Unwanted Truths

In this moving and highly effective novel, Trica Haddon follows the story of Jenny Porter.

Jenny is devastated when she discovers that she had been adopted. She confronts her parents, wanting answers to the questions that bedevil many adoptees. "Why? "Who am I really?" "Do I have family members? Siblings?"

But for reasons that are fairly obvious she feels that she can no longer trust her parents. She also feels unable to talk about the fact that she is adopted with her friends, so she pulls into herself and buried her feelings.

Sometimes later she falls in like with a man (yes, falls in like, in that she likes him, but doesn't actually love him) and she decides that this is a good enough reason to accept his proposal of marriage and she settles down to the fairly comfortable life of being a wife and a mother.

After the death of her adoptive parents, Jenny finds herself accidentally reunited with the one big, true love of her life, Martin Barretti, who had been separated from her when his family moved away from their home town.

Eventually, after Jenny finds herself starting to lie to her husband Robert, she and Martin begin a torrid and secretive affair.

Eventually they decide to abandon their spouses and set up house together, two lover reunited... for ever?

The story is set from the 1950s through to the 1980s, by which time the laws governing adopted children had been changed, enabling adopted children to trace their birth parents.

Jenny is thrilled at the opportunity to discover the truth about her origins, her birth family.

Yet when Jenny does, finally, learn the truth of her origins, she is devastated and appalled by what she learns.

Can she, dare she, tell her lover what she has discovered about the true origins of herself? If she did, would that risk destroying their future?

Or could she do as her adopted mother did, keep the dark secrets with her to the grave?

The book is published on May 28th by Matador and will be available from the That's Books and Entertainment book shop.

Ball of Confusion

Ian Black's novel, A Ball of Confusion, consider the flipside, tells this reader that Ian Black is a literary force to be reckoned with.

The novel uses the theme of births as the starting point to explore how the lives of different people can be so dramatically diametrical.

The novel starts with Millennium Jones, aged 16, who, upon witnessing the carnage wrought on 9/11, wonders how anyone could commit such an act.

Just over a decade later and Jones is working as an American foreign correspondent in London.

She meets two men, one, George, a loveable man, a tramp, who killed the man who was attacking and abusing his mother, the other, Hazma, a university graduate who, one might suppose, had it all, until his family died in the bombing of Baghad. And who now is wanting to use death and destruction as his pathway to heaven.

Millie Jones carefully observes both men as they become friendly toward each other as they acknowledge the hurts and miseries of their childhoods that had brought them both to equally unpleasant, but utterly different, bad places within their lives.

But exactly what could go wrong with two people rendered unstable by their different, but both flawed, but in different ways, upbringings?

  

But what of others who do not have such twisted upbringings who use other people as if they were puppets?

What of the innocents who become emeshed in their machinations as they try to make sense of the ball of confusion that is now our world?

The book is a thought-provoking an original work which is pacy and punchy and extremely topical.

It is published by Matador and is worth every penny of its £9.99 price or £1.99 as an Ebook, both available from the That's Books and Entertainment book shop. 

A Set of Lies

Author Carolyn McCrae takes the reader on a stunning "What if..." journey into European history.

When Napoleon had become a captive of the British after his defeat at Warterloo, the victorious Britons and the alliance partners were at a quandary of what to do with the former ruler of much of mainland Europe.

A number of options were under serious consideration including trial and punishment, perhaps even involving the death penalty and exile.

Everyone knows that, ultimately, it was decided to banish the former emperor into exile on the remote island of St Helana, in the Southern Atlantic. So far to the south that it is a tropical island.

And there, in relative comfort, he lived out the rest of his life.

But, speculates Carolyn McRae in he her exceptionally well-written and evocative novel, what if that wasn't what happened?

What if the decision had been taken to, in effect, hide Napoleon in plain view?

What if the British Secret Service had convinced Napoleon to work with them, to be replaced by a double agent?

What if he had actually lived out a fairly comfortable life in England, protected by the British government?

In the novel the secret only becomes known some 200 years later when the secret and partially encrypted diaries of the man given the task of masterminding this bold and highly audacious scheme accidentally came to light.

According to Carolyn McRae the idea came to her when she and her husband were dining in a restaurant in the Naval town of Southampton. They were aware that Napoleon Parterre had been held on the Royal Navy vessel Bellerophon in Southampton harbour whilst the politicians in London debated and argued over what should be done with the beaten former emperor.

She said: "I started thinking about the options they had, parole, trial and imprisonment, or trail and execution, assassination or trial and exile.

"It was difficult to see how exile was the best option. We talked about how useful Napoleon would have been to the secret services and how wasted their opportunity was, which is where my story begins!"

The story works on several levels as a brilliant addition to the popular "What if..." genre of historical novels, but it skilfully interweaves a variety of sub-plots concerning the unfairness of the laws of inheritance, and how, 200 years later, a monstrous plot was brought to the light of day, a plot which would... but to reveal what happened next would risk spoiling your enjoyment of this well-researched and very well written book.

It is near 450 pages in length and at £9.99 will make an ideal holiday read. It is published by Matador on 28 June and is also available as an e-book at £4.49.

It is available from the "That's Books and Entertainment" bookshop which is powered by Amazon and available to the right of this review.

Bean outstrips rivals in ebay.co.uk period drama ranking

eBay.co.uk has sold over 3,500 Poldark related items including books and DVDs as fans geared up for the series finale, recently.

But is Sharpe, Lady Chatterley and Game of Thrones star Sean Bean who tops eBay.co.uk’s handsome hero sales with shoppers snapping up disks and box sets of his swashbuckling exploits.

Despite his brooding portrayal of Ross Poldark, Aidan Turner comes fifth in a top ten ranking of period drama actor sales, outstripped by actors including Bean and Pride and Prejudice actor Colin Firth, twenty years after THE famous lake scene.

www,eBay.co.uk (value of sales) relating to period drama stars:

1. Sean Bean
2. Colin Firth
3. Laurence Olivier
4. Ralph Fiennes
5. Aidan Turner
6. James McAvoy
7. Michael Fassbender
8. Hugh Grant
9. Jonathan Rhys-Meyers
10. Jeremy Piven            

Good Neighbours an epic tale of myth,magic, history and more

Good Neighbours, by Beth Hersant, is an epic tale of myth,magic, history and more. Much more.

