Difference between revisions of "Features"

From TheBookbag
Jump to navigationJump to search
(17 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
 
Check out the full lists of [[:Category: Interviews|interviews]], [[:Category: Lists|top tens]] and [[:Category: Comments|articles]].__NOTOC__<!-- Remove -->
 
Check out the full lists of [[:Category: Interviews|interviews]], [[:Category: Lists|top tens]] and [[:Category: Comments|articles]].__NOTOC__<!-- Remove -->
 +
{{newfeature
 +
|category=interviews
 +
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Gabe Riggs
 +
|summary=Luke thought that [[Punk Love Foucault by Gabe Riggs]] was an intense, emotional and visceral read that illuminates and educates with a strong voice and clear, capable prose.  There was a lot to talk about when Gabe popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
 +
}}
 +
{{newfeature
 +
|category=newsletters
 +
|title=October 2017 Newsletter
 +
|summary=
 +
Hi, hello and welcome to October's witterings from all of us here at Bookbag Towers.
 +
 +
The list of titles for 2018's World Book Day has [http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-41429806 been announced]. So good to see a [[Paddington's Finest Hour by Michael Bond |Paddington]] book on there. RIP Michael Bond and his wonderful messages about openness and inclusivity. But the 2018 list isn't universally popular. Many children's authors, among them Bookbag favourites David Almond and Anthony McGowan, have [https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/oct/02/childrens-authors-slam-celebrity-heavy-world-book-day-lineup criticised it] for the number of celebrity authors it contains. Almond says '' It’s demeaning to children, because it is assuming that children don’t read properly.'' What do you think? Here at Bookbag, we are inclined to agree. World Book Day should feature quality writing, not famous names. Even so, good luck to an important event. Oh, and good luck in advance to all frazzled parents helping with costumes when the big day eventually arrives!
 +
}}
 +
{{newfeature
 +
|category=interviews
 +
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Sandra Aragona
 +
|summary=Sue loved Sandra Aragona's lightly-fictionalised [[Sorting the Priorities: Ambassadress and Beagle Survive Diplomacy by Sandra Aragona|autobiography]] of life as a diplomatic spouse.  There was a lot that she wanted to ask about when Sandra popped into Bookbag Towers.
 +
}}
 +
{{newfeature
 +
|category=interviews
 +
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To K J Lawrence
 +
|summary=Sue was delighted when she read [[The Cossack by K J Lawrence|The Cossack]] as it restored her faith in the thriller genre.  When the author, K J Lawrence, popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us, Sue had quite a few questions ready!
 +
}}
 +
{{newfeature
 +
|category=interviews
 +
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Stuart Burrell
 +
|summary=Sue found Start Burrell's book [[Twelve Times To The Max: One Man's Journey to, and Recollections of, Setting Twelve Verified World Records by Stuart Burrell|Twelve Times To The Max: One Man's Journey to, and Recollections of, Setting Twelve Verified World Records]] an inspiring, feel-good read.  She wanted to know more when Stuart popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
 +
}}
 +
{{newfeature
 +
|category=newsletters
 +
|title=September 2017 Newsletter
 +
|summary=
 +
Oh man, Bookbaggers. Summer is over. Did you go on holiday? If so, we hope you had a lovely time and got to read a book or two. If you didn't, we bet you managed to get some reading time in anyway, didn't you? Which summer book did you enjoy the most?
 +
 +
The latest figures tell us that children are [https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/sep/02/young-readers-drive-book-sales driving book sales]. Sales of children's titles rose 16% last year alone. This is such great news. But it does lead us back to that drum we like to bang from time to time - the Cover Kids Books [http://www.thebookseller.com/news/gaiman-pullman-support-cover-kids-books-campaign-371596 campaign]. Why does a third of the market get only 3% coverage in newspapers and magazines? It's as though children, and the authors who write for them, don't matter at all. Do better, British press, do better.
 +
}}
 +
{{newfeature
 +
|category=interviews
 +
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Wes Stuart
 +
|summary=Luke enjoyed the combination of compellingly-written science fiction which blends themes of innocence and growth with some well depicted moments of horror in [[My Name is Sam by Wes Stuart|My Name is Sam]] and he had quite a few questions for author Wes Stuart when he popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
 +
}}
 +
{{newfeature
 +
|category=interviews
 +
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To B C R Fegan
 +
|summary=Sue giggled like a child when she read [[Henry and the Hidden Treasure by B C R Fegan and Lenny Wen]]: it's a good story with some valuable lessons.  It was a real pleasure to chat to writer B C R Fegan when he popped into Bookbag Towers.
 +
}}
 +
{{newfeature
 +
|category=interviews
 +
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Annie Ingram
 +
