You may be forgiven for thinking today was just another lockdown day; another identikit Thursday - if Thursdays even mean anything anymore. But today was World Book Day; no, I'm not sure what that means in the context of a global pandemic either. I guess it's all about promoting books, bookshops, writers, writing, reading and anything remotely bookish. With most kids not even in school at the moment I don't know how this year's event reached younger readers. By Zoom, I guess. Like everything else.
For what it's worth I'm currently reading Anne Tyler's The Amateur Marriage and am also dipping in and out of Henry Normal's latest poetry anthology. Oh, and I've just ordered the new Magnus Mills.
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If you don't mind sharing, I'd love to know what you're reading right now...
Most of my reading during this plague year has been on the escapist with a lot of detective fiction: Maigret, Bryant & May and Kinky Friedman.
ReplyDeleteHowever, a couple of weeks ago I decided I should read some non-fiction again. So I've just finished the 600 pages of A Distant Mirror by Barbara Tuchman, which is a history of Europe (especially France) during the 14 century. It's a superb book.
However, I'll need something a bit lighter after that, so it'll be back to 90s New York with Kinky Friedman or 60s Paris with Maigret.
A Distant Mirror sounds fascinating; quite prescient right now.
DeleteYou're pushing at an open door with Kinky!
Incredibly heartened by the boom in book sales last year (especially children's) - it being my absolute bread-and-butter we'd been warned at the beginning of all this that the work might dry up and customers would be less inclined to spend much on books, but instead many publishers have announced record sales. It really helps to restore my faith in people's values.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I'm sorry to say I'm not reading anything at the moment - yes I need to address that...
That's great news, C. I know you're a very modest person, but if you could send me a link to some of your illustrations I'd love to have a look...
DeleteI'm sure you'll pick up a book when you're in the mood.
The Beatles - All These Years Vol. 1 by Mark Lewisohn. I turned 62 a few weeks ago and grew up listening to Beatles records on the radio and our record player but actually have never taken the trouble to really understand the details of what happened.
ReplyDeleteAm finding this excellent reading. And it has led me to the wealth of superb podcasts which have flourished during the hiatus.
Hi Alan, Mark Lewisohn's books are amazingly detailed aren't they?
DeleteYes, Beatles podcasts! I listen to a few and am constantly amazed that I'm still learning new stuff about them.
Sam went into school dressed as the Fantastic Mr Fox. Shame only about 1/3rd of his class are there at the moment. And most of them chose not to come as a character from a book but (the alternative option provided) "come as an adjective". Sporty, happy, sleepy... I would have chosen "thoroughly fucked off" as an adjectival phrase, but I dress that way most days.
ReplyDeleteYou've just given me a new acronym, Rol. 'TFO' will be my new rejoinder upon being asked 'How are you?'
DeleteTFO. Will have to remember that one and I think we all know of a Spice Girl who looked more TFO Spice than anything else.
DeleteYes, it seems book sales are up and I know I've read more than usual over the last 12 months. I'm re-reading my David Hepworth book, Uncommon People as enjoyed it so much over Christmas. As you said above, always new stuff to learn about the Beatles.
ReplyDeleteListened to the podcast on Pop Scene where Mark from So It Goes discussed the film That'll Be The Day with the host. Very funny and enjoyed it a lot.
Yes, I've seen that on Mark's site: he does Stardust, too - that's tomorrow's listening sorted then.
DeleteJust finished John Cooper Clarke's autobiography, very funny and impossible to read without hearing his voice. Have just started this https://www.whiterabbitbooks.co.uk/white-rabbit-news/2020/08/07/harry-sword-brings-monolithic-undertow-to-white-rabbit/
ReplyDeleteYou're not the first person to gush about JCC's book, Adam; I must blag myself a copy.
DeleteThe Harry Sword looks interesting - I'll look forward to seeing a review of it over at your place.