Carmel Bird - Books At The Beach House

Books At The Beach House

This piece is my response to a request for a list of books I might hope to discover at a rented beach house.

I hope that this beach house belongs to a reviewer who leaves in the bookshelf copies of some of the latest books. So what is there is:

'Anil's Ghost' by Michael Ondaatji

I have read really conflicting reviews of this novel, and I think I would probably like it. Also one friend enjoyed it, and another didn't.

I was fascinated by 'The English Patient', and I am very interested in the poetic structure of Michael Ondaatji's work.

'Dark Palace' by Frank Moorhouse

This is a sequel to 'Grand Days' which is a novel I really enjoyed. 'Dark Palace' is new, and the jacket image is stunning. I am always affected by the covers of books. This one has on it a painting by John Collier, 'The Priestess of Delphi'. A mysterious woman in deep red sits on a tall stool which has the golden claws of an animal as its feet. The woman is holding in one hand a flat bowl, and in the other a branch from an olive tree. The atmosphere is very seductive and also threatening, promising terrible and brilliant events.

'Aiding and Abetting' is a new novel by Muriel Spark whose work I nearly always like. This novel was apparently inspired by the case of Lord Lucan who disappeared after the nanny of his children had been muredered. He has never been found. So I'd like to see what Muriel Spark does with this story.

'Love etc' by Julian Barnes. The jacket of this novel is also very inviting, with large images of shoes on it. The novel follows on from 'Talking it Over' which I really liked, and so I am keen to read it. The same four characters appear in both books, and they each speak directly to the reader in a particularly intimte and laid back way.

'Rimbaud' by Graham Robb is a new biography of the French poet. I love the poetry of Rimbaud, and the story of his life is very fascinating. I've never read a full biogaphy of him, so this would be a treat.

'Teresa of Avila' by Cathleen Medwick. I have read several biographies of this saint who is one of the most interesting people ever, I think. She lived during my favouite century (16th) in my favourite place (Spain) and I'd love to revisit her life through the work of yet another writer.

'The Blind Assassin' by Margaret Atwood. I admire Margaret Atwood's prose so much, and the plot and structure are sure to be fascinating. I belive the main character of this novel dies in the opening paragraph, and that's always good.

I'd also like to read Stephen King's new book 'On Writing'. There's an earlier book of his on the subject, called 'Bare Bones' which is quite an inspiration. So I'd love to read the new one at the beach house.

And there's a new novel by Fay Weldon whose work I enjoy very much. This is 'Rhode Island Blues'.