It tells a story starting with the birth of an ancient tribe's medicine man, Myrddin.

Using the wonderful storytelling abilities of Beth Hersant it tells the story of the people, of our story, in a way, but in a way that is simply breathtaking in its intent and its scope.

It takes its readers on an incredible and truly epical journey telling the story of how we, as a people, began to be.

It deftly intertwines myth, religious thought, history and folklore to tell a story that spans an astonishingly vast range of time, from the Stoneage of 7,000BC, right through to our modern times.

It is like no other novel I have ever read, it's a fantasy novel, yet it is so much more than that.

Even though it is a novel it will help you to understand the how and why things have happened throughout the turbulent history of our island races, reflected in the myths of our island peoples.

I can heartily recommend this book.

I's 458 pages in length and costs £10.99, it is published in paperback by Matador.

The ISBN number is ISBN 978-1-78462-225-1.

Royal British Legion encourages celebrations for VE Day 70

The Royal British Legion and Her Majesty’s Government is calling on everyone to mark the 70th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day (VE Day) with a weekend of celebrations from the 8-10 May.   Local communities are being asked to come together and place the Second World War generation at the heart of the party.

Communities across the UK are being encouraged to organise or take part in celebrations which recognise and salute an extraordinary generation who played such an important part in our history. The Legion is working in partnership with the Government to mark the anniversary and hopes that community halls, public spaces and homes will be decked with bunting and playing music to recreate the celebrations of 70 years ago.

Below, The Royal British Legion shares some top tips and ideas for hosting a VE Day celebration:

1)      Organise a 1940s style tea dance, decorated with bunting and encourage vintage dress

2)      Organise a community singalong of wartime songs to take everyone back to the era

3)      Eat for Victory! Use ration recipes to create the food for your celebration: www.veday.org.uk has lots of recipes on offer

4)      Invite local face painters to paint Union flags on children’s (and adults!) faces

5)      Hold a fancy dress competition with 1940s theme

6)      Have a go at trying to recreate some hairstyles from the 1940s

Community celebrations will reflect the national events taking place in London where Second World War veterans are invited to attend as the nation’s VIPs.  On Sunday 10 May, there will a Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey, followed by a parade from the Abbey to Horse Guards Parade and into St James’s Park, where the Legion will host a lunch reception for the veterans.

Veterans such as Eric Goldrein will experience the VE Day celebration on UK soil that he never had.  Eric, 94, from Hale Village, Liverpool, served with the Royal Artillery during the Second World War and was in Italy when the news came through that the war in Europe was over.

“We celebrated in a field, the Signallers set up speakers playing music and the locals came out and joined in too, happy that the war was finally over. I heard about the street parties back home and I’m looking forward to being part of these 70th Anniversary celebrations.”

Vice Admiral Peter Wilkinson CB CVO, National President of The Royal British Legion, said: “We are honoured to play our part in helping the nation mark 70 years since the end of the Second World War in Europe. The Legion has a responsibility to help the memories of those of who have fought and died in our nation’s Armed Forces live on for future generations. The commemoration of this conflict, still in living memory, gives us the opportunity to salute the Second World War generation.

“We hope all communities will use the VE Day 70 commemorations to thank them and celebrate the role they played in our nation’s history.”

If you don’t plan on organising an event yourself, you can find out what is happening in your local area at www.veday.org.uk or on local government websites www.gov.uk/veday70 .  The Legion’s microsite will also contain ideas and tips on event planning with décor and recipe inspiration.

It Always Rains on Sundays

It Always Rains on Sundays is a new novel by Roger Johnson.

It's a amusing read that has the ability to make you laugh. A lot.

Colin Quirke is 40, he is a poetry lover and works as a librarian.

He has been happily wed to Cynthia for 13 years, they have two children and everything is wonderful at their home in swanky De Lacey Street.

That's Roger's take on his marriage. But if you were to ask Cynthia, she would have a different opinion. For Cynthia is bored. Dangerously bored.

A new couple move in to the house next door, Eddie and Avril, who have a motto that "life is for living!" and this involves hosting wild, noisy parties.

Avril decides to take Cynthia under her wing and the two women begin enjoying girlie nights out on the town.

But then, Eddie finds out that life is for living only until the moment you get killed in an unfortunate micro-light mishap.

Cynthia decides to help Avril get through her pain by taking her over the Atlantic to Miami.

But then along comes a chap called Kevin Ranker who is a bit of a Lothario with a reputation for wrecking marriages.

Will Cyn and Col go their separate ways? Does Colin even care? After all, love amongst the stacks could beckon with the new librarian colleague. Plus there's the delightful Alison at the local Poetry Society.

What on earth will happen next?

It's published by Matador, is a jolly good read of over 600 pages and is £8.99 in paperback.

ISBN 978 1 78462 1 803

And as an E-book at £2.99

ISBN 978 1 78462 8 383

www.troubador.co.uk

Ultimate Justice by Trevor Stubbs

In his latest novel, Ultimate Justice, author Terry Stubbs continues to bring his readers the stories of his characters from his first novel, the Kicking Tree, another White Gates adventure.

You will rejoin Jack, Jalli, Momori and Matlida. How are their children doing as they grow up and progress through life on the planet Joh?

Where will they travel as they leave their planet and, once more, traverse the great universe to visit undiscovered, new worlds via the mysterious portals, the White Gates?

Follow them as they embark upon remarkable journeys where they will meet people for the very first time. And some who they will meet again.

But each journey is more than just a journey. for they are being employed by a higher power who wishes their visits to bring hope and succour to these people.

Trevor Stubbs has an interesting philosophy of life: "I hate injustice and oppression, especially against the weak and the vulnerable and want to speak out."

Trevor uses his undoubted skills as a master storyteller and a magical weaver of tales to bring about such justice.

Ultimate Justice is published by Matador in paperback at £8.99.

The ISBN is 978-1-78462-212-1.

www.troubador.co.uk/matador.