|summary=Very few people believe that dogs can talk so it was something of a relief when Sue met author Annie Ingram.  She has lengthy conversations with her cocker spaniel Kammie and has shared them with us in her [[Conversations with Kammie by Annie Ingram|book]].  There was a lot to talk about when she popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
 +
}}
 +
{{newfeature
 +
|category=interviews
 +
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Stephan Santiago
 +
|summary=Ani was quietly moved by [[Returning Home by Stephan Santiago|Returning Home]] and there were a several points she wanted to discuss with author Stephan Santiago when he popped in to Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
 +
}}
 +
{{newfeature
 +
|category=newsletters
 +
|title=August 2017 Newsletter
 +
|summary=
 +
Happy August, Bookbaggers! Here's hoping you get the opportunity to make the most of summer's good weather by taking some time to read in the sun.
 +
 +
Not that we spend much time sympathising with politicians here at Bookbag Towers but oh, poor old Andrea Leadsom! Her slip of the tongue - at least we hope it was a slip of the tongue - in referring to Jane Austen as one of our greatest ''living'' authors has resulted in [http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/andrea-leadsom-jane-austen-waterstones-throw-shade-a7851571.html much merriment]. ''Anyone know who Jane Austen's agent is? We'd love to book her for an event,'' said Waterstone's. Teehee.
 +
}}
 +
{{newfeature
 +
|category=interviews
 +
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Tessa Buckley
 +
|summary=Jill's really taken by author Tessa Buckley's mystery and family drama series, Eye Spy Investigations and enjoyed [[Eye Spy II by Tessa Buckley|Eye Spy II]].  There were quite a few questions for Tessa when she popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
 +
}}
 +
{{newfeature
 +
|category=newsletters
 +
|title=July 2017 Newsletter
 +
|summary=
 +
Hello Bookbaggers! How the devil are you? Well, we hope.
 +
 +
The best bit of book news recently comes right after one of the worst news stories for the country generally. Philip Pullman  [http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2017-06-27/philip-pullman-set-to-name-character-in-new-book-after-grenfell-tower-victim-following-charity-campaign is set to name] one of the characters in his upcoming novel after a victim of the Grenfell Tower fire. Teacher James Clements pledged £1,500 in memory of his former pupil Nur Huda El-Wahabi, who died in the fire, and hundreds of others added more cash to his bid in the Authors for Grenfell fundraising auction. The whole auction raised £150k. And we don't mind telling you that we shed a few tears over it all. We hope the authorities get their stuff together and show a similar generosity of spirit. We're not holding our breath on the showing so far, sadly.
 +
}}
 +
{{newfeature
 +
|category=interviews
 +
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Saqib Noor
 +
|summary=Sue laughed and cried when she read [[Surgery on the Shoulders of Giants: Letters from a doctor abroad by Saqib Noor|Surgery on the Shoulders of Giants: Letters from a doctor abroad]], touched and humbled by a man who has provided medical aid in some of the most needy parts of the world. She had quite a few questions when author Saqib Noor popped into Bookbag Towers to see us.
 +
}}
 +
{{newfeature
 +
|category=interviews
 +
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Johnny Ringwood
 +
|summary=Peter enjoyed [[Cargoes & Capers: The life and times of a London Docklands man by Johnny Ringwood|Cargoes & Capers]] with its memories of life in the East End and stories how the author, Johnny Ringwood, turned his life around.  He had rather a lot of questions when Johnny popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
 +
}}
 +
{{newfeature
 +
|category=newsletters
 +
|title=June 2017 Newsletter
 +
|summary=
 +
Hello you lovely Bookbaggers. It's been a sad and angry month since we last spoke, what with terror attacks and general elections. We hope all is well with all of you and you are all coping as best you can. But we are going to try to distract you from it all just for a minute or two by pointing you in the direction of some great books to read. When all else fails, books can comfort, right? So let's have some positivity, if only on the subject of books and reading.
 +
 +
So here's some exciting news! We have a title, a character and an [http://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/may/26/before-his-dark-materials-how-lyras-story-began-exclusive-extract extract] for the first volume in Philip Pullman's new trilogy, out in October. ''La Belle Sauvage'' is the canoe owned by Malcolm Polstead. His daemon is Asta. And you can read an interview about it with Philip Pullman [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rE45VHtSzw here]. As you can imagine, we at Bookbag Towers are beyond excited. Roll on October! And while we're on the topic of young readers, here's some more good news. [http://www.tes.com/news/school-news/breaking-news/record-number-teenagers-say-they-enjoy-reading Record numbers] of children say they enjoy reading. A survey by the Literacy Trust has found that more than half of children and young people say that they read for pleasure. Isn't that great?
 +
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
 
