The Bibliophile's Compass

Title : One Boat Author : Jonathan Buckley Publication Year : 2025 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Pages : 171 Source : audiobook and eBook @storytel.tr Genre : literary fiction Awards : Longlisted for the 2025 Booker Prize Opening Sentence : The first time, the intention was simply to find a place that was quiet, but not somnolent. A town rather than a village. There had to be activity to observe. A few tourists, but only a few. Jonathan Buckley’s One Boat follows Teresa as she returns to a Greek village, a place marked by her experiences of grief—first for her mother’s death, now for her father’s. While the premise may seem familiar—a woman seeking solace in a distant land, forming fleeting connections and romance to ease her pain—the novel quickly reveals layers of complexity, particularly as its third chapter unfolds in unexpected ways. I had to stop the audiobook and pick up the eBook to understand what happened and who was who. This is not solely Teresa’s journey. The narrative inter...

1659 Crusoe starts to salvage items from the wreck 1868  Little Women by Louisa May Alcott The story follows the lives of the four March sisters—Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy—and details their passage from childhood to womanhood. 1960  A Dance of the Forests by Wole Soyinka It explores the themes of tradition, history, and the challenges of postcolonial Africa. 1985 Saints and Strangers by Angela Carter (UK) Drawing on American history, literary legend, and folk tale, Angela Carter transports us to that shadowy country between fact and myth in this book of short stories. 1989  Daddy by Danielle Steel Oliver Watson's world suddenly dissolves around him when Sarah, his wife of eighteen years, returns to Harvard to get her master's degree. Oliver is left on his own, with three children and a freedom he never wanted and doesn't completely understand. His family's needs and demands suddenly consume his life. 1994 When Lightning Strikes by Kristin...

Title : Fifteen Dogs Author: André Alexis Publication Year : 2015 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Pages : 171 Source : ebook Genre : Fable, Allegory, Literary fiction, fantasy, Philosophical fiction Awards : Winner of the Scotiabank Giller Prize and the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize, shortlisted for a Toronto Book Award Opening Sentence : One evening in Toronto, the gods Apollo and Hermes were at the Wheat Sheaf Tavern. It has taken me weeks to find the words to write about this book, and even now, my heart feels unbearably heavy. This is a small book, but its sorrow is vast. The story begins with two gods, restless and detached, making a wager: If dogs were granted human intelligence, would they die happy? The premise almost sounds playful, but the reality is devastating. From the very first pages, grief settles in, and it only deepens as the story unfolds. Just when you think the suffering has reached its limit, the narrative finds a way to break your heart further—until, like...

2022 Bliss Montage by Ling Ma 2022 The Book of Wanderers by Reyes Ramirez 2022 Born for Trouble: The Further Adventures of Hap and Leonard by Joe R. Lansdale 2022 Ghost Lover: Stories by Lisa Taddeo 2022 God's Children Are Little Broken Things by Arinze Ifeakandu 2022 Howls from the Dark Ages 2022 If I Survive You by Jonathan Escoffery 2022 Illuminations by Alan Moore (UK) 2022 Kilometer 101 by Maxim Osipov 2022 Liberation Day: Stories by George Saunders 2022 The Memory Librarian: And Other Stories of Dirty Computer 2022 Nautanki Saala and Other Stories by Mohua Chinappa 2022 Seeking Fortune Elsewhere by Sindya Bhanoo 2022 Tell Me What You See by Terena Elizabeth Bell 2022 Why There Are No Noyontara Flowers In Agargaon Colony: Stories by Shahidul Zahir 2022 Yamada Monogatari: Troubled Spirits by Richard Parks 2023 The Children of Chorazin and Other Strange Denizens by Darrell Schweitzer 2023 Dakshin: South Indian Myths and Fables Retold by Nitin Kushalappa 2023 Disruptions: Stories...

