September’s first book was a work of non-fiction by Irish writer Glenn Patterson, ONCE UPON A HILL. Tracing the history of his family through their relationship with Lisburn, this is a very moving book by one of Ireland’s finest novelists. There’s great humour in the memoir, wonderful anecdotes and some terribly sad moments too. Many of Patterson’s early novels have recently been reissued and I look forward to catching up with them soon.
It seemed to be a month of crime books for me, as I followed this with the first of three: PD James’ latest mystery THE PRIVATE PATIENT. Curiosly, I had never read a PD James book before but became completely engrossed in the story – a manor house, a disparate cast, a victim, everyone might have done it until the culprit is finally unmasked. I loved it. The writing is crisp and elegant, the characters vivid and credible.
THE PAPER HOUSE by Carlos Maria Dominguez is a small book which I bought when I saw it as a Booksellers Recommends in a bookshop. A book for bibliophiles, it’s certainly an unusual story, a quick read, but I wasn’t as enthralled by it as I had hoped. Immediately after this, however, I read the brilliant new novel by one of my favourite writers, Philip Roth. INDIGNATION reminded me much more of his earlier work in that it focusses on a young man at the start of his adulthood rather than the dying animals of Roth’s most recent novels. I read the book in one sitting, was completely enthralled by it as ever, the mix of humour, rage, ignorance and… indignation. A brilliant novel. There’s a scene containing an argument between the narrator and the head of his college which is both hilariously funny and filled with self-righteous anger that is Roth at his very best.
Next up was another Booker shortlisted title, THE WHITE TIGER by Aravind Adaga. This is an often laugh out loud book about an “entrepeneur” in India who works as a driver for a difficult couple. It’s a quick read and great fun, but not as impressive, I thought, as either the Steve Toltz or Sebastian Barry novels which are also up for the prize.
I was a great admirer of Andre Dubus III’s House of Sand and Fog and so sat down to THE GARDEN OF LAST DAYS with great anticipation. It’s a well written book, populated by interesting characters – a stripper, her daughter, a terrorist, a do-gooder – but I felt it was perhaps a little long for the story at its heart. Then came my second crime book, David Peace’s 1974, the first volume of his Red Riding Quartet, which is dark and vivid, brilliantly written. Peace’s best book, I think, is The Damned Utd, but this book displays his great gift for language and dialect and is utterly unputdownable.
Finally, another crime novel: Barbara Vine’s THE BIRTHDAY PRESENT. A terrific read, a story that winds intricately through the lives of a small group of characters during the dying days of the Thatcher era and into the Major years. Several narrators, some less reliable than others. Just a great piece of storytelling from a brilliant writer.
Worth mentioning: I also read John LeCarre’s A MOST WANTED MAN, which I am reviewing for The Irish Times.
But the book of the month has to be: Philip Roth’s INDIGNATION.