|category=interviews
 
|category=interviews
Line 194: Line 289:
 
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Gloria D Gonsalves About Lamellia: The Kingdom of Mushrooms
 
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Gloria D Gonsalves About Lamellia: The Kingdom of Mushrooms
 
|summary=Jill enjoyed [[Lamellia: The Kingdom of Mushrooms by Gloria D Gonsalves]] and said that she'd be glad to read it to any child.  She and the author had lots to chat about when Gloria popped into Bookbag Towers.
 
|summary=Jill enjoyed [[Lamellia: The Kingdom of Mushrooms by Gloria D Gonsalves]] and said that she'd be glad to read it to any child.  She and the author had lots to chat about when Gloria popped into Bookbag Towers.
−
}}
 
−
{{newfeature
 
−
|category=newsletters
 
−
|title=October 2016 Newsletter
 
−
|summary=
 
−
Well, hello there, Bookbaggers. Are you enjoying some autumnal colours? Kicking through some leaves? Splashing in the odd puddle or two? If so, enjoy!
 
−
 
−
We hope you didn't miss [Poetry Day]. Lots happened, not least Kate Tempest live on BBC2 at prime time on a Saturday night. She was fabulous, wasn't she? If you missed it, here is the trailer for Let Them Eat Chaos, the piece she performed. The whole thing is truly wonderful.
 
−
}}
 
−
{{newfeature
 
−
|category=interviews
 
−
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Anthony Bidulka
 
−
|summary=Luke was impressed when he read [[Set Free by Anthony Bidulka]] not least because he liked the characters he felt he could invest in.  He had quite a few questions when the author popped into Bookbag Towers.
 
−
}}
 
−
{{newfeature
 
−
|category=comments
 
−
|title=Natasha Farrant Talks To Bookbag About First Discovering Jane Austen
 
−
|summary=We ''loved'' [[Lydia: The Wild Girl of Pride and Prejudice by Natasha Farrant|Lydia: The Wild Girl of Pride and Prejudice]] and it was fascinating to listen to author Natasha Farrant tell us about how she first came to dicover Jane Austen.
 
−
}}
 
−
{{newfeature
 
−
|category=interviews
 
−
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Pamela Johnson
 
−
|summary=Rebecca was impressed when she read [[Taking in Water by Pamela Johnson]] - she was reminded of Iris Murdoch's ''The Sea, The Sea'' - and Johnson's writing style put her in mind of two of favourite authors, Tessa Hadley and Kate Atkinson.  She had quite a few  questions when the author popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
 
−
}}
 
−
{{newfeature
 
−
|category=newsletters
 
−
|title=September 2016 Newsletter
 
−
|summary=
 
−
Hi, hello and how are you all, dear readers?
 
−
 
−
Here's some cool news to start us off this month - an innovative new monthly print magazine for 8-12 year-olds is about to launch. [http://www.scoopthemag.co.uk/ Scoop] will offer an inspiring mix of short stories, poetry, non-fiction features, comic strips and activities. It will feature some of the very best creators of literary and visual content for children - think Neil Gaiman, Eoin Colfer and Laura Dockrill, just for starters. Not least, Scoop is for children who will be thrilled to receive their very own magazine in the post, addressed only to them. We ''love'' the sound of Scoop. It reminds Jill of the Puffin Post, to which she enthusiastically subscribed as a child. If you have a child who loves to read, you should look it out.
 
−
}}
 
−
{{newfeature
 
−
|category=interviews
 
−
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Ritchie Valentine Smith
 
−
|summary=Ani enjoyed [[Words of Power: Volume 1 by Ritchie Valentine Smith|Words of Power]], the first volume of a new samurai fantasy series by Ritchie Valentine Smith.  She had plenty of questions for the author when he popped in to see us.
 
