Marzahn is a suburb of prefab GDR housing on the outskirts of Berlin. This odd but brilliant book, about a chiropodist who talks to her clients, is both memoir and portrait of modern Germany... read more
The Baburnama for children - a memoir of adventure, fame and all the trappings of a princely existence, yet combined with an exemplary life of the mind, and a powerful curiosity about the wo... read more
The first work of non-fiction by a very fine novelist ('The Western Wind', 'All is Song', etc) is lit with her characteristic intelligence and clarity of expression. Distilled bleakness.
Sands, the overloaded former editor of the Today programme, visited ten monasteries around the world hoping to understand what they have in common and how monastic life might help her in her... read more