Hello!
It's been a while, hasn't it? Apologies. I left Waterstones, and I got a job at a publisher in central London. Quite a big well known one, and I'll be there until mid-September (I started mid-June). Hurrah!
In the mean time, I've been trying to read Anna Karenina, but I've been finding it a bit dull. I did a straw poll among my lovely well-read friends and nobody thought much of it, so I've put it to one side for a bit.
Instead, I'm now reading James Meek's new (for September) book, The Heart Broke In. I only started it this morning: I've already gushed to a friend about it, and nearly missed my stop on the train home. That's a good start, then. I love his dark humour: not allowed to quote it until publication, but there are some fine observations about married life/cheating, and about sex, and about parents, and children, and fucking, and .....well - basically everything he turns his hand (pen) to. The two main characters (siblings) are both excellently written. I mean excellently. The girl, in particular - she's got the spunky character of a twenty-first century Jane Eyre or such. She's a trooper. The boy is despicably brilliant a la Patrick Melrose. These are first-day impressions, and as you can see, they're very good indeed!
Thank you, canongate, for publishing a super lovely book. I really can't wait to go to bed and start reading it again. The Heart Broke In will be a lead title this September - that means it'll be a huge title for Christmas. Remember the buzz about Franzen last Christmas? We're looking at that level of publicity interest, I think. Deservedly so!
Consider this a little heads-up.....
x
