[goose]

I also prefer hard copies to various methods of e-reading.

however, the best book I have read in years is called 'My name is Why'.  by lemn sissey. 

I have to declare a connection' as I went to school with him. he wasn't  just the only black kid in our school, he was the only black person in our northern town. he was fostered out and renamed 'norman' by social services.

he only found out his true identity when he was 18... he is NOT called Norman (that was the social workers name who had to deal with his situation). his name was Lemn,  (translates as 'Why').

I often wondered what happened to 'Norman'...as he disappeared when I went to high school. I recall challenging his foster brother as to his whereabouts.

I found out what had happened by reading his book. I was astounded and shocked at the situation as I had no idea at the time (ok, I was only a kid too)  yet I am now SO impressed and pleased for him and how he has excelled, not just in his own life but enriching other lives  through his story. This story recalls the failures in protecting vunerable children/young adults.

he had a really challenging start in life.  he excelled as a wold class and celebrated poet...he was the official poet for the 2012 Olympic games and has many many more accolades.

if this type of reading appeals to you...please upload it or order a hard copy

[WeavingGryphon]

Listening to "The museum of curiosity" audio books which are by the same people as do QI, really good, interesting and funny. They get really interesting people to donate things and tell you something about them. Normally they have my ribs hurting from laughing.
I have the audio book but you can get them off the BBC sounds, but my Echo DOT is a mare and won't do as it's told so I use audible. I still haven't found Brian Blessed's Yeti.

BBC link, there is 55 episodes about 30 minutes long each.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00k3wvk/episodes/player

[John]

After the post apocalyptic Second Sleep from Robert Harris, I went to ancient Rome with him in his trilogy based around Cicero. But I'm taking a break in an alternative universe now. Survival Margin (1962, also published as The Darkest of Nights)  by Charles Eric Maine. That's based on a pandemic that starts in China but comes in 2 types. A kills you but B doesn't. So the government come up with a vaccine that kills people with B - oops!
I might take a romp in Victorian England at war with the Martians soon with Mr Wells - much enjoying the War of the Worlds series on Sky at present. Far, far better than the over hyped, pathetically woke offering the BBC managed recently.

[WeavingGryphon]

After the post apocalyptic Second Sleep from Robert Harris, I went to ancient Rome with him in his trilogy based around Cicero. But I'm taking a break in an alternative universe now. Survival Margin (1962, also published as The Darkest of Nights)  by Charles Eric Maine. That's based on a pandemic that starts in China but comes in 2 types. A kills you but B doesn't. So the government come up with a vaccine that kills people with B - oops!
I might take a romp in Victorian England at war with the Martians soon with Mr Wells - much enjoying the War of the Worlds series on Sky at present. Far, far better than the over hyped, pathetically woke offering the BBC managed recently.

Cheerful.

We are reading about a boy who hatched out a dragon from a funny plant in his grandad's garden and SUPERTAYTO.
Also your book on how far apart to plant potatoes. Yesterday it was the bit on onions. Highlighter function has been used a bit.

[John]

Thing is with disaster novels, makes you think it could be worse! One of the scariest disaster novels is The Death of Grass by John Christopher. A disease wipes out the grass family which includes wheat, rice etc. It's an interesting study of how people could react in extreme situations as much as anything.
Happily I've resisted Val's pleas to reduce the number of books I have so could actually keep reading for some time. At a book a day (if I could read that fast!!) I'd have to start re-reading in 2036 

[Aunt Sally]

I’m on the 5th of a six book series called ‘Oxford Medieval Mysteries’ by Ann Swifen.

Light and easy to read amateur crime sleuth.

[Growster...]

Mrs Growster is currently re-reading the whole set of the Burracombe novels by Lilian Harry.

I can't get a word in edge ways, so have resorted to listening to Pink Floyd - 'Pulse', in the meantime...:0)

[John]

I can't get a word in edge ways, so have resorted to listening to Pink Floyd - 'Pulse', in the meantime...:0)

Oh, the modern stuff. I'll stick with the classics, thank you. Piper at the Gates of Dawn They went downhill after Ummagumma which is forever linked with the Foundation trilogy by Asimov. I read it whilst playing my new album endlessly. I shall now return to pseud's corner.

[Growster...]

I can't get a word in edge ways, so have resorted to listening to Pink Floyd - 'Pulse', in the meantime...:0)

Oh, the modern stuff. I'll stick with the classics, thank you. Piper at the Gates of Dawn They went downhill after Ummagumma which is forever linked with the Foundation trilogy by Asimov. I read it whilst playing my new album endlessly. I shall now return to pseud's corner.

Ha ha ha!

A great chum said exactly the same several years ago!

I do well remember listening to 'One of those days' and the rest of the album on the M1 with a chum around the 70s (?), and loved it!

Trouble was that Mrs Growster and I had placed ourselves in self-isolation from record shops, as our mortgage was going through the roof, so I missed out on all of those early albums..:0(

(She did start buying me Dr Hessayon's books for birthdays etc., about then though, so I suppose that's why I'm here)!

[WeavingGryphon]

I am reading "Critical", written by a Dr in the intensive care unit.

[John]

I am reading "Critical", written by a Dr in the intensive care unit.

Bit too near reality for my tastes - I like my disasters to be safely fictional!

[WeavingGryphon]

Today at 4:23 am (to distract me from my nightmare about not having black cardamom pods) I read a book sample where all it had was the RHS boss saying how wonderful the book was, we should buy it, they actually got people who actually had allotments to write it. It had a few pictures of people lying on a blanket but nothing to show the tone or quality of the book. Pictures of a pair of people sitting on a blanket don't indicate how good the book it. Their also not relevant to anything including an allotment, the contents of the book actually are relevant. So it went into my not to buy list.

I would like to point out while it is true I don't have black cardamom pods, it's mildly annoying not nightmare worthy. I've survived this long and this lot don't know how a curry with them tastes so they can't say it's not right.

[WeavingGryphon]

I am reading about a palliative care Doctors, it's today's daily deal. Relevant and moving, bit of a sore point at the minute. I've also been reading Flower Hunters: Adventurous Botanists and the Lasting Impact of Their Discoveries by Mary Gribbin and John Gribbin. And Erebus: The Story of a Ship by Michael Palin.

I'm obviously not settling into one book but I've read a few pages of each today

I've an animated film to recommend, it's good for children but the Husband and I both enjoyed it to the point of neglecting housework. We've just got it and I'd put it on to keep everyone out from underfoot to get some laundry folded. But I watched it instead so the laundry pile is still there. It was stop motion so you got to see one of the monsters being built and trying to get one of the sculptors.

Kubo And The Two Strings with Charlize Theron (Actor), Art Parkinson (Actor), Travis Knight (Director)

Young Kubo's peaceful existence comes crashing down when he accidentally summons a vengeful spirit from the past. Now on the run, Kubo joins forces with Monkey and Beetle to unlock a secret legacy. Armed with a magical instrument, Kubo must battle the Moon King and other gods and monsters to save his family and solve the mystery of his fallen father, the greatest samurai warrior the world has ever known.