Harding's outstanding debut unfurls the history and final thoughts of a dying grandfather surrounded by his family in his New England home. George Washington Crosby repairs clocks for a living and on his deathbed revisits his turbulent childhood as the oldest son of an epileptic smalltime traveling salesman. The descriptions of the father's epilepsy and the cold halo of chemical electricity that encircled him immediately before he was struck by a full seizure are stunning, and the household's sadness permeates the narrative as George returns to more melancholy scenes.
Staying On is a novel by Paul Scott, which was published in 1977 and won the Booker Prize. The novel is notable for its clear prose and evenness of style, the perfect tone of its dialogue, and the sensitivity with which it elucidates the unspoken underside of a marital relationship which has withered on the vine. This tragedy is leavened by the ironies that are thrown up by the clash of British with Indian expectations.
Heat and Dust (1975) is a novel by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala which won the Booker Prize in 1975. The events of the story take place in India, during the periods of the British Raj in the 1920s and the present day of the novel (the 1970s). A young English woman searches for the truth about her great aunt Olivia (1920s).
A master storyteller continues the charming account of his experiences as veterinarian in rural Yorkshire. And although there are more cats and dogs as patients than before, there are plenty of large farm animals to deal with, frequently during the middle of the night. The detailed but succinct descriptions of people, places, and animals are a delight. Herriot's unusual ability to identify individual characters, both human and four-legged, brings them to life--even for the most urban American. The endearing strand weaving all episodes together is the constant devotion of man to animal and animal to man. Chapters are short, the pace is rapid, and the stories are very easy to read.
Cat lovers in particular will cheer this collection of favorite cat tales from Herriot's veterinary practice. Retired after over 50 years in practice, Herriot continues to entertain young and old alike with his storytelling ability. We meet Olly and Ginny, feral kittens who disdained indoor life. Frisks's "spells" were a puzzle until Herriot learned that the cat licked the medicine saucer of its owner, a terminal cancer patient. Oscar, an injured stray was notable for attending public meetings. Moses, a black kitten, joined a litter of pigs and was accepted by the sow.
