LoveReading Says
LoveReading Says
From the bestselling author of The Keeper of Lost Things, Ruth Hogan, comes another irresistible novel of unexpected friendships, second chances ... and dark secrets.
Gloriously gorgeous in every way. After tragedy crashed into her life, Masha often sits on the bottom of the pool at the local lido, unable to look forward, to join in. Sally Red Shoes and Kitty Muriel nudge Masha’s awareness, and life begins to look interesting again. I absolutely adored ‘The Keeper of Lost Things’ which was one of my books of the year 2017, so looked forward with relish to Ruth Hogan’s next offering. ‘The Particular Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes’ is just as special, and cements this particular author as one of my firm favourites. Ruth Hogan has the very special ability to look beyond the veil of unremarkable to find a sometimes painful, yet beautifully quirky existence. Each character (and I include the dogs in this), is fully realised and absolutely essential to the storyline. Kitty and Sally are so stuffed full of life I found myself wanting them in my life too. Words such as enchanting, captivating, and charming are spilling out of my mind, yet this is not a sickly sweet tale, also added to the mix are poignant, emotional, heart-ache…and I both laughed and cried, sometimes at the same time. Quite simply, ‘The Particular Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes’ is a must-read, and I adored every single second of it.
Explore our '80+ Books That Deliver a Hug' listicle for more feel-good or uplifting books.
Liz Robinson
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The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes Synopsis
Loved Ruth Hogan's The Keeper of Lost Things? Keep on reading... Masha's life has stopped. Once a spirited, independent woman with a rebellious streak, her life has been forever changed by a tragic event twelve years ago. Unable to let go of her grief, she finds solace in the silent company of the souls of her local Victorian cemetery and at the town's lido, where she seeks refuge underwater - safe from the noise and the pain. But a chance encounter with two extraordinary women - the fabulous and wise Kitty Muriel, a convent girl-turned-magician's wife-turned-seventy-something-roller-disco-fanatic, and the mysterious Sally Red Shoes, a bag lady with a prodigious voice - opens up a new world of possibilities, and the chance to start living again. But just as Masha dares to imagine the future, the past comes roaring back ... Like her bestselling debut, The Keeper of Lost Things, Ruth Hogan's second novel introduces a cast of wonderful characters, both ordinary and charmingly eccentric, who guide us through a moving exploration of the simple human connections that make life worth living. 'A book to really love' Stylist Praise for The Keeper of Lost Things, a Richard & Judy Book Club pick 2017 Winner of the Richard & Judy Readers' Award 2017 'A gem' Huffington Post 'Exquisite' The Lady 'Delightful' Helen Simonson, author of Major Pettigrew's Last Stand
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781473669017 |
| Publication date: |
6th September 2018 |
| Author: |
Ruth Hogan |
| Publisher: |
Two Roads an imprint of John Murray Press |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
333 pages |
| Primary Genre |
Romance / Relationship Stories
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| Other Genres: |
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| Recommendations: |
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Press Reviews
Ruth Hogan Press Reviews
'Thorny issues are explored with a sensitive humour that takes nothing away from what people are feeling' - BookBag
From the author of breakout hit, The Keeper Of Lost Things, this is a book to really love. Exploring the aftermath of grief and the ways people carry on (with humour, with solace, with lidos ...) Hogan writes welcoming prose that makes reading a joy - Stylist
Author
About Ruth Hogan
Meet Ruth Hogan ... I was born in the house where my parents still live in Bedford. My sister was so pleased to have a sibling that she threw a thrupenny bit at me. As a child I read everything I could lay my hands on. Luckily, my mum worked in a bookshop. My favourite reads were The Moomintrolls, A Hundred Million Francs, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, and the back of cereal packets, and gravestones. I passed enough A levels to get a place at Goldsmiths College, University of London, to study English and Drama. It was brilliant and I loved it. And then I got a proper job. I worked for ten years in a senior local government position: a square peg in round hole, but it paid the bills and mortgage.
In my early thirties I had a car accident which left me unable to work full-time and convinced me to start writing seriously. It was all going well, but then in 2012 I got Cancer, which was bloody inconvenient but precipitated an exciting hair journey from bald to a peroxide blonde Annie Lennox crop. When chemo kept me up all night I passed the time writing and the eventual result was The Keeper Of Lost Things.
I live in a chaotic Victorian house with an assortment of rescue dogs and my long-suffering partner. I am a magpie; always collecting treasures (or 'junk' depending on your point of view) and a huge John Betjeman fan. My favourite word is' antimacassar' and I still like reading gravestones. See Ruth Hogan on instagram.
Author photo © Harpur Studios
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