Another week, another Chinese memoir. But Yiyun Li’s Dear Friend, From My Life I Write to You in Your Life is very different to the Xiaolu Guo book I reviewed a couple of weeks ago. It’s more of a collection of essays than a memoir, and although we actually learn very little about Li’s life, it’s quite a compelling book. You can read my Sunday Times review here
I don’t often gush about a book, but this memoir by Xiaolu Guo – one of Granta’s 2013 Best of Young British Novelists – is terrific. If I ever do choose a book of the year here on this blog, this would be a definite contender. You can read my Sunday Times review here
This week’s review for the Sunday Times is of Isobel Charman’s intriguing book about the founding of London Zoo in the nineteenth century. You can read it here
My latest Sunday Times review is of Tim Harford’s new book, Messy, which argues that we should all allow a bit more messiness into our lives.
Ian Critchley 