−
}}
 
−
 
−
{{newfeature
 
−
|category=interviews
 
−
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To S B Charles
 
−
|summary=Jill thought that [[Gliding With Black Swans by S B Charles]] was a roller coaster of a thriller and she couldn't wait to chat to author S B Charles when he popped in to chat to us.
 
−
}}
 
−
{{newfeature
 
−
|category=interviews
 
−
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Christopher Bowden about 'The Purple Shadow'
 
−
|summary=It's not long since Jill enjoyed Christopher Bowden's novel [[The Green Door by Christopher Bowden|The Green Door]], so she was delighted when she had the opportunity to read his latest book [[The Purple Shadow by Christopher Bowden|The Purple Shadow]].
 
−
}}
 
−
{{newfeature
 
−
|category=newsletters
 
−
|title=August 2016 Newsletter
 
−
|summary=
 
−
Well, hello there, readers. We hope you're well. And we hope you're getting back to reading now that Rio 2016 and all the associated Olympic excitements are done and dusted. We have some great books for you to consider this month. So read on...
 
−
 
−
How many books do you think you might have read over the last three years? You'd be going some if you said a thousand, right? But what if you said 2.500? That would be amazing! Well, Faith Jackson, aged 12, has done [http://www.knutsfordguardian.co.uk/news/14659644.display/ just that]. She has met authors, been given books, and now is about to be featured in Ripley's upcoming ''Odd Around the World''. We like the cut of your jib, Faith. Keep reading!
 
−
}}
 
−
{{newfeature
 
−
|category=newsletters
 
−
|title=July 2016 Newsletter
 
−
|summary=
 
−
Hello! We hope you are well. We hope you are not traumatised by Brexit. We hope you are not in despair at the apparent collapse of our political system. Of course you may be one or both. If so, you have our sympathies and our best efforts at distracting you from the various non-reading related stresses currently engulfing the country. Books are constant!
 
−
}}
 
−
{{newfeature
 
−
|category=newsletters
 
−
|title=June 2016 Newsletter
 
−
|summary=
 
−
Let's get the snark out of the way first! Simon Literary Cowell has declared his intention to write a book for children because all the books he reads to his son are "boring". The internet responded O RLY? Simon, probably not up with youth speak, also got some advice from various children's authors, understandably somewhat miffed, including [http://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/may/25/simon-cowell-advice-write-childrens-book-michael-rosen-philip-ardagh Philip Ardagh] and [https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2016/may/27/simon-cowell-childrens-book-x-factor?CMP=share_btn_fb Michael Rosen]. We suggest Simon browses through the Bookbag children's section. He won't find much to bore him in there. We think the Mini Cowell might enjoy [[Traction Man Meets Turbo Dog by Mini Grey ]], for example. Oh, what a silly, silly man.
 
−
}}
 
−
{{newfeature
 
−
|category=newsletters
 
−
|title=May 2016 Newsletter
 
−
|summary=
 
−
Hi, hello and how the devil are you? Read anything good lately? If you're looking for ideas, we can oblige with this month's recommendations and a blast from the past that's worth revisiting. If there's anything you think you can add, do let us know.
 
−
 
−
We'd like to take a moment to say goodbye to the fabulous Jenny Diski, who [http://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/apr/28/author-jenny-diski-cancer-dies died from cancer] recently. She wrote a diary in the ''London Review of Books'' post-diagnosis and it was as witty and acerbic as all her writing. We will truly miss her. Rest in peace, Jenny.
 
−
}}
 
−
{{newfeature
 
−
|category=interviews
 
−
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Russell Mardell
 
−
|summary=Jill thought that [[Cold Calling by Russell Mardell|Cold Calling]] was unexpectedly delightful and above all, very, very human.  She had quite a few questions for author Russell Mardell when he popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
 
−
}}
 
−
{{newfeature
 
−
|category=interviews
 
−
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Joel Mentmore
 
−
|summary=After she read [[Smart by Joel Mentmore|Smart]] Ani realised that she would never be completely comfotable with her mobile phone again.  She had quite a few questions for author Joel Mentmore when he popped into Bookbag Towers.
 
−
}}
 
−
{{newfeature
 
−
|category=interviews
 
−
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Hazel McHaffie
 
−
|summary=Sue absolutely refused to be separated from [[Inside of Me by Hazel McHaffie|Inside of Me]] until she found out what happened to anorexic India and her mother.  She had quite a few questions for author Hazel McHaffie when she popped into Bookbag Towers.
 
