Book Talk

Before I answer the question, I just wanted to reflect on how central books have been to my life since I was a child of about 6 years old.

The books I had to read at school never really interested me, I was much more interested in comics. However, I was regarded as a non reader by my school. This irritated my parents, and as a parent myself I can understand that, so they came up with the idea of buying me a toy every time I finished one of the school books. Now it was worth my while I started to race through the boring school books, astonishing my teacher and forcing my Dad to call a halt to the reward system after about a month!

My pocket money almost always went on sweets and comics. The latter included imports from the US such as superhero stories, something I have zero interest in nowadays oddly enough, and UK favourites like The Beano, Victor and TV21 in the Primary school years of my childhood, and then magazines like Look In later on. Alongside these I read loads of books that I picked up from small bookshops where proper pocket money paperbacks were available at 25p or 30p in those days! Doctor Who books, the Chronicles of Narnia and a strange collection of weird interests such as monsters, fact books and vampires! However, my real loves were the Ladybird History books which I collected avidly. Books with brilliant pictures and superbly chosen words that forced you to think but never overwhelmed you.

As I moved into adulthood I went through a number of peaks and troughs of reading according to time and money available, but there were always books around me. When I became a parent I was able to read favourite books both old and new and bedtime reading became my favourite part of the role. I introduced the children to Paddington, Frog and Toad, Old Bear, Sleepover Club and Harry Potter amongst many others. I loved doing the voices and I would sometimes be reading for about an hour especially if I got to a good bit! I was privileged to be able to do that for about 20 years in total and I loved every minute of it.

When I started commuting I ended up reading more than ever because I had to do something to make my journey in more bearable. I would often read over a thousand pages a week and occasionally almost missed my stop when I got to a really good bit! Now that I have stopped working I don’t read as much as I used to but I almost always start the day by reading and I will dip into a particularly good book throughout the day. Books have always been and will always be an important part of life for me.

Now on to the question. I am currently reading the Maisie Dobbs novels of Jacqueline Winspear in order. They are set in the inter war years and they then move onto the second world war. The sense of place and time is amazing and the central character one of the best in any ongoing series. I would love to have dinner with Jacqueline Winspear and find out more about her writing journey.