Ummm, a difficult book to review, it's slow, restrained and vast - covering a startling period of recent American history - the McCarthy era. Slowly through the recovered notebooks and snippets of newspapers horded in a bank depositary, Violet Brown, Harrison William Shepherd's personal assistant pieces together his life. The book we read today, Brown reveals, was assembled by herself in 1959
from Shepherd’s junked notebooks and sealed for 50 years, to be opened
in 2009 : from his early years on the island of Isla Pixol with his flighty Mexican mother. Through serendipitous happenings Will, finds his way into the life and happenings of the Khalo/Rivera household, viewing and possibly involved in Trotsky's death. Will moves to the US, where he keeps to the background, writing observing and commentating while slowly the omnipresent feeling of surveillance, how a word or writing perceived to be 'Un-American' could land you in trouble, despite being so careful the unassuming and quiet Will finds himself at the wrong end of the FBI/McCarthy inquisition.
An interesting book that easily takes you through the recent history of Mexico and America, mixing fact with fiction. Not a book to flick through it needed concentration.
Words used to describe it: nicely crafted, little drama, good descriptions, fascinating
Marks out of 10: between 6 & 8
Next Book
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Next Meeting
Wednesday 6th January
130 Harbord St
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