All that Glitters by Orlando Whitfield (Rowena 194)

All That Glitters is Orlando Whitfield’s sharp, unsettling memoir of his years working inside the contemporary art world — a place he portrays as dazzling, absurd, and quietly corrosive. Beginning as a young gallery assistant full of enthusiasm, Whitfield is gradually drawn into a culture driven by money, status, and manipulation, where relationships are transactional and authenticity is rare.

At the centre of the book is his complicated friendship with a charismatic art dealer whose charm masks a pattern of exploitation and deceit. As Whitfield becomes more entangled in this world, he begins to see how easily ideals can be compromised and how the industry’s glamour often hides moral emptiness. Both personal and observational, the memoir exposes the pressures, illusions, and ethical grey zones of a market that thrives on spectacle. It’s a story about ambition, loyalty, and the cost of looking the other way — and about what happens when the shine finally wears off.

Marks out of 10 between 8 & 9.5 so highly rated. 

Words used to describe it: facinating, interesting, intreguing, droll rose, eye opening, illuminating.

Next book

Tender is the Night Scott F Fitzgerald

Next meeting 

26th March at Naila's

In Ascension by Martin MacInnes (Anna 193)

In Ascension follows the life of Leigh Hasenbosch, a marine biologist from Rotterdam whose childhood is shaped by a tense, emotionally distant family and a deep fascination with the natural world. When Leigh joins an oceanographic expedition to study a mysterious deep‑sea organism, her journey begins to stretch far beyond scientific research and into something more existential. As the mission unfolds, Leigh becomes part of a groundbreaking international project that pushes the boundaries of human exploration — from the deepest trenches of the ocean to the outer reaches of space. The novel gradually expands from intimate personal history to vast cosmic scale, asking what it means to search for origins, connection, and purpose.

MacInnes blends science, philosophy, and quiet psychological insight, creating a narrative that moves from the claustrophobia of family life to the awe of the unknown. In Ascension is ultimately a story about curiosity, survival, and the human desire to understand our place in an immense and ancient universe. The book generated a good discussion into life, and the fact we are all stardust. Interesting the way it wove tech and the storyline, although we felt the female protagonist was not accurate, although an interesting character.

Marks out of 10 - between 5 and 7.5

Words used to describe it: awesome, interesting, irritating, frustrating, turgid, chore - but

Next book

All that Glitters by Orlando Whitfield

Next meeting

February 12th at Mandy's