Child of the Covenant

Child of the covenant is another book by author Kim Gravell.

It is Book Two of her Dark Places novels.

It continues where her first book leaves off.

It tells the continuing story of Aidan, Gwen and Eldritch, three very real and very fallible human beings who face a terrible dilemma.

A demon, kept bound for 100 years solely due to the sacrifice of one incredibly brave man, is breaking free again.

How can our three heroes and heroines hope to defeat the demonic force?

Will they succeed? If so, how?

Will one of them also have to make the ultimate sacrifice to save the whole of humanity? If so, who?

Set in the Wales that Kim Gravell knows so very well it is a clear winner of a book for those who like to dip their toes into the unseen realms.

It is published by Matador in paperback at £12.99.

ISBN 978-1-98462 -099-8.

www.troubador.co.uk/matador

By the Knife by Steve Partridge

is subtitled Love, Hate and Madness..."

It tells the appalling story of the life of John Carter.

Born in the worst of the slums of the London of the eighteen century, to a prostitute mother who sold him into male prostitution at the age of nine, John Carter never had a chance.

An attack by a drunkard who was attempting to rape him led John Carter to kill him with the knife that he always carried about his person.

This simple act of self-defence brought a change to John Carter.
Soo after his first murder he had murdered a client, a wealthy magistrate, and he discovered within him a love for torturing his victims to death with his knife.

He flees London with the Dutch captain of a ship and sets off for a life of maritime adventures and ruthless, psychopathic murders.

David Fletcher is a somewhat different person. He is the son of a rural school teacher. Upon the death of his father, David Fletcher is sent to join the Royal Navy, in which he is to become a member of the Royal Navy officer class.

Eventually he is promoted to the position of Lieutenant.

Eventually, the paths of these two very different young men cross and John Carter attacks David Fletcher, opening a terrible wound across his chest.

But that is not the end of the matter. Does John Carter succeed in his attempts to murder Lieutenant David Fletcher? Or does Lieutenant David Fletcher get the best of John Carter?

Resd this truly engrossing book to find out!

The book touches on many issues such as the dreadful treatment of sailors, the iniquitous slave trade and takes a look at eighteenth century life that is gritty and realistic.

It is very well researched and it is a very worthwhile book by Steve Partridge.

It is published by Matador in paperback at the very reasonable price of £12.99.

The ISBN is 978-1-78462-163-6.

www.troubador.co.uk/matador

Charming! Over 66,800 Cinderella products available on eBay!

As Cinderella hits the cinemas og the UK, it seems people who can’t have access to a Fairy Godmother of their own are flocking to online marketplace eBay.co.uk instead.

There are in excess of 66,800 ‘Cinderella’ related products from tutu-style dresses to blonde wigs. And what's more, www.eBay.co.uk has sold over 550 glass slippers and 1,000 Prince Charming costumes in the past three months.

And shoe listings on eBay seemingly to match the "real life" Cinderella story, as eBay.co.uk has over 260 “left shoes” 4,100 “right shoes” on sale.

As eBay Spokesperson, Laura Wilkinson-Rea says, “It seems you don’t have to be Lily James to star in your own Cinderella story. Far from turning mice into horses, a simple click could help you live happily eBay after.”

MUM’S THE BOSS: Lady Robinson (and her daughter Kate) share the secrets on keeping it in the family

LA based novelist Therese (aka Lady Robinson) manages her husband’s speaking and writing career across the globe.

Her daughter Kate, a consultant to her parents’ business and an events producer, works closely with her on events for her dad (top TED speaker Sir Ken Robinson) and also promotes her mother’s books and blog. With Mother’s Day approaching, they both discuss tips on their working relationship.

Says Therese “ The mother daughter relationship is a complex one but like any other, when the chemistry is right, it can make for a great partnership. We might be divided by the Atlantic Ocean (I’m in LA and Kate is in London) but we have some clear rules of engagement that make for a powerful dynamic.”

Therese:

1.     Dress for success.  At home I’ll be at the computer writing in my pyjamas, but I do my best to look pulled together when I’m at meetings. Kate always looks polished and professional. This helps set the tone for both of us when we’re in public mode.

2.     Work out your respective strengths and weaknesses. We’re lucky that we’re both good about deadlines and that’s a deal breaker for me. I’ve taught her that if you say you’re going to do something, do it to the best of your ability and deliver on time and she does. We also have very clearly designated areas of responsibility. Kate is in charge of specific aspects of a project. I really enjoy the creativity she brings to our planning sessions. While I have years of experience, she brings a fresh perspective and a youthful energy. She’s savvy about social media, and a great networker. We learn a lot from each other.

3.     Agree a cut-off point. We are both good at putting work to bed when we chat on the phone long distance over the weekends. Work happens in working hours unless it’s urgent. When I’m in London we enjoy having dinner and sharing a bottle of Sancerre but we have an embargo on discussing projects when it’s downtime.

4.      Agree the terms of engagement. Kate is paid a consultancy rate that is comparable with her other clients. This may be more difficult as you set out on a new venture, but in the spirit of things I think it’s important to agree the financial terms so that there are incentives and independence on both sides.

Kate:
1.        Make it fun.  There's a lot of trust between us. We have conversations that are honest and know that we can throw out any ideas, no matter how ridiculous without judgment. We don't get self conscious about it.

2.        Try to keep the balance between work and other things. There are times especially at the start of a project when we run things by each other casually and have long 'work' chats, but what’s great is that we can leave things and move on, come back later when we’ve let thoughts and ideas develop organically.

3.        Use your gut instincts. I feel that I know what’s in my mum’s best interests and she allows me to make decisions on her behalf. She isn’t breathing over my shoulder. Sometimes I don’t bother mentioning to people that we’re related. It really isn’t relevant a lot of the time.

4.        Listening to each other is important. I value mum’s opinion even if I don’t always agree with it. We’re lucky that we’ve always had a great relationship and been very close (with a slight hiatus during my teenage years, but we won’t go there!)


Read more about Thérèse’s adventures at www.thereseblogs and pick up her latest novel ‘Letter from Paris’, published by The Story Plant and available from Amazon $11.71, as well as Kindle.

