Last week I was holidaying in Wales, we had a great week, but lets just say the weather was far from great.
The misty, rain soaked welsh hills really reminded me of Alan Garner's The Owl Service, which I read recently. It has inspired me to check out his other books, especially The Weirdstone of Brisingamen, which I read when was younger and loved.
It also got me thinking about location specific books, a great way to connect with a book. There was a timely article in the Guardian about Beatrix Potter's links with the Lake District. More locally I recommend Malcom Rose's books especially the Traces series set in a futuristic Sheffield and The Kiss of Death about Eyam the Peak District 'plague village'.
I have set up a 'books with a local connection' reading list, it is a bit sparse, and I'd love some new ideas.
10/08/2009
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3 comments:
A brilliant local connection book is Black Diamond by Catherine Bailey. ISBN 978-0-141-01923-9. Tells of the rise and fall of the Fitzwilliam family of Wentworth, near Rotherham. An intriguing insight into the coal industry prior to nationalisation
Thanks Anne,
A great suggestion, I love that book. I bought it for my mum because I thought it was all about the Wentworth Castle, which is where she did her teacher training (it is actually about Wentworth Woodhouse - just the other side of the motorway!). Anyway it became a family favourite, and we did a great walk around the grounds last time the visited.
I have to say, it is not perhaps a book I would recommend using in our reading partnerships, it is quite a tome.
I have been meaning to get my hands on Granny Was a Buffer Girl
by Berlie Doherty, I am pretty sure I read that this and some of her other books are based in and around Sheffield.
More ideas from another contact:
Author - Theresa Tomlinson
The voyage of the silver bream
The errand lass
Meet me by the steelmen
The Sheffield Thwitel - this is available for free on Theresa Tomlinson's website, along with some other great short stories.
Author - Berlie Doherty
Dear Nobody
Thanks Louise
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