Princess Mary
Elizabeth Basford
The History Press, £20, pp288
Surprisingly, there has never been a biography of Princess Mary, the Queen’s aunt and sister to George VI and the Duke of Windsor, until now. Elizabeth Basford’s diligently researched account of the princess’s life is therefore a welcome one. Although anyone expecting jaw-dropping revelations might be disappointed, Basford persuasively argues that she was a thoroughly modern member of the royal family, possessed of genuine compassion and interest in helping others, unlike the spectacularly selfish duke. Perhaps some of her descendants could learn from her.
We Are Not in the World
Conor O’Callaghan
Doubleday, £14.99, pp259
O’Callaghan’s new novel amply fulfils the promise of his debut, Nothing on Earth. A father and daughter, Paddy and Kitty, are travelling from England to France in a haulage truck, and O’Callaghan explores the tentative ways in which their fragile bond develops, while Paddy recalls past troubles and relationships. O’Callaghan has a flair for the poetic and lyrical, and it is a relief that this transcontinental journey does not become a metaphor for Brexit.
A Curious History of Sex
Kate Lister
Unbound, £12.99, pp454 (paperback)
Dildo bikes, virginity tests and “tart cards”: these are just a few of the areas explored, indefatigably, by Dr Kate Lister in her entertaining “curious history”. She takes a blessedly grownup approach and manages both to be a knowledgable guide to the ways in which people have sought carnal pleasure over the centuries, and, when required, a fierce advocate of social and sexual equality and freedom. The copious illustrations, especially, are consistently eye-opening.
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