−
}}
 
−
{{newfeature
 
−
|category=newsletters
 
−
|title=April 2016 Newsletter
 
−
|summary=
 
−
Hello there, Bookbaggers, and how the devil are you? Well, we hope. What are you reading today? Anything we should know about? If you are undecided about what to read next, we have plenty to recommend to you from this month's releases.
 
−
Guess what? In a poll commissioned by Amnesty International UK, parents were asked to choose the activity that they thought developed their child’s empathy the most - and reading was the runaway winner. We agree! Reading is a vicarious experience and really helps us all - not just children - to appreciate the world through someone else's eyes. Amnesty UK will also give a special commendation this year to one of the shortlisted books in the Carnegie and Kate Greenaway awards . This will be the first ever human rights commendation for children’s books and we think it's a really positive initiative.
 
−
}}
 
−
{{newfeature
 
−
|category=interviews
 
−
|title=Quentin Bates talks to Bookbag about about ''Thin Ice''
 
−
|summary=Author Quentin Bates popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us about [[Thin Ice (Officer Gunnhildur) by Quentin Bates|Thin Ice]], the seventh book in his Officer Gunnhildur series.
 
−
}}
 
−
{{newfeature
 
−
|category=interviews
 
−
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To C E Robinson
 
−
|summary=Ani was impressed by the world building in [[Lilith: Eden's Planetary Princess (The Michael Archives Book 1) by C E Robinson|Lilith: Eden's Planetary Princess]] and knew that there was an exciting series to come.  She had quite a few questions for author [[:Category:C E Robinson|C E Robinson]] when he popped into Bookbag Towers.
 
−
}}
 
−
{{newfeature
 
−
|category=interviews
 
−
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Anthony Gardner
 
−
|summary=Jill thought that [[Fox by Anthony Gardner]] was plot-focused and had twists to suit every thriller fan.  She was impressed by the serious depiction of the downtrodden individual against the erosion of hard-won civil liberties.  There was quite a lot to chat about when the author popped into Bookbag Towers.
 
 
}}
 
}}
  
 
[[Category:Features|*]]
 
[[Category:Features|*]]

Revision as of 16:06, 16 October 2017

Check out the full lists of interviews, top tens and articles.

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Gabe Riggs

Luke thought that Punk Love Foucault by Gabe Riggs was an intense, emotional and visceral read that illuminates and educates with a strong voice and clear, capable prose. There was a lot to talk about when Gabe popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us. Read more...

File:Booknewsletters.jpg October 2017 Newsletter

Hi, hello and welcome to October's witterings from all of us here at Bookbag Towers.

The list of titles for 2018's World Book Day has been announced. So good to see a Paddington book on there. RIP Michael Bond and his wonderful messages about openness and inclusivity. But the 2018 list isn't universally popular. Many children's authors, among them Bookbag favourites David Almond and Anthony McGowan, have criticised it for the number of celebrity authors it contains. Almond says It’s demeaning to children, because it is assuming that children don’t read properly. What do you think? Here at Bookbag, we are inclined to agree. World Book Day should feature quality writing, not famous names. Even so, good luck to an important event. Oh, and good luck in advance to all frazzled parents helping with costumes when the big day eventually arrives! Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Sandra Aragona

Sue loved Sandra Aragona's lightly-fictionalised autobiography of life as a diplomatic spouse. There was a lot that she wanted to ask about when Sandra popped into Bookbag Towers. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To K J Lawrence

Sue was delighted when she read The Cossack as it restored her faith in the thriller genre. When the author, K J Lawrence, popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us, Sue had quite a few questions ready! Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Stuart Burrell

Sue found Start Burrell's book Twelve Times To The Max: One Man's Journey to, and Recollections of, Setting Twelve Verified World Records an inspiring, feel-good read. She wanted to know more when Stuart popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us. Read more...

File:Booknewsletters.jpg September 2017 Newsletter

Oh man, Bookbaggers. Summer is over. Did you go on holiday? If so, we hope you had a lovely time and got to read a book or two. If you didn't, we bet you managed to get some reading time in anyway, didn't you? Which summer book did you enjoy the most?

