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By: Tracey Chevalier on 13/02/2021 Janet's book choice: After seeing the news story about the 4 year old girl who discovered a dinosaur footprint on a beach near Barry, I thought I would recommend the novel Remarkable Creatures by Tracey Chevalier. It tells the story of the fossil collector Mary Anning, a poor working class girl who discovered the fossil of an ichthyosaur in cliffs near Lyme Regis in 1810 when she was only 12. Despite this groundbreaking find and the others which followed, she faced a great deal of prejudice from the all male scientific establishment of the time and never achieved proper recognition. She found a champion in Elizabeth Philpot a middle class spinster who moved to Lyme Regis in reduced circumstances. The two women defied 19th century conventions of class and gender and this is the story of female friendship as well as a fascinating insight into the importance of Mary’s finds to the scientific world. It’s available as an eBook from BorrowBox.  By: Esther Freud on 28/01/2021 Janet's book choice: Mr Mac and Me by Esther Freud. This is an enchanting story about a short period in the life of the architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his artist wife Margaret. It is set around the outbreak of World War 1 when a disillusioned Mackintosh retreated to the Suffolk coast after commissions dried up. It is told through the eyes of young Thomas Maggs, the son of an innkeeper, who has a talent for painting and longs to escape from his village and see the world. He strikes up an unlikely friendship with the Mackintoshes which is threatened when the villages think Mackintosh might be a German spy because of his thick Scottish accent and habit of walking alone on the cliffs with his binoculars. This is a moving story, very evocative of the era, and gives a great deal of information about Mackintosh and his work. It’s available as an eBook from BorrowBox.  By: Edmund de Waal on 17/01/2021 Janet's book choice this week is The Hare with Amber Eyes by the ceramicist Edmund de Waal. After inheriting his uncle’s collection of netsuke, tiny Japanese wood and ivory carvings, Edmund uncovers a fascinating and dramatic story. From a burgeoning empire in Odessa to fin de siècle Paris, from occupied Vienna to Tokyo, he traces the netsuke’s journey through the changing fortunes of his remarkable family whose wealth once put them on a par with the Rothschilds. Anyone interested in ceramics can see an installation of Edmund de Waal’s porcelain vessels in the National Museum Cardiff when it reopens.
The book is available by Click and Collect as a book, audio book and in Large Print. It’s also available as an eBook from BorrowBox.
 By: Barbara Kingsolver on 07/01/2021 Janet's book recommendation this week is The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. In 1959 an evangelical Baptist takes his family to the Belgian Congo to set up a mission. He thinks they will be able to build a life there as well as converting the local population but his lack of empathy and understanding of the land and it’s people leads to diasaster. The story is told by five voices - the evangelist’s wife and four daughters who each has a very different response to their situation and are very believable characters. As well as the personal story the book also exposes the shocking exploitation of the mineral rich Congo by the West. I love this book and would highly recommend it. It’s available an an Ebook from BorrowBox.
 By: Patrick Vernon and Angelina Osborne on 30/12/2020 An additional book review from Caroline: 100 Great Black Britons by Patrick Vernon and Angelina Osborne.
At the start of October, Black History month, I mentioned this book but was not able to fully review it as it was still on order. It is now in stock and I borrowed it a couple of weeks ago. Based on a list originally compiled in 2003 and now updated it gives brief biographies of influential Black Britons from Diane Abbott to Benjamin Zephaniah. It includes well known names like Lenny Henry, Stormzy and Louis Hamilton to lesser known like Ignatius Sancho, the first known Black man to have voted in Britain in 1780. Inspirational and informative this book is well worth reading.
