Stirred by the Glastonbury spirit—or something similar—West End Lane Books is taking to the road next weekend (July 4/5th); well, we're going up the road anyway—a full 1/2 mile to Fortune Green, where we will be joining in our favourite community event, the Jester Festival.
So, if you're heading up that way to seek out bits and bobs and bric a brac, do drop by our stand where you will find lots of bargain titles, books by local authors, and, of course, a customary West End Lane Books welcome.
Merci Monsieur Simkins
Over the years, we've been proud to be associated with author events by the great and the good (and doubtless some of you might even suggest the occasional not so good one...), but rarely have we been so charmed as we were last night in the company of Michael Simkins, best-selling author, actor and all-round renaissance bloke of this parish.
Michael treated a packed shop to literary and thespy anecodotes aplenty and also revealed that, apparently, 48 is not too late to discover the inner best selling author in oneself...which I for one took as a green light to get cracking asap.
Stand by for site reportage from the event plus news, as soon as we have it, of its follow up.
In the meantime, we strongly recommend you check out Michael's latest book, Detour De France, safe in the knowledge that it's not only a really good read, but also that a true gent wrote it. Merci, Michel et a bientot!
Michael treated a packed shop to literary and thespy anecodotes aplenty and also revealed that, apparently, 48 is not too late to discover the inner best selling author in oneself...which I for one took as a green light to get cracking asap.
Stand by for site reportage from the event plus news, as soon as we have it, of its follow up.
In the meantime, we strongly recommend you check out Michael's latest book, Detour De France, safe in the knowledge that it's not only a really good read, but also that a true gent wrote it. Merci, Michel et a bientot!
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West End Lane Books
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Tuesday, June 23, 2009
New Children’s Laureate named
On 9th June the new Children’s Laureate was announced. Anthony Browne is the sixth person to hold this position and is a welcome addition to a list of highly respected names from children’s literature – Quentin Blake, Anne Fine, Michael Morpurgo, Jacqueline Wilson and Michael Rosen are all previous incumbents.
His picture books, which include Gorilla, Willy the Wimp and Zoo, have long been appreciated by West End Lane Books for their wonderful surrealist illustrations and sophistication, frequently featuring either a gorilla or chimpanzee whose expressions portray a whole range of emotions. The books are filled with gentle humour and little details which make them a pleasure to re-read – something you have to do only too frequently with young children!
He says of his work "Picture books are for everybody at any age, not books to be left behind as we grow older. The best ones leave a tantalising gap between the pictures and the words, a gap that is filled by the reader's imagination, adding so much to the excitement of reading a book.”
Anthony Browne has won many awards for his work including the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award for Illustration and was once illustrator-in-residence at Tate Britain.
You will find many of Browne's books--plus hundreds of others to delight all ages in our extensive childrens' section at the back of the shop...and even if you don't have kids, a browse among the classics can take you right back...
His picture books, which include Gorilla, Willy the Wimp and Zoo, have long been appreciated by West End Lane Books for their wonderful surrealist illustrations and sophistication, frequently featuring either a gorilla or chimpanzee whose expressions portray a whole range of emotions. The books are filled with gentle humour and little details which make them a pleasure to re-read – something you have to do only too frequently with young children!
He says of his work "Picture books are for everybody at any age, not books to be left behind as we grow older. The best ones leave a tantalising gap between the pictures and the words, a gap that is filled by the reader's imagination, adding so much to the excitement of reading a book.”
Anthony Browne has won many awards for his work including the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award for Illustration and was once illustrator-in-residence at Tate Britain.
You will find many of Browne's books--plus hundreds of others to delight all ages in our extensive childrens' section at the back of the shop...and even if you don't have kids, a browse among the classics can take you right back...
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West End Lane Books
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Friday, June 19, 2009
Bravo Beeb (part 2)
Still on the BBC front (I'm not on the payroll, honest), top marks are in order for the publication of two excellent Radio 4 dramas, now out on CD:
Patricia Highsmith's Ripley might have been done to death previously (just don't mention Jude Law), but the recent R4 serialisation starring Ian Hart was completely spot on--dark, camp and brilliant--and now issued on CD...as is the most entertaining Charles Paris Series by Simon Brett and starring the ever louche Bill Nighy as the slightly world weary accidental detective at the BBC itself.
