Dick Francis crossfire

The latest Dick Francis book is entitled Crossfireand is another galloping read. This is the first time I haven't bought his book in hardcover hot off the press (sorry to all the friends that always borrowed my copy). But I was traveling and couldn't resist an engrossing read on the airplane. I have a very long history of reading either Terry Pratchett or Dick Francis on transatlantic flights! Thank heavens they have produced many books! Mr Francis died earlier this year, but one of his sons has been writing with him for some time, and researching for even longer. I have thought it a fairly smooth transition.
Every book has been about some element of British horse racing. In this one a soldier returns home to his mothers stables wounded from the war in Afghanistan. There have been a number of irregularities with her horses and he sets about investigating. It was perhaps more formulaic than usual, you know what to expect in many of his books, but he still enters into the English subconscious with startling accuracy. The war, plight of soldiers, life of the stable, the economy and social order are all taken to task, revealing rather unpleasant truths.
I will look forward to Felix Francis' continuation, in his own right. In fact waiting for the next book, next year is going to be hard.

Beverly Nichols

Rhapsody in Green: The Garden wit and wisdom of Beverly Nichols ed. by Roy C Dicks. (2009)


"Welcome hilarity to the all-too-serious literature of gardening" NYTimes.
"Master of hyperbolic understatement"
Pen and Ink Drawings by William McLaren (these are a charming part of the book!)

"One doesn't read gardening advertisements in moments of cooler judgment. One reads them in an ecstasy of unquestioning faith. That is why everybody should buy shares in seed firms."

This book is TOO short! 128 pages of delight, of memories, of enchanting descriptions laced with wry wit. You keep turning the pages for the plant details, the lovely word photographs and the skewered individuals/gardeners!
I have to email quotes to various people: for the heathers, the white garden, the critics, Chelsea, cyclamen, bulbs, ....the list becomes dozens of people!