BOOK REVIEW Book Review
time of year the section seems to bulge with biographies of singers, celebrities and sports personalities jostling for space on the shelves. Often a snapshot in the paper or a snippet on the radio or TV piques my interest but sometimes it’s those lesser-known characters that catch my attention and have the best story to tell. this month I seem to have landed upon the lives of some
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remarkable, strong and notable women. none are more quirky and eccentric than the Lady in the Van by Alan Bennett (Profile Books). the book has become famous more recently since the release of the film but it was in fact first published in 1989 in the London review of Books. It is a touching account of the irrepressible and cantankerous miss shepherd who lived in a van in alan Bennett’s drive for 15 years between 1974 and 1989. Bennett excels with his innate ability to observe characters without judgement whilst trying to uncover the enigma that was miss shepherd. It’s a book that suits anyone and with less than 100 pages is a perfect stocking filler. In Order to Live: A North Korean Girl’s Journey
to Freedom (Penguin Press) is a very different book by Yeonmi Park. It’s hard to believe that it isn’t fiction as it tells the unbelievable but honest story of the author’s escape from Korea at the age of 13 in 2007. this is a girl who didn’t know what freedom was and only escaped to China for fear of dying of hunger. what’s more she escaped the oppressive regime of north Korea only to enter another living nightmare amongst human traffickers
in China, finally escaping across the Gobi Desert with her mother to south Korea. this is a gripping and eloquently written book and an inspiring read with words wise beyond the author’s age. my last choice is Ferguson’s Gang: the remarkable
story of the national trust Gangsters by Polly Bagnall and Sally Beck (national trust). this is a new bit of history for me but surely worthy of any Downton or agatha Christie plot! It tells the story of Ferguson’s Gang - a mysterious and eccentric group of women who, seeing historic buildings under the threat during the 1920s and 1930s, club together
TRUTH IS STRANGER THAN FICTION
ll the best stories are true” is the motto of the UK’s prestigious Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction. Non-fiction covers a vast range of genres but at this
by Emma Jones
to save the properties by boosting the funds and profile of the national trust. their mysterious gifts and fundraising antics were well publicised if shrouded in mystery, the gang taking on bizarre pseudonyms (such as Bill stickers and red Biddy) and anonymously delivering funds to the trust in unusual ways: Victorian coins inside a fake pineapple and notes stuffed inside a cigar. It’s a great story mixed with pure mystery as many of the group remained anonymous until their deaths. this book reveals for the first time the history and the true identities of this unlikely group of gangsters and I can’t wait to read more. and if all this talk of formidable
women is coming over all a bit too feminist, here’s an idea for all the ‘real men’ in your life - it’s the surprise bestseller of the moment and can’t fail to impress: Norwegian Wood: Chopping, Stacking and Drying Wood the Scandinavian Way by Lars Mytting (macLehose Press). I have to say I’m rather flummoxed by all the attention it’s attracting but then I’m not a real man.
DATE FOR THE DIARY – Sat. 5th
December
Come and celebrate the Community Bookshop’s 4th birthday at 3pm in the Flavel and hear Jonathan Dimbleby talk about his fascinating new book “the Battle of the atlantic.” signed Copies of the book available at the event. tickets £10 from the Flavel. tel: 01803 839530.
New books for adults and children from our community co-operative
Open all year but times vary seasonally 12 Higher Street (opposite The Cherub Inn)
info@dartmouthcommunitybookshop.co.uk www.dartmouthcommunitybookshop.co.uk
01803 839571 69
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