The latest figures tell us that children are driving book sales. Sales of children's titles rose 16% last year alone. This is such great news. But it does lead us back to that drum we like to bang from time to time - the Cover Kids Books campaign. Why does a third of the market get only 3% coverage in newspapers and magazines? It's as though children, and the authors who write for them, don't matter at all. Do better, British press, do better. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Wes Stuart

Luke enjoyed the combination of compellingly-written science fiction which blends themes of innocence and growth with some well depicted moments of horror in My Name is Sam and he had quite a few questions for author Wes Stuart when he popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To B C R Fegan

Sue giggled like a child when she read Henry and the Hidden Treasure by B C R Fegan and Lenny Wen: it's a good story with some valuable lessons. It was a real pleasure to chat to writer B C R Fegan when he popped into Bookbag Towers. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Annie Ingram

Very few people believe that dogs can talk so it was something of a relief when Sue met author Annie Ingram. She has lengthy conversations with her cocker spaniel Kammie and has shared them with us in her book. There was a lot to talk about when she popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Stephan Santiago

Ani was quietly moved by Returning Home and there were a several points she wanted to discuss with author Stephan Santiago when he popped in to Bookbag Towers to chat to us. Read more...

File:Booknewsletters.jpg August 2017 Newsletter

Happy August, Bookbaggers! Here's hoping you get the opportunity to make the most of summer's good weather by taking some time to read in the sun.

Not that we spend much time sympathising with politicians here at Bookbag Towers but oh, poor old Andrea Leadsom! Her slip of the tongue - at least we hope it was a slip of the tongue - in referring to Jane Austen as one of our greatest living authors has resulted in much merriment. Anyone know who Jane Austen's agent is? We'd love to book her for an event, said Waterstone's. Teehee. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Tessa Buckley

Jill's really taken by author Tessa Buckley's mystery and family drama series, Eye Spy Investigations and enjoyed Eye Spy II. There were quite a few questions for Tessa when she popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us. Read more...

File:Booknewsletters.jpg July 2017 Newsletter

Hello Bookbaggers! How the devil are you? Well, we hope.

The best bit of book news recently comes right after one of the worst news stories for the country generally. Philip Pullman is set to name one of the characters in his upcoming novel after a victim of the Grenfell Tower fire. Teacher James Clements pledged £1,500 in memory of his former pupil Nur Huda El-Wahabi, who died in the fire, and hundreds of others added more cash to his bid in the Authors for Grenfell fundraising auction. The whole auction raised £150k. And we don't mind telling you that we shed a few tears over it all. We hope the authorities get their stuff together and show a similar generosity of spirit. We're not holding our breath on the showing so far, sadly. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Saqib Noor

Sue laughed and cried when she read Surgery on the Shoulders of Giants: Letters from a doctor abroad, touched and humbled by a man who has provided medical aid in some of the most needy parts of the world. She had quite a few questions when author Saqib Noor popped into Bookbag Towers to see us. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Johnny Ringwood

Peter enjoyed Cargoes & Capers with its memories of life in the East End and stories how the author, Johnny Ringwood, turned his life around. He had rather a lot of questions when Johnny popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us. Read more...

File:Booknewsletters.jpg June 2017 Newsletter

Hello you lovely Bookbaggers. It's been a sad and angry month since we last spoke, what with terror attacks and general elections. We hope all is well with all of you and you are all coping as best you can. But we are going to try to distract you from it all just for a minute or two by pointing you in the direction of some great books to read. When all else fails, books can comfort, right? So let's have some positivity, if only on the subject of books and reading.

So here's some exciting news! We have a title, a character and an extract for the first volume in Philip Pullman's new trilogy, out in October. La Belle Sauvage is the canoe owned by Malcolm Polstead. His daemon is Asta. And you can read an interview about it with Philip Pullman here. As you can imagine, we at Bookbag Towers are beyond excited. Roll on October! And while we're on the topic of young readers, here's some more good news. Record numbers of children say they enjoy reading. A survey by the Literacy Trust has found that more than half of children and young people say that they read for pleasure. Isn't that great? Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Isabella Davidson

Sue was grabbed by The Beta Mum: Adventures in Alpha Land as soon as she started reading. She decided to tackle author Isabella Davidson about what it means to be an alpha or a beta mummy when she popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Lizzy Mumfrey

Sue was stunned by Fall Out by Lizzy Mumfrey and simply couldn't put the book down. She had a whole list of questions for the author when she popped into Bookbag Towers. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Hugo Driscoll

Sue thought that Seven Days With You was a quick but suprisingly deep read which looks sensitively at young love and terminal illness and that it's more uplifting than you might expect from that description! There was a lot to chat about when author Hugo Driscoll popped into Bookbag Towers. Read more...

