Oranges are not the only fruit (Jeanette Winterson).
I really don’t know what to say about this book. The short of it is that it is an autobiographical telling of the author adolescence in a strict working class, Pentecostal family in the Midlands and her personal relationship with God whilst coming to term with her sexuality and the collision course this brings her with her mother. And I mean strict. Really strict.
It’s not my favourite book ever, BUT I really enjoyed reading and it was fascinating and beautifully written. I think it doesn’t take a genius to read the hurt and confusion and turmoil imbued between the, at time very funny, lines. This book runs seriously deep and that is the brilliancy of the writing, sometimes you look up from the page and find yourself breathing out slowly staring at the wall…
I’m not sure entirely what the mythological spin off here and there were all about, but they added and almost mystical element of escapism from the story… and they didn’t feel entirely out of place.
This is my first JW book and it definitively left me wanting for more… this 48 years of book idea is leaving me with a depressingly long spin off list of books that I’ll never finish in a lifetime…
Sigh…
2018 Mr Hanckock and the mermaid
2017 – Magari domain resto (Lorenzo Maroni)
2016 – Upstream (Mary Oliver)
2015
2014 – Annihilation (Jeff VanderMeer)
2013 – Careless people (Sarah Churchwell)
2012 – Wonder
2011 – The Paris Wife (Paula McLain)
2010
2009 – Let the great world spin (Colum McCann)
2008 – The White Tiger (Aravind Adiga)
2007
2006
2005 – Never let me go (Kazuo Ishiguro)
2004
2003
2002 – Everything is illuminated (Jonathan Safran Foer)
2001 – American Gods (Nail Gainman)
2000 – Coram Boy (Jamila Gavin)
1999
1998
1997 – Paradise (Toni Morrison)
1996 – Wilfred and Eileen (Jonathan Smith)
1995
1994
1993
1992
1991- Regeneration (Pat Barker)
1990
1989
1988
1987 – Norwegian Wood (Haruki Murakami)
1986
1985 – Oranges are not the only fruit (Jeanette Winterson)
1984
1983 – Heartburn (Nora Ephron)
1982
1981
1980
1979
1978
1977
1976
1975
1974
1973
1972
1971
1970
while you're ahead... 