Mosquito

Posted on March 26, 2012 by helsbelstels

What they say about it

A lyrical and profoundly moving story of love, loss and civil war, set in Sri Lanka, London and Venice.
 
What I thought about it
 
Although I have been known to have a soppy moment I wasn’t expecting to find this as moving as I did.
 
It had a slow start building up to a gripping read which meant I read half of the book in one go.
 
The characters are beautifully described and it tells a story of unwavering love. As someone who went to Sri Lanka around this time, it makes me realise that even though I had some hair-raising moments – trying to get round road blocks etc. – I was kept thankfully away from the majority of the trouble.
 
Helen Hilton
 
Available in Lewisham Libraries

Filed under: Book review, Romance, War | Tagged: | Leave a Comment »

Become a part of City Read London 2012

Posted on March 26, 2012 by helsbelstels

Aiming to get more Londoners into libraries and enjoying great novels, City read London have picked the Dickens favourite Oliver Twist as their first title, urging Londoners to reacquaint themselves with this classic novel and portrayal of the capital.

Go to www.cityreadlondon.org.uk for details of a whole host of events in Lewisham and across the capital throughout April 2012. As a special incentive for Lewisham readers to participate, free copies of Oliver Twist will be gifted to adult reading group attendees at the conclusion of April meetings hosted in Lewisham’s libraries.

Readers across the borough can come together to discuss the book informally at Lewisham Reading Group’s June monthly session on Saturday 2 June 10.30am-12 Noon.

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Short Stack: New pulp fiction written by women (Pulp Press with For Books’ Sake)

Posted on February 6, 2012 by lewishamcouncil

Library at Deptford Lounge
Thursday 8 March
7.30-9pm
Free to attend, but pre-book on 020 8692 4446

Pulp fiction is back. For Books’ Sake, the online magazine dedicated to promoting writing by women, has teamed up with Pulp Press to present Short Stack; a collection of new pulp fiction written by women, featuring ten tales of deadly dames and heroines hell-bent on vengeance.

Join For Books’ Sake founding editor Jane Bradley, Pulp Press publisher Danny Bowman and selected Short Stack to hear readings from the anthology and Q&A. 

Participating writers will be: Shelagh M. Rowan-Legg, a Canadian writer living in the UK. Her work has been published in a variety of magazines including Taddle Creek and Pottersfield Portfolio: Bernadette Russell runs White Rabbit with Gareth Brierley, performing, writing and producing storytelling variety night Are You Sitting Comfortably? as well as creating theatre, cabaret and installations. Bernadette regularly comperes as alter-ego Toni Galore.

Filed under: Book event, Book launch, Deptford Lounge, Women | Tagged: , | Leave a Comment »

Bestselling children’s author Steve Cole visits on World Book Day

Posted on February 6, 2012 by lewishamcouncil

Library at Deptford Lounge
Thursday 1 March
3.30-4.15pm

Meet and buy a signed copy of a book from best-selling author Steve Cole. Steve is best known for putting dinosaurs into space and time-travelling cows in the wildly funny Astrosaurs, Astrosaurs Academy and Cows In Action series. Out this month is Cows In Action: The Viking Emoo-gency.

What’s your favourite Steve Cole book and why? The humour and style of Steve’s writing makes them especially popular with boys: Boys, girls, parents – what do you think? Which author makes you laugh the loudest?

Filed under: Book event, Children, Deptford Lounge | Tagged: | Leave a Comment »

The good thief’s guide to Venice

Posted on November 26, 2011 by helsbelstels

What they say about it

Charlie Howard, gentleman thief and famous crime-writer, has gone straight. But holing himself up in a crumbling palazzo in Venice in an attempt to concentrate on his next novel hasn’t got rid of the itch in his fingers. To make matters worse, an Italian beauty has broken into his apartment and made off with his most prized possession.

Charlie Howard, gentleman thief and famous crime-writer, has gone straight. But holing himself up in a crumbling palazzo in Venice in an attempt to concentrate on his next novel hasn’t got rid of the itch in his fingers. And, to make matters worse, an Italian beauty has broken into his apartment, stealing his most prized possession.
What I thought
This was a fun read, but complete throw away fiction. I enjoyed it, it was fast paced and kept me interested. But, I won’t remember it in a few weeks. Is that a bad thing, probably not, but it’s not one of the world’s great works of fiction.

Filed under: Book review, Crime | Tagged: | Leave a Comment »

The Sickness

Posted on November 26, 2011 by helsbelstels

What the say

Ernesto Durán is convinced he is sick. It becomes an obsession far exceeding hypochondria, and when Dr Andrés Miranda gives up responding to e-mails, Durán resolves to stalk him. The fixation has its own creeping effect on Karina, the hospital secretary, who cannot resist becoming involved.

Meanwhile Dr Miranda is coming to terms with a tragedy of his own: his father has been diagnosed with terminal cancer, and yet the doctor – the son – finds it impossible to tell him. He hopes that by taking his father on a trip to Isla Margarita, where they once went when he was a child, he might be able to reveal the truth.

The nature of sickness as experienced by two individuals provides the backbone to this tender, thoughtful and refined novel. The Sickness is profound and philosophical, and yet written with an agility that expresses the tragedy, but also the comedy of life itself. A brilliantly achieved first novel.

