Author Archives: drewsmith28

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About drewsmith28

Words, words, words...

The story of a new name by Elena Ferrante (Europa)

Posted on March 24, 2016 by drewsmith28

“In the spring of 1966, Lila in a state of great agitation, entrusted to me a metal box that contained eight notebooks”. NEW readers do not start here. The second part of Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan passionatas is not a sequel, … Continue reading →

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Being mortal by Atul Gawande (Metropolitan)

Posted on March 18, 2016 by drewsmith28

“I learned about a lot of things in medical school, but mortality wasn’t one of them.” ON the surface this is the story of the death of Atul Gawande’s father, who, which makes it the more poignant, was also a … Continue reading →

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My brilliant friend by Elena Ferrante (Europa)

Posted on February 25, 2016 by drewsmith28

“This morning Rino telephoned. I thought he wanted money again and I was ready to say no.” WE start with a mystery, a disappearance. And also a set of family trees, in case you might need to flip back quickly … Continue reading →

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In the cafe of lost youth By Patrick Modiano (MacLehose Press)

Posted on February 18, 2016 by drewsmith28

“Of the two entrances to the cafe, she always used the narrower one, the one they called the shabby door.” CLEVER, this. Modiano drills down into a euro-psyche of paranoia, of living in a world of secret policemen, of secrets … Continue reading →

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The 100 best novels in English by Robert McCrum (Galileo)

Posted on February 5, 2016 by drewsmith28

“The first classic of English literature I remember reading is Animal Farm. I must have been about 11 years old.” THE very first novel, Robert McCrum argues, was a protest by a puritan dissenter written from inside prison, Pilgrim’s Progress, … Continue reading →

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The wallcreeper by Nell Zink (Fourth Estate)

Posted on January 27, 2016 by drewsmith28

“I was looking at the map when Stephen swerved, hit the rock, and occasioned the miscarriage.” A WALLCREEPER is a small, blue grey mountain bird, similar to a nuthatch except it has striking crimson wings which only show in flight. … Continue reading →

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Intermission by Owen Martell (Windmill Books)

Posted on January 18, 2016 by drewsmith28

“It was late in the evening, after dinner and Debby, before Harry got a chance to open the paper.” OWEN Martel told me that Dylan was probably not the greatest Welsh writer called Thomas, but only the second, or perhaps … Continue reading →

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David Bowie’s 100 best reads

Posted on January 13, 2016 by drewsmith28

The late David Bowie was an enthusiastic reader. In 2013, he posted  his 100 favorite reads on his Facebook page. Here it is: Interviews With Francis Bacon by David Sylvester Billy Liar by Keith Waterhouse Room At The Top by … Continue reading →

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The paying guests by Sarah Waters (Virago)

Posted on January 12, 2016 by drewsmith28

“The Barbers had said they would arrive by three. It was like waiting to begin a journey, Frances thought.” SARAH Water’s writing career follows the trusted big crimo formula. She does not have a central hero/ine but her themes are distinct. … Continue reading →

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Into the wild by Jon Krakauer (Pan)

Posted on January 7, 2016 by drewsmith28

“Greetings from Fairbanks. This is the last you shall hear of  me Wayne”. JON Krakauer wrote one of the great Everest books Into Thin Air, which I have not included here because it was written in 1997. This work is … Continue reading →

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