Ebay sees World Book Day surge in costume purchases

Over the last week, www.eBay.co.uk has sold over 100,000 fancy dress costumes, as homes across the country prepare for World Book Day. today, 5th March.

Costumes that fall under the ‘TV, Books & Film’ category have proved the most popular on eBay.co.uk.

The online marketplace currently boasts over 10,000 listings in that category alone, making it the go to shopping site whether you are looking to get the look of the nation’s favourite wizard this World Book Day or a happy ending-seeking princess.

And when it comes to the actual reading, wizards and hobbits top the charts on the online marketplace with more than 9,000 Harry Potter books being sold in the past three months which comes as no surprise as sales of Harry Potter robes have risen by 1180% .

Harry Potter best conjures the nation’s imagination, with all seven books from the series featuring in the top 10, with one book from the franchise being sold every 15 minutes.

Other popular books include, The Hobbit, The Alchemist, and The Lord of the Rings.

(EDITOR: And do not forget, you can buy and sell books through eBay, too!)

Wordsmiths and Warriors

Wordsmiths and Warriors is an extremely well-written and erudite book researched and written by David and Hilary Crystal.

It is a most wondrous and wonderful book that is an English-Language tourist guidebook to Britain.

It is a spirited, evocative and highly entertaining exploration of the heritage of the English language throughout the places and locations within Britain that formed and shaped the English language.

This book tells the story of a real journey that was undertaken by David and Hilary Crystal.

They had a wonderful time driving thousands of miles to research the book, and to then prepare and write this captivating combination of what is a spirited travelogue and a mixture of English language history and facts and myths, covering Wales, England and Scotland.

David handled the words and Hilary took the many evocative colour  photographs that illustrate the book.

David and Hilary have included a guide for anyone who desires to follow in their footsteps. However, the book is so arranged as to reflect the chronological development of the language.

It commences with the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons in Kent and explores the places that show the earliest evidences for the development of the language of the English peoples.

It ends in London and employs the latest technological innovations for analysing English grammar.

This is all by way of the locations that are associated with such English luminaries as Shakespeare, Wordsworth, Chaucer, Dr Johnson and many, many more.

It touches upon the problems between the Welsh and the English languages,

There's even a photograph of a Wetherspoon pub in Urmston, Greater Manchester, called the Tim Bobbin, named in honour of a famed dialect poet. And there are complete directions to getting there, too! As with every other feature they mention in the book.

I first came across the highly important work of David Crystal when I found, by chance, an exhibition of his work at the British Library, several years ago.

The book is 424 pages and costs £12.99 in paperback, published by the Oxford University Press, www.oup.com.

Dickens Study Guide

Author Lee Fisher Gray has produced a labour of love with his book Dickens Study Guide.

He presents a complete catalogue of all the characters of the stories of Charles Dickens. All the men, women and children who Dickens used to populate his novels.

He deals with in excess of 200 characters covering all of Dickens' 15 novels and three of his shorter fictional works.

He catalogues them all but more than that he gives a complete yet concise account of all of the characters, who or what they are, their place within the story and their influence upon the plot of the story.

He employs descriptions originated by  Dickens himself. Lee Fisher Gray resisted the temptation to provide over blown "littérateur" friendly characterisations. This book is obviously intended as a practical reference work for the serious scholar of the works of Charles Dickens and for those who love the novels of this great English novelist.

The That's Books and Entertainment Charles Dickens expert said: "The author has done lengthy and in-depth research of all of the works of Charles Dickens. It is a genuine Labour of love.

"The cross-referencing is excellent and the information is very well presented. I can recommend this to everyone who has any interest in Charles Dickens whatsoever."

The book also contains a quiz that will be a fun read for fans of Charles Dickens, but also serves a more serious purpose of offering puzzle-setters and crossword compilers a valuable resource.

The book is available in paperback from Matador and costs a remarkably reasonable £12.99. It's worth pre-buying for Christmas 2015 for the Christmas stocking of any Dickensophile.

www.troubador.co.uk.

Misadventures at Mosquito Mansions

Misadventures at Mosquito Mansions, or My Misadventures in Mudland is a recently published novel by playwright, monkey minder and sign writer Christopher Hedgethorne.

It tells the story of 12-year-old Alexander "Sandy" Drabb who, in the 1800s, finds himself living on a plantation in the Caribbean.

He meets and befriends a young slave girl, Quaneva, who is 'owned' by his Uncle's plantation.

Soon, Sandy and his new found friend find themselves caught up in a terrifying rebellion of the slaves on the island.

Without meaning to, they end up escaping the dangerous situation, together.

They become swept along the river in a canoe and find themselves involved in some high spirited and youthful escapades with the indigenous population.

Upon their return to the plantation Quaneva is devastated to learn that her father had been killed during the insurrection.

Whilst Quaneva is virtually crippled with unwarranted and undeserved guilt relating to her father's guilt, Sandy begins to put his mind to the knotty problem of who masterminded the rebellion.

When he realises who caused the rebellion he becomes aware that he is faced with many tough decisions including what he should do, if he should do the right thing or to do what his own heart would dictate he should do.

"This book is an extremely captivating book and touches on a number of important topics such as slavery and mixed-race families" said our book reviewer.

Although written for children aged 12 and older it is also eminently suitable for their parents, too. "As well as being a very good read, it raises many important issues which parents and children can discuss together."

It is published by www.Troubador.co.uk 

In paperback it costs £8.99, hardback £14.99 and Ebook £2.99.

Buy my book, please! "No Lips to Scream With", a collection of short stories

"No Lips to Scream With" is a collection of short stories that I have published through The Rann Street Press and Amazon's Kindle.

It contains mystery stories, science fiction, horror, a very modern ghost story and more, besides.

There are ten stories and the price is now under a £1, .0.99p, to be precise.

Included is the story: "No Lips to Scream With." What happens when you need to scream, but you suddenly find that your lips are missing?

To order please visit the That's Books and Entertainment book shop on the right hand side of this site and type in: "No Lips to Scream With."

