Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha by Roddy Doyle

Paddy Clarke is not a funny story. The overwhelming feeling is one of palpable sadness, despite several humourous episodes, especially towards the earlier parts of the book. Ten year old Paddy, the eldest son of a large Irish family in fictitious(?) Barrytown of the sixties, thoroughly enjoys the company of his friends – Kevin, Liam, [...]

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A Beneficiary by Nadine Gordimer

Charlotte, an attractive twenty something woman, is confronted by a secret upon her mother’s death.  In unraveling what is and what is not, the mystery surrounding her own origin, her doubts are resolved in the clarity of a father’s love.
            Gordimer’s style is succinct and incisive, frequently interrogative in this piece, probing inwards for answers. [...]

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Book Awards Reading Challenge

Here’s motivation for the coming days.

The ones finished have links to review pages.
Commonwealth Writers’
1992 – Rohinton Mistry, Such a Long Journey

1994 – Vikram Seth, A Suitable Boy
1996 – Rohinton Mistry, A Fine Balance
 
Booker
1974 The Conservationist by Nadine Gordimer
1981 Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie
1989 The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
1993 [...]

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Such a Long Journey by Rohinton Mistry

Gustad Noble, indeed a noble man, struggles through the crises besotting his life. His eldest son spurns IIT, leaves home to avoid the bitter squabbles with him. His best friend disappears, then entwines him in a mysterious scheme with suspicious money. His daughter falls sick. Another good friend has cancer, dies. War breaks out [...]

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The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

There is an unnamable mysterious quality to Ishiguro’s novel. Words like sly, minimal and simple come to mind, but none describes the work completely. Yet those are some of its discernible qualities. It does not feel the author is [...]

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Family Matters by Rohinton Mistry

A tale of the pains of old age and disease, Family Matters is also a reflection on ties that bind us in joy yet enmesh us in misery at the same time. It’s a statement on the pitfalls of succumbing to blind tradition disregarding love and logic, both in the matters of the family and [...]

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