Autobiographical works seem to be the flavour of the week this week, because we have three of them, but they’re all very different beasts – from the political memoirs of Christine Todd Whitman – Administrator of the EPA under George W Bush and first female Governor of New Jersey – through Liz Smith’s “slightly batty but utterly lovely” (to quote Gay Times’ review) autobiography to Steven Berkoff’s compelling memories of his formative years in London’s East End. As the icing on the cake we have a collection of short stories by West Country author Tom Vowler and an intriguing-sounding novel, with an interesting provenance, which boasts one of the most beautiful websites on the internet.
Monday: On the eve of Election Day, Jackie considers the prescience of Christine Todd Whitman’s memoir: It’s My Party Too.
Tuesday: Lisa is heartened by the strange bleakness of Tom Vowler’s short story collection The Method and Other Stories.
Wednesday: Our Nikki is enchanted by Liz Smith’s Our Betty.
Thursday: Anne plunges with glee into the passions, poisons and plants of Maryrose Wood’s The Poison Diaries.
Friday: After a slightly dodgy start, Moira unexpectedly finds herself warming to Steven Berkoff and his Diary of a Juvenile Delinquent.
(Bookshelf image is courtesy of anyjazz65 on Flickr and reproduced under a Creative Commons Licence.)
I think “slightly batty but utterly lovely” is a wonderful quote for Our Betty, thank you Gay Times!
I like that little orange owl on the bookshelf in the pic. I’m trying to discern his personality by staring at it.