Under prolonged lockdown, I’ve been reading more books than I can possibly review on BoomerBroadcast, but this one is definitely worth recommending. History buffs will enjoy reading The Ratline, The Exalted Life and Mysterious Death of a Nazi Fugitive by Philippe Sands. A new publication, it’s the true story of how senior SS Nazi officers and war criminals were able to escape allied capture in…
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For a pandemic pick-me-up, travel to Paris in Craig Carlson’s second book about life in the City of Light
After starting two or three books that turned out to be duds, I was delighted when my friend Terry recommended Let Them Eat Pancakes by Craig Carlson. Terry shares my taste in reading material so I knew I would like it . . . and I did! It was like taking a mini-trip to Paris without leaving the house. The title is a riff on…
David Sedaris still has the magic gift for writing that lifts our spirits
There’s no better way to start the new year in isolation than tucking into a good book. So, pour yourself a glass of wine, a nice cup of tea, or a fresh cup of coffee and pick up or download David Sedaris’s new book of humorous essays and stories, The Best of Me. As a confirmed and long-time fan of Sedaris’s writing, it fits the…
THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB is another book suggestion that would make a great Christmas gift
If you know anyone who might enjoy a book that is a delightful combination of an Agatha Christie whodunnit and TV’s Agatha Raisin, then The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman is the perfect choice. Don’t you just love it when you know right from page one that you’re going to enjoy a book? The Thursday Murder Club combines wonderful British dark humour, with quirky…
Shuggie Bain takes us inside Thatcher-era poverty in suburban Glasgow
Every once in a while we come upon a book that, while not an uplifting subject, touches us deeply. Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart was short-listed for The Booker Prize and that prompted me to give it a go. I suppose it could be compared to Angela’s Ashes ‘lite’ without all the dead babies and flooded, freezing tenement flats. It’s the story of a young boy growing…
Experience twentieth-century life in France through the eyes of an unusual narrator
Never Anyone But You by Rupert Thomson ticked all my boxes when it comes to reading material. Historical fiction. Strong female characters. Set in France. WW1 to and beyond WW2. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started reading but the book just got better and better. I hated to finish. Never Anyone But You is based on the true story of two French…