Small Bomb at Dimperley
Lissa Evans
Doubleday, £18.99, pp320
A touching love story set in a dilapidated country house as the second world war ends, full of class stereotypes and secrets – there is nothing groundbreaking about Evans’s latest historical novel. But she is so good at structuring this tale of Sir Valentine Vere-Thissett and evacuee Zena Baxter, placing it in an optimistic yet traumatised world, that it feels churlish to be anything other than impressed. One of Evans’s books enjoyed a film adaptation treatment starring Gemma Arterton and you can see this title following suit.
The Revelation of Ireland 1995-2020
Diarmaid Ferriter
Profile, £25, pp560
In 2004, Diarmaid Ferriter wrote the book on the transformation of Ireland. Now he turns his attention to what the 21st century has brought. There’s religion and the diminishing credibility of the Roman Catholic church. Economics are framed around the booms and crashes that instilled both confidence and fragility. And then there’s the politics – always the politics. The ever-changing relationships with Europe and Britain – particularly interesting seen through a Brexit lens – are fascinating. Realistic yet hopeful, Ferriter is a fine chronicler not just of Ireland, but of writing about Ireland too.
The Story of Art Without Men
Katy Hessel
Penguin, £12.99, pp576 (paperback)
Curator and art historian Katy Hessel won plaudits for this bestselling corrective to, well, the entire history of art – and rightly so. Every single development seems to be covered here, somewhat incredibly, but Hessel never seeks to polemicise about the role of female artists, taking a more considered approach instead. A gentle reminder that for every Tamara de Lempicka or Jenny Holzer, there are brilliant stories of lesser-known female artists who didn’t quite break down the patriarchal structures of the art world. Here, they justly shine.
• To order Small Bomb at Dimperley, The Revelation of Ireland 1995-2020 or The Story of Art Without Men go to guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply
