Holy Smoke

by Libby Purves

In this memoir Libby Purves recalls her strange Catholic childhood in convents around the world with stories of white-robed nuns amid the gilded temples of Bangkok, rations of beer for nine-year-olds after High Mass in France and unease in South Africa at the height of apartheid.

200 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Libby Purves is a journalist and author who has been writing for The Times since 1982. A previous columnist of the year and author of 12 novels and non-fiction books, she was for 40 years a BBC Radio 4 broadcaster after becoming the Today programme’s first woman and youngest presenter.

Reviews

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite interesting in places, this recounts the author's childhood, growing up internationally, attending convent schools. She appreciated beauty and spirituality at a young age, and read a lot of books. The theme of the book is related to her having mostly positive memories of her Catholic background, in contrast to those of many others.

The latter part of the book is a bit too academic and philosophical for my tastes, and I skimmed some sections, though I did appreciate some commentary, and several references to Narnia. On the whole I'm glad I read it.

Three and a half stars, really.

Longer review: https://suesbookreviews.blogspot.com/...

[Bunta Potter · Rating 2 out of 5]

The early chapters of this memoir are engaging. Libby Purves' recollections of her childhood experiences of schools in various parts of the world as as her family moved with her diplomat father, are enlivened by affectionate portraits and amusing anecdotes. She has a shrewd eye for character and detail. Unfortunately, she also is also fond of the soapbox - I found the tone of later chapters shrill and righteous and my attention waned.