Guests on todays show were Barbara Simpson & Maggie Perkovich.
Books being reviewed were:
Just Henry by Michelle Magorian (author of Goodnight Mr Tom)
Dead Aid by Dambisa Moyo
Say You're one of them by Uwem Akpan
Shakespeare by Bill Bryson
Also we talked about the last of the Richard & Judy shortlisted 10, for the Galaxy Read of the Year Award (Brutal Art by Jesse Kellerman).
I had to talk about this book which is no.1, in the Lovereading top 10: The Golden Pig by the Penny Brothers. A funny detective novel written by 2 new authors, Penny brothers, who write each part alternately. Its about an inept private investigator called Hymie Goldman. Unlike his name, he wasn't jewish, the closest he'd ever come to Judaism was walking past a synogogue in Golders Green. He kept changing his name to repel old creditors but he never forsaw the cockney rhyming-slang potential of his last incarnation - Jackson Pollock!
The synopsis and first page of the book had us all laughing.
Also, I read the synopsis of a March 09 debut book which seemed an interesting read:
Sashenka by Simon Montefiore, a big, sweeping romantic adventure of half a century of turbulent Russian history. The authors ancestors escaped from the Tsarist Empire at the turn of the century and he spent the last ten years researching the Russian archives.
Finished off the show with some 'smart arse answers' 2008. 6th place was:
It was mealtime during a flight on a British Airways plane:
'Would you like dinner?' the flight attendant asked the man seated in the front row.
'What are my choices?' the man asked.
'Yes or no,' she replied.
4th Place
A lady was picking through the frozen turkeys at a branch of Sainsbury's but she couldn't find one big enough for her family.
She asked a passing assistant, 'Do these turkeys get any bigger?'
The assistant replied, 'I'm afraid not, they're dead.'
3rd Place
The policeman got out of his car and approached the boy racer he stopped for speeding.
'I've been waiting for you all day,' the bobby said.
The kid replied, 'Yes, well I got here as fast as I could.'
When the policeman finally stopped laughing, he sent the kid on his way without a ticket
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Michelle Magorian. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query Michelle Magorian. Sort by date Show all posts
Friday, 3 April 2009
Tuesday, 5 June 2012
Michelle Magorian - Just Henry
review by showhost June 2012
Costa Book Award winner 2008 and author of 'Goodnight Mr Tom'. A childrens book but enjoyed by adults like me.
The second world war has ended, Henry's father died a war hero. 14year old Henry lives in a war blitzed London with his mum, his half-sister Molly, his step-father and his gran (his real dads mum). His gran is waited on hand and foot, due to her poor legs, by Henry's mum even though his gran is only 54!
Henry's gran despises little Molly and Henry's step-father and would like nothing better than for just her , Henry and Henry's mum to live together (just her and Henry would be best but then who would wait on her?). According to his gran, everything that is wrong is Henry's step-fathers fault, Henry's step-father is a sissy because he reads, because he studies for an education while he is working on the railways. She warps Henry's mind with her narrow, vindictive views - illigitimate children are a stigma, the son of a deserter should be shunned and hounded, Henry even flunked his '11 plus' exam so his gran wouldn't think he too was a sissy. He doesn't have any friends at school.
Henry's escape from the world is the cinema, he loves going to the cinema. He earns his money from a little part-time job in a shop and his pocket money from his step-father. Some films are 'A' rated which means he needs an adult to escort him in. His usual escort is the son of a neighbour but now that he has stayed in the army he doesn't see him much. He gathers the courage one day to ask a lady whom he has seen quite often on the queue, thus begins his friendship with Mrs Beaumont.
Staying on at school until the age of 15 has just been passed by the government, much to Henrys disappointment, as gran says he don't need school, he just needs a job!
Their new teacher, Mr Finch, begins to inspire Henry and his class. Henry begins to make friends with those he had previously shunned. When he is given a camera to use from Mrs Beaumont, the developed film changes Henrys life as a mystery unfolds.
It's one of those 'feel good' books where everything falls in place, the villains are caught, kindness and love overcome and everyone lives happily ever after. I did enjoy reading this book. It captures the mood of the time with its rationing, prejudices and expectations and a trip down memory lane for those cinema goers of the time.
Costa Book Award winner 2008 and author of 'Goodnight Mr Tom'. A childrens book but enjoyed by adults like me.
The second world war has ended, Henry's father died a war hero. 14year old Henry lives in a war blitzed London with his mum, his half-sister Molly, his step-father and his gran (his real dads mum). His gran is waited on hand and foot, due to her poor legs, by Henry's mum even though his gran is only 54!
Henry's gran despises little Molly and Henry's step-father and would like nothing better than for just her , Henry and Henry's mum to live together (just her and Henry would be best but then who would wait on her?). According to his gran, everything that is wrong is Henry's step-fathers fault, Henry's step-father is a sissy because he reads, because he studies for an education while he is working on the railways. She warps Henry's mind with her narrow, vindictive views - illigitimate children are a stigma, the son of a deserter should be shunned and hounded, Henry even flunked his '11 plus' exam so his gran wouldn't think he too was a sissy. He doesn't have any friends at school.
