nomadreader

The basics: The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher  is a collection of unrelated short stories. My thoughts: Hilary Mantel is an author who intimidates me. Although many rave about her two most recent novels, Wolf Hall  and Bring Up the Bodies , both of which won the Booker Prize , I don't find myself as drawn to them. Still, I wanted to read Mantel, and her new collection of stories presented the perfect opportunity. The title story and book cover are audacious, and I was eager to dive in. There is no link, thematically or otherwise, to these stories. In that sense, the collection doesn't feel like a collection. If pressed, I wouldn't even guess the same person wrote all of them. As is typical, I enjoyed some more than others. The standout story in this collection is "The Heart Fails Without Warning," which tackles anorexia by examining the perspectives of each member of a family with two daughters, one of whom is anorexic. It's haunting and beautifull...

he Orange Prize, given to a work of fiction written by a woman in English, has announced its 2010 shortlist. It's a British prize, and a novel's eligibility is determined by its British publication date. The official announcement , including two excellent videos of the judges discussing the shortlist are available on its Web site. The shortlist:   The Very Thought of You by Rosie Alison The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver Black Water Rising by Attica Locke Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore The White Woman on the Green Bicycle by Monique Roffey My reactions to the shortlist: It's no surprise to see Wolf Hall on the list, but I am shocked Sarah Waters' Little Stranger did not make the shortlist. I am also surprised The Long Song by Andrea Levy did not make the list, but I'm still waiting on its U.S. release to read it. Three U.S. authors are among the six finalists: Barbara Kingsolver, Attica Locke and Lorrie Moore. The...