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THE BOOK GUY

The Rules of Seeing

(HarperCollins)

Nova has been blind since birth and works as a translator in Scotland Yard. Although fun, gregarious, and very lovable, her only relationship to date has been an on-off thing with an alcoholic girlfriend. Kate, an accomplished architect, is stuck in an abusive marriage with a corrupt copper who’s likely to go off the deep end at any moment. When Nova is offered the opportunity to regain her sight through surgery, she crosses paths with Kate at a hospital appointment and a tentative friendship between the two develops.

Joe Heap’s debut novel is a super read that challenges our perceptions and assumptions of the people and the world around us. A touching and beautifully written book, with a dark, menacing streak running through it, this is a fantastic choice for book clubs.

My Brother’s Husband Vols 1+2

(Blackfriars)

When a Canadian bear named Mike Flanagan arrives on the doorstep of the Tokyo home of Yaichi, a work-at-home suburban dad, his life, and that of his young daughter, Kana, suddenly change. Mike is the widower of Yaichi’s estranged gay twin, Ryoji and, as part of his grieving process, he is eager to learn more about his late husband by meeting his family and seeing where he grew up. Kana immediately falls in love with Mike, wanting to follow him everywhere, while Yaichi struggles to deal with this unexpected visitor he has in his home. The two volumes of My Brother’s Husband are unexpectedly joyous and moving reads, with Tagame touching on the issues still faced by people coming out in Japanese society. Absolute must-haves for the graphic novel/Manga fans in your life, the series has recently been adapted into a Japanese TV show.

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The Great Believers

(Fleet)

1985. Yale Tishman’s career is about to hit an all-time high with the arrival of a renowned collection of paintings to his Chicago art gallery. He discovers that his friend, Nico, has AIDS- the latest in a long line of people close to him to succumb to the virus. 30 years later, 50-something Fiona, Nico’s sister, finds herself trying to understand how AIDS derailed her life and her relationship with her own daughter. Makkai’s absorbing novel is an ambitious piece of work, straddling as it does 1980’s Chicago and modern-day Paris. The portrayal of the AIDS crisis feels utterly authentic, evoking the panic as the virus spread. The novel was rightly shortlisted for this year’s National Book Award in the US.

The Female Persuasion

(Chatto and Windus)

Feminism and college politics intersect with the #MeToo movement in the new book by Meg Wolitzer, whose 2003 novel The Wife was recently made into a well-received film starring Glenn Close. Greer is a shy college student when her friend, radical lesbian feminist, Zee Eisenstat, introduces her to Faith Frank, an academic and decades-long pillar of the women’s movement. When Greer goes to work for Faith however, it’s not long before the ideological differences in their intergenerational feminism threaten to unravel everything. The Female Persuasion is a thoughtful, timely and intriguing book, featuring an interesting androgynous queer character.

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