 By: Terry Pratchett on 21/12/2020 Janet's book choice: I was trying to think of something appropriate and cheerful for this time of the year and thought of Hogfather by Terry Pratchett. It’s one of his Discworld series but you don’t need to have read the others to enjoy this one. The Hogfather is the Discworld’s equivalent of Father Christmas but he’s missing. Unless presents are delivered to children at the festival of Hogwatch, the sun won’t rise the next day. Another supernatural entity, who can be everywhere at once and knows where everyone lives, decides to fill in for him - Death, who thinks it might work with a false beard and some cushions. While he’s clambering down chimney, his granddaughter Susan must find out what’s happened to the real Hogfather. While being very funny, this book also has a more serious side, looking at why fantasy and myth are so important in the lives of human beings. It’s available by Click and Collect when it becomes available again and as an eBook from BorrowBox.  By: Stephen Moss on 10/12/2020 Here is Janet's book recommendation. During lockdown many people started birdwatching in their gardens or on a daily walk. If you’ve ever wondered how swallows, starlings, bluetits and blackcaps got their names, you will enjoy this book: Mrs Moreau’s Warbler, by Stephen Moss. He takes us on a fascinating journey covering folklore, history, discoveries and expeditions, and while finding out about the origins of bird names we also discover how the English language has changed over time. My only quibble is that it would have benefitted from more illustrations, but is still very enjoyable. It’s available using Click and Collect.  By: Marie Benedict on 02/12/2020 Janet's book choice: I have just finished ‘The Only Woman in the Room’ by Marie Benedict, a fictionalised biography of the glamorous Hollywood film star Hedy Lamarr. The novel follows her fascinating life from her early career as a actress in 1930s Austria, where it was becoming increasingly dangerous to be Jewish, marriage to an arms manufacturer who supported Hitler and her flight to the USA. Known for her great beauty, her intelligence was always underestimated but she co -invented a communications system which could have helped shorted World War II and ultimately revolutionised modern communications. The book is available by Click and Collect and as an eAudio Book from BorrowBox. For readers who prefer non-fiction biographies there are two available from Click and Collect, ‘Hedy’s Folly: the life and Breakthrough inventions of Hedy Lamarr’ by Richard Rhodes and ‘Hedy Lamarr: the most beautiful woman in film’ by Ruth Barton.  By: Donna Leon on 25/11/2020 Janet's book choice : this week I want to recommend as series of books that I have really enjoyed, the Commissario Brunetti crime novels by Donna Leon. Set in Venice, the city comes to life as Brunetti and his colleagues set about uncovering the darkness and corruption behind its beautiful exterior. Brunetti is an intelligent and compassionate man and, unlike many fictional detectives has a happy home life with his two children and wife Paola, a university lecturer and excellent cook. The first novel in the series is Death at La Fenice, but they don’t have to be read in order. They are available by Click and Collect with some in large print or as audio books. They are also available from BorrowBox as eBooks with some eAudio books.  By: Tracy Chevalier on 18/11/2020 Janet's book recommendation this week is The Last Runaway by Tracy Chevalier. In 1850 Honour Bright leaves her Quaker community in Dorset to travel to Ohio with her sister. After tragedy strikes she has to rely on the kindness of strangers, including two women involved with the Underground Railroad, a secret network helping runaway slaves. Eventually Honour marries but faces a moral dilemma when a runaway slave turns up at the farm. Although the Quakers believe in equality they are unwilling to break the law, so by helping the slaves Honour could be putting her new family in danger. This is a fascinating and well researched novel bringing time, place and people vividly to life, from the harshness of the unfamiliar landscape to the descriptions of quilts and quilting which are so important to Quaker women. The book is available by Click and Collect and also as an ebook from BorrowBox.  By: Stuart Turton on 11/11/2020 Janet's book recommendation for this week is an unusual murder mystery, The 7 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton, which won the Costa Best First Novel prize in 2018. At a celebration in an English Country House, Evelyn Hardcastle is murdered. Until Aiden Bishop can identify the killer, the day will repeat itself over and over again and he will never be able to leave.But as each day begins, Aiden wakes up in the body of a different guest and someone is determined to prevent him ever escaping. The book has been described as Gosford Park meets Inception by way of Agatha Christie. I certainly found it a challenging read, trying to keep up with the twists and turns of the plot and remembering who’s who but it is also very hard to put down. It’s available using click and collect and also as an ebook or eaudio book from Borrowbox.  