reasons friends changed absolute

books:

2 reviews
Clare Dudman

Sceptre, 2005

Complex and satisfying
After the first several pages, I almost gave up. Reading italics seems so gimicky and needless. But no - it's a sly and clever way to make you see the story from two points of view, the doctor's and the patient's. The time period is interesting, the characters are interesting, the plot, while simple enough, has a true feeling. I would slow down, savor this, enjoy.

64 Clarke
Andrew Holmes

Sceptre, 2005

The Absent Child
Patricia Fawcett

Sceptre, 1997

1700
Maureen Waller

Sceptre, 2001

12 Books That Changed the World

3 reviews
Melvyn Bragg

Sceptre, 2007

Books Can and Do Change the World
Melvyn Bragg's "12 Books That Changed the World" is a wonderful read. Within Bragg's title, it is important to that it doesn't say: THE 12 books that changed the world. However, it is certain that the books he quotes would be high up on most lists. His list eclectic and sometimes almost esoteric but includes such tomes as Newton's "Principia", Arkwright's patent for a spinning machine, the ...

Absolute Friends
John Le Carre

Sceptre, 2006

The Accidental Woman

4 reviews
Jonathan Coe

Sceptre, 1995

Funny and moving
A slight but charming novel of ideas, wise and tender, by turns unbearably sad, enviably clever and roar out loud funny, 'The Accidental Woman' is a series of vignettes from the almost tragic life of Maria, an intelligent and lovely young woman who has never been sure what she wanted and to whom as a consequence things just happen at random. This being the case, it isn't as exquisitely structured ...