Book after Book

By Susan Hill Published by Profile Books Since reading The Small Hand by Susan Hill last year, her more famous ghost story, The Woman in Black , shot to the top of my reading list. Now that I’ve read it, ghost story sounds so diminishing that I’d rather describe it as a supernatural masterpiece. Before starting the book, I made the mistake of watching the trailer of the film of the same name starring Daniel Radcliffe that came out this year. I call it a mistake because that one minute and forty-one seconds scared me beyond imagination. So much, in fact, that I refused to do any reading after dusk – just in case! The Woman in Black opens in the winter of 1920. Arthur Kipps is sitting around the fireplace with his family when he is prompted to tell them a ghost story. Upset, he leaves the room. Ghost stories are not a laughing matter so he later sets out to write a memoir narrating the dreadful events that marked his life forever. That’s how we step back in time and we travel with Arth...

By Alan Bennett Published by Profile Books I first came across Alan Bennett’s writing a few years ago, when The Uncommon Reader was published. I don’t know why I’ve waited so long to repeat such a pleasant experience but I’m so glad to have come across Smut on its recent release in paperback. First published in April 2011, Smut is composed of two stories: The Greening of Mrs Donaldson and The Shielding of Mrs Forbes . In the former, Mrs Donaldson has a complete change of lifestyle when her husband dies, thus bringing a dull marriage to an end. To make ends meet, she starts working at the hospital as a patient simulator, participating in medical training scenarios. She also takes in lodgers: a couple who, despite not playing loud music, are not perfect and are often in arrears with the rent. But who said that a non-monetary arrangement cannot be worked out? Mrs Donaldson soon finds out that acting, for her, is not limited to the hospital environment. And she likes it! The Mrs Forbes...

By Susan Hill Published by Profile Books One day, British novelist Susan Hill, went browsing her bookshelves in search of a specific book. She didn’t find it. What she found was a world of books that she had loved and wanted to re-read, books that she had yet to read and books that she had even forgotten she owned. This discovery led to her decision to not buy or otherwise acquire any new books for a whole year, which she would spend reading or re-reading those that she already possessed. In her words: “A year of reading from home”. I was first attracted to Howard’s End is on the Landing by the brightly-coloured book spines that grace its cover, designed by Peter Dyer. Having spent years unsuccessfully pledging to stop purchasing new books until I’ve read all the ones that are patiently waiting on my shelves, I was also curious to learn how it is done. That, I didn’t learn! On the contrary, I enjoyed Hill’s opinions and suggestions so much that I ended up adding lots of titles to my w...

By Susan Hill Published by Profile Books Due to unprecedented amounts of snow and extremely low temperatures, this winter I’ve lost count of all the times I’ve seen a book described as “perfect for a day spent sitting by the fireplace”! I promised to myself that I wouldn’t say that about this book – not only because I think that The Small Hand is perfect for any time of year but also because it makes for a rather chilling read. The Small Hand opens with Adam Snow, a dealer in antiquarian books, getting lost while driving back from a client’s. While looking for help he finds The White House, whose derelict appearance and overgrown garden are obvious signs of abandon. While standing in front of the house, Adam senses a small hand – the hand of a child – creep into his own. He looks around but there is no-one there. Despite the strangeness of this event, however, Adam is not scared. On the contrary, the hand feels benevolent and in the following months he will often hope to experience t...