Imagine by Jonah Lehrer.

The subtitle of this book is “How creativity works.” It offers an interesting discussion about creativity. 

Two things in particular stood out for me:

·         We benefit from immigration. Where 1% of the population of a society is made up of immigrants, that society secures 15% more patents for new inventions than a society devoid of immigrants. Is this because the type of person who opts to migrate is more imaginative? Or that the stress of migration makes people more creative?

·         Weak but extensive networks lead to more creativity.  Weak networks are defined as groups of people who interact, and though they may be positive about each other, they’re not all that intimate.  It’s the broadness of the network that counts. This rather coincides with my notion that you don’t have to just be good at your art but you also have to network to become known and therefore paid for your work.  

There are many other fascinating ideas in the book and it is extremely easy to read. It is detailed and it invites you to change the way you think but it’s not at all dry or dull.    

Wakenhyrst by Michelle Paver

This month I’m recommending Wakenhyrst by Michelle Paver. Find more details here. I borrowed this book as a brand new title form the library.  

This is described as a Gothic novel and certainly there are Gothic tropes in it. Protagonist Maud tells the story of her father who feels threatened by demons. It is not too Gothic, in my opinion, though, and can be enjoyed by readers who are not keen on Gothic texts. We can assign her father’s fears of demons to his failing mental health. Indeed, he is institutionalised.  Throughout the novel he dislikes and distrusts the fens. 

Maud, however, loves the fens and manages to stop the one near their home from being drained.

Our protagonist’s life is not happy. She suffers badly from eczema.  She is plain perhaps even  ugly. Her father is mentally cruel to her. He is a misogynist. She falls in love inappropriately.  She is not good at mixing with people. 

There is a love interest and there must have been some sex because there are some pregnancies but this is all very much in the background.  The story is somewhere else. This makes a refreshing change. 

Michelle Paver’s writing is engaging throughout. She creates a vivid atmosphere. The text borders on the literary.    

Manchester Happened by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi

I do keep buying books.

The one I’m recommending this month I bought at one of a series of talks organised by the Portico Library in Manchester,  Rewriting the North.

Makumbi is Ugandan and has a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Lancaster.  

It appealed for two reasons:

1. Much of it relates to Manchester and I live in Greater Manchester.  
2. I’m a fan of short stories anyway. These I find excellently crafted and nicely unpredictable.

To boot, this is a gorgeous hardback.

Sadly I have no more shelf room for it so I’ll be depositing it at the Book Nest in the Millgate Centre in Bury in the next few days.   

Click on image to view on Amazon. 

Jiddy Vardy by Ruth Estevez

 click on image to see on Amazon

I’ve read three books by Ruth Estevez recently and enjoyed them all but this, her latest, is fabulous.

Jiddy Vardy is an extraordinary young woman, living in a world that is dangerous and exciting. She is later introduced to another world, a world that is her birth right, and she finds herself conflicted. 

Is it a young adult book or one written for adults? Certainly Jiddy is a young person who encounters many of the dilemmas facing young people even today. She experiences her first kiss. She is kissed by another man but this second lover doesn’t come up to expectations. The ending is upbeat but open, so typical of a young adult text. Yet the novel would also be very appealing to adults.   

This is arguably also an historical novel. Estevez creates a convincing setting and makes good use of the senses to pull us right into the story. 

Estevez’s prose style is very evocative, making the novel an excellent read.  

Today’s Specials – A Selection of Literary Delights by Oldham Writing Café

This anthology is produced by the writing group that call themselves the Oldham Writing Café. They meet twice a month in Oldham.  See their Facebook page here .

As a publisher who produces anthologies I know how difficult it can be putting together a cohesive book where every piece pleases the reader. This can be even more difficult when it is a collection by diverse connected writers rather than something where all pieces revolve around a central theme.

However, this one succeeds in keeping the reader engaged throughout. Whilst I liked some pieces more than others there was nothing I disliked and I enjoyed reading some fine writing.

The stories and poems are grouped in to Starters, Main Courses and Deserts. The final section of the book is called Speciality Coffees and gives information about the writers and the group. This section also includes acknowledgements.    

Worth a look.