Charles Dickens

Tuesday 7th February 2012 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Dickens. This event has been well documented in the press and on television and on the day itself a wreath is being laid in Westminster Abbey, his final resting place.. There is a small display in the Library to mark this anniversary with books by and about Dickens available for loan. For more information about Dickens try the Dickens 2012 website or if you want to read a work by Dickens but don't have the time go to The Guardian's digested Dickens pages where you can read shortened versions of David Copperfield, Great Expectations and Bleak House.

You might also like (some of my own favourite nineteenth century books)

Books on screen

At the moment there are quite a few books which have been made into films or television programmes. Just released is 'The woman in black' starring Daniel Radcliffe ( aka Harry Potter). The book written by Susan Hil some 21 years ago,l is one of my favourites by her. It is set in the nineteenth century and is a wonderful gothic ghost story, where the  atmosphere builds slowly and eerily to its conclusion. Having seen a trailer for the movie version I am in two minds as to whether or not to go and see the film as Daniel R. seems too young to play the role of the lawyer - certainly as I inmagined the character. But I probably will - just so I can confirm that, as usual, the book is far better than the film!! If you want the real chill factor, read the book late at night when you are all alone!

New Year Resolutions

One of my first New Year resolutions was to get back to doing a blog for staff - so at last I have managed to get around to that (big tick on list).

At the top of my list it says 'Buy fewer books for self - borrow more from the Library.' Yes in these times of financial hardship I decided that it was crazy not to make use of the public library service. After all if there is a book Iwant to read available in West Lothian, then all I have to do is request it and as soon as it is available it is delivered here to school on a Tuesday. Ideal! Well, yes I have been doing that, indeed the latest Paul Torday arrived on Tuesday a nice, new hardback which I am the first to borrow. However I had 'forgotten' that I had pre-ordered a couple of books on Amazon, the first of which arrived on my doorstep on the third of January!

Ah well! It is still only January and I will try harder. If only my son would stop suggesting that we meet for coffee in Glasgow at a place that combines cakes with second hand books! OOPS!

Have only just started this book will review later.

My downfall! Had read the first book in this series by Peter May (The black house) attracted to it because it is set in the Ness area of Lewis and I have family connections there. Both books are really evocative of the Lewis landscape and way of life as well as being fairly decent murder mysteries.