Chuckle Verse. Poems by Lizzy Wade

Chuckle Verse is a collection of poems by Lizzy Wade.

Poetry can be difficult to write. And also sometimes difficult to read.

This judgement cannot be laid at the feet of Lizzy Wade.

The only thing that can be laid at the feet of poetess Lizzy Wade are a collection of accolades.

For Lizzy's poetry is always amusing and, if not merely amusing, downright bloody hilarious!

And often makes you, the lucky reader (trust me, if you take the time to purchase Lizzy's book you will be very lucky!) say: "Well blow me down! I thought that kind of stuff happened only to me?"

Such as this extract from one of her poems called Trying to see my GP

"I try to make an appointment
To see my own GP
But the battle-axe I encounter
Gives me the third degree"

She has a wit that shines a million candle power light into all sorts of nooks and crannies of everyday life.

From Doctor's receptionists to botox, from sexism to the problems of allowing men to barbecue, from from the confusion engendered by cricket to driving lessons, from boozing vicars to shopaholics and the problems of being a doctor to blind dates and the horrors of having a hot gran, all human life is here.

Each poem has a witty and pithy coloured illustration which perfectly matches the relevant poem.

If you spend your £7.99 on this excellent book of poems (it's from Matador) you will laugh and you'll live a little better, too, as these poems will remind you of truths you already knew or teach you things you should already have known but which you might have been away from school when that particular lesson was taught. (EDITOR: That's why I never came to grips with quadratic equations, apparently)

This book is promoted on the basis that all women will be able to relate to this book, in some way.

I have some hopefully welcome news for Lizzy and the staff at Matador. I think all men can relate to this book in some way, too!

Of course it is purchasable from the That's Books bookshop, which is to the righthand side of this book review, along with many other books of poems from Lord Byron to his newest and most distinguished rival, Lizzy Wade.

Bruno and the Little Donkey

Bruno and the Little Donkey is a story by Marianne Parry, which is illustrated  by Dave Hill.

It is a charming, well-illustrated tale of two friends, one a little boy called Bruno and the other, a little donkey who is called, Little Donkey.

Bruno and Little Donkey live and work on two different farms. Sad to relate, Bruno and Little Donkey are unhappy because they are both treated very badly on the farms.

When they meet at the market Bruno realises that Little Donkey is just as badly treated as he is. so, on impulse, he advises the donkey to escape.

A little while later Bruno follows his own advice and also runs away.

On the road from the village and the bustling, hustling market place, the two meet up again and they commence upon a journey away from their cruel, heartless masters they wander off together to face their new life as escapees from their previous cruel masters.

Life on the road was not easy for the two friends, for they meet characters who would wish them harm and ill fortune, but they face these and other troubles until, eventually, Bruno and Little Donkey manage to trudge their way to a new home which will be filled with much love and happiness.

This book is aimed at children -and their parents and grandparents!- from age six upwards.

It is published by Matador at £8.99 in paperback and is available from the That's Books and Entertainment bookshop, alog with thousands and thousands of other titles and DVDs, to the right of this book review.

Poetry for PSHE

Poetry for PSHE is a book by teacher and author Jay Clarke and if you are a teacher or a homeschooler who deals with children who are being taught at secondary school level, then this book is one that you must have.

And if you are the head of an English Department then you simply have got to buy multiple copes of this book for your department and/or the school library.

PSHE means Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education and the book is a collection of poems that are aimed at secondary school aged children.

It is a anthology of a variety of poems that cover a wide range of different subjects such as friendships, bullying, secrets, social media, families, ill health  and the like.

The subjects are covered in such a way that the pupils are, in general terms, enthused and wish to read the next poem.

They introduce the children to a variety of real life situations that they may already be facing (such as bullying) and provides them with potential ways to face up to the situations and to learn coping skills and to help others if required.

The positive impact of this book will remain with the children for years to come. Perhaps for the rest of their lives.

The book is short, but deals with the subjects in a highly effective way and is aimed at the modern curriculum.

At £11.99 this Matador textbook deserves a place on your book shelf and also in the resource library at your school.

It is available for purchase -as single or multiple copies- from the That's Books and Entertainment bookshop, which you will find at the right hand side of this book review.

