Reading and Things

The recent television series was very good with Levison Wood, who according to 'The Times' is Britain's best-loved adventurer ...



Levison Wood's most challenging expedition yet begins along the Silk Road route of Afghanistan and travels through five countries. Following in the footsteps of the great explorers, Levison walks the entire length of the Himalayas in an adventure of survival and endurance.

A personal story of discovery, Levison forges strong bonds with local guides, porters, mountain men, soldiers, farmers, smugglers and shepherds. By travelling on foot, and following the same footpaths that locals use, he uncovers stories that might otherwise remain hidden. Along the way he also reveals the history of the Himalayas and two millennia of exploration, and examines a continent in crisis in the 21st century.

Packed with action and emotion, more than anything Walking the Himalayas is a story of personal adventure and striving beyond the limits of convention.

... you may wish to look out or it

... you may have another book in mind to read ?

All the best Jan

Harper Lee Dead: 'To Kill A Mockingbird' Author Dies Aged 89



"Harper Lee's 'To Kill A Mockingbird' made her a literary superstar

Her 1960 novel made her a literary superstar and won her the Pulitzer prize. It was also turned into a timelessly fascinating film starring Gregory Peck as the lawyer Atticus Finch, who tries to do good in a town whose racial tensions were brought to the surface in a trial.

Harper’s second novel, ‘Go Set A Watchman’, was published in July 2015, after being “rediscovered” in a safety deposit box at her retirement home.

While fans and critics alike were delighted to learn of the novel’s existence, its release was marred in controversy following speculation over whether the reclusive author actually wanted it to be published."

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2016/02/19/harper-lee_n_9273534.html


I thought the film with Gregory Peck was excellent.
I've yet to read 'Go Set A Watchman'

But RIP Harper Lee

When I went to school the 'school reading scheme' was the 'Janet and John' books.
I've always enjoyed reading and can remember Enid Blyton, AA Milne and many others, featuring during my early childhood years.



A new Winnie-the-Pooh adventure has been released to celebrate both the 90th birthday of the Queen and the fictional bear himself.
Winnie-the-Pooh and the Royal Birthday sees the much-loved bear travel to Buckingham Palace with Christopher Robin and friends, Piglet and Eeyore.
The free story has been written by Jane Riordan and is illustrated in the classic EH Shepard style.
It is available as an audio-video download, narrated by Jim Broadbent.
The Queen officially celebrates her 90th birthday on 11 June, although her actual birthday is 21 April 1926.
The first Winnie-the-Pooh book, written by AA Milne, was published in October 1926, though the bear 'of very little brain' had previously featured in a poem and a tale in a newspaper.

Broadbent said he had "loved being part of" the new adventure.
"I have been a fan of Winnie-the-Pooh since I was a boy. In fact I named my very first and much loved teddy Pooh and that can only have been after the AA Milne character," the actor said.
"It's been an honour to narrate such an iconic story and I want to wish both Her Majesty The Queen and Winnie-the-Pooh a very happy 90th."

Story/read more here
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-36386828#?foo=bar&

All the best Jan

Out and about both in supermarkets and book shops I see the Christmas Books selection are out on the shelves... and it's a large collection of all different types!

As a child I remember we always got an annual in our Christmas Stocking ... well actually it was a Christmas pillow!

So many annuals to choose from and I think all the grandchildren are looking forward to getting at least one, and there are so many to choose from - I think we may need a helpful hint LOL!

So many books to choose - from thrillers like 'Solomon Creed' to a very light hearted Christmas romance 'Christmas at the Comfort Food Cafe' ...it doesn't sound as if there may be many LCHF dishes to chose from LOL!

Of course there are 'zillions' of cookery books - but one I saw recently - which did have a good selection of LCHF recipe ideas was this one 'The 8-Week Blood Sugar Diet'. Of course some of the recipes, or similar ones, may have been featured here or on the low carb diabetic blog! My other thought is - both Eddie and I have been living the LCHF lifestyle for more than eight weeks - its been more than eight years now!

Anyway should you be lucky to get a good Christmas Book this year ... please enjoy the read.

Of course if you have any thoughts on a good book we are always pleased that you share them here ...

All the best Jan
   

You may have seen this already? It's about Louisa May Alcott, an American novelist and poet best known as the author of the novel Little Women and its sequels Little Men and Jo's Boys. She was born November 29, 1832. She is perhaps, one of the best-known female authors of the time, and was rarely one to conform to type.

Alcott, who was born 184 years ago today, became a famous feminist and campaigned for the abolition of slavery. She is best known, however, for writing Little Women, the iconic children's book that inspired millions.

Google has commemorated her birthday with a special Doodle (seen above) displaying the characters of Little Women, who were based on Alcott's own family.