Time for Tanechka

Time for Tanechka is a captivating novel by N. A. Millington.

It tells the story of how Arthur Benjamin who, at such a low point in his life that he contemplates ending that life, is shown another way by the enigmatic owner of an antique shop. Harry.

For Harry sells Arthur a curious egg timer like device. But this device could never time an egg. It is a device for traversing through time.

Somehow Arthur and the egg timer inadvertently transports Grand Duchess Tatiana Nikolaevna from 1914, just prior to the brutal murder of her entire family, back with him to his seaside cottage in modern day South Africa.

They challenge Harry who reveals that there are two such time travelling egg timers. And that he had lost one under circumstances that caused the death of his beloved wife.

Arthur (renamed Arty by Tatiana) and Tatiana are then propelled on a series of wild adventures back through the slipstream of time to witness at first hand a number of historical events.

But a evil jewel thief by the name of Winston Peabody is fast behind them, for he wants both egg timers.

Will true love prevail? Will the wicked jewel thief succeed?

This book is an exceptionally well-written tale that makes you care for the characters from very early on.

What happens to Arty and Tatiana? Will they discover true love together, or be ripped apart forever by the egg timer?

For an extremely modest purchase price of £13.99 you can buy this 445 page long paperback and find out!

I can heartily recommend this quirky and original book to you.

It is published by Matador.

The ISBN is 978-1-98462-209-1.

The Boy Who Cried Wolf

This is a masterful retelling of one of Aesop's Fables.

It is retold by Mahni Tazhibi. Originally written in Persian it has been skillfully and sympathetically translated by Azita Rassi.

The evocative and colourful illustrations are by Mahni Tazhibi, himself.

It is published by Tiny Owl Publishing and is in large format, so is a beautiful book for sharing with children and for children to read by themselves.

It tells the traditional story of how a young and bored shepherd boy tricks his fellow villagers many times into running out into the sheep pastures with his false alarm call warning them that a wolf has got into the sheep.

Eventually a wolf really does come to the flock of sheep and when the shepherd boy cries out for help, this time, nobody comes, with the inevitable result.

It costs £11.99 and is beautifully produced.

It will make an ideal birthday present or an ideal item to be placed in the forward planning Christmas present box!

www.tinyowl.co.uk.

ISBN 978-1-910328-04-0.

Armageddon Fed Up With this A Gunner's Tale

Armageddon Fed Up With this A Gunner's Tale, is by Derk Nudd.

It relates the story of his father Eric Nudd, and his wartime experiences.

Millions of men (and women, too, for that matter) had wartime experiences that perhaps equalled or even excelled those of Eric Nudd.

So, what made Eric Nudd so different? This is the part of his life that I find so interesting, he was a journalist (Fleet Street, no less, at a time when working on Fleet Street had more than a little cache to it) a prolific writer of letters and an author of a number of poems.

Eric Nudd was able, by sending letters home to his family, to paint a highly accurate and vivid picture of the actions of an ordinary gunner at work.

Due to a number of circumstances (a hitherto unidentified flair for mathematics being one) Eric passed through a number of roles such as a gunner in a heavy anti-aircraft unit to becoming heavily involved in the high tech world of RADAR.

Derek Nudd has taken his father's letters home and has skillfully woven them into a rich tapestry that displays what the war was like for an ordinary chap (basically a bloke who was a civilian really, but who had to don the guise of a soldier because Hitler insisted on doing what despots always do, undertaking despotic acts) who had an extraordinary ability with the pen (he was an outstandingly good artist)  and the typewriter.

Indeed he wrote and produced some superb newspapers (hand designed, naturally!) in all sorts of dangerous wartime locations.

The book shows Eric Nudd as a man of immense charm and wit, of outstanding abilities and a canny, yet kindly, observer of human nature.

The book contains a number of photographs and a collection of Eric's poetry, of a somewhat eclectic collection of ideas and themes.

Eric Nudd died at the tragically early age of 54.

Everyone should own a copy of this book and as it costs a mere £13.99 for a shade under 400 pages, it is worth every penny.

It is published by Matador and the ISBN is 978-1-78462-130-8.

It is available to purchase at the That's Book and Entertainment Amazon-powered bookshop on the right hand side of this site.

Tookey's Turkeys: The Most Annoying 144 films from the last 25 years

Film critic Christopher Tookey has seen thousands of films during his long career as a respected film critic.

As you would expect he has seen films that he absolutely adored and some that he absolutely abhorred.

This book contains a detailed description of 144 of the worst of these films.

It gives information as to the plot of the film with a description of what the film was about.

Tookey explains cogently exactly what it was about the film that he felt earned it the dubious honour of being declared on of "Tookey's Turkeys."

Sometimes he feels the film glorifies violence or sexual excess, with some the productions he feels they were bedevilled by a poor script, indifferent direction, dreadful casting blunders, bad cinematography, failed post-production work and sometimes a combination of all of the failings mentioned here.

Some of the films are award-winning and the list does contain some surprises (300 and Alexander, are just two examples) yet Tookey always trenchantly argues his point and reveals exactly why he thinks the film is a turkey. And does so very convincingly.

It has to be acknowledged that Tookey makes some good points and his argument that the BBFC has made some strange decisions in recent years and seems to have somewhat lost its way are not without merit.

The book covers failed or successful Hollywood blockbusters, European arthouse films, British films including The Boat That Rocked, which he quite justifiably skewered for a variety of reasons, and a rag bag conglomeration of  various foreign films.

He has a dry, somewhat acerbic wit that he employs to extremely good effect when pricking the bubble of a pompous ass of a director, actor or scriptwriter.  

There are over 640 pages of erudite critiques of 144 films that, on reflection, should never have been made, or which should have been made, but which should have been made much better.

It is published by Matador at £12.99 and is a must have for every film and media student and every fan of the cinema, be they causal or dedicated. It will make an excellent birthday or Christmas present, for those of us who start buying Christmas presents early.

The ISBN is 978-1-78462-197-1.

You can purchase this book and others at the That's Books and Entertainment book shop, that is powered by Amazon and can be found on the right hand side of this site.

