Talking Books

I'm an avid reader (which is good for a writer), and average a book a week. Lately I've been reading more non-fiction, perhaps because I have a backlog of them on my pile. Often I have a fiction and non fiction on the go. I take books with me when I go up to London or on trips. I've been seen reading poetry and small press magazines on trains (often they are smaller and easier to carry!).

I've added a 'currently reading' button to this blog because having update my other blog where I occasional wrote book reviews, this blog seems the better place for it. My other blog is now more concentrated on places I visit (art exhibitions, museums, walks and day trips) to unwind! I hope to be a bit more active in writing a few book reviews. I guess there is always going to be a certain amount of crossover, but I do hope readers of this blog enjoy a bit more contrast.

So to kick off I want to talk about my current read which is Alan Bennett's Keeping On Keeping On, which I asked as a present for Christmas in 2017, and have only now got round to reading. It's a hefty book (around 500 pages), not quite the one for carrying around (and no, I can't be doing with Kindle). However, one morning this week I decided I'd pack him away in my tote bag and carry him to Cafe Nero, which has just opened on the high street. I'd been in there once the day after it opened. It was busy, but I was drawn to the back of the cafe (with my tea with soya milk) by the fireplace and alcoves of books. Well, I mean, who could resist. So, a second visit was in order. So Alan Bennett came with me and we found a nice comfy chair closer to the books!

I'm really enjoying this book, consisting of Alan Bennett's diary entries 2005-2015. His humour makes me giggle and I may have giggled out loud in Nero's! Over the years I've enjoyed Bennett's History Boys, The Lady In the Van, and his monologues, and I've read a few of his books. Even so, it was only on reading this that I realised he wrote A Private Function which I enjoyed so much some years ago. It starred Michael Palin (another man I've enjoyed watching since Monty Python days) and Maggie Smith.

I've read about 200 pages of Alan Bennett's book so far and I'm sure the rest of this will be as good. I like to read about his travels, especially around the UK, his visits to Yorkshire, tea shops, churches and exhibitions. I love that he takes his own sandwiches everywhere and I love his opinions whether they are politically or correct or not (usually not!). He seems very honest in his writing and of course I love his humour.

While I was in Nero drinking my soya cappuccino (which I regretted buying because I haven't drunk coffee for ages because I hate the bitter taste of it) I read about thirty pages of the book, despite my ears flapping at others' conversations - a couple discussing cosmetics in what sounded like a marketing meeting, and a couple with two young children. I then took Alan Bennett shopping and I hope he didn't mind my Tofu nestling along side him!

I watched a documentary on Alan Bennett just before I received the book as a present and that made me want to read him more. I'm sure he would be a wonderful person to have a conversation with. Still with over half the book still to read I'm enjoying his company through his written words.

Cafe Nero's book corner