Read more at Wikipedia, or many newspapers!

All the best Jan

... Unusually I didn't get any new books this Christmas, luckily I still have quite a few that I've not yet read.

Eddie received a copy of 'Sully' Miracle on the Hudson.
It's a true story which became a movie starring Tom Hanks.

I think he will enjoy the read - well I hope he does !

I wonder if any readers / members may have got any new books for Christmas?

All the best Jan

Tom Hanks in Captain Phillips was a gripping film , Jan!

Derek wrote:Tom Hanks in Captain Phillips was a gripping film , Jan!

Yes, I agree Derek ... we watched it recently.

To be honest I don't think I've ever seen Tom Hanks in a bad film, and he's done a lot.

All the best Jan

PS Eddie is enjoying reading Sully

With Andy talking about golf recently ... this book came to mind.

A Good Walk Spoiled: Days and Nights on the PGA Tour
by John Feinstein
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/892594.A_Good_Walk_Spoiled

Has anyone read or been reading a good book lately?

All the best Jan

I know many people like their kindles (or similar) for reading, but with me I just like books.

Out and about last week having a mooch around 2nd Hand Book stores etc. I spied a Christmas read (sorry to mention Christmas in August!)

Romance in a Winter Wonderland setting ... I bought it for the bargain price of £1-00 and have put it away until later this year ... well, I thought it is a little early to be thinking of winter wonderland ...

My current read is a historical novel set in the 1860's

Are you reading any books this summer?

All the best Jan

I'm spending so much time on Twitter and blogs and reading research that I haven't read a book for ages. I do use a few for reference, like my bird and flower books and various atlases and distribution maps when I'm looking to see how things have changed in the recent past.

I must buy and find time to read Diabetes Unpacked though, it sounds rather good.

Fiction I'm mostly getting via the TV. Oh wait, that's the news.

Do you use your local library? They can be fantastic places ...

This summer the grandchildren have signed up for Animal Agents, they're really enjoying it so far  

"This summer there’s something strange happening at the library – and that’s where the Animal Agents come in!

The Animal Agents love solving mysteries and they need YOU to help them crack their biggest case yet.

Who has painted graffiti on the library wall?
Why are things suddenly going missing?

Join the Animal Agents for the
Summer Reading Challenge 2017 and help them uncover the truth!"
https://summerreadingchallenge.org.uk/news/general/about-animal-agents

Call me old fashioned but I think it's so important to encourage children to read, explore and expand their knowledge in a fun way!
We are always learning aren't we

All the best Jan

Oh memories! Yes I graduated early from the children's section to the adult section. Over the years they moved the libraries around a lot and subsequently closed several of them down.

I used to take mother regularly. The library here is still pretty good but I have such a collection of books, including those inherited from my father and later my mother, I stopped going.

I'm reaching the age where I only need one book, because by the time I get to the end I've forgotten how it started and have to read it again . . .

Books, books, books ... we are so fortunate to be able to have such a wide reading choice.

However, did you know that with "over seven million Brits saying their finances are in the worst state they've ever been in, one in four are turning to alternative methods to make extra cash - by flogging off the clutter lying around their house. Almost a third of sellers choose to sell old books from their collection, and while plenty are making a decent sum of cash from clearing the shelves, there are some fortunes to be made."

The top five are
1. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald
2. The Hobbit, by JRR Tolkien
3. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
4. Casino Royale, by Ian Fleming
5. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

More to read here
https://www.aol.co.uk/money/2017/08/21/do-you-have-a-fortune-sitting-on-your-book-shelves/?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D-750233272_uk

Will you be searching your book shelves ...

All the best Jan

I've been toying with getting a few book buyers in to see what they can find in my collection, and what I inherited. But first I need to dust them, and rearrange some shelves.

I've amassed quite a collection of agricultural machinery leaflets from the sixties to the eighties mostly, some of them are worth £20 or so each. Also I have a collection of vintage Truck magazines, Power Farming, and a bunch of historical books which would be of interest to a specialist collector/seller.

Or I might just hang on to them until I REALLY need the money, in the hope that they'll become even more valuable. 90% of the stuff I collected has turned out to have no value at all.

chris c wrote:I've been toying with getting a few book buyers in to see what they can find in my collection, and what I inherited. But first I need to dust them, and rearrange some shelves.

I've amassed quite a collection of agricultural machinery leaflets from the sixties to the eighties mostly, some of them are worth £20 or so each. Also I have a collection of vintage Truck magazines, Power Farming, and a bunch of historical books which would be of interest to a specialist collector/seller.

Or I might just hang on to them until I REALLY need the money, in the hope that they'll become even more valuable. 90% of the stuff I collected has turned out to have no value at all.

