Dear Mrs. Bird by AJ Pearce

DEAR MRS. BIRD by AJ Pearce is a new favorite for me, for LibraryReads reviewers and for Amazon which named it an Amazon Best book for July 2018.  This work of historical fiction – set in 1940’s London – is thoroughly charming and certainly heartwarming.  Emmeline Lake is a young woman with hopes of becoming a War Correspondent, leading her to take an entry level job in publishing which surprisingly involves sorting through letters asking for help. The set-in-her-ways advice columnist, Mrs. Henrietta Bird, has strict rules about ignoring any Unpleasantness so numerous letters involving Affairs, the Change, and possible Pregnancies go unanswered in the Woman’s Friend publication. Young Emmy is moved by the letter writers and secretly begins to respond. Simultaneously, Emmy volunteers some evenings at the local fire station and Pearce thereby recounts the horrific impact of the Nazi bombing raids on London. There’s an element of chaste romance, too, for both Emmy and her best friend, Bunty, and their heroic beaus. Introspective and observant, Emmy is a spirited character, somehow both wise and naïve, who often needs to “be British and be brave.” The Guardian’s review calls DEAR MRS. BIRD “as hilarious as it is moving” and, like AJ Pearce, acknowledges the contributions made by women and girls during wartime. Definitely look for the debut novel if you enjoyed titles like Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand or The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.  

The Great American Read ... watch tonight

 

 

Will you be watching the start of The Great American Read tonight on PBS’ WTTW at 8pm? Here’s the list of America’s 100 most loved books, complete with cover art for each. Many of these should look familiar, especially to our students who are assigned to read several of the titles for English classes. The Great American Read program is designed to promote reading and encourage discussion of favorite books. In addition you will be able to vote your favorite between now and October 18; more information is here. And the trailer about the program appears below.

More Mysteries ...

Regular readers know that I often pick up a mystery story for light entertainment and they will not be surprised to see that I have been reading a couple over the past month.  Murder at the Manor is a collection of classic short stories edited by Martin Edwards and published by Poisoned Pen Press.  While I often enjoy their publications (see A Specter of Justice), I was anticipating some delicious Gosford Park atmosphere along with the suspense, but this set of British crime classics did not provide quite enough for me.  Perhaps it was the length of each story or the more stilted language from another era? And for something much lighter than even I normally choose, I also read The Big Brush-Off by Michael Murphy and found it to be an entertaining, quick read.  The main character, Jake Donovan, is a detective turned writer (in the Dashiell Hammett style) whose alter ego, Blackie Doyle, also features in the story. Jake and his movie star wife, Laura Wilson, head to Pennsylvania and become embroiled in an unsolved murder. As part of a series set in the 1930s and available as eBooks, The Big Brush-Off is a fun romp with a simultaneously tough and tender, likeable detective duo.  

If you are looking for a mystery to read, check out the recent "top 10" Library Reads recommendations, several of which have been previously reviewed on this blog: As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust, The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches, Murder of Magpies, and How the Light Gets In or other titles by Louise Penny.  Enjoy Sleuthing!