Trouble With Lichen
By John Wyndham

Wyndham's written some excellent novels, such as The Day of the Triffids and The Chrysalids, but Trouble with Lichen does not quite rise to their greatness. Not as good but still a short enjoyable read nonetheless.

The story concerns scientific research uncovering some amazing properties of an uncommon species of lichen: slowing down the aging process. The scientist who discovers this commercialises it in a product aimed at women and manages to generate herself many friends and allies. "Look ten years younger!". The women clients are often wives and mothers to important men: more allies. Wyndham has some fun working out the societal changes this sort of thing might bring about, the winners and the losers. It turns out that there would be widespread ramifications with a breakthrough like this. In our own age, wonder drugs are already starting to shake things up in some quarters (particularly the GLP-1 Agonists) and there will be more in the future. So the questions Wyndham asks here are quite relevant to our own world.

The book was published in 1960 and this was not very long after the role DNA played in inheritance was discovered in the Hershey-Chase Experiments (1952). Famously, the structure of DNA was shown to be a double-helix in 1953 by Crick and Watson (with the aid of Franklin and Wilkins). Maybe Wyndham had this new research in mind when writing his novel? Google Gemini thinks not but the march of science would have been a major influence on him throughout his writing career.

So, not a great novel but worth reading even though it does show its age somewhat.

Captain Corelli's Mandolin
By Louis de Bernières

Is love an antidote to the horror of war? A novel like this would almost have you believing that.

This book is beautifully written and is very funny in parts, sad and moving in others. As the war progresses, horrific. Life on the Ionian Greek island of Cephalonia can be hard but it is peaceful, apart from noisy celebrations of the Saint's day and arguments between a resident monarchist and communist. The island is far from the troubles of Thirties Europe until the troubles appear on their door step.

I recently read a book called Fateful Choices by historian Ian Kershaw. A chapter describes the decision by Mussolini to make his grab for some glory by invading Greece. The background is not glorious and neither is the result: humiliation for Italy, who were forced to retreat by the Greek army and resistance. Hitler was furious at this "adventure" by his partner in war but came to Italy's aid, invading and occupying Greece from the North. Greece was now under the thumb of both axis powers and Cephalonia was occupied by the Italians but with a small German detachment as well. Things can get worse however, as they did catastrophically when the Italian Fascists lost power and the Nazi's overran all Greece, bludgeoning any resistance away in a brutal and bloody manner. As the Nazi fortunes waned though, the communists took their own bloody revenge on the Greek people.

This is a beautifully written love story, but perhaps two love stories: that between a Greek woman and an Italian officer and also between the author and the Greek people. It's funny and moving but gets very sad and brutal as the War turns. The cover shows a still from the film version, with Nicolas Cage as Corelli. It is supposed to be disappointing so I might not bother watching it. The book deserves its accolades however.