Patrick Ness: The Crane Wife
Leyla SanaiMy review of Patrick Ness’s charming new adult novel from today’s Independent on Sunday: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/review-the-crane-wife-by-patrick-ness-8581419.html
Author archive: Leyla Sanai
About Leyla Sanai
Freelanced for NME in London, mainly from '81 - '83, with sporadic pieces after that for a few years while studying medicine in Edinburgh. After graduation from Edinburgh Medical School, did JHO year then worked as a physician for a couple of years in Edinburgh, doing MRCP exams, then as an anaesthetist in Glasgow, doing FRCA and becoming a consultant anaesthetist in Glasgow's Western Infirmary/Gartnavel General Hospital. Freelanced for various publications over the years eg Times, Sunday Times, Herald (column for few years in Sat mag), Scotland on Sunday, Scotsman, Guardian, Sunday Herald, Observer. News Ed of British Journal of Intensive Care and International Journal Intensive Care for few years. Two columns in BMA News Review for a few years, and book reviews in BMJ and Lancet, plus articles in Careers BMJ and Student BMJ, Discover and other publications. Now have more time on hands as had to give up work as anaesthetist because of rheumatological illness (scleroderma) and write book reviews on freelance basis for The Independent on Sunday and The Independent and a column for the Scottish Medical Journal.
Julian Barnes Levels of Life
Leyla SanaiNot sure what’s wrong with this, but last few times have tried to paste a link to a review, the link has jumped into the title section. often, I can’t get the link to come out in this main space … Continue reading
The Diaries of A Fleet Street Fox
Leyla SanaiConstable £8.99 The artist formerly known as Fleet St Fox has left the building. In her place is her alter-ego Susie Boniface. Fleet Street Fox is the acerbic journalist who who built up a huge following on social … Continue reading
Carol Honore – The Slow Fix
Leyla Sanaihttp://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/the-slow-fix-by-carl-honor-collins-1899-8531577.html Quick fixes ( in politics, health, business etc) don’t work. My review of Carl Honore’s book in today’s Independent:
Maggie O’Farrell Instructions for a Heatwave
Leyla SanaiMy review in today’s Indy on Sun of Maggie O’Farrell’s new novel. Brilliantly perceptive but slightly marred by a saccharine Hollywood ending. http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/review-instructions-for-a-heatwave-by-maggie-ofarrell-8508090.html
Stephen Grosz – The Examined Life
Leyla SanaiMy review of Stephen Grosz’s book about some of his case histories from his career as a psychoanalyst is in the Independent today: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/the-examined-life-by-stephen-grosz-chatto–windus-1499-8501676.html
Sherman Alexie – Blasphemy
Leyla SanaiMy Independent review of Sherman Alexie’s latest short story collection about life as a native American Indian in the US: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-en…9-8480624.html
Nadeem Aslam – The Blind Man’s Garden
Leyla SanaiHere’s my review from Indy on Sun of Nadeem Aslam’s wonderful new novel: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/the-blind-mans-garden-by-nadeem-aslam-faber-and-faber-1899-8478234.html
George Saunders – Tenth of December
Leyla SanaiHere’s my review of George Saunders’ brilliant new collection of short stories… The American writer George Saunders was eulogised by David Foster Wallace, whose irreverence and humour he shares, and Jonathan Franzen and Zadie Smith are also fans. In … Continue reading
Laleh Khadivi – The Walking
Leyla SanaiMy review in The Independent of Laleh Khadivi’s The Walking, a novel about two boys escaping from the Iranian theocrat Khomeini’s Iran: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/the-walking-by-laleh-khadivi-8456220.html
John Burnside – Something Like Happy
Leyla SanaiMy review of John Burnside’s new short story collection is in today’s Indy on Sun: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/ios-short-story-book-review-something-like-happy-by-john-burnside-8439640.html Longer version below: John Burnside’s seven novels, thirteen volumes of poetry, two memoirs, and previous short story collection have contrasted the … Continue reading
Robert Littell – Young Philby
Leyla SanaiHere’s my review from this week’s TLS: Graham Greene claimed that for his MI6 friend Kim Philby, who was exposed as a Soviet spy, the end justified the means: Philby’s dedication to the Communist ideal was so profound that he … Continue reading
Oliver Sacks – Hallucinations
Leyla SanaiHere’s my review of the new book by Sacks, who studied medicine in the UK and then moved to the US to work as a neurologist. http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/ios-book-review-hallucinations-by-oliver-sacks-8348241.html
Kate Mosse – Citadel
Leyla SanaiKate Mosse is usually v articulate on TV, and is obviously very intelligent. While her Languedoc trilogy boasts precise historical research, I don’t understand authors who use cliches a lot (says the woman who used ‘seventh heaven’ today – but … Continue reading
James Buchan – Days of God
Leyla SanaiHere’s my review of James Buchan’s book about the Iranian Revolution. It’s a very thorough volume, mentioning or exploring almost every major incident in Iran’s history over the past few decades, with focus on events immediately before and after the … Continue reading
Colm Toibin – The Testament of Mary
Leyla Sanaihttp://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/the-testament-of-mary-by-colm-tibn-8280366.html
Emran Mian – The Banker’s Daughter
Leyla SanaiHere is my review from The Independent of Thus 1st Nov, which hasn’t appeared on the website despite being in the paper version: The Banker’s Daughter by Emran Mian Harvill Secker £14.99 Reviewed by Leyla Sanai Cabinet Office civil … Continue reading
Edna O’Brien – Country Girl
Leyla SanaiHere’s my review of Edna O’Brien’s memoir in today’s Independent on Sunday. She writes convincingly on yearning for love; she was a looker and met some exciting celebs. There is a touch too much griping for my liking, but she … Continue reading
Robert Williams – How The Trouble Started
Leyla SanaiHow The Trouble Started – Robert Williams Faber and Faber £12.99 Reviewed by Leyla Sanai Unreliable narrators are the spice of literature, but what of narrators whose veracity is never revealed? Is Donald, sixteen year-old narrator of previous … Continue reading
Junot Diaz – This Is How You Lose Her
Leyla SanaiBad boys cheating on lovers. Here’s my review from today’s Independent of Junot Diaz’s This is How You Lose Her. http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/this-is-how-you-lose-her-by-junot-diaz-8190055.html
Pat Barker – Toby’s Room
Leyla SanaiHere’s my review of Pat Barker’s Toby’s Room in today’s Independent on Sunday: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/tobys-room-by-pat-barker-8142192.html
Abbey Road – The Best Studio In The World
Leyla SanaiAbbey Road – The Best Studio In The World by Alistair Lawrence With a foreword by Sir George Martin Bloomsbury Reviewed by Leyla Sanai Since The Beatles crossed the road in front of it, Abbey Road Studios have been … Continue reading
World Press Photo 2012
Leyla SanaiWorld Press Photo 2012 Edited by Teun van Heijden Thames and Hudson £16.95 Reviewed by Leyla Sanai Since 1955, a jury made up from countries all over the world sifts through some of the most powerful press photos of … Continue reading
Keith Ridgway – Hawthorn and Child
Leyla SanaiHere’s my review from The Indy of Keith Ridgway’s Hawthorn and Child: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/hawthorn-and-child-by-keith-ridgway-granta-1599-8084593.html
Sam Thompson – Communion Town
Leyla SanaiHere’s my Indy on Sunday review of Sam Thompson’s Man Booker longlisted Communion Town. The book is intriguing, very well-written – but too many of the stories cop out in their ending, resorting to the threat of evil or the … Continue reading
