Page 71 - Phonebox Magazine April 2011

Book Review
By Oxfam Bookshop, Olney Walking on Dry Land by Denis Kehoe
Ana knows little about her birth mother, other than her name, Solange and the fact that she gave Ana away to be brought up by her natural father and his wife, Helena. When Helena dies, Ana resolves to return to Luanda in Angola, where she was born, both to visit her brother Tiago, and also to find her mother and discover why she gave her daughter away.
She has a photograph, found in her father’s belongings when she was a teenager; it is of two women, but which – if either – is her mother? With this as her only clue, she makes the long journey from her adopted home in Dublin, knowing that Luanda is the only place to begin her search, even though Solange might no longer be there.
The narrative switches between Ana’s search and Helena and Jose’s relationship, beginning with their first meeting in a café in 1960s Lisbon, enabling the reader to form their own opinion of the couple who brought Ana up. it reveals incidents not known to Ana, knowledge of which might have enabled her better to understand and so forgive them both for keeping secrets from her.
This is a gentle, sensitive novel revealing the frailties of human nature, and the misunderstanding which can arise in any family. The title is taken from one of Ana’s favourite childhood stories, ‘The little mermaid’, a mythical sea creature who was prepared to give up her voice in order to follow the one she loved, to walk on dry land.
In Her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner
Review by Sandra Metcalf
Review by Thelma Shacklady
Rose is a successful attorney but her personal life has been on hold for so long that she doesn’t have much idea what to do about it. She is very close to, and feels responsible for, her gorgeous younger sister Maggie who drives her crazy with her ability to get whatever and whoever she wants - but seems always to be going nowhere. They have very little in common except a love of shoes and an unhappy childhood.
Jobless and evicted from her apartment Maggie arrives on Rose’s doorstep, treats Rose’s possessions as her own and seduces Rose’s boyfriend. This last proves to be a breaking point for both of them. Having been forced to think of themselves as a unit for most of their lives this betrayal brings to the surface a need to find an individual identity, outface demons and discover what it is they really want. Dyslexic Maggie heads to Princeton and then to Florida to find the Grandmother she has only recently discovered is still alive. Driven, ambitious Rose takes a sabbatical and slowly learns to live her life rather than hide from it.
This could easily have been just another ‘chick-lit’ beach read but is redeemed by its humour and its real sense of lives gone inexplicably wrong. Rose and Maggie are flawed heroines – Rose is overweight and anxious, Maggie is gorgeous but only too conscious that her lack of education means that “somewhere between the ages of fourteen and sixteen she had walked off a cliff and had been falling ever since.” Their story is told with affection for the frailties of both sisters. The family tragedy in their background is not treated lightly and its effect on three generations of people is essential to the whole book, but it is something to be dealt with and from which to move on - this is a novel about people, not issues, an entertaining look at sisterhood and ultimately a story of hope.
TESNO PRESS RELEASE 13 MARCH 2011
“You would expect that this application would have been rejected by now - or at the very least deferred for decision at a later date once the full data had been assembled. The same requests for clarification on certain key information (relating to impacts on highways and traffic, retail on the High Street, and environmental issues for residents) made by TESNO in its deputation to the full Council in February, were raised again by members of the Development Control Committee (DCC) on 9 March, but were still not fully answered. We find it incredible that a decision to grant such a major planning application could be made on the night without conclusive answers to these important questions, and without a site visit which was again requested on more than one occasion on the night. Therefore we feel that due diligence was not applied.
We are left feeling severely let down by Milton Keynes Council - for reasons we cannot understand, but which appear to be more about politics and money, than planning law.
This blot on the Newport Pagnell landscape, a large Superstore being plonked in the middle of an existing residential area within feet of people’s homes is unprecedented. It will be an environmental and highways disaster. Despite overwhelming evidence against, Milton Keynes Council DCC still approved it, by the narrowest margin, the Chair Casting vote, and even then with his apologies on the night, almost to get shut of this unresolved problem, and get rid of us too, as soon as they possibly could. We have been sold down the great River Ouse. This whole episode has created wounds in our community which may take years to heal.
The gloves are now off for our elected representatives to engage in this issue and represent our community to the best of their ability. Thankfully we have some experienced and seasoned Politicians in the Town whom we can trust to take this forward. So let’s see what happens.
This is not finished yet.”
Phonebox Magazine 71
Reviews brought to you by oxfam Books & Music Stanley Court, olney
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The books reviewed above are from Oxfam Books and Music, Olney, which sells donated books, records, CDs, tapes and music to raise money for Oxfam’s work in combating poverty around the world.