by Charlie Hislop. ‘And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul’ is the inscription at the front of Martin Brisland’s new book ‘Secret New Forest’. I go to the New Forest sometimes, cycle about, have a walk, stop for a beer, or show...
Books
Read Easy Southampton’s Official Launch
by Chris Richards. It is estimated that 5000 adults in Southampton are unable to read. A newly launched charity, Read Easy Southampton are offering the opportunity to change that with free, confidential, and local support to all who want to learn. Read Easy Southampton links adults of any age...
Book Review: The Breakup Monologues by Rosie Wilby
reviewed by Chris Richards. Rosie Wilby writes The Breakup Monologues like a letter to a close friend who must get caught up on all the news. Contextualised with discussions and questions asked of knowledgeable friends and acquaintances about why experiences during changing relationships are so important and rewarding to...
Book Review: Eliza Wren and the Multicoloured Peacock by Jennifer Paul
reviewed by Chris Richards. This book is a wonderful portal for children to melt away to elsewhere. Eliza Wren and the Multicoloured Peacock is Jennifer Paul’s debut novel. She is both author and illustrator of a children’s story written with clear morals, particularly the importance of self-belief and benevolence...
Book Review: The Passing of the Forms That We Have Loved by Christopher Boon
reviewed by Chris Richards. Breathless, frustrated, then ultimately a release. Christopher Boon’s fiction debut is an Epic in fewer than 350 pages. The protagonist’s father has terminal cancer, this alongside relationships new and old, all examine dependency, solitude and indecisiveness as main themes. Not for the faint of heart...
Book Review: Mrs England by Stacey Halls
reviewed by Andrew Godsell. As a relaxed reader, it often takes me several weeks to read a book. Occasionally however, I am gripped; such was the case with Mrs England. The 424 pages were consumed in just nine days! It is one of the most atmospheric, and amazing, novels...
Greg Gilbert – artist, poet, musician and ‘butterfly collector’. A tribute to a life filled with art, music, wonder and love
by Sally Churchward. Artist, poet, musician, father, husband, son and friend, Greg Gilbert died from cancer on Thursday. As a local journalist, Sally Churchward followed his career – from being the lead singer of Southampton indie band Delays through his being an emerging and then celebrated artist and poet,...
Manuscript found in a trunk revealed father’s Isle of Wight childhood
Imagine you clear out your mother’s garage and in an old rusty trunk, you find a 60-year-old manuscript. As you begin to read it, you realise it’s a story written by your father about his exciting childhood on the Isle of Wight. This is what happened to Charles Lansley...
Southampton author fundraising for printing of Basque children’s refugee camp novel
Southampton author Jan Carr, has launched a Kickstarter project to print 1000 paperback copies of The Wonder Girls Resist. The Basque Children’s camp, at North Stoneham, was where Southampton welcomed and cared for nearly 4,000 child refugees of the Spanish Civil war. It is the backdrop for the novel,...
Book Review: The Vanishing Encore by Carolyn Ruffles
Reviewed by Chris Richards. Carolyn Ruffles has done it again! The Vanishing Encore is a worthy addition to the romantic thriller genre. Not too heavy or taxing with the right balance of mystery, thrilling twists and romance with heart warming characterisation, desperation, desire, and gentle comedy. The protagonist, Lily...