Maria Savva's Blog - Posts Tagged "luke-bitmead-award"
My Favourite Books - November pick
This month, my recommended book is On The Holloway Road by Andrew Blackman.
This is one of those books that I really connected with. I also felt the need to recommend it to everyone I knew after I read it. It's just one of those gems.
Here's the review I wrote when I read it:
'On the Holloway Road' by Andrew Blackman, is an exceptional piece of writing. I found it absorbing and insightful;there are many memorable paragraphs which stay with you long after you have read them. This is an amazing debut novel which has already won an award: 'The Luke Bitmead Award 2008'.
It's the story of Jack and Neil, two young men who are as different to each other as it is possible to be: Jack is a struggling writer, trying unsuccessfully to finish his first novel; he lives with his mother in the house he grew up in and feels like he is not really living at all until Neil walks into his life one dark night on the Holloway Road. Neil is an energetic, anarchical character who doesn't like authority and wants to experience life to the full. Somehow they form a strong bond and unlikely friendship, based on their love of Jack Kerouac's book 'On the Road', and their shared sense that somehow there is more to life than what they are seeing. They embark on a road trip inspired by the book. They decide to travel from London to Scotland to the furthest point North they can reach, following the Great North Road (from Holloway Road).
We follow Jack and Neil on their action-packed adventure, filled with many interesting characters and scenarios. The ending is surprising and touching.
It was a joy to read and I think most people will be able to relate to the concept of the struggle for autonomy in an increasingly regimented world. The two main characters are realistic and well drawn. Most people will relate to the character of Jack, an average man with dreams and aspirations for a more exciting existence. It is the type of book which has potential to change the way people view the world.
Highly recommended. A page-turner.
I hope you'll try it!
This is one of those books that I really connected with. I also felt the need to recommend it to everyone I knew after I read it. It's just one of those gems.
Here's the review I wrote when I read it:
'On the Holloway Road' by Andrew Blackman, is an exceptional piece of writing. I found it absorbing and insightful;there are many memorable paragraphs which stay with you long after you have read them. This is an amazing debut novel which has already won an award: 'The Luke Bitmead Award 2008'.
It's the story of Jack and Neil, two young men who are as different to each other as it is possible to be: Jack is a struggling writer, trying unsuccessfully to finish his first novel; he lives with his mother in the house he grew up in and feels like he is not really living at all until Neil walks into his life one dark night on the Holloway Road. Neil is an energetic, anarchical character who doesn't like authority and wants to experience life to the full. Somehow they form a strong bond and unlikely friendship, based on their love of Jack Kerouac's book 'On the Road', and their shared sense that somehow there is more to life than what they are seeing. They embark on a road trip inspired by the book. They decide to travel from London to Scotland to the furthest point North they can reach, following the Great North Road (from Holloway Road).
We follow Jack and Neil on their action-packed adventure, filled with many interesting characters and scenarios. The ending is surprising and touching.
It was a joy to read and I think most people will be able to relate to the concept of the struggle for autonomy in an increasingly regimented world. The two main characters are realistic and well drawn. Most people will relate to the character of Jack, an average man with dreams and aspirations for a more exciting existence. It is the type of book which has potential to change the way people view the world.
Highly recommended. A page-turner.
I hope you'll try it!