What I thought

I thought this book was so well written. Quite short, it describes the journey Dr Miranda and his father go on when he finds out that his father has terminal cancer. The other thread of the book is about patient Ernesto and the effect his psychological problems have on the doctors secretary.

Well worth a read. It won a Herralde Prize in its original Spanish and it comes over well as a translation.

Available at Lewisham Libraries

Helen Hilton

Filed under: Book review, Death, Family | Tagged: | Leave a Comment »

A Book of Blues

Posted on November 11, 2011 by lewishamcouncil

What they say

A music journalist suffers a crisis of faith in Miami. Young London goes hip-hop crazy circa 1988…Old friends make a belated attempt to reconnect disparate lives, and a social recluse finds an unexpected companion in a Victorian cemetery. Threaded with the constant pulse of music, A Book of Blues explores both physical and internal landscapes via the never-ending diversity of human relationships.

What I say

Courttia Newland offers readers a great range of voices, viewpoints, settings and circumstances within this collection. My own favourite is Anatomy of Man in which our media savvy author treats us to a comic photo shoot and his ability to surprise us when we make assumptions of how individual tales will pan out. Longstanding fans will enjoy the stories set in West London and the short story format enables us to enjoy more of Courttia’s range. I look forward to seeing the author in person at Lewisham Library on 24 November.

AM

Filed under: Book review, Music | Tagged: | Leave a Comment »

A trio of launches for Black History Month

Posted on September 20, 2011 by helsbelstels

Maggie Harris and Rosemarie Hudson: Author and Publisher perspectives

About the event
Lewisham Library
Tuesday 4 October, 8-9.30pm

Maggie Harris introduces Kiskadee Girl, with readings followed by Q&A with Maggie and, special guest, Rosemarie Hudson, founder of the highly influential BlackAmber Press.

About the book

‘A memoir that reads like a novel:’ The setting is Guyana, the land of many waters, and the time one of great change in Maggie’s life.

Courttia Newland –  A Book of Blues

 About the event
Lewisham Library
Thursday 24 November, 8-9.30pm

Celebrated local saxophonist Jimmy Beckley provides the mood music as Courttia speaks about and reads from his blues themed collection of short stories.

About the book

The blues speak of many things, love most of all. Courttia uses the short story format to compose vivid contemporary songs of self-discovery, tenderness and hope.

Jacob Sam-La Rose - Breaking Silence

About the event
Lewisham Library
Thursday 17 November, 8-9.30pm

Described as a “one man literary industry,”  Jacob is as well-known for his performances as for his written work. He is accompanied this evening by guitarist, Tomas Ciucelis.

About the book

This newly published poetry collection is a stand-out reflection upon contemporary Britain.

Filed under: Black History Month, Book launch | Tagged: , , | Leave a Comment »

The Hunger Games

Posted on September 20, 2011 by helsbelstels

What they say

Katniss Everdeen is a survivor. She has to be; she’s representing her District, number 12, in the 74th Hunger Games in the Capitol, the heart of Panem, a new land that rose from the ruins of a post-apocalyptic North America.

To punish citizens for an early rebellion, the rulers require each district to provide one girl and one boy, 24 in all, to fight like gladiators in a futuristic arena. The event is broadcast like reality TV, and the winner returns with wealth for his or her district.

With clear inspiration from Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” and the Greek tale of Theseus, Collins has created a brilliantly imagined dystopia, where the Capitol is rich and the rest of the country is kept in abject poverty, where the poor battle to the death for the amusement of the rich. Impressive world-building, breathtaking action and clear philosophical concerns make this volume, the beginning of a planned trilogy, as good as The Giver and more exciting.

What I thought

Although aimed at the teen market it has a wide cross-over appeal and I really enjoyed it. You really care about slightly prickly Katniss and her will to survive. Even though I knew that nearly all of the characters had to die, I still willed them to come through it. I love the distorted reality TV aspect. Will this be us one day?

I can’t wait to get my hands on the next one and am looking forward to the film coming out.

Helen Hilton

Available in Lewisham Libraries

Filed under: Apocalyptic, Book review, Teen | Tagged: | 2 Comments »

In the Dark

Posted on September 20, 2011 by helsbelstels

 What they say

‘Billingham produces an astonishing final twist to complete his most ambitious and accomplished book.’ (Sunday Telegraph)

‘..a twist that I guarantee even veteran crime fiction aficionados won’t see coming.’ (Evening Herald)

What I say

To me, the twist in the tale is so obvious I was beginning to doubt myself. This is the author’s first without Tom Thorne at its core and so lacks in trademark banter. It’s largely set in a dystopian vision of gangland Lewisham (no M&S apparently) – ‘somewhere people would visit only if they had to…somewhere to get in and out of quickly’. Yes – certainly if you’re in a stolen car carrying a gun and trading crack. Credit is due to any bestselling author prepared to stretch himself and readers by moving away from a winning formula. However, this is a hotchpot of genuine empathy for some who find themselves the wrong side of the law and lazy caricature, but Billingham is always worth a read.

Alan Morrison

Available in Lewisham Libraries

Filed under: Book review, Crime | Tagged: | Leave a Comment »

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