Three Novelists

Three of my favourite authors are in the news at the moment. The New York Times features a long article about John le Carré (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/21/magazine/john-le-carre-has-not-mellowed-with-age.html?ref=magazine) from which we learn that a new book, A Delicate Truth, is due out next month. The article is well worth reading even if you are not a great le Carré fan. We are reminded, for example, of his early opposition to the impending Iraq War. (http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0115-01.htm). Time has proved him absolutely right and well-meaning fools like me completely wrong.

As I mentioned recently, Hilary Mantel aroused much controversy by what was construed (wilfully misconstrued?) as an attack on the British Royal Family. You don't have to agree with everything she writes but you have to acknowledge the force of her argument. Whilst trying to discover a bit more about this most extraordinary of writers, I learnt that she has a very high opinion of Elizabeth Jane Howard who is to bring out the fifth instalment of The Cazelet Chronicle in November.

In all, three treats to look forward to, for of course we also eagerly await the third (and presumably the last) book of Hilary Mantel's trilogy about Thomas Cromwell.