Notes From an Exhibition - Patrick Gale

Harper Perennial

This was a wonderful book, beautifully written, thought provoking and touching about an artist with bi-polar disorder and the caring husband that loved and nurtured her throughout her life. It also showed her four children and how her illness impacted on their lives. It is written haphazzardly in chapters as if the reader is traveling through the exhibition looking at the paintings of the protagonist. Each picture has notes which reveals the story within that particular chapter. It's a very original read. It also depicts Cornwall beautifully. I'm always put off when these books appear in Richard and Judy's Book Club, however, I'd advise anyone to put those snobbish thoughts behind them and pick up this book. I loved it.