Joan's Picks: The Act of Disappearing and Serviceman J

The Act of Disappearing by Nathan Gower. Julia White is struggling - her mother died recently, she’s had a one night stand with an ex and now he’s ghosted her, her first published book is a failure and she’s working in a Brooklyn café. One day, an older guy comes in and shows her a photo taken in the 1960s of a woman falling off a bridge, clutching her baby. Turns out he’s a very famous photographer who actually took that picture behind which he says there’s a mystery and a story which he wants Julia to go to Kentucky and research, then write a book about it. She’s persuaded to do it, and what she uncovers is something shocking, and deeply personal. This is a richly layered story which reveals itself in the most satisfying of ways.

Serviceman J by Jamie Pennell. The author joined the New Zealand SAS and describes the recruitment process and training regime, which is pretty extraordinary (as you’d imagine – but reading about it was exhausting!) – and then was deployed to Afghanistan several times, serving in the SAS for 18 years. He was a friend and colleague of Willie Apiata, and was himself awarded New Zealand's second highest military honour by showing outstanding gallantry in the face of danger. The book is an eye opening look at what these men put themselves through to be able to serve at this level, and what it’s really like in combat.

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