this book didn’t make the Booker Prize longlist, and I think that criticism is justified.
Haruki Murakami’s non-fiction work, WHAT I TALK ABOUT WHEN I TALK ABOUT RUNNING, was a compulsive read, particularly during this Olympic month. The story of how Murakami – one of my favourite writers – became drawn to running as a sport, it’s also a reflection on his life as a novelist and how the two intersect. A fascinating book, filled with insight into both disciplines.
Peter Cameron’s novel SOMEDAY THIS PAIN WILL BE USEFUL TO YOU is a terrific read. A coming of age story about an 18 year old New Yorker who is trying to decide whether or not to go to college while dealing with various dysfunctional relationships in his life, it is often hilarious and frequently moving. There are a lot of coming of age novels written these days, many trying to mimic the style of successful entries in the genre, and many are quite shallow and manipulative at their heart, but this is one of the best I’ve read in years. Cameron’s work is not known on this side of the Atlantic – I’d never heard of him before discovering this novel – but I hope to read more of him soon.
I’m a huge fan of Philippa Gregory’s Tudor historical novels; they satisfy that part of my brain which appreciates intelligently written, pacy, well-researched historical novels that are usually un-put-down-able. Her latest novel, THE OTHER QUEEN, tells the story of Mary Queen of Scots’ captivity with the Earl of Shrewsbury and his wife, Bess of Hardwicke. It’s a compelling tale, told from three different perspectives, and I enjoyed it very much, particularly the fascinating portrait of Bess, one of the 16th centuries most interesting women, who is determinedly independent, loving, scheming and dangerous all at once.
I then read SNUFF by Chuck Palahniuk, which wasn’t for me.
One of the joys of reading a lot is that every so often you begin a novel and within a few pages you’re so hooked that you just want to finish it as soon as possible so you can tell other people about it. One such book was the debut novel by Australian writer Steve Toltz, A FRACTION OF THE WHOLE. A long, crazy, hilarious, tragic story about the relationship between a misanthropic father and son, Martin and Jasper Dean, it recalls the great comic family novels of John Irving but also has an unstoppable Dickensian narrative that powers the engine of this book through to its conclusion. I loved every page of it and will look forward to Toltz’ next book immensely.
John Berger’s new novel, FROM A TO X, is a beautifully written and highly emotional book, a series of letters from A’ida, the lover on an imprisoned insurgent to the man she loves. It’s impossible not to get swept away in the poetry of Berger’s language and the sad, funny, curious moments of the village where A’ida lives.
Finally, the latest McSWEENEY’S anthology, 28, a collection of 8 favbles, each one more curious than the last and illustrated beautifully. I love when my McSweeney’s arrives every quarter; it’s always a treat. Perhaps my favourite in this collection was Arthur Bradford’s VIRGIL WALKER.
But Book of the Month, without any question, was Steve Toltz’ A FRACTION OF THE WHOLE.
The Irish based entertainment website, 
The full programme for the Dingle Film Festival has now been published. THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PYJAMAS is the opening night film, on Thursday September 11. Tickets for the film, which will be shown at 8 pm in the Phoenix Cinema, can be purchased online from the festival 
The trailer for THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PYJAMAS is now available free for download to your iPod from the 
