Saturday 17 December 2011

Damage

There's only so much self-improvement a girl can take.  It was time for a break from Middlemarch and Colloquial Italian.  I really needed a damned good read.

The road to hell (and heaven) is paved with book recommendations.  I suspected The Guardian's Books of the Year to be a little too highbrow for my current purpose, so I turned to my Open University friend Cathy and her blog Cathyreadsbooks for inspiration.  I've never met Cathy, but from what I know of her writing and her blog I feel that we're on the same wavelength.  What's more, I think she knows a good read when she sees one.  So when she said that Damage by Josephine Hart was one of her favourites, I knew it was worth a try.

I wasn't disappointed.  A successful middle-aged man has an affair. But this is no ordinary affair; it's obsessive, all-consuming and the woman in question is his son's girlfriend. It's shocking and horribly compelling.  I'd forgotten that guilty pleasure of devouring a book in one sitting, so thank you Cathy for reminding me.

6 comments:

  1. Have finally caught up with your blog Karen and as usual you've inspired me. I think I'll have to read this one.

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  2. Hey Mari, good to hear from you. Happy reading!

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  3. Sounds like another good Cathy recommend. Isn't it great to sit and devour a book... if only I had the time right now!

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  4. I'm finding a surprising amount of reading time at the moment. I think it must be Christmas denial!

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  5. 'Damage' was a strange one for me. Read it in two goes so you're right it's compelling but I didn't enjoy it. Usually if I don't enjoy a book it doesn't get finished. Odd one for me but glad you recommended it.

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  6. I wonder if it's one of those books you either love or hate?

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