Sir, – When the same limited number of names recur in reviews on radio and in the print media and the same book titles crop up in the end of year lists, Eileen Battersby’s choices stand out. Her reviews throughout the year serve to expand our horizons and introduce our conservative reading habits to new names. My shelves are lined with authors I would never have heard of if it weren’t for her recommendations. Nobody should be “put off”, as Alison McCoy (December 6th) was, by translations. – Yours, etc,
JENNIFER RYAN,
Kanturk, Co Cork.
Sir, – From one Alison to another, I have to tell Ms McCoy that I find nearly all Eileen Battersby’s recommendations well worth reading. Who says that only those who write in English have valid and valuable ideas? Thanks to Ms Battersby I have read and enjoyed books by Joseph Roth, Hans Fallada, Stephan Zweig and many others. I would consider it a dereliction of duty if a literary correspondent did not suggest such authors, as they are so intrinsically important. – Yours, etc,
ALISON BADRIAN,
Kilbeggan,
Co Westmeath.