june 2026 books...

Serious Concerns (Wendy Cope): More early morning poetry. I hadn’t really come across much of Cope’s work (this collection first published in 1992, when she was in her late 40s). She’s a very amusing writer (and reminded me of Brian Bilston’s poems), but I also (rightly or wrongly) detected a sense of sadness and frustration in some of her poems. A very different kind of poetry to the stuff I usually read, but very enjoyable nevertheless.
The Overhaul (Kathleen Jamie): Another early morning book of poetry (well, that’s when I read ‘my’ poetry)… this time borrowed from the library. I’d never come across Jamie before (she was Scotland’s fourth ‘Makar’ poet, 2021-24). It deals with a whole mix of things, such as: ‘aspects of the world our rushing lives elide, and even threaten’ (as described on the book’s cover). Nature is a frequent feature of her work, but she also touches on difficult personal challenges we all face in our own lives (it’s a ‘mid-life book of repair, restitution, and ultimately hope – of the wisest and most worldly kind’). I enjoyed its simplicity and its querying nature (despite me occasionally failing to understand some of the Scottish vernacular!). 
We Solve Murders (Richard Osman): There’s part of me that always feels guilty about buying books by an author who already has ‘shedloads’ of money, rather than novels by a writer who really needs support and encouragement… but hey. This is a (slight) departure from Osman’s ‘Thursday Murder Club’ adventures – featuring a retired, ex-police officer who loves the pub quiz and afternoons at home; his daughter-in-law who is a private security officer to billionaires; and one of her clients (a world-famous author who currently lives on a remote island). The story is all very ridiculously complicated – hired killers hired to kill other hired killers, money-laundering (involving massive sums), influencers, extortion, protection rackets – you get the general idea! As ever with Osman’s books, it’s incredibly ‘readable’… with brilliant characters, lots of humour and very clever storylines (actually a bit too clever for my liking at times, but…). Very enjoyable (predictably!).    
The Employees (Olga Ravn): This is our next Storysmith bookgroup selection (theme: epistolary novels). This short, strange, beautiful and moving novel (just 130-odd pages) was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize. It’s set in a workplace – a spaceship (‘Six-Thousand Ship’) sometime in the 22^nd century. The crew is made up of both humans and humanoids. The spaceship never sees light of day. A number of strange objects from a newly-discovered planet have been introduced and these have a produced a feeling of yearning from the crew (both humans+humanoids). The Board of Directors is keen to learn more and so instructs a commission to interview each of the employees. The book comprises page after page of their numbered ‘Statements’, compiled over a period of 18 months. A whole mix of things (all occurring in the context of work): nature+loss of humanity; identity; social relations; passage of time to suggest just a few. It took me some time to ‘get into’ the book (and, even now, after a second reading of it, I’m still trying to come to terms with this weirdly wonderful, haunting novel)… but I’ve enjoyed the journey.
The Place Of Tides (James Rebanks): This is a beautiful, extraordinary book. Rebanks is a Cumbrian sheep farmer (and an excellent writer - I’d previously read a couple of his books) but, years ago, he’d visited remote Norwegian island, where he’d met a woman, Anna, who made a living caring for wild Eider ducks and gathering their down. Some 10 years later(?), he wrote to ask if he could visit her again. She told him to come quickly as she was in failing health (she was now in her 70s… and it was to be her last winter on the island). The book tells the story of this second encounter with this remarkable woman… about how they (and an old female friend of Anna’s) work together – under Anna’s strict orders – clearing storm damage, making repairs and building nests for the ducks’ annual Springtime reappearance… and about their conversations and reflections. It’s a wonderful, moving story about a wise, indomitable woman and her legacy (‘seeing the world through her eyes’)… but it also serves as an opportunity for Rebanks to ponder, re-charge and re-assess his own life and hopes.