You can also purchase all other textbooks through the bookshop, too.

Last Tango in Buenos Aires Sketches from the Argentine

Last Tango in Buenos Aires Sketches from the Argentine is a highly evocative book by David Marsh.

David March travels into and through Argentina.

He takes his readers into the heart of this massive and highly varied country.

Through his eyes and skilled pen we meet with Indians and also a variety of religious figures from nuns and pilgrims to priests.

We see other people who inhabit the Argentine, teachers, veterans of the ill-fated war of the South Atlantic, coal miners and gold miners, ranchers and a whole host of other people who populate this country.

He also meets with those who are still bearing physical and mental scars from the wicked and horrible "Dirty War" and, astonishing though this night seem, he even meets some people who are still in favour of what happened during that filthy time and who act as apologists for what is arguably a very shameful event in recent Argentinian history.

There are also people who dream of the golden, olden days, when Argentina was one of the richest nations in the world and when Evita Peron kept many Argentinians captivated.

At £9.99 this book by Matador is ideal for people who have either a passion for Argentina or for travelogues in general.

It is available for purchase or order via the That's Books and Entertainment bookshop, which is to the right of this review, along with thousands and thousands of other books, DVDs, etc.

Willoughby Wind Has Fun!

Willoughby Wind Has Fun! is a fantastic new book for children written by Maggie Lycett and illustrated by Jan Woods.

It is a charmingly written and well-illustrated book that tells the story of the wind, the sun and the clouds.

It is guaranteed to capture the imagination of all children from ages three to five.

The illustrations are bright and colourful skilfully blending reality and fantasy.

The book introduces children to stories about the weather, and it also brings to their knowledge (in language that is aimed at their age range) the concepts of being good or being bad/naughty.

Children will be able to identify with the character Willoughby Wind who is really neither naughty or particularity bad, but who is a little bit mischievous!

This book is ideal for children and is perfect for their adult careers to share. Will also be idea for nursery or infant classes, too.

It is published by Matador Books at £9,99, and can be ordered through the That's Books and Entertainment bookshop, which you will find to the right of this review.

The Skyscar. Début novel by Xander Macdonald.

The Skyscar is the début  novel by Xander Macdonald.

What happens to souls after they leave this mortal realm?

The Skyscar takes us on a journey into the afterlife. 

What happens to the souls who failed in life? Those who are the condemned?

They might become a demon, inhabiting one of a myriad different types of hells.

Where they will be fated to live out a life of misery and torture, with all the demonic overlords and their lower order demons battling for supremacy, whilst all fighting to gain supremacy on The Skyscar, which is the name for the mortal realm, which includes planet Earth, itself. 

Somehow, a pure soul becomes involved. A pure soul which has the ability to grant untold and immense powers to its owner.

Unfortunately this pure soul has suffered the fate of falling  into the clutches of Mullroch, who is an arch-demon.

But all the other demons are desirous to wrest the ownership of the pure soul from Mulltroch, so battle is commenced.

However, there are other beings who seek to restore order and remove the chaos. Angelic beings who range through the afterworlds seeking to impose harmony. One such angelic creature seeks to hide amongst the battling demons, working to save the soul, removing it from the demonic forces that would take it and keep it for their own nefarious purposes. 

But the task is not as easy as one might suppose.

This novel is published next month and, of you are a fan of fantasy novels and the works of authors such as Lovecraft, Tolkien and the like, you will need to purchase this book, available from the That's Books and Entertainment bookshop, which is to be found to the right hand side of this review.

It is published by Matador in paperback at £8.99.

Written Off

Written Off is a new and satirical novel that casts a weary, and wary, eye on the world of wannabe authors.

Charles Dickens did it, so why shouldn't you do it?

What? Write and publish your own book!

In his novel Paul Carroll follows the fate and fortunes of four very different wouldbe authors as they struggle to get their book published.

In their attempts to follow their dreams of literary fame and fortune they decide to employ the path of self-publishing.

In his novel Paul Carroll turns his beady eye and satirical pen on a variety of targets: Batty and self-important writers, Literary agents who like to imagine that they are far more important than they really are, publishers who are bewildered by the constant pressure of their lives and what about the self-proclaimed experts who promise (oh, the promises they make!)  to turn the aspiring authors into a publishing star. All for a not inconsiderable price, of course!)

