Bettie's Books
A Stuga On the Cusp of the Orust Riviera, tucked away next to a hobbit hole in the woods.
Testimonies
bookshelves: autumn-2013, britain-wales, debut, hardback, one-penny-wonder, paper-read, published-1952
The debut novel. First published in 1952 under the title Three Bear Witness
Dedication:
For Mary, with love
'
Opening:
Pugh
"Mr Pugh, I came to ask some questions about your life in Cwm Bugail and about Mrs Vaughan of Gelli, Bronwen Vaughan. But now I think it would be better if you were to let me have a written account."
O'Brian is a master wordsmith, and so thorough in his descriptions; take that sheep-shearing sequence, I was in there with the back-breaking exertions, branding and wound cleaning.
He is also a master storyteller; this dark tale set within a tiny insular community evoked a palpable, brooding atmosphere.
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