Irish Girls About Town (by Maeve Binchy and others(

I picked this up second-hand, spotting the name of Maeve Binchy and thinking it might be a collection of her short stories which I had not previously read.

'Irish Girls About Town' turned out to be short stories by sixteen different authors, all of them Irish women. It was originally sold in aid of Barnardo's. Not a collection to be read at one sitting, but easy enough over a few evenings to settle down and read one or two at a time.

I found the writing quality very mixed. I thoroughly enjoyed the one story by Maeve Binchy, which turned out to be a sort of epilogue to her novel 'Evening Class', which I recently re-read. There were two or three other stories which I felt were well worth reading too. But equally there were three or four which seemed to have little substance: the kind of story I would expect in a garish teenage magazine, the most basic 'girl meets boy and ends up in bed with him' type, with little characterisation and no depth at all.

The rest were of varying quality and interest. Some were predictable but pleasant enough, some were a little bizarre. A day after finishing the book, none of them is particularly memorable. Even glancing down the list of titles, I can only recall about half of them.

Still, it was a pleasant enough diversion for a few evenings, with one or two gems. I'm glad I didn't buy it new (even though Barnardo's would have benefitted if I had) but am pleased to have read Maeve Binchy's.

A Charmed Life (by Francis Bridger)

The Christian world is rather divided, it seems - not on the ancient differences of worship styles, or doctrinal points, but on whether or not the Harry Potter phenomenon is a Bad Thing.

Personally - having read the first book before the controversy arose - I think they're excellent children's stories, with positive messages about loyalty and sacrificial love. The 'magic' in them isn't meant to be taken seriously, it's just a gimmick, an innate gift that has to be trained. It - like any power or gift - can be used for good or for evil.

And so Harry and friends learn, at Hogwarts School, to use their abilities wisely. Like any boarding school series, there are good guys and bad, minor jealousies and friendships. There are also epic struggles of good vs evil which aren't so common in typical boarding school stories - hence, perhaps, the overriding popularity of the series.

This particular book, 'A Charmed Life' by pastor and theologian Francis Bridger, is full of wisdom and insight. He, too, sees the positive side of the Harry Potter books - or Potterworld, as he calls it - in the traits of the heroes, in the clear-cut morality of the books, the role models of the teachers, and the way our eyes are opened to see beyond what is right in front of us.

He believes it's not just wrong but actually quite dangerous to condemn these books; instead, he invites Christians to enjoy them, to engage in discussion about them, to see the overriding positive messages within them and to encourage others to think beyond the strict boundaries of science.

I didn't just like this because I happen to agree with the author's stance: I thought it was well-written, with a little humour now and then. It's well-structured too, examining in just five main chapters, the creation of the books themselves, the attraction of Potterworld, its moral universe, its theology, and finally its metaphysics.

Thought-provoking and interesting from a Christian perspective, worth reading by anyone wondering what the controversy is all about. Very highly recommended.

Belgravia (by Charlotte Bingham)

'Belgravia' is one of the earlier novels by Charlotte Bingham, one which I first read about seven or eight years ago and re-read recently. It primarily features two girls: Georgiana and Jenny. Georgiana is slim, attractive, and belongs to the upper class, although her parents are very poor and her ancestral home crumbling. Jennifer is plain, overweight and middle class, and has a pushy mother who wants her daughter to marry into the upper classes. Georgiana is rather manipulative, Jenny is delightfully shy and a little naive. Much of the novel pokes satirical fun at their friends and acquaintances, particularly Jenny's appalling mother.

But there's a more serious side too. Georgiana's childhood was spartan and unloving, with parents who ignored her and a nanny who kept telling her how privileged she was. Privilege appeared to mean that she ate one piece of dry toast for tea while the 'unfortunate' children on the estate had thick buttered toast and home-baked cakes. They played games outside, she stayed indoors on her own.

Jennifer is welcomed into debutante circles, since her unattractiveness makes the other girls stand out more. Georgiana is less popular. Yet they form a surprising friendship as their lives overlap.

There are rather too many characters for my tastes, but then I'm easily confused. Some of them were very caricatured, but I suppose that made them easier to remember. Nevertheless it was a very readable and mostly enjoyable light novel with considerably more depth than chick-lit.

The Warden (by Anthony Trollope)

I quite like classic fiction, and have had some Anthony Trollope novels on my shelves for some years now, but have never got around to reading them. Recently we borrowed the BBC 'Barchester Chronicles' DVD set, and having thoroughly enjoyed it, thought I'd read some of the original.

'The Warden' is the first volume in a series of six novels, each of which is complete in itself. This one features Mr Harding, the slightly too-good-to-be-true warden of a charity hospital. He's a humble, friendly, caring man with a tremendous gift for music. However he has little business sense, and has never realised that his salary is perhaps more than was intended by the original donor of the hospital, while the 12 lifetime residents receive only a small amount. Not that they need any more - they're housed, and well-fed, and looked after.

However Mr Bold, a local reformer, feels that justice should be done. So he launches a campaign to increase the income of the residents, despite being a great admirer of Mr Harding, and potential suitor for Mr Harding's daughter Eleanor.

The book follows the feelings of those concerned, which include Mr Harding's son-in-law the Archdeacon, and a rather vague politician. They're all rather caricatured, but none the worse for that since this book is intended to be something of a humorous satire while making important points. Mr Harding is naturally the hero, but Mr Bold is far from being a villain. The conclusion is perhaps inevitable, and quite satisfactory, and didn't leave me feeling the need to read further - much better than leaving a cliffhanger.

On the other hand, I found the book decidedly long-winded. Once Trollope starts to make a point - often quite amusing - he seems to continue it on for two or three pages, by which time I found myself either losing his train of thought, or nodding off to sleep. I didn't dislike it - I kept reading, but somehow couldn't manage more than a chapter or two at a time, so despite having only a little over 300 pages, it took me well over two weeks to complete.

In conclusion, it's one of the few books I've read where I actually consider the TV version to be much more interesting!

The Inner Voice of Love (by Henri Nouwen)

'The Inner Voice of Love' is a book of reflections by Henri Nouwen, a Roman Catholic priest who died just over 10 years ago. It was originally written as a private journal when he was going through a difficult period, struggling with loneliness and depression. Some time later, friends persuaded him to have them published to help others who might be going through similar problems.

It's an honest account, as the author considers his needs and values, and the way he sought to meet them without necessarily considering God. The introduction warns that it's not a book to read straight through, and that not everything will apply to all readers. Instead, it recommends looking at the titles of each reflection and choosing those which seem appropriate. However I decided to read a few a day for a week or two; it's not a long book (just under 100 pages) and I thought the progression might tell something of a story, as the author comes to grips with what's haunting him and moves forward.

I found it quite readable, but nothing special. Maybe if I were going through depression myself it might have been more meaningful, but much of what he says seems quite basic. It was a pleasant enough book, with some good insights, but I'm not sure I'll read it again.

Panic Attacks (by Christine Ingham)

I've never before heard of Christine Ingram, and am not entirely sure where this book came from - perhaps an inexpensive bookshop in the UK, since I do tend to pick up interesting-looking books about various health problems.

I thought it an excellent overview of what panic attacks are, with clear explanations and examples. The book tells us what they are, what might cause them, and how to deal with them.

A very reassuring book, full of useful advice. If you ever think you - or anyone you know - might have suffered a panic attack, I would highly recommend this book. Even if you haven't, it's useful to know what they are.