Recent reading

Cornfields and my August garden. I've always loved geraniums since our time in Geneva where they are taken very seriously.

Many thanks to LindyLouMac in Italy for her review of Tropical Connections, and for taking the trouble to post it all over the place.  So very pleased she enjoyed it.

Just finished an interesting novel by Judith Lennox, The Heart of the Night, set in WW2, partly in what is now Poland and was then East Prussia.  Have decided I now rather like historicals about this period.  As one might expect from Judith, the research is thorough but she doesn't overwhelm us with it.  A good read.  Long, and suitable for reading in bed over a number of evenings.

Whereas I am exhausted with the Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery.  This seems to be a series of philosophical essays, along with thoughts about Anna Karenina, tied loosely together by a minimal plot.  Much of the book is narrated by an intellectual concierge in a smart Paris block who hates everybody except a charming rich Japanese gentleman and a Portuguese cleaning woman.  The rest of the musings are by an unlikely 12-year-old girl who also despises everyone French, even the cats.  Just when you hope there is going to be some sort of movement in the story, the author enquires What is the purpose of Art?  It's an intelligent but so far negative book. Is it a novel?  Not really.  I haven't finished it yet but I'm not confident anything much will happen.  It has sold very well in France and some people love it.  Here is a positive review, and here's a less enthusiastic one.

Tropical Connections

Tropical Connections is now out in the USA in paperback.  Glad to say copies were sold at the RNA Conference too.

I was given or bought some good women's fiction at the Conference:  Starting Over, by Sue Moorcroft (interesting original hero and heroine), A Single to Rome by Sarah Duncan (great setting, excellent chick lit), and another one set in Italy which I enjoyed Other People's Secrets by Louise Candlish. This featured some middle-aged characters, with darker family problems.

I've just started an Elizabeth Bowen.  How writing styles have changed.  She, the author, sits back and gives her opinion of the characters.  Also the print was so small in those early paperbacks, wasn't it.  Strange to think that books can be almost the same price as birthday cards these days.

Correct Publication Date paperback Tropical Connections

The correct publication date for Tropical Connections trade paperback (slightly larger than ordinary ones) is March 30th not March 1st as given on some on-line booksellers.  The Book Depository say 25% off at the moment but, as they have wrong date, they may not hold this price for longer than 3 days.  So if you were kindly thinking of buying it, best price might be found by pre-order now from them here.
Later Mar 1: Now, as I feared, Bk Depository is showing out of stock (tho it hasn't been published), but I now find it can be ordered here from WHSmiths at 24% discount, no postage charge if you collect in store when available or spend more than £15.

More info on right or by clicking About Susie Vereker's Books for reviews.

Tropical Connections, garden, reading

Tropical Connections is now available (USA September). Click the top-right link 'about Susie Vereker's books' if you would like more details.

This yellow shrub rose has been magnificent this year. I haven't done it justice in this photo.

Last of the spring flowers.

Reading: finally finished The Return by Victoria Hislop. A worthy book, well researched. After the success of The Island (thanks to R&J's list) she has again chosen the formula of modern woman investigates historical events. Long, long-winded even, and not a beach read, this book is about the horrors of the Spanish Civil War as seen through the eyes of one family. The war stories seemed all too real, but I couldn't quite believe the various unlikely plot twists and felt distanced from both the family and the modern heroine with her sketched-in disintegrating marriage. Nevertheless this an admirable book in that it should encourage us to read more about what has passed in modern European history. I think I'll go for non-fiction next time. Here's a brief outline via Eleanor Roosevelt.

To cheer myself up, I then read some scenes from Laurence Durrell's diplomatic comedies and laughed out loud (Esprit de Corps)

Earlier I read a Barbara Pym and enjoyed her subtleties. (Quartet in Autumn. All her characters were oldish and odd.)

Cooking. Nan's rhubarb & fruit crunch was delicious. See Letters from a Hill Farm, 15 May. I used a small teacup to measure (a whole cup of sugar seemed a bit wicked), but I must buy some American measuring cups. Perhaps an excuse to peruse the thrilling Lakeland catalogue! When first married I bought an American measuring jug abroad, and consequently half the recipes I tried didn't work properly because I didn't realise a US pint was different from a UK one.

Garden tree and Tropical Connections

Here is my old tree that may or may not be Exochorda serratifolia (exochorda is neighbour's suggestion). In my garden book, most of the other exochordas look like Spirea Bridal Wreath and the only tree-variety I can find on the net is serratifolia. It does have a tan-coloured bark - I mean, the part that's not covered in lichen is light brown and smooth. What do you think? The hardly-serrated leaves look rather small for a prunus and it has no fruit. The flowers are prunus style, though.

Just checked Amazon, the way you do, and see that Tropical Connections is for sale already though not due to be published until 1 June. So that's exciting. It's cheaper at the Book Depository, by the way. Click on the right if you fancy knowing more.