Wednesday 28 July 2010

Holmes for all?








Imagine, if you will, dear reader, my surprise (nay, dismay) upon viewing the new BBC television adaptation of my “boon favourite”, Mr Sherlock Holmes…

Anticipating (not unnaturally, I am sure you would agree) that we were about to be thrillingly entertained with visions of our tweed-clad hero emerging from a London “pea-souper”, I had prepared myself accordingly for an evening of wholesome sleuthing: my meerschaum pipe was smouldering agreeably, I had buffed up my magnifying-glass to a fine sheen, and donned my trusty deerstalker, tying the flaps neatly & tightly beneath my chin…
Yet lo and behold! What were we presented with? A “post-modern” Holmes with a mobile telephonic device, A “Doctor Watson” devoid of any moustaches (!) and ne’er a hansom cab to be seen!

“An outrage!” I spluttered, and yet…and yet…and yet…
As I watched further, I confess that I was strangely drawn to this novel adaptation: the writing was admirably crisp, the pace devilishly swift, and Mrs Hudson was a revelation! (I confess it, I rather admired “the cut of her jib”).
I may yet, in fact, be tempted to watch further episodes. Never let it be said, therefore, that the Blogbrarian is not a chap who “moves with the times”.

I shall, naturally, be checking the veracity of each storyline by re-reading some of the Holmes novels, thankfully available via the medium of Bexley’s splendid library service. I would urge you to do likewise, dear readers, and to post any of your musings using the “comments” facility clearly marked below.

TTFN

Tuesday 27 July 2010

2010 – A Space Odyssey, with scratch`n`sniff stickers!...





This summer in all our Bexley libraries, you’ll see the wonderful sight of children reading, enjoying and talking about books…
It’s that time of year again when we’re running our Summer Reading Challenge, and this time we’re blasting off into distant galaxies with our SPACE HOP.

Children will be reading books (loads of `em, we hope) and earning space-themed prizes; Spacekatz bookmarks, rainbow pencils, astro-medals, and even rocket fuel scented scratch `n` sniff stickers! (Sorry, grown ups – they’re not for you!)

So, tell any youngsters in your family or friends about Space Hop, and get them to join. It’s fun, it’s free, and it’s fantastic – what’s not to like?
Or just call in at any Bexley library, take a look, and relish the sight of children discovering the joy of reading…
Who knows where it might take them?...
To infinity, Bexley, and Beyond!....
Blast Off!
As for me, I must dash – I’ve got to practice saying “scratch`n`sniff stickers” quickly and accurately…no easy task, believe me!


TTFN

Monday 19 July 2010

“We’re all going on a summer holiday…Let’s look for girls with dragon tattoos”



"We're all going on a summer holiday"...


"No more troubles for a week or two” as the song has it, and one of your toughest choices might be which book to take with you for your holiday reading…
We reckon the biggest `beach books` this year will be any of the Stieg Larsson crime novels – (The Girl with the dragon tattoo, The Girl who played with fire, or The Girl who kicked the hornets’ nest) – keep your eyes open, and see how many people you spot with a copy…

Where’s Stieg?
Larsson’s publishers must have made a fortune from these bestsellers…not that it’s done poor Stieg any favours, he died a few years ago in mysterious circumstances, aged only 50.(There’s also a new biography about his life & work just out – try reading The man who left too soon). Larsson’s Swedish crime novels, featuring the feisty and mysterious Lisbeth Salander, have sold millions…Why not join the club and try one – you won’t be alone on the beach!

Nordic nasties…
And, if that’s whetted your appetite for more of the same, Bexley Libraries have loads more Nordic novels of a criminal bent…Try books by Henning Mankell (Sweden), Jo Nesbo (Norway) or Arnaldur Indridason (Arnaldur’s from Iceland by the way, so beware the volcanic ash!)
Whatever you pick, enjoy your holiday reading, and tell us about it…

TTFN

Tuesday 13 July 2010

Help! I'm addicted to books

Welcome to this first ever posting, (Blogbrary = part blog, part library, with a little bit of fruitiness thrown in for free!)

It’s our chance to put books & reading in the spotlight, and highlight a growing trend – talking about books…

Addictions:
Keen book lovers will know that reading is the best addiction anyone can develop; there’s no chance of being arrested for it, it won’t wear you out, and you don’t need a license. Best of all, if you borrow books from your Bexley library you can feed your habit for FREE!

But what some people don’t know, is that it’s great to talk about books too. Reading Groups are the biggest innovation in the book world for years, personal recommendations are recognized as the best way to promote any title, and water-cooler chats about reading are always enlightening – talking about books bring people together, and that’s what we can do with Blogbrary…It’ll be like being hugged by hundreds of virtual Bexley bookworms …what an image! Check again soon, and see if we can tempt you…
So, keep reading, tell us what you enjoy, reply if you like, and we’ll pass it all on.
TTFN