Title : Oryx and Crake Author : Margaret Atwood Publication Year : 2003 Pages : 389 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Genre : Dystopia, Post Apocalyptic, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Speculative Fiction Awards : shortlisted for the 2003 Man Booker Prize for Fiction and 2004 Orange Prize for Fiction Source : eBook Opening Sentence: Snowman wakes before dawn. He lies unmoving, listening to the tide coming in, wave after wave sloshing over the various barricades, wish-wash, wish-wash, the rhythm of heartbeat. He would so like to believe he is still asleep. Margaret Atwood’s “Oryx and Crake” is the first book in the MaddAddam Trilogy. This post-apocalyptic novel follows Snowman (also known as Jimmy) as he navigates a world where humanity as we know it has vanished. The only beings left that resemble humans are the Crakers—genetically engineered creatures created by Jimmy’s brilliant but mysterious friend, Crake. I’d had this book on my TBR list for ages, but finally picked it up thanks to a b...

Title : Precipice Author : Robert Harris Publication Year : 2024 Pages : 464 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Genre : Historical fiction, War fiction, thriller Source : Audiobook @storytel.tr Opening Sentence: LATE ONE THURSDAY morning at the beginning of July 1914, a young woman with dark wet hair strode long-legged from the Serpentine in Hyde Park along Oxford Street towards Marylebone. "Precipice" by Robert Harris tells the story of Venetia Stanley and her relationship with UK Prime Minister H. H. Asquith. This historical fiction, inspired by real events, kept me hooked—especially in the final chapters, when I was eager to see how Venetia would handle everything. Most World War books I’ve read focus on soldiers or civilians in battle. This was my first time seeing the story from politicians’ perspectives, and it made me feel frustrated with how they handled the situation. I enjoyed the mix of romance, espionage, war, and suspense. What stood out most was how real events shaped ever...

1632 Robinson Crusoe born in York. 1659 Robinson Crusoe’s shipwreck 1895  The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane Taking place during the American Civil War, the story is about a young private of the Union Army, Henry Fleming, who flees from the field of battle. 1908 Maurice Maeterlinck's play "L'Oiseau bleu" ( The Blue Bird ) premieres at the Moscow Art Theatre The story is about a girl called Mytyl and her brother Tyltyl seeking happiness, represented by The Blue Bird of Happiness, aided by the good fairy Bérylune. 2021 Sharpe's Assassin by Bernard Cornwell (UK) The story is set in June 1815, immediately after the Battle of Waterloo, and during the occupation of Paris. 2024 The Mighty Red by Louise Erdrich In this stunning novel, Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award–winning author Louise Erdrich tells a story of love, natural forces, spiritual yearnings, and the tragic impact of uncontrollable circumstances on ordi...

2015 Six of Crows  by  Leigh Bardugo Six dangerous outcasts. One impossible heist. Kaz's crew is the only thing that might stand between the world and destruction―if they don't kill each other first. 2015 Goodreads Choice Awards: Best Young Adult Fantasy and Science Fiction (nominated) 2016 Dragon Awards: Best Young Adult / Middle Grade Novel (nominated) 2016 El Premio El Templo de las Mil Puertas (won) 2017 Missouri Gateway Readers Award (nominated) 2017 Hea Noorteraamat: Best Youth Books (won) 2018 German Fantasy Awards: Best International Novel (won) 2018 Evergreen Teen Book Award (nominated) 2018 Rhode Island Teen Book Award (nominated) 2020 Snow by John Banville (Ireland) The story of a family whose secrets resurface when a parish priest is found murdered in their ancestral home Shortlisted for The CWA Historical Dagger Award 2025 A Place for People Like Us  by  Danila Botha When Hannah meets Jillian, their connection is instant and addictive...

