2020 Round Up

Apologies for not keeping u to date with the blog this year, hopefully be better at it next year!

So, what have we missed? Well, the pub mostly!  Just like everyone else!

We've had a couple of trials - including Whatsapp and Facebook Rooms, before caving in and getting a Zoom Pro subscription, which will, with any luck, be enough to get us through to things being back to normal!

Last month we had a lovely talk by local children's author Lesley Rawlinson about her book De Morville's Sword. 

Lesley was kind enough to talk about her inspiration, her work as a teacher, and her own childhood, as well as the research that went into the story.

Reminiscent of Enid Blyton style adventures (without sleeping on gorse bushes) the story was exciting and also genteel enough to not frighten younger readers, and nostalgic for us older folk!

Lesley also told us about her next book, Osprey Girl, which we're looking forward to reading too.

Earlier in the year, we read a banned book, for banned books week, had a summer reading challenge, which included a book written in a foreign language, an autobiography/memoir, a novel about a disaster, a book where the protagonist does your job, and any non-fiction book about a hobby or interest you have, apart from reading!

We didn't manage to get out for walking bookclub, but we did read a book each about walking! 

We also read With the End in Mind by Kathryn Mannix, a non-fiction book about death. 

We'd had to cancel our pre-arranged Afternoon Tea, but made do at home via Whatsapp (I think we were using at that point?). We have also read our choice of books about a religious festival!

We're currently reading Once Upon a River by Diana Setterfield, recommended by Lesley Rawlinson at our author talk last month, and will be discussing it with some festive treats at our December meeting, via Zoom on 20th December.

If you haven't already, do please, let me know if you have any dietary requirements, and let me have your address to drop the treats off on the day!

and please do drop us a message for the zoom call details, you don't have to download the zoom app to join, you can dial in from the website zoom.us, provided you have the meeting reference number and password.

The meeting will be from 7pm on Sunday 20th December!

Finally, two exciting bits of new news.

Firstly, I've signed up for a Box of Stories. Available either by subscription or as a one-off, it's a box of 4 books selected for you and sent through the post. I've opted for the Surprise box, just as a one-off for now, and will pass them around once they arrive - which should be before the zoom call on the 20th!

And secondly, I've already chosen a group read instead of the Christmas challenge, to read before the meeting in January. 

I know, not something I'd usually do, but this one seems particularly interesting. 

The book is called You Don't Know Me and is written by Imran Mahmood, a Criminal Barrister by day. The concept is different and I'm looking forward to discussing reading the book at the December meeting, although please don't actually read the book before the 20th December! The library has a couple of copies apparently, so please do try and pick a copy up, and we'll discuss the book itself, fully, at our January meeting - Date to be confirmed at our December meeting, so have your diary to hand!

That's us all caught up. Sorry for the slacking off this year, will try harder next year!