Sandra Selects

If I had to choose one word to describe this novel, I’d say intriguing.  If you want a break from current popular fluff as I did, pick up this  novel, originally published in 1969; a month later, the beautiful,  complicated, intense author committed suicide. Taubes was married to  (and divorced) the famous philosopher Jacob Taubes, who were both  Hungarian, born into the Freudian Viennese milieu, and unconventional in  the extreme. The main characters of the novel are Sophie Blind (not a  subtle reference) and Ezra, her husband, who stand in for Susan and  Jacob. The novel floats from short dream sequences to stark reality,  while the prose is clear and so original. The reader is observing the  world from inside a very complex mind. Sophie has many lovers, and Ezra  doesn’t care as long as he can control her. Their three children are  fun, smart, and know their mother very well. I wonder what it must have  been like to live in such an unusual family. David Rieff wrote a new  introduction to the book; his parents Susan Sontag and Philip Rieff were  close friends of the author's.

I had no idea The Silent Patient was a psychological thriller, but once I  started reading it I couldn’t stop. A famous painter, Alicia, is married to a celebrated photographer, a man she loves wholeheartedly with incredible devotion. One night, Alicia shoots her husband Gabriel five times and then strangely does not utter a single solitary word. Of course, her refusal to acknowledge the brutal act of violence makes her case of great interest to the public. Her fame grows stronger and poor  Alicia is sent to live in a secure institute for criminals. Enter into the story Theo Faber, a psychotherapist who is determined to find a way to work with Alicia. He is convinced that he can get her to speak, where others have failed, and that he will be the one to help Alicia face her demons about the night of the shooting and her motivation for killing her beloved. Theo’s determination to get Alicia to talk and unravel the mystery of the shooting reveals a dark side to his persona. Well-written with twists and turns everywhere, the truth is finally revealed and  yes, it was an unanticipated surprise. 

A wonderful, brightly coloured, large board book featuring the most popular Sesame Street characters. Simple, everyday frustrations combine with ways for children to identify different emotions, and how to deal with them. Another treasure from our friends at Sesame Street. For  pre-schoolers.