YOU CAN TELL WHAT A PERSON IS LIKE BY....

 ...the books that they read!  No, this isn't a night-time revelation but just another way of introducing myself, as I am a bit of a book worm.  It all started when my auntie Violet (not a real auntie, a family friend who once fell down a man-hole that was outside our gate - but I digress..).  My auntie Vi took me to the local library when I was 7 and signed me up.  After that I had 3 or 4 books out on loan every week or two and the addiction was started.  Also, I was allowed to walk down to the library on my own from that young age, so it was a delight to go and visit my new obsession and feel grown-up and free.  There was also the Ancient Book House in Reigate which I frequented every Saturday afternoon, walking 2 or 3 miles each way and spending hours browsing among the shelves. But I digress again...


So...I've got a book I read whilst eating breakfast, usually something arty but currently this one which is a mixture of art and poetry, written for children


Last week I went to an exhibition of paintings by the artist who illustrated this book - Olivia Lomenech Gill and was blown away by her stuff.  Not to mention the expo was in the chateau of La Roche Jagu, my favourite place in Brittany...




Then there's a devotional book I read when back in bed with a cup of coffee, at the moment a very interesting compilation of 'mysteries' in the bible only found by understanding the Hebrew language - which I have been studying for the past few years. When it says 'mysteries' it really means getting to a deeper meaning that was conveyed in the Hebrew but lost in English translation.


When I have my afternoon rest - I'm all for siestas! - I pick up a more cerebral book.  'Underland' by Robert MacFarlane at the moment.  It is in an almost inexplicable genre.  It describes his journeyings underground in deep caves all over the world, at the same time being a commentary on life, nature and humanity.  It is also written very poetically as the man is an incredible lover of words and of nature (see his The Lost Words)


Finally at bed-time I read something easy to digest that will hopefully send me to sleep.  I've nearly finished reading the Brother Cadfael series by Ellis Peters (for the 3rd time!) but I'm having a little break from the 12th century Benedictine monastery in Shrewsbury by reading a book by Kate Moss..


This is the second book in a series following the fortunes of Huguenots in the 16th century.  As I am a Huguenot descendant, I find it fascinating to follow what these persecuted protestants had to go through back then.  Incidentally, the chateau of La Roche Jagu was known to have hidden and protected Huguenots at the time - maybe that's why I feel so at home there?

So, what are your favourite books? Or have you never had this addiction?!

Of course, we mainly learn from our life experiences - those things get imprinted into our being - and I'm planning to share with you more of what I've learned along my journey. See you soon..
 






Comments

  1. I definitely share being a bookworm with you, never without a book and a great variety, mostly fiction but recently some autobiography too. I'm loving books set in different countries and cultures at the moment - Elif Shafak, Nadia Hashimi. Remember the library in the Coleman building, you had to be 12 to go in to the adult sect but I sneaked in long before that. There was a stuffy old reading room upstairs too. The building is long gone but the love of books remains x

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    1. Yes, I remember the Coleman building, our first library! And I'm sure I snuck into the adults section too😊 we must have gone there together sometimes? The books you read sound very interesting! I love Elif Shafak too, I've read The Forty Rules of Love and 10 minutes thirty seconds in this Strange World. Would you recommend any of her other titles?
      Lovely to hear from you xxxx

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  2. The Island of Missing Trees is lovely too. I highly recommend The Pearl that Broke it's Shell by Nadia Hashemi, a really interesting view into a girls life in Afghanistan and I recently reread Caravans by James Michener for a glimpse into pre-Taliban times.

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