NotQuitePatrick

The Old Man and The Monkey is a charming little fable with a deep message. It's beautifully written and has a universal appeal, regardless of your age or cultural background. Like many small books, less is most definitely more!

Mo Foster's 'A Blues For Shindig' is a must read. Refreshingly original and written with an ascerbic wit, Foster's portrayal of Soho's underworld of the fifties is a joy to read and just as relevant today. The story is narrated by the feisty Shindig who seems to attract colourful characters of every ilk, be it spivs, queens or black American heroin addicts. Shindig soon finds her life going into freefall but the writing is always upbeat and edgy. Shindig will always come up smelling of - well, Guinness, more than likely

Uneasy Rider relays the adventures of Allie and her Other Half Harry, otherwise known as OH, as they travel across Europe in a camper van. But be warned, Allie and OH are a driving disaster area. You name it and it has happened to them: be it storms and wrestling with awning poles in Niederbrun, engines blowing up on Alpine passes, being robbed in Italy twice and their van hanging over a cliff at Monserrat to name a few (but better this than stay in the creepy old pension with the rusting key!). Allie’s quirky humour always shines through, in spite of or because of the mishaps that befall them, and for anybody who’s ever experienced the less-than-perfect holiday – that’s most of us – you will find yourselves identifying and laughing along with Our Heroine. This is the sort of adventure best enjoyed vicariously or at least long after the events!

A superbly written black comedy with a barrel of laughs. There’s even a Derry Speak glossary which you’ll soon discard once the dialect gets under your skin. An Embarrassment of Riches is deftly plotted, with twists and turns and ironies especially where the feisty Dymphna’s pregnancy is concerned, and the scene where she and Rory are talking across purposes in the ChipKebab will have you in stitches. Meanwhile, Fionnula’s youngest daughter, Siofra, may only be eight years old but she has learned a scam or two along the way. She wants the Maria Theresa dress, the parasol and the tiara with lights on for her First Communion and nothing is going to stop her. With this gritty book you are in for a hoot and a ride as bumpy as mother-in-law Eda’s stairlift. But be warned, there are moments of tragicomedy where you least expect them.Highly recommended

This life-affirming book has something for everyone. It describes the author's own spiritual journey, through various 'layers of the heart' in all its facets. It's a book with an important message and universal truths, while the beauty of the narrative is that it's delivered in a warm-hearted and accessible way. One to keep on your bedside table!

Sticks and Stones is very readable and accessible, written with a warmth and passion. Butterfield takes us on a personal journey from his humble beginnings in the north east and charts the significant events in his early life which set him on a career in the mental health field and also provide the trigger for his own depression. Butterfield is a professional writing from the heart and is a tireless campaigner, raising awareness in schools to destigmatize mental health problems.Thoroughly recommended

Gerald Hansen hits the jackpot again with another outstanding piece of black comedy genius, delivered in his own unique style. This is the follow up to An Embarrassment of Riches. The legendary Fionnuala Flood and her extended family once more emblazon every page with their misguided antics and comedy of errors. Right from the off we know we're in for an explosive ride when we learn that tins of knock-off vegetables are actually filled with Semtex. Hansen not only has a rare talent for witty and razor-sharp characterization, he also writes for the ear - I feel I could almost pass for a native of Derry, if I wasn't so heart-feared, so am are! Above all, Hansen is a master of plot. No scene is wasted. Misunderstandings, crossed wires and bawdy frolics abound as Fionnuala takes stock of her lot at the age of forty-five and her futile attempts to raise money for the trip abroad to wreak revenge on her daughter, Moira, come to grief. Meanwhile, husband Paddy is up to no good with fellow Polish worker at the Fillet O Fish factory and Dymphna's lot is a sorry one - up the duff again and estranged from her Proddy husband Rory who her best friend has her eyes on. Youngest daughter Siofra, too - ever her mother's daughter - is carrying on the religious divisions in Derry single-handedly. Well, almost.I won't give away any more of this story, but it will have you in stitches. Watch out especially for the jaw-droppingly funny chapter featuring a Rubick's cube.A must read