To The Last Page

Tied-up and a bit let down In her latest book Michelle Lovric finds a fascinating suitable subject that proves to be worthy of the talents of the author of The Book of Human Skin . The True and Splendid History of the Harristown Sisters is another wonderful, imaginative and often sensual exploration of human experience from an unusual perspective, and this time it's all "tied-up" in hair. After the huge scope and ambition of The Book of Human Skin however, it's possible that one might also be just a little "let down" by all the hair-raising business and domestic matters in the author's latest book. There's not much chance however of the reader being anything but dazzled by the brilliance and wit of the creation of the seven Swiney sisters, or as they become known by their stage-name, the Swiney Godivas. Famed for the extraordinary length and lustre of their hair (Lovric every bit as creative in her descriptions of the ladies' hair as she was ab...

Judge the book by the cover The Pink Suit is about much more than the creation of the iconic costume Jackie Kennedy was wearing on the day in 1963 when her husband John F. Kennedy was shot in Dallas, Texas. It's also so much more than an insight into the fashion industry during its golden age, but undoubtedly this is also a significant and fascinating aspect of Nicole Mary Kelby's novel, particularly in the loving attention to detail that goes into her descriptions of the cut and craft of the Chanel design, as well as the controversy over the copies and the competition. The creation of the famous pink suit however is actually delicately undertaken by a Manhattan fashion house, Chez Ninon, where Kate is a seamstress. It's a higher class knock-off copy designer house, a kind of a front to ensure that the First Lady is seen to be supporting the US fashion industry and not spending a fortune on importing a fancy French wardrobe. It's Kate, tasked with replicating the Chane...