The book is filled with humour, of that there is no doubt. It's a fun read that guys those who deserve to be guyed and also pokes gentle fun at the credulous and the well-meaning.

But as they say, it's all fun and games until someone loses an eye. Or a life...

But the author points out that behind the humorous aspects of this book the avid reader (and those of us with several novels that require just that little bit more polishing before publication!) will find more genuine and worthwhile information and guidance on how to get your novel or non-fiction book published than you will find in any of the over-priced writing courses and the workshops that are available and, it would seem, designed to part aspiring writers from their money.

And with courses starting at £500 for a ten week beginners course, the smart option would appear to be to pay £8.99 of the paperback version of this book (published by Troubador) or £2.99 for the e-version.

You can purchase this book -and thousands of other books- via the That's Books and Entertainment online book shop, which you will find to the right of this review.

Couple Finds $10 Million Dollars During Unplanned Treasure Hunt

Diamonds for Rice

Diamonds for Rice is a biography that tells the remarkable yet entirely true story of Eric Evans.

Eric survived a terrorist bomb, a civil war and cancer of the blood. Two of his bone marrow transplants came fro the same young donor.

 Eric was standing directly next to the terrorist who bombed Orley Airport, in France.

He survived being interrogated several times in war-ravaged Liberia and was able to buy his way out of the civil wear in that country by the use of a bag of rice.

Eventually, Eric was lying in a hospital bed, pondering his life. In six decades he had seen a great deal and lived through a lot. Including blood cancer.

He knew that he must now finish off writing the story of his extraordinary life.

The result is his book Diamonds for Rice, which skilfully interweaves the various aspects of his incredible journey through the North Sea oil boom, his first Million Pounds by age 28 and his adventures and escape from Liberia and his battle with blood cancer aided and abetted by many people, but most especially by Axel, his double marrow donor.

This is a truly remarkable book as not only does it relate Eric's amazing story it also promotes the campaigns to help beat blood cancer.

The book is published by Matador at £10.99 and is, of course, available through the That's Books book shop which you will find on the right hand side of this review.

For details of how to help the campaign you can visit  http://www.deletebloodcancer.org.uk/en

Judith Wants to be Your Friend

Judith Wants to be Your Friend is the début novel by Annie Weir.

Judith Dillon is 36. Somehow, she has yet to work out what she wants to do with her life.

She has failed to find her own way in the world, and can't quite work out what her place in society is.

She has problems in establishing relationships and can't seem to maintain them. She seems to have special difficulties with relationships with women.

And then Judith becomes attracted to Joanna.

Judith decides to follow Joanna, she tracks her down, learns more about her and her family and, eventually, manages to work her way into Joanna's family.

Judith attaches herself to Joanna and her family over one Christmas period.

All seems to be going well, until Joanna's mother takes a little more drink than might be wise for her and starts asking questions of Judith. Questions that are about her past life, questions that might prove to be somewhat awkward to answer.

Eventually Judith's past life begins to catch up with her.

This is an edgy, mysterious novel. It is published by Matador at £8.99 and is available from the That's Books Book Shop, which is to the right hand side of this review.

The Silent Children

The Silent Children is a book by Amna K. Boheim.

It is a modern-day ghost story set in Vienna.

It has a multitude of themes covering secrets and horrors that beset Austria in the 1930s,

It is 1938. Annabel Albrecht notices that things are not quite right within her once happy and stable home.

First, there is the mysterious disappearance of Eva, her favourite maid.

Then her good friend Oskar also vanishes

But those events are a mere drop in the ocean, when compared to the dreadful event that occur next, when her beloved brother is murdered.

In a horrendous continuation of these evil events, her mother is taken away from her and Annabel is left to, somehow, fends for herself.

Nearly 70 years later Max, who is Annabel's son, decides to dig into his mother's mysterious past and is able, with persistence, to disinter the secrets of his mother's vanished friends.

Now that his estranged mother is dead, all he has is a photograph of his mother and of Oskar, taken in 1938.

But something appears to be amiss. Are the missing completely silent?