Well I don't know anything about agricultural machinery, trucks etc. but I have read that many of these magazines can be worth some money ... it's surprising really!

You never know what treasures may be in the attic - if you have an attic?

I can remember many years ago when moving house and clearing the loft, some of the many treasures rubbish that we had to throw out. LOL!

All the best Jan

Hi all,

My usual diet of literature was (and still is, to a certain extent) Historical Fiction & Autobiographies, however, I had one of those days, where nothing was appealing to me. As I was flicking through the Kindle Shop, I came across a free book, by an author called Michael R. Hicks, (Google him) called 'In her Name - First Contact'.

If you want an alternative, to what you usually read, have a go at this. Yes, it is Science Fiction, but please don't let that put you off. Considering where we are, in terms of SETI (again, Google it) this is not all that far fetched.

Once I had read the first book, I had an insatiable appetite for the rest. I had the 'good'(?) fortune of discovering this series of books, quite late, which meant that I could read them all, one after the other, in quick succession. Sadly, that has been exhausted, and I now have to wait for new books being released.

Go ahead. It won't cost you anything on Kindle.

Hi Puff,I recently read Robert Harris's books on the times of Cicero I thought they were excellent. regards. Derek

I inherited a huge collection of science fiction books from my father, in addition to my own collection, and I was privileged to look after another huge collection for a while when a friend went abroad to work for a couple of years. I just about finished reading them by the time he returned.

Sadly most of them are paperbacks and haven't stood up to the test of time that well.

I used to have a load of Eagle comics, but when I left home my father generously donated them to the children's ward at the hospital where he worked. He also had a lot of original science fiction mags - Astounding and the like - which he also gave away at some stage.

Later I knew someone who owned a chain of bookshops. He started his business empire selling comics and SF magazines from his back bedroom. Sigh. Since then I've tended to keep everything I collect, but most of it is not worth a lot.

Puff, is the book you mention related to the Jodie Foster film Contact?

Hi Long birder, many thanks for the recommendation. I have read many books of this ilk, so much so, that I can no longer be precise about what I've actually read!  I go to a book store, look through the books and think... 'Have I read that?'

Hi Chris, The book is not related to the Jodie Foster film, of the same title. It's a different take and leads to a wonderful collection of books. I consider myself extremely 'picky' when it comes to SF books. On this occasion, I found myself extremely lucky to have found the first book. Unfortunately, the front covers of his books do not do them justice. I know the old saying, 'Never judge a book by it's cover', but you just can't help yourself, can you?

OK I went and looked on Google like I should have done in the first place <G> no not familiar at all.

SF is such a vast field, some of my all time favourites are the numerous (and often prophetic) dystopias of John Brunner, the hard science stuff like Arthur C Clark and Larry Niven, the softer social side like Ursula LeGuinn and various oddballs like Michael Coney.

I just happened to have a wander around the book shelves in our local supermarket and of course the number of Christmas titles out is mind boggling. I didn't actually want a Christmas book because I had been in a charity shop recently and spotted a book that I thought would make a good December read ... it was only .99p a bargain! I then tend to recycle them back for others to enjoy ...
I did however treat myself to a new Kate Furnivall paperback
Well why not  

All the best Jan

Biggles in the news today!

A rare first edition of the first ever Biggles book, where the daring adventures of the fictional World War One flying ace began, has been sold at auction for three times its pre-sale estimate.

The Camels Are Coming was the first book to feature Captain James Bigglesworth, nicknamed Biggles, of the Royal Flying Corps.

It went under the hammer at Keys Fine Art Auctioneers in Aylsham, Norfolk and was sold to a telephone bidder for £1,800.

Its pre-sale estimate was £500 to £600.

The book contains 17 short stories featuring Biggles and his loyal sidekicks Algy, Ginger and Smyth.

It was published in 1932, and was the first of almost 100 books written by author William Earl Johns, a pilot who usually wrote under the pen name WE Johns.

His Biggles tales were wildly popular in their time, and are still fondly remembered by many enthusiasts.

https://www.aol.co.uk/news/2018/01/26/rare-biggles-book-sold-at-auction-for-three-times-its-pre-sale-e/

More about Biggles here
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biggles

All the best Jan

OMG I'd completely forgotten Biggles!

We have quite a few charity shops nearby ...
They are great places for picking up books at very reasonable prices, and of course you can always re-cycle them when you have finished reading!

One book that will not be re-cycled for some time yet is 'Rick Stein's : Seafood' It was on the bargain .99p table, we got it some-time ago now, and it's such a great book. Not only giving recipes but facts etc. about fish ... A fantastic read and cooking aid.  

All the best Jan