Cramlington Book Club

Another orbit by the moon later and it's time again to reflect on what books I have read and bought this month. In terms of reading the first and probably my favourite book this month was Scribbles in the Margin by Daniel Gray. A love letter to all things book, I thoroughly recommend this short but sweet hardback. Self contained chapters make it a perfect alternative to any summer reading list. Different in every way to Scribbles was  George III by Christopher Hibbert. A well written, informative book expertly illustrating why George was so much more than the Mad King. In terms of the historical non fiction genre it's a good one but you probably do need an interest in the first place to get the most out of it. The One  by John Marr was our June #BookOfTheMonth based on what happens when five different people from all walks of life take a DNA test to discover who they are genetically Matched to . A go...

As my husband will attest comedy is not really my thing. So I was surprised to find myself laughing out loud to an episode of The Kennedy's , a TV series starring the excellent Katherine Parkinson set in the 1970s. "It's a book apparently" said my husband. Curious I hit the internet to find out more and discovered it was indeed a book called The Tent, The Bucket and Me by Emma Kennedy the writer and television presenter recollecting her childhood experiences of camping in the 1970s. Liking the episode (and also liking camping) I purchased the book and timed it perfectly so that reading it coincided with my latest camping to trip. Like the TV series the book was laugh out loud funny, I do hate that phrase but it was, honestly. Kennedy captured the 1970s perfectly with the family's holiday songs, Star Wars obsession and food experiences. It harked back to a different era where children's freedom was extensive and a childhood was a true childhood uninterru...

Previously released as "A Thousand Small Explosions" The One is based around five different people from all walks of life who take a DNA test to discover who they are genetically Matched to following a discovery that who we are meant to be with is all down to our genes. A very modern book, both in its content – social media, on-line dating, the Shard and in its writing style – short snappy chapters making it very easy to read during the daily commute. Constant cliff hangers entice the reader to just read the next part to see what happens. With its fast moving tempo, various view points and twisting and turning plot I was given the impression I was reading a book very much written for a modern reader on a Kindle or with a Netflicks series in mind. Even the name change seemed a deliberate shift to more modern. I didn’t love the very modern feel to the book but that is totally a me thing and no criticism of Marr. I did think however that five characters was at least a char...

I was passed this book by my mum and I have to confess that before reading I couldn't quite place where abouts George III fell in our Royal timeline and couldn't tell you anything about him other than he was possibly mad at some point (I knew one of the George's had been but alas couldn't tell you which one). Well having read the book I can confirm he was 'the mad one' and he fits in between 1738-1820 to be precise. Yet Hibbert expertly illustrates why George III was so much more than simply the mad King. He was a patron of the arts and sciences owning one of the largest collections of books of his time, he was intelligent and a kind devoted husband. Did you know he was the King reviled in the Declaration of Independence? Did you know he was the first monarch to live in Buckingham Palace (or Queens House as it was then known)? I certainly didn't and was fascinated to read about the grandfather of Queen Victoria and a period of ...

I bought  Scribbles on Mother's Day and a quick scan in the car on the way home (I wasn't driving). quickly established it was one I was going to love. Each chapter is about a different element of reading, from over ones shoulder, to the bookmarks we use, to the way we enthuse about a certain book to anyone who will listen. It's easy to read and is slim despite being a hardback. How different to the previous slim hard back - Women and Power I recently read. It just goes to show it doesn't matter how long a book ( Vanity Fair v Bleak House ) or how slim a book is, it's the content that counts and this was brimming with it. I could sit here and re-type practically the whole book pointing out quotes that I loved or sections that resonated. Gray just knows what it is like to read and be obsessed by reading. I don't think at the start I could have set down on paper 50 different things about books and reading styles yet I found a little bit of myself in nearl...

Time for something a bit new with a roundup of books that I have bought or read in May. The first book I FINALLY finished was Bleak House  by Charles Dickens. Taking me nearly three months in total (with several books read in between) I came to the conclusion it wasn't worth the effort and if doorstop Dickens is your thing David Copperfield is a much better bet.  The follow up to a previous #BookOfTheMonth was next up. Deadman's Blues by Ray Celestin was the perfect tonic to my jaded post Bleak House self. Featuring the same characters from The Axeman's Jazz who had upped and moved to Chicago, a bucket load of Jazz (played by Louis Armstrong) threaded through a whole lotta crime (involving Al Capone). If you haven't read either books, both are highly recommended. Another follow up followed up with The Favoured Child the second in the Wideacre series by Philippa Gregory. Charting the path of the two ill fated Lacey heirs an 8 year reading gap in between the two ...