File:Booknewsletters.jpg May 2017 Newsletter

Hi, hello and how the devil are you, fellow Bookbaggers?

We want to start out this month by mentioning not one, but two, good causes. Anna Boatman, along with 29 of her Hachette publishing colleagues have cycled 185 miles from London to Paris, in order to raise money for TWO amazing charities: the Literacy Trust and The PSP Association. Progressive Supranuclear Palsy is a little-known disease similar to Parkinson's that Anna's lovely Dad has been suffering with for 17 years. We think these are great charities to support and if you do too, you can contribute towards them by donating to this sterling effort. Anna's Just Giving page is here and the Hachette team's page is here. Well done, you guys. You've more cycling courage than we have! Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Michael Pronko About ''The Last Train''

Sue was very impressed by The Last Train, a thriller set in Tokyo. she had quite a few questions for author Michael Pronko when he popped into Bookbag Towers. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To David Windle

After reading Spudboy and Chip by David Windle Jill wants a potato superhero. There was a lot to talk about when the author popped into Bookbag Towers. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To B C R Fegan

Jill thought that The Grumpface by B C R Fegan and Daniela Frongia was sweet, funny and vividly illustrated. She had quite a few questions for author Bryce Fegan when he popped into Bookbag Towers. Read more...

File:Booknewsletters.jpg April 2017 Newsletter

Hello Bookbaggers! How are you? Well, we hope.

First up this month, our great friend SF Said reminded us of an important campaign the other day, and we want to remind you in turn.#coverkidsbooks draws attention to the lack of representative coverage of children's books in newspapers and other media. You can read about it here.As this blogpost points out, according to The Bookseller, sales of children's books overtook adult fiction for the first time in 2014, and they now account for over 30% of the UK publishing market. And yet children's books currently get just 3% of all book review space, despite accounting for that 30% of the market. That is an entire order of magnitude of under-representation. We couldn't agree more and we at Bookbag give equal priority to adult and children's books. But we know that we are preaching to the converted and we wish that newspapers would make more effort to get on board. There is more to children's fiction than Harry Potter, guys. A lot more. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Spadge Whittaker About Confessions of Modern Women

Jill thought that Confessions of Modern Women was both fun and funny to read and occasionally bawdy to boot. There was a lot to chat about when Spadge popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Tormod V Burkey

Sean was impressed when he read Ethics for a Full World or, Can Animal-Lovers Save the World?. There was a lot to chat about when author Tormod V Burkey popped in to Bookbag Towers. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Marilyn Bennett

Sue's only problem with Granny with Benefits by Marilyn Bennett was that she would have loved to spend more time with the characters. When the author popped into Bookbag Towers there was quite a lot to chat about. Read more...

Bookcomments.jpg Keren David Talks To Bookbag About Alternative Facts

It wasn't until someone on Twitter tagged her book The Liar's Handbook with #alternativefacts that Karen David realised quite how well the title and themes hit the zeitgeist. Read more...

File:Booknewsletters.jpg February 2017 Newsletter

Hi, hello and how are you all?

We don't want to dwell too much on convulsive world events - not because they don't concern us but because everyone is doing it and probably doing it much better than we could. But how could we not point out that George Orwell's newspeak classic 1984 is, as we write, back in Amazon's bestseller list. Alternative facts are not facts. And thank you, George Orwell, for warning us. Read more...

Bookcomments.jpg Linda Newbery Talks To Bookbag About The Power Of Protest

We were very impressed by Linda Newbery's Until We Win a dramatized example of Suffragist ideas. She's been chatting to us about the power of protest. Read more...

Booklists.jpg Top Ten Self-Published Books 2016

It's never an easy job picking our top ten self published books of any year, but 2016 was particularly difficult as we've seen some exceptional books. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Charles D Blanchard

Luke thought that Kingdom's End by Charles D Blanchard was an adventurous take on a political thriller. It features rats but offers some facinating insights into the world of us humans. Luke had quite a few questions for the author when he popped in to Bookbag Towers to chat to us. Read more...

File:Booknewsletters.jpg January 2017 Newsletter

Hello, hello, hello! And a very happy New Year to you all. May 2017 bring joy and prosperity to every one of you. The world may well be heading to hell in a handcart but we hope it finds a new direction this year and, even if it doesn't, all our readers find at least the small pleasures that make life worth living come their way.