Thérèse Provides Tops Tips for Joining Book Clubs

Whether you’re keen to join a ‘Jane Austen’ style book club, get into the nitty gritty of sci-fi, eager to stimulate your grey matter or just want to have a giggle with the girls over a glass of Sancerre, novelist Thérèse, aka; Lady Robinson gives her top tips on finding the right book group for you.

Here, Thérèse shares her own personal experience in joining a book club:
“Book clubs are as varied as any other kinds of club. You have to find the right one for you. Over the years I’ve joined many, but my current one is the best fit so far because it has the perfect balance for me and it’s hosted by a good friend.

"We donate to it annually to cover costs and support our local college. We meet four times a year and have dinner and wine together, then sit in a circle in comfy chairs while one person leads the discussion.

"I find it fascinating how passionate the discussions can get and I’ve made new friends through it. I’ve also had the opportunity to really stretch myself to read books I would never have discovered or persevered with alone.”

Therese’s tips:
1.      Look closely at the genre that interests you most. Is it classical literature, crime, commercial fiction, chick lit? European, Russian, American? Ask yourself if you’re open to being challenged. Maybe you want to delve out of your comfort zone, maybe not. Look for a club with the same interests as you.

2.      Start by asking friends if they belong to one. Find out a little about the format. How often do they meet? Is it free? What kind of people go? Do they have a glass of wine or coffee? What were the last two books they read and what are they reading now?

3.      It can be daunting to join any existing group on your own. If you are initially nervous about meeting new people why not take a friend along with you the first time.

4.      Nobody expects you to contribute at your first meeting. It’s natural to want to hold back. The best clubs are the ones where there’s no pressure for you to speak to the group until you feel really comfortable.

5.      Remember you aren’t going back to school. Don’t be intimidated. A little trial and error and you should find a group you connect with because people you like will tend to enjoy the same books as you do. If all else fails and you can’t find the perfect club then why not start one yourself?

Read more about Thérèse’s adventures at www.thereseblogs.com and pick up her latest novel ‘Letter from Paris’, published by The Story Plant and available from Amazon $11.71, as well as Kindle.

(EDITOR: Books (paper and Kindle) can be bought at That's Books and Entertainment by using the Amazon-powered shop which you will find on the right hand side of this page.)

Wildfire, an entertaining book for children of all ages

Lemuel Squirrel lives the life of a hermit in his home deep within the Oregon Forest.

He has a reputation as being a harmless, lovable eccentric old Squirrel.

But Lemuel has a secret, in reality the life he leads is nothing more than an elaborate and cunningly contrived cover story.

For even those who are nearest and dearest to him are completely oblivious to the fact that the real Lemuel Squirrel is a top rated, yet maverick, secret agent!

However, unbeknown to Lemuel, dark forces are at work that will soon shatter the idyllic life of not only himself but those around him, also.

His cover has been blown by shadowy and potentially dangerous enemy spies, who are watching and waiting for the chance to obtain a treasure map that they have been briefed about, that they are sure is in the possession of Lemuel Squirrel!

Amidst all of the cloak and dagger machinations of his formidable enemies, disaster strikes the Oregon Forest when lightening-induced wildfires rip through the trees and the glades.

Lemuel takes upon himself the onerous task for not only saving his own life but that of his nephew but of his loyal friends, too.

In an old fashioned example of daring-do that would have made even James Bond gasp with admiration, he save everyone by using his secret airship to whisk them to safety.

But is Lemuel really whisking them to safety, or is he inadvertently moving them into even greater danger as the deadly and ruthless enemy agents attempt to thwart Secret Agent Lemuel Squirrel's latest top secret assignment?

But who is directing the enemy secret agents? And what is their evil and nefarious purpose?

It's an intelligent a very good read, and at £8.99 paperback it will make an excellent present for the avid young reader and also for their parents and grandparents, too.

It's written by Peter Wilks and is published by Matador and the ISBN is 978-1-78462-150-6.

It is also available as a Kindle version.

New title for this blog

You will have noticed that That's Books is now called That's books and Entertainment.

This is because it has bene decided to consolidate two blogs, That's Books and That's Entertainment.

This blog will still carry book news and reviews but it will also now carry news about DVDs, TV programmes, music and the like.

We hope you will like the new blog.

You can buy the books we review and many other books, too, at That's books!

Yes, you can buy the books we review and many other books, too, at That's books!

Where? At the special Amazon-powered bookshop which you will find at the righthand side of That's Books.

The advantage of buying the books we have reviewed from the That's Books bookshop is that you can order the latest books right away, with the review still fresh in your mind or even still open in another tab!

And of course, as the That's Books store is powered by the highly efficient Amazon system, you can also buy anything else that you might want to buy from a Kindle to a piece of art, from a watch to a computer and from a digital camera to the latest Downton Abbey video. And all at discounted prices, some with pretty heavy discounts, too.

In Love with Paris

Thérèse provides top tips for penning the perfect circular letter

Novelist Thérèse, was so enlightened by time spent in Paris that she was led to write her latest novel, Letter from Paris, a witty and glamorous account of an inspirational characters trip to the city of light and romance, here she provides us with some top tips on penning the perfect circular letter during the holiday season.

“I'm always delighted to hear from people at Christmas. We live far away from many of our beloved family and friends. We keep in touch year round by email, phone and Facebook but of course it’s great to hear from people you've lost touch with over the years, but then sometimes when you get their circular letter you're reminded why you lost touch in the first place. They can be so impersonal.
If you feel the urge to share the highlights of your 2014 in a circular letter may I make the following suggestions based on a few we have had over the years?

1.       It is the HOLIDAY season…as in merry and jolly and peaceful. This is NOT the time of year or the correct way to announce the death of your dog or worse of a family member. We feel empathy. Don’t have us crying into our mince pies.

2.       Remember not everyone has summered in Italy, wintered in the Alps or scaled Mount Kilimanjaro. If 2014 has been our ‘Annus Horribilis’ you will only make us feel worse.

3.       Some of us have forgotten all about you, (what with you never returning calls or dropping us a postcard) and so the news of your recent wedding may spark a range of emotions, not all of them good.