Both sets well worth your attention and ideal for long car journies, holiday longueurs or just a treat.
Patricia Highsmith's Ripley might have been done to death previously (just don't mention Jude Law), but the recent R4 serialisation starring Ian Hart was completely spot on--dark, camp and brilliant--and now issued on CD...as is the most entertaining Charles Paris Series by Simon Brett and starring the ever louche Bill Nighy as the slightly world weary accidental detective at the BBC itself.
Both sets well worth your attention and ideal for long car journies, holiday longueurs or just a treat.
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West End Lane Books
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Friday, June 12, 2009
Beeb’s poetry season
Following all of the recent Beeb-bashing (it's a bit like sunspots: erupts every so often and then dies down again quite randomly), isn't it refreshing to be able to say something positive for a change?
While the more learned might have found the station's recent poetry coverage a tad lightweight, the more infrequent poetry readers among us found most of it a complete joy--even the sight of Fiona Shaw and Simon Schama out-thesping one another in the fabulously-luvvie Donne edition wasn't enough to deter us from running to our shelves to seek out slim volumes. We particularly loved the Owen, Gawain, Milton and Donne shows and the real point is that mainstream coverage like this provides a wonderful way in, or way back, for so many of us that have so much to gain from having poetry in our everyday lives.
If you haven't seen the website, or even voted for your favourite (mine's Keats of course), you can find a lot to entertain and stimulate at: bbc.co.uk/poetryseason or for that matter in the extensive poetry section in West End Lane Books.
While the more learned might have found the station's recent poetry coverage a tad lightweight, the more infrequent poetry readers among us found most of it a complete joy--even the sight of Fiona Shaw and Simon Schama out-thesping one another in the fabulously-luvvie Donne edition wasn't enough to deter us from running to our shelves to seek out slim volumes. We particularly loved the Owen, Gawain, Milton and Donne shows and the real point is that mainstream coverage like this provides a wonderful way in, or way back, for so many of us that have so much to gain from having poetry in our everyday lives.
If you haven't seen the website, or even voted for your favourite (mine's Keats of course), you can find a lot to entertain and stimulate at: bbc.co.uk/poetryseason or for that matter in the extensive poetry section in West End Lane Books.
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West End Lane Books
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Friday, June 12, 2009
Michael Simkins Reading and Signing
8pm, June 22nd 2009
Stephen Fry reckons Michael Simkins is one of the UK's most 'insightful and charming' writers so who are we to disagree? In fact, we like his new book, Detour De France, so much that we have invited our local writer and actor to treat us to a reading from the book on 22nd June at 8pm.
Of Michael's adventures in France, fellow writer and traveller Michael Palin has observed: '[he] makes even the worst travel experiences pleasurable. In fact the worse it is, the better he gets'.
But, a word of warning: Fry believes that Simkins is 'trouser wettingly funny' so if you can join us on the 22nd, it might be best to bring a change of underwear as management cannot be held responsible...etc etc.
Hope to see you on the 22nd June; wine will be served, naturellement!
Stephen Fry reckons Michael Simkins is one of the UK's most 'insightful and charming' writers so who are we to disagree? In fact, we like his new book, Detour De France, so much that we have invited our local writer and actor to treat us to a reading from the book on 22nd June at 8pm.
Of Michael's adventures in France, fellow writer and traveller Michael Palin has observed: '[he] makes even the worst travel experiences pleasurable. In fact the worse it is, the better he gets'.
But, a word of warning: Fry believes that Simkins is 'trouser wettingly funny' so if you can join us on the 22nd, it might be best to bring a change of underwear as management cannot be held responsible...etc etc.
Hope to see you on the 22nd June; wine will be served, naturellement!
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West End Lane Books
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Monday, June 01, 2009
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