Henry's escape from the world is the cinema, he loves going to the cinema. He earns his money from a little part-time job in a shop and his pocket money from his step-father. Some films are 'A' rated which means he needs an adult to escort him in. His usual escort is the son of a neighbour but now that he has stayed in the army he doesn't see him much. He gathers the courage one day to ask a lady whom he has seen quite often on the queue, thus begins his friendship with Mrs Beaumont.
Staying on at school until the age of 15 has just been passed by the government, much to Henrys disappointment, as gran says he don't need school, he just needs a job!
Their new teacher, Mr Finch, begins to inspire Henry and his class. Henry begins to make friends with those he had previously shunned. When he is given a camera to use from Mrs Beaumont, the developed film changes Henrys life as a mystery unfolds.
It's one of those 'feel good' books where everything falls in place, the villains are caught, kindness and love overcome and everyone lives happily ever after. I did enjoy reading this book. It captures the mood of the time with its rationing, prejudices and expectations and a trip down memory lane for those cinema goers of the time.
Wednesday, 8 April 2009
Michelle Magorian - Just Henry
Reviewed by Babs Simpson April 2009
Just Henry is the winner of the 2008 Costa Book Awards for best children's book. This author also wrote the brilliant Goodnight Mister Tom, which is what drew me to her latest.
It is set in a seaside town in the 1940's just after the war has ended. Henry lives in fairly poor circumstances with his mother, his step-father and his paternal grandmother. His own father died in the war, a hero who saved another man from death by his courageous actions. Henry has a small step-sister, Molly, who is two years old.
Henry's gran is an evil woman, although he is too naive to realise. She spends her time trying to alienate him from his step-father and young sister as well as poisoning his mind with her bigotry about two of his school class mates, one of whose father is an alleged deserter from the Army and the other illegitimate.
However, an inspirational teacher turns Henry's preconceptions around by forcing him to work on a project with these two boys and he reluctantly comes to the conclusion that whatever their parents have done the boys do not deserve to be stigmatised.
Henry is a devotee of the cinema and goes several times a week to escape the unpleasant atmosphere at home generated by his gran. During one of these visits, while trying to get into an 'A' rated film (children can only see it if accompanied by an adult), he meets a lady, Mrs Beaumont, who shares his passion for films, introduces him to all sorts of interesting people and, most significantly, lends him a camera, which is the catalyst for the rest of the story.
I won't give anymore away apart from saying that everything gets turned on its head, his grandmother is exposed for the vicious bigot she is and Henry ends up in terrible danger.
It is a long book but a real page turner and gives a really good account of life just after the war - everything still on rations the difficulty of obtaining clothes or any other commodity, the bitterness and disgrace that single mothers faced in those days and above all, the terrible effect that one person can have on a family.
I am sure it will appeal to children and adults alike. Henry is a lovely character, very believable and resourceful, his gran is an absolute old cow and the other children in the book very entertaining. I also think it would make a marvellous series or film for tv, just like 'Goodnight Mr Tom' and I think Judi Dench would be brilliant as Mrs Beaumont!"
Just Henry is the winner of the 2008 Costa Book Awards for best children's book. This author also wrote the brilliant Goodnight Mister Tom, which is what drew me to her latest.
It is set in a seaside town in the 1940's just after the war has ended. Henry lives in fairly poor circumstances with his mother, his step-father and his paternal grandmother. His own father died in the war, a hero who saved another man from death by his courageous actions. Henry has a small step-sister, Molly, who is two years old.
Henry's gran is an evil woman, although he is too naive to realise. She spends her time trying to alienate him from his step-father and young sister as well as poisoning his mind with her bigotry about two of his school class mates, one of whose father is an alleged deserter from the Army and the other illegitimate.
However, an inspirational teacher turns Henry's preconceptions around by forcing him to work on a project with these two boys and he reluctantly comes to the conclusion that whatever their parents have done the boys do not deserve to be stigmatised.
Henry is a devotee of the cinema and goes several times a week to escape the unpleasant atmosphere at home generated by his gran. During one of these visits, while trying to get into an 'A' rated film (children can only see it if accompanied by an adult), he meets a lady, Mrs Beaumont, who shares his passion for films, introduces him to all sorts of interesting people and, most significantly, lends him a camera, which is the catalyst for the rest of the story.
I won't give anymore away apart from saying that everything gets turned on its head, his grandmother is exposed for the vicious bigot she is and Henry ends up in terrible danger.
It is a long book but a real page turner and gives a really good account of life just after the war - everything still on rations the difficulty of obtaining clothes or any other commodity, the bitterness and disgrace that single mothers faced in those days and above all, the terrible effect that one person can have on a family.
I am sure it will appeal to children and adults alike. Henry is a lovely character, very believable and resourceful, his gran is an absolute old cow and the other children in the book very entertaining. I also think it would make a marvellous series or film for tv, just like 'Goodnight Mr Tom' and I think Judi Dench would be brilliant as Mrs Beaumont!"
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