4.       Avoid a literary tone you will come across as pretentious. If you feel the need to describe ‘the jacarandas of startling purple’ why not get yourself a blog?

5.       If you personalize your ending with a handwritten note try not to make it generic. Yes we are all well thank you and yes we hope 2015 is a really great one for you too.  We really do.  

Read more about Thérèse’s adventures at www.thereseblogs.com and pick up her latest novel ‘Letter from Paris’, published by The Story Plant and available from Amazon $11.71, as well as Kindle.

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Time Travelling Toby and the Battle of Britain

Time Travelling Toby and the Battle of Britain is the story of Toby. Toby is, apparently, a fairly normal boy. Unremarkable, one might say.

Except for the fact that Toby has an amazing secret. He has a time machine, cunningly disguised as a sports car!

The book is written by Graham Jones (in rhyme, but don't worry, it's really coolly done!) and stunningly illustrated by Neil Parkinson.

The book tells of the amazing adventures Toby and his brothers have when they fly back in time to the Second World War, the time of the famed Battle of Britain.

They get attacked by a Stuka dive bomber, help warn Fighter Command of the German attack and still get back in time for their tea!

The story is not too long, so is ideal for parents to read to their children and everyone will love the detailed blueprints of the designs for the time car.

The book also contains factually accurate information about the Battle of Britain.

ISBN 978 0 9926365 0 0.

At £6.99 it's money well spent. Learn more at www.timetravellingtoby.com.

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The Elephant Tree

The Elephant Tree is a book for children by Melanie Dore.

It tells the story of how a family move from their modern home to an older, somewhat shabby new home.

Yet Jessica realises there is a great deal to learn about the house. Not only are there boxes filled with ancient diaries, there is wonderful garden to explore that is overgrown and filled with possibilities of adventure. Including the mysterious elephant tree and the previous inhabitants of the house and their friends.

Melanie Dore interweaves the past and the present in a highly entertaining an extremely well-written fashion.

It is a hardback book and is an ideal Christmas gift for the child who has a love of adventure and mystery.

It costs £10.99 and is published by Book Guild Publishing, ISBN 978 1 84624 890 0.  

Who or what was Lee Harvey Oswald? New book has startling answers

A new book by Glenn B Fleming has some startling answers to the question of who or what was Lee Harvey Oswald?

The official line was that he was a failure as a U.S. Marine and that he was a disaffected young man who defected to the Soviet Union but came to regret his decision to defect and returned to the U.S.A., with his tail between his legs and with a Russian wife.

Even though he returned from the Soviet Union he still harboured left wing views which caused him to decide to assassinate President John F. Kennedy.

However, in his book 'S-172, Lee Harvey Oswald Links to the Intelligence Agencies' Glenn B Flemming raises some interesting points and facts that mean the "crazed, disaffected leftward leaning lone assassin" model of Lee Oswald is really no longer sustainable.

For it transpires that Lee Oswald had actually been sent to the Soviet Union as a deep cover agent, most likely by the CIA. Incidentally, Lee Oswald had very high level security clearance as he worked with the U2 spy plane operations, so was not the failed Marine that some people have claimed.

Fleming reveals that Lee Oswald was involved in a veritable alphabet soup of U.S. intelligence agency groups. The CIA, the FBI and the O.N.I.

He was variously involved as a spy or an informant, or a confidential agent, sometimes, it would seem, as a combination of all of those at the same time.

Fleming points out that in all likelihood Lee Oswald never owned the rifle allegedly used in the murder of President Kennedy, that the rifle was probably only a prop and was not used to shoot Kennedy,  that officer Tippit was shot by a fellow police officer who was one of the real killers of President Kennedy and that Lee Oswald was shot to stop him revealing the truth about what had happened. That Oswald, who probably thought he was infiltrating the gang that plotted the murder of Kennedy, was, in reality, set up to take the fall for the murder.

Fleming looks at the likely genuine conspirators and explores why they may have decided to mount what was, in effect, the most successful military coup in modern history.

The book is published in paperback by Empire Publications the ISBN  is 978-1-909360-19-8.

The website address of Empire Publications is www.empire-UK.com.

The book is an ideal Christmas present for students of modern history, students of politics and those interested in the Kennedy murder.

"Map" found at Stonehenge

The second edition of The Stonehenge Enigma by Robert John Langdon has been published.

In it Mr Langdon claims that a map, dating back some 6,000 years, has been found at Stonehenge. And that this map (which was partially buried) depicts the legendary island of Atlantis.

However Mr Langdon is swift to point out that this is no legendary Atlantis situated off Africa or in the Mediterranean. This 'Atlantis' was a very real place, now under the North Sea and which is described as Doggerland by archaeologists.

The book is a fascinating read and Mr Langon makes some compelling points.

It is published by ABC in hardback and costs £14.99. The ISBN is 978-1-907979-02-6.

It is an ideal stocking filler for anyone interested in history and archaeology.

You can learn more at www.the-stonehenge-enigma.info.

Beardog's Big Adventure

Beardog's Big Adventure is a charming book by Susie Tinson about a very friendly, very large and somewhat strange looking dog who is called Beardog.

Beardog lives on the streets of a small, Portuguese town called Ferragudo.

He roams round the town with his best friend Barnie, hunting for food and looking for friends amongst the many holidaymakers who visit the town.

But Beardog is sad. He doesn't belong to anyone or anywhere and he is desperate to find a loving home.

But Barnie has heard of a place far, far away where odd-looking animals are accepted and made to feel very welcome, cherished and loved.

This is Beardog's Big Adventure.

It is an extremely well-told story ideal for children and their parents. It is very well illustrated.

It is in hardback from www.bookguild.co.uk and costs £9.99.

It is an ideal Christmas present.

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The Great Detective Returns! Sherlock Holmes faces some new cases

The Great Detective Returns! is a collection of new Sherlock Holmes short stories by N.M. Scott.

There is nothing wrong with the stories, but I was left with a feeling that they could have been so much better than they were. Nowhere near enough was made of Holmes' vast knowledge of the forensic sciences, and it appears that the Holmes of these stories almost stumbled upon his deductions by accident.

