BOOK REVIEW
Still Life
Author: Sarah Winman
This is an amazing story spanning a couple of decades in the life of a group of people who all share a love of the beautiful city of Florence.
It all begins with allied troops preparing to enter Florence during WW2 and a young soldier, his superior officer and a lady named Evelyn Skinner.
Evelyn, an Art historian, is travelling to Florence with the sole purpose of liaising with the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives officers in the hope of salvaging paintings from the ruins.
During her journey she meets up with the young soldier along the road and they share his army jeep and their ongoing travels while forming a friendship which lasts a lifetime, albeit a pause in contact for some while.
After the war the story moves to London where the soldier, Ulysses Temper returns to his wife and friends who reside in a local East End pub. We are then introduced to the publican and family and the story continues with a gradual return to Florence by Ulysses and friends.
Evelyn has also returned and relives memories of the time she encountered E.M Forster and a love interest she experienced as a sexagenarian.
Beautifully written and storytelling at its finest, I found it to be the best I have read in a long time.
ROSALIE HOWARTH
Author: Sarah Winman
This is an amazing story spanning a couple of decades in the life of a group of people who all share a love of the beautiful city of Florence.
It all begins with allied troops preparing to enter Florence during WW2 and a young soldier, his superior officer and a lady named Evelyn Skinner.
Evelyn, an Art historian, is travelling to Florence with the sole purpose of liaising with the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives officers in the hope of salvaging paintings from the ruins.
During her journey she meets up with the young soldier along the road and they share his army jeep and their ongoing travels while forming a friendship which lasts a lifetime, albeit a pause in contact for some while.
After the war the story moves to London where the soldier, Ulysses Temper returns to his wife and friends who reside in a local East End pub. We are then introduced to the publican and family and the story continues with a gradual return to Florence by Ulysses and friends.
Evelyn has also returned and relives memories of the time she encountered E.M Forster and a love interest she experienced as a sexagenarian.
Beautifully written and storytelling at its finest, I found it to be the best I have read in a long time.
ROSALIE HOWARTH
