Five Things Friday [#6]
Flippin heck, it’s Friday again already. Yay pizza and wine night, well it is in our house on Friday nights. It’s a bit of a tradition now đ Hope you’ve had a productive reading week. So as it’s Friday, here’s my Five Things Friday list to bring you reading ideas for the weekend.
ONE
New on my TBR List
So this week I’ve added Notebook by Tom Cox. A huge thanks to Anne Cater @randomthingsTours and Anna Galdbraith from @unbound publishers for sending me a copy of the book. My honest book review will be posted as part of the book launch on the 18th March. Keep scrolling to read the cover notes about this book…
Book Cover Notes
Sure, sex is great, but have you ever cracked open a new notebook and written something on the first page with a really nice pen?
The story behind Notebook starts with a minor crime: the theft of Tom Cox’s rucksack from a Bristol pub in 2018. In that rucksack was a journal containing ten months worth of notes, one of the many Tom has used to record his thoughts and observations over the past twelve years. It wasn’t the best he had ever kept – his handwriting was messier than in his previous notebook, his entries more sporadic – but he still grieved for every one of the hundred or so lost pages.
This incident made Tom appreciate how much notebook-keeping means to him: the act of putting pen to paper has always led him to write with an unvarnished, spur-of-the-moment honesty that he wouldn’t achieve on-screen.
Here, Tom has assembled his favourite stories, fragments, moments and ideas from those notebooks, ranging from memories of his childhood to the revelation that ‘There are two types of people in the world. People who f*cking love maps, and people who don’t.’
The result is a book redolent of the real stuff of life, shot through with Cox’s trademark warmth and wit.
TWO
What Iâve been reading
I’ve finished reading The Dog Sitter by Zara Stoneley. This is a âPawfectâ feel-good romcom to snuggle up with on the weekend. But be warned, it’s set in the beautiful Lake District and you may crave Kendal Mint cake and proper Ginger Bread by the end of the book đ You can find out more about the book and what I thought of it in my Book Review of The Dog Sitter. I was honoured to be on the book launch tour this week, which is always fun.
THREE
What Iâve been Listening To/Watching
On Wednesday MrTT & I attended a LIVE talk and Q&A event by Bill Gates about his new book How to Avoid a Climate Disaster. Thanks to Penguin UK for sharing this LIVE event, it was a thoroughly interesting and thought-provoking talk.
Bill’s new book is available, I have a copy on it’s way and I’m looking forward to reading more about the vitally important issue.
If you’d like to attend interesting online book talks then I can highly recommend Penguin LIVE. There are FREE lunchtime talks (more coming soon I understand) as well as evening paid for events, which usually includes a copy of the book being talked about. Find out more here…
FOUR
Photo Of The Week
This week rather than a photo I thought I’d share one the book quotes I regularly share on @touringtalesbooks instagram page as I think it’s something most people are trying to cope with at the mo. Books really help don’t they?
FIVE
Whatâs been happening at Touring Tales
Offline: This week I’ve been working with a new local bookish friend to set up a bookclub in our area. I’ve been thinking about setting up a local bookclub for a while. I love the social aspect that they bring, something we all need more of right now, as well as a great place to talk about books. So I’m super excited to be working on this project, which is technically offline although for a while might have to be an online book club. One day we will be meeting up in a tea room or local pub I’m sure.
Online: I was introduced to a local author this week and was delighted to connect up for a zoom chat. Debi Evens is the author of 5 children’s books sharing her dog Rolo’s adventures, whilst teaching a little bit of a history along the way.
Debi & Rolo have kindly agreed to be a guest on Touring Tales shortly. Also, I shall be sharing a book review of Rolo’s adventures, so don’t miss both of these coming up next month on the book blog. In the meantime, you can find Debi & Rolo online at the links below. Don’t miss their afternoon booking reading at 3:30pm on Facebook. Great for adults and children/grandchildren.
Weekly round-up: Here are the Touring Tales book blog posts published this week just incase you missed them:
- Book Review: The Dog Sitter – Zara Stoneley
- Book Review: A Year of Living Simply – Kate Humble (TV presenter)
- Book Review: The Wim Hof Method – kindly provided by MrTT
Pinterest: So have you found Touring Tales on Pinterest yet? All the book reviews are added here as well as daily PINs on lots of bookish related boards such as: Book Crafts, Beautiful libraries around the world, Reading with Dogs, Book Quotes, Book Scultures and load more. Why not follow and be inspired by all things books when you’re in a Pinterest kinda mood.
Now over to you
Q: What are you reading this weekend? Share in the comments below one or more of your own Five Things Friday. Iâd love to hear them.
Have a fabulous weekend. Happy reading.
Miche xxx
PS: If youâre new to Touring Tales then welcome. You can read more on my About Page. My book blog was launched in October 2020. I have lots planned for Touring Tales Books for 2021, so I hope youâll follow along and say hi in the comments below.
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