My Holiday Reading

Holidays are perfect for catching up with books that have been languishing on your MUST READ list, for reading new releases or maybe watching a DVD or two as I discovered recently.

Still Alice, the debut award-winning novel of Lisa Genova, first published in 2007, is the moving story of Alice Howlan. After experiencing episodes of forgetfulness and then becoming lost in her own neighbourhood, Alice is diagnosed with early onset dementia at the age of fifty.  A highly respected academic, wife and mother to three adult children, Lisa’s memory loss changes her relationships with her colleagues and family: her equally high achieving husband; her eldest daughter, a lawyer who is struggling to get pregnant; son who is in his third year at medical school; and younger daughter keen to follow an acting career.  Genova who has a Ph.D in neuroscience writes convincingly and the novel's topic of Alzheimer's is very relevant to many families.  If DVD’s are more your thing then there is a film adaptation available to hire at Hastings District Libraries, with Julianne Moore in the role of Alice, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress.

Resistance is Futile by Jenny T Colgan is a romantic comedy/science fiction novel, perfect for summer holiday reading.  Red-haired mathematician Connie is recruited along with five other mathematicians to solve a top secret code in Cambridge under mysterious circumstances. Humour (including maths puns), romance and interesting geeky characters make this a fun read.

The regular cast of characters are all back in the latest instalment of Alexander McCall Smith’s The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency series, Precious and Grace.  The main investigative thread follows Susan, a woman living in Canada for over thirty years, but who began life living in Botswana. As a child, Susan was distraught at having to leave when her parents changed jobs. However Mma Ramotswe is also kept busy as always with solving dilemmas affecting others she works with, such as Charlie the former apprentice mechanic, Fanwell the other apprentice and Grace, now what is her official title these days?  No story would be complete without Violet Sephotho threatening to spoil Grace’s happiness and Mma Potokwani’s restorative fruit cake and tea all under the wide sky of Botswana.

Posted by VT

Catalogue links:
Still Alice (book)
Still Alice (DVD)
Resistance Is Futile
Precious and Grace