The ghosts of the past are haunting Max.

The house in the photograph. There seems to be something wrong with it. Something amiss.

Can Max learn what it is? Can he help the ghosts of the past?

This is a highly evocative first novel by Amna K. Boheim.

It is published by Matador at £8.99. It can be bought from the That's Books bookshop, just to the right of this book review.

A Time of My Life

A Time of My Life is a remarkable book penned by nurse Mo Ruddling.

Back in the 1960s a young and qualified nurse, Mo Rudling, decided to take up a two year posting (no holidays allowed!) as a nurse on the island of Taraway (now called Kiribati) with the British Colonial Service.

She had the opportunity to work with the peoples of the atolls of the central Pacific Ocean tending to their medical needs, during the last days of the British Empire, close to the Equator.

The natives of the islands are bedevilled by a range of problematic conditions. Infant mortality, poverty and general medical necessities, which Mo does her best to help alleviate.

Based on Tarawa, Mo had to be transported by boat to the other neighbouring islands, wading ashore through the shallow seas to tend to the requirements and needs of her far flung patients.

She had to tend to a variety of medical needs, including those who were in a a leprosarium, where some 20 people who were suffering from chronic leprosy were living out their lives.

Medical supplies, were, Mo realised, in scant supply.

As well as providing medical care Mo was responsible for organising and overseeing the training programme to ensure that there would be a constant supply of locally-born nurses who would, eventually, be able to tend to the needs of the people on the islands.

This is a charming book and will be of great interest to lovers of books on  travel and medicine.

It is published by Matador and costs £15.99. It is available via the That's Books book shop, which you will find to the right of this review.

Enchanted Realms

Enchanted Realms is a new fantasy novel. Or perhaps it is a true story?

The author of Enchanted Realms, Valan Peters, is a intriguing character.

Middlesex-born, a riding instructor who eventually re-trained as a therapist using the complimentary medicine paradigm, and, ultimately, a teacher.

Valan saw a horse who was at death's door, a victim of tetanus. But the expected did not happen.

As a recipient of distance healing, the horse made a miraculous recovery from the dreadful disease.

Which brings us to the book that Valan Peters has written.

Soon after the Battle of Hastings two men were allotted their rewards for their bravery.

They were gifted two large areas of lands that were quite close to the Kingdom of Wales.

On their journey toward Wales, they met a powerful wizard.

He was able to make a prophesy about the births of their two two children.

The two would, at birth, betrothed to each other. And, so it was, when the two children, named David and Gwendolyn, were born, they were, indeed, betrothed.

And the other prophecies he made. Would they, could they come to fruition, also?

This is an extremely well-written story which melds fact, fiction and fantasy into a seamless tale that is guaranteed to beguile the reader.

It is published by Matador at £9.99 and is available via the That's Books Book Shop, which is to be found to the right-hand side of this book review.

Bruce Dickinson Insights

Bruce Dickinson  Insights is a stunningly original book by Brigitte Schon.

It is subtitled An Interpretation of his Solo Albums.

Known for his great musicianship, his lyrics, hisability as a TV presenter, a pilot a fencer a record producer,  and his specialist real ales (Just try his Trooper real ale. It'll be a real revelation to you!)  Bruce Dickinson is a sort of modern day renaissance man. Or a polymath.

This book helps the reader explore Bruce Dickinson through the interpretation of his lyrics from his solo albums.

Unfortunately the powers that be behind Iron Maiden decided that it would be wise to refuse Brigitte permission to reprint the lyrics. Which, one might argue, would somewhat risk devaluing the whole thrust of the book.

The problem is with the powers that be of this type is that although they know the cost of everything, they know the value of nothing.

However, despite the attempt to hobble this book Brigitte is able to use her considerable skills as a researcher and a writer to throw some illumination onto the lyrics of Bruce Dickinson.

Brigitte manages to use snatches from the lyrics and interviews with Bruce and others to offer a sensitive and heartfelt  analysis of the lyrics that  Bruce has created and sent out to the world.

This is a truly amazing book and of you Bruce Dickinson  Insights a fan of Bruce's  music,  you really do need to buy this book.

It costs £9.99 and is worth every penny.