Nevermore: Do No Harm, Cashelmara, Wrexford & Sloan

 

Reported by Garry

 

Do No Harm: Stories of Life, Death, and Brain Surgery by is a memoir by Henry Marsh, based on his 30+ years as a leading neurosurgeon. Candid, darkly hilarious, and deeply insightful, Do No Harm lent our reader a much deeper understanding of not only the National Health Service (the UK’s centralized health care system), but of the brain and its incredible intricacies than she previously had. Far from ego-driven and self-congratulatory, Marsh explores not only the successes that he has had, but failures and mistakes made along the way. “Very truthful and very human” is how our reader described this book.  CD 

Cashelmara by Susan Howatch is a historical drama that starts in the late 19^th century and spans three generations of the de Salis family, aristocrats whose fortunes rise and fall with the politics of the time. Our reader says that the writer did a beautiful job of capturing the personalities of the various characters, including the historical slang and personal idiosyncrasies that set them apart from one another, and in particular noted that each character has a distinct “voice” that comes through from the page.  DC

The Wrexford & Sloan Mystery series by Andrea Penrose is a seven book series of regency-era books that are “brain candy” to our reader, but “GREAT brain candy”! Our reader particularly liked the great characters that Penrose has created in these books, and in particular noted that the characters are actually likeable people. The series focuses on Charlotte Sloan and the Earl of Wrexford, who carry on a “will they, won’t they” relationship while together solving murder mysteries that our reader describes as fun and wholly believable.  SC

 

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