1959 Edward Franklin Albee's play " Zoo Story " premieres in Berlin A harrowing depiction of a young man alienated from the human race- a searing story of loneliness and the desperate need for recognition that builds to a violent, shattering climax. Together, these plays show men and women at their most hilarious, heartbreaking, and above all, human. 2010 Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris Featuring David Sedaris's unique blend of hilarity and heart, this new illustrated collection of animal-themed tales is an utter delight. Though the characters may not be human, the situations in these stories bear an uncanny resemblance to the insanity of everyday life. 2016 “ The Night Cyclist ” by Stephen Graham Jones It is a horror novelette about a middle-aged chef whose nightly bicycle ride home is interrupted by an unexpected encounter. 2020 One Arranged Murder  by  Chetan Bhagat Keshav has set up an investigation agency with his best friend, Saurabh. Can the t...

  1852  George Aiken's play "Uncle Tom's Cabin" an adaptation of Harriet Beecher Stowe's famous anti-slavery novel premieres in Troy, New York 1984 Angela Carter’s Nights at the Circus (UK) The novel focuses on the life and exploits of Sophie Fevvers, a woman who is – or so she would have people believe – a Cockney virgin, hatched from an egg laid by unknown parents and ready to develop fully fledged wings. Winner of the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Fiction Winner of the Best of the James Tait Black 2020 Someone's Uncle by Alison Espach Alison Espach, acclaimed author of The Adults , brings her razor sharp insight and storytelling magic to bear in this entrancing tale. 2022 The Furrows by  Namwali Serpell The Furrows follows the story of Cassandra Williams, also known as Cee, whose mother is a white painter, and her father is a Black academic. When Cee was twelve years old, she went swimming in the ocean with her younger brothe...

1738  Scottish philosopher David Hume enters into a contract to publish the first two volumes of his seminal work " A Treatise of Human Nature " with John Noon in London 1926  JB Fagan's stage drama " And So to Bed ", based on the life of Samuel Pepys, premieres in London 1946  1st edition of The Adventures of Tintin published by Hergé in Le journal de Tintin, continues until June 1993 2023 Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig A small town is transformed when seven strange trees begin bearing magical apples Finalist for the Locus Award 2023 Undiscovered by Gabriela Wiener Alone in a museum in Paris, Gabriela Wiener confronts her complicated family heritage. She is visiting an exhibition of pre-Columbian artifacts, spoils of European colonialism, many stolen from her homeland of Peru. As she peers at countless sculptures of Indigenous faces, each resembling her own, she sees herself in them—but the man responsible for pillaging them was he...

1935 Maxwell Anderson's play "Winterset" premieres in NYC The tragedy deals indirectly with the famous Sacco-Vanzetti case, in which two Italian immigrants with radical political beliefs were executed. 2012 Toby's Room by Pat Barker (UK) Toby's Room is the second novel in Pat Barker's Life Class Trilogy, returning to the First World War in a dark, compelling examination of human desire, wartime horror and the power of friendship When Toby is reported 'Missing, Believed Killed', another secret casts a lengthening shadow over Elinor's world: how exactly did Toby die - and why? 2014 Dear Thief by Samantha Harvey (UK) From acclaimed Booker Prize Winner, Orange Prize and Guardian First Book Award finalist Samantha Harvey, a stunning novel of female friendship, betrayal, and revenge 2025 Carapace by Travis M. Riddle He has a job mining for a mysterious toxic substance used in the nation's #1 haircare product, parents who call him multiple times a w...

2019 The Dutch House by Ann Patchett At the end of the Second World War, Cyril Conroy combines luck and a single canny investment to begin an enormous real estate empire, propelling his family from poverty to enormous wealth. His first order of business is to buy the Dutch House, a lavish estate in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia. Meant as a surprise for his wife, the house sets in motion the undoing of everyone he loves. Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize 2019 The Shadow King by Maaza Mengiste A gripping novel set during Mussolini’s 1935 invasion of Ethiopia, The Shadow King takes us back to the first real conflict of World War II, casting light on the women soldiers who were left out of the historical record. 2019 The Water Dancer  by Ta-Nehisi Coates From the National Book Award–winning author of Between the World and Me, a boldly conjured debut novel about a magical gift, a devastating loss, and an underground war for freedom. Longlisted for the Center...