Have you seen the film of A Monster Calls? It's lovely! As lovely as the book - and we rarely say that hereabouts. The cast is super and the film balances its emotional and fantastical elements beautifully. If you haven't seen it yet, then you really should. Read more...

Booklists.jpg Top Ten Non-Fiction Books of 2016

If fiction's not your bag then we've chosen some special non-fiction books for you. As always they're in alphabetical order by author. Read more...

Booklists.jpg Top Ten Teens Books of 2016

There have been some cracking books for teens and young adults this year. These are our favourites in alphabetical order by author. Read more...

Booklists.jpg Top Ten Books for Confident Readers 2016

We've quite a range of books in our confident readers category - it stretches from the time that children are nicely reading on their own right through to the point where they're looking at books for teens. we think we've got something for everyone is this selection which is in alphabetical order by author. Read more...

Booklists.jpg Top Ten Children's Picture Books 2016

We've found some wondefful picture books this year and they#re all going to appeal to adults and children. Here they are in alphabetical order by author. Read more...

Booklists.jpg Top Ten Children's Non-Fiction Books of 2016

We really struggled to pick just ten of the wonderful children's non-fiction books which we've seen this year, but here they are, in alphabetical order by author. Read more...

Booklists.jpg Top Ten General Fiction Books of 2016

We look for cracking good reads from our General Fiction favourites and here they are in alphabetical order by author. Read more...

File:Booknewsletters.jpg November 2016 Newsletter

Everything has gone a little bit crazy in dear old Blightly of late, hasn't it? Brexit has sent us all into a spin and there is a great deal of anger about. Our hope, in this November newsletter, is to bring you - whichever side of the Brexit divide you find yourself on - some of the joy and happiness found in reading for pleasure. Reading is the best escape of all. We'll never change our minds about that here at Bookbag Towers. Read more...

Booklists.jpg Top Ten Crime Novels 2016

For the most part we've avoided the big names in our favourites this year: it's good to see some new names coming through! These are our favourites in alphabetical order by author. Read more...

Booklists.jpg Top Ten Historical Fiction Books of 2016

A few years ago historical fiction was a niche genre, but now it's mainstream and we've seen some cracking books this year. These are our favourites in alphabetical order by author. Read more...

Booklists.jpg Top Ten Women's Fiction Books of 2016

There should be something for everyone's tastes here: they're all great fun and we've presented them alphabetically by author. Read more...

Booklists.jpg Top Ten Autobiographies and Biographies 2016

We've seen a lot of biographies and autobiographies in 2016 and it hasn't been easy to select just ten as our favourites, but here's what we finally settled on in alphabetical order by author. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Leigh Bardugo

Olivia thought that Crooked Kingdom was all that she could want from a book and more, so she had quite a few questions when Leigh Bardugo popped in to Bookbag Towers to chat to us. Read more...

Booklists.jpg Top Ten Literary Fiction Books of 2016

It's been a rich year for literary fiction and we had great fun debating which were our favourites - but here they are in alphabetical order by author. Read more...

Booklists.jpg Top Ten Science Fiction and Fantasy Novels 2016

We've got some old favourites and some new names in this year's selection of our favourites. Here they are - in alphabetical order by author. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Steven Burgauer

Ani thought that The Road To War: Duty & Drill, Courage & Capture by Steven Burgauer was personal, inspiring & insightful. She had quite a few points to discuss when Steven Burgauer popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Numba Pinkerton

For years Sue has bought mostly black clothes, because they seemed safe: Numba Pinkerton has shown her how to have a wardrobe which works and which she loves. When Numba, author of The No Black Project popped into Bookbag Towers, Sue had lots of questions she wanted to ask. Read more...

Booklists.jpg The Richard and Judy Book Club Autumn 2016

Seven great reads for the autumn - and we've read them all! Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Richard Smith about The Darzoids' Stone

Jill loved The Darziods' Stone - a fast-paced teen adventure - and had quite a few questions for author Richard Smith when he popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Gloria D Gonsalves About Lamellia: The Kingdom of Mushrooms

Jill enjoyed Lamellia: The Kingdom of Mushrooms by Gloria D Gonsalves and said that she'd be glad to read it to any child. She and the author had lots to chat about when Gloria popped into Bookbag Towers. Read more...

Retrieved from "http://www.thebookbag.co.uk/w/index.php?title=Features&oldid=112958"