A well written chronicle of a girl's coming of age in Yorkshire in the 1970s. In setting out to identify a serial killer who's murdered many young women, Miv discovers much about her family, neighbors and friends. The characters are well drawn and the pacing is excellent. This is an impressive debut novel which covers a lot of serious topics like racism, domestic violence and depression while also celebrating the bonds of friendship and love.

Audiobook read by the author. I recently read Next of Kin by Gabrielle Hamilton and was curious to read this one. The author skips around a lot in BB&B making it a bit hard to follow. Having read Next of Kin, I had some insight into some topics that are glossed over in BB&B, such as why she didn't talk to her mother for 20 years. This is a well written memoir, both an account of how the author achieved professional success and floundered in her personal relationships, including her marriage.

This is a story of female friendship under the most challenging of circumstances. It is set mostly in the city of Tbilisi in the country of Georgia after the break up of the Soviet Union. There are four friends who come of age during this period and some reunite years later at a photography exhibit featuring the work of one of the friends. The writing is full of details and emotions. The characters suffer through the breakup of Georgian society when crime and corruption are rampant and it touches all of their lives. This was a difficult book to read because of the violence and trauma endured by the characters and their families. It is a very long book, 700 + pages and it was hard for me to pick it up at times. The narrative switches frequently between the past and the present. There is a lot of foreshadowing which I found heavy handed and details are subsequently doled out over the course of the novel. All in all, I found it to be well written but too long.

Audio, read by the author. This is a very interesting overview of Japanese history and culture, presented by a professor of Japanese history. Because I am not good at retaining factual information unless it is in print, I'm not sure how much of the historical information I will remember. I like the way the chapters alternate between historical and cultural topics. I really enjoyed the chapters on arts and culture (poetry, language, gardens, literature, etc.). The author is an expert but is an engaging presenter.

This book was just okay for me, mostly because I don't enjoy reading about characters who lack self awareness. The main character is likeable, but incredibly naive for a grown man. His mother suffocates him and knows no boundaries, ruining his chances for a romantic relationship. He retreats into his job and then his home after he retires. When he is presumed dead, he is able to come to life. This was a heartwarming story with a very predictable ending. The audiobook narrator was good.