'Long Song' by Andrea Levy

 “You do not know me yet but I am the narrator of this work. As your storyteller, I am to convey that this tale is set in Jamaica during the last turbulent years of slavery and the early years of freedom that followed.”

Our elderly narrator Miss July, is writing her previously untold story of her life as a young slave in a Jamaica on the brink of utter chaos. Her often tragic story is mediated by her son Thomas, a printer who is encouraging...  More details.

'Mr Rosenblum's List ' by Natasha Solomons

Jack Rosenblum is five foot three and a half inches of sheer tenacity. Through study and application he intends to become a Very English Gentleman. Jack is compiling a list, a comprehensive guide to the manners, customs and habits of his new home. And he never speaks German, apart from the occasional curse. Assimilation, he's convinced, is the secret of success.But the war's been over for eight years and despite his best efforts, his bid to blend...  More details.

'Juliet, Naked' by Nick Hornby

Annie and Duncan are a mid-thirties couple who have reached a fork in the road, realising their shared interest in the reclusive musician Tucker Crowe (in Duncan's case, an obsession as well as an academic career) is not enough to hold them together any more. When Annie hates Tucker's 'new release', a terrible demo of his most famous album, it's the last straw - Duncan cheats on her and she promptly chucks him. Via an internet discussion forum,...  More details.