There were a few points that made it clear that, despite the deliberate impression that the stories were by Dr Watson an Englishman of the late 19th and early 20th Century, that the stories are written in the 21st Century and this did jar a little, it has to be said.

However, having said that the book is a hardback by the Book Guild and at £16.99 will make the dedicated Sherlock Holmes fan an admirable stocking filler.

ISBN 978 1 84624 955 6.

www.bookguild.co.uk

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Fatal Tears. The Journeys of Rupert Windfield by Stuart Fifield

Rupert Windfield is young, he is an Egyptologist but then he decided to escape from his family and even his career.

Soon he has thrown it all over for a somewhat dubious career as a tour guide on a Nile paddle steamer.

The Great War (still yet to gain the title First World War) was now a memory and, once again, wealthy were in Egypt once again, thronging to look at the remains of one of antiquities' former great civilisations.

At first, the trip is normal. Or as normal as one can expect with a varied collection of the indolent, the ignorant and the prejudiced all in the mobile hothouse that was a Nile paddle steamer.

But soon, young Winfield realises that not is all that it seems on this journey. Some of the guests have secrets, some seem to be more than they might appear at first glimpse.

Accidents start to happen. But why? What is happening? Why is it happening?

This thriller ranges through time and space amongst various locations in Africa and beyond. Stuart Fifield spent time growing up in Uganda and Kenya, where his father was a civil servant. He later lived in the Seychelles and South Africa and he was able to use his experiences as a foundation stone for his novel.

It is published in hardback at £17.99 by the Book Guild. The ISBN is 978 1 84624 872 6.

Viking Ventures by Barbara Robertson

Viking Ventures is a fictional story written by Barbara Robertson for children aged nine and upwards.

Although the book is fictional you should be aware that the historical details are very accurate as Barbara Robertson is no slouch when it comes to undertaking meticulous and detailed research for her books.

Harriet, Jake and Matthew are spending the summer holidays with their grandmother who lives in the seaside resort of Ormsthorpe.

But one storm-tossed night, under the light of a full moon, something extraordinary happens. The three siblings are magically transported back to the days of the Vikings!

They meet Olaf and Sigrid who teach them all about the ways of the Vikings.

They sorrowfully tell Jake and Matthew how their own dear children have been kidnapped during a raid and enslaved by the terrifying raiders.

And they ask their new-found friends to help rescue the children. But first, they must devise a cunning stratagem to effect the rescue.

We follow the children as they disguise themselves as Vikings, board a Viking Longship and embark on a perilous and potentially deadly secret mission to rescue the children!

The story is very well told, the author is a qualified and experienced teacher, which has certainly helped the book to become the excellent work that it is. But Barbara Robertson is also a storyteller in the ancient traditional of storytelling, which shines forth in this enchanting book.

It's a book that parents and teachers can read to children (please keep in mind that Viking history is part of the National Curriculum) or that children will be delighted to read for themselves.

There are also some evocative and excellent pencil drawings by Michael Avery.

It is a hardback book costing £9.99, published by Book Guild Publishing, ISBN 978-1-84624-873-3.

Editor: The end of the book leaves open the opportunity for the three children to enjoy further adventures in history. Here's hoping they will arrive on the bookshelves sooner, rather than later!



  

Oxford Dictionary of Reference and Allusion

The Oxford Dictionary of Reference and Allusion, by Andrew Delhunty and Shelia Dignen is a reference work that really should grace the shelves of anyone with a passion for, or a professional relationship, with words and language.

Allusions are a colourful way of illustrating points, of getting ideas across and of expanding on the use of our language.

But that allusion that everyone draws on so readily? Where does it come from? Who first coined it as an allusion? Who wrote it or said it in the first place?

This A to Z work is a masterful effort to show the who, why and what of allusions that are often common currency, linguistically speaking, but the origins of which may be uncertain or unknown.

In this brilliantly written and well-researched reference work you will find out all you need to know and some stuff that although you might not have needed to know, you will be better off for knowing!

At £10.99 this Oxford University Press book is a modestly priced ticket to allow you to gain entry to the wonderful world of allusion!

And you will find out that all is not as it seems! For example, "Naughty but Nice" was not originated in the 1970s as part of a campaign to promote cream cakes. Although it was certainly used in this campaign, its real origin was as the title of a music hall song published in 1871!

ISBN 978-0-19-956746-1.

A Dreadful Murder. The Mysterious Death of Caroline Luard

This book, The Mysterious Death of Caroline Luard, is by top selling and award winning crime novelist Minette Walters.

However, this book is different to her fictional offerings, as it is the true story of how the callous, brutal murder of an innocent woman caused the community of Ightham to become embroiled in a vile hate campaign against the husband of the victim, Major-General Charles Luard, who, according to vicious rumours,  had callously slain his wife and then played the part of the grieving husband.

How the case remained one of the unsolved (even to this day, 105 years later)  murder cases on the records of Kent Constabulary.

Walters goes back to the basics of the case and examines the statements of the witnesses who were interviewed by the police.

Walters explains why she believes that Charles Luard was innocent of the crime, but she does indicate that she feels the police were wrong to blame a passing vagrant criminal for the murder, she believes that the murder was committed by someone who was local and, probably known to Caroline Luard.

However, Walters explains her reasoning and points out that the tragedy of Mrs Luard's death were to have further, equally tragic outcomes.

The book is part of the innovative Quick Reads series and costs £1.00. To learn more about this series of book you can visit www.quickreads.org.uk.

That book on Amazon you want to buy. Is it new?

Recently I searched for a certain paperback book on Amazon.co.uk and found what I wanted at £5.96. It was to be part of a Birthday present and I almost had it giftwapped by Amazon but forgot to order this service, having the book delivered to me, instead.

It was a good job that I did not have it giftwrapped because when the book arrived it was in a very poor state with the spine suffering from damage and the photographic section in the middle on the point of detaching itself.

To make matters worse, even though I'd paid £5.96 for the book, on the cover of the book  was a charity shop sticker with the price of £1.50!

I complained and got a refund, which is being processed now, but it has made me wary of ordering further books from Amazon.co.uk.