'The Undertow' is Kerri's book pick

'The Undertow' by Jo Baker
'The Undertow' by Jo Baker
Book cover courtesy of publisher

After recently reading Jo Baker's "Longbourn," Kerri checked out one of Bakers' previous works, "The Undertow." It's a multi-generational tale of a British family experiencing the twentieth century wars.

From Seattle Times:

It demonstrates a real mastery of language, from the way the book's phrases subtly become more up-to-date as time passes, to the stream-of-consciousness she effortlessly slips into as the characters experience moments of great emotion or excitement. Lovely details dot the pages: the "custardy bulge" of the white line down the middle of the street; the way young Madeline so deliciously pronounces the word "pop" -- "so careful, strange, like she's puzzled to find a marble dropping from her lips." And watching the characters transform from callow youth to fading-away elders is moving but never sentimental.

Euan Kerr's book pick is "Encyclopedia of Trouble and Spaciousness" by Rebecca Solnit.

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