By: Kate Atkinson on 05/11/2020 Thank you Janet for this week's book recommendation. This week it's Transcription by Kate Atkinson. The story switches between 1940, when 18 year old Julia Armstrong is recruited to work for MI5, and 1950 when she is employed as a producer for the fledgling BBC Schools. She thinks her wartime past is behind her, but then she recieives an anonymous note telling her she will pay for what she has done and thinks it refers to something terrible she did during the war. The story mixes comedy and tragedy with many twists and turns which kept me guessing. Nothing is exactly what it seems and true identities are only gradually revealed, leading to a twist at the end that I didn’t see coming. It is available as an ebook and e audiobook from Borrowbox and as a book and audio book using the Click and Collect service from Whitchurch Wellbeing Hub when the service resumes.  By: Imran Mahmood on 29/10/2020 Caroline's Book choice: I have just finished a really good legal thriller “You don’t know me” by Imran Mahmood. The story is told from the defendant’s point of view as he stands trial for murder. Just before the closing speeches he sacks his lawyer and decides to address the court himself and his tell the full story ... or is it? Dark, gritty and brutal at times it is a real page turner till the very end. It is available from BorrowBox as an e-audio book via the library website.  By: Bernadine Evaristo on 25/10/2020 Caroline's Book Choice this week is Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo, which jointly won the Booker prize in 2019. A collection of twelve women’s life stories and the ways in which they interconnect. Funny, thoughtful, crazy and wise these women tell of their lives and the men and women in them over time and in many different countries and how they ended up in Britain. The book is available from BorrowBox via the library website as either an ebook or an e-audio book, although there may be a waiting list.
The Booker prize for this year will be announced on 19th November with television coverage in the days leading up to the announcement.
 By: Patrick Vernon on 15/10/2020 Caroline's Book Choice - today’s book is one that celebrates October’s Black History Month. The book, “100 Great Black Britons” by Patrick Vernon isn’t actually on the shelves yet but is on order and hopefully will be available soon. It came about from a poll that the author conducted in 2003 asking Britons for the black Briton they most admired. The huge response led to new names being included in the national curriculum, statues being erected and a number of blue plaques being created in their honour. The list has now been updated and published in this new book. I am sure there will be many personal favourites who are not on the list, and others who will be introduced to many readers for the first time through this book, but that is always the way with such lists. Who would you vote for? By: Caroline Noall on 09/10/2020 This week it is World Sight Day, designated to focus attention on visual impairment and blindness, so I thought I would remind everyone about the wonderful large print and talking books that are available, free of charge to those with a visual impairment, from your local library. > > The e-audio and ebooks available from BorrowBox and RBDigital, via the library website are also worth investigating. Both have ebook setting buttons where you can set the font, the font size and the background colour. You can try them out until you find the one that suits you best. > > For today’s recommendation I am going to choose the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency books by Alexander McCall Smith. The later ones in the series are available as e-audio books from Borrowbox, and some of the earlier ones are available as radio productions for those who need an introduction to the series, although each book can be read alone. Lively, with a gentle humour, you can almost feel the heat of a Botswana day as you read them.  By: Daisy Goodwin on 01/10/2020 It is national poetry day today so I thought I would recommend a poetry book. My choice is “101 poems to keep you sane” by Daisy Goodwin, available through the click and collect service. There are poems to get your life back on track and the choices range from Shakespeare to Emily Dickinson, W.H.Auden to Carol Ann Duffy and a very funny account of an office party by Alison Chisholm. It is available through the library’s click and collect service. Daisy Goodwin has edited other collections including “101 poems that could save your life”, “101 poems to get you t through the day (and night)” and “101 poems to help you understand men (and women)”, all available through click and collect.  By: Geraldine Brooks on 24/09/2020 Caroline's book choice is Caleb’s Crossing by Geraldine Brooks. This story is set in 1660s America it concerns the first Native American to graduate from Harvard. Little is known about the real Caleb but Geraldine Brooks has woven a story around the known facts and told the story from the point of view of a young woman, the daughter of a minister, who befriends Caleb and yearns for an education herself. The book is available as an audio book from the library. There are a number of other Geraldine Brooks titles in the library, which are well worth reading. Another of my favourites is March, based on the story of Mr. March, the absent father from Lousia May Alcott’s Little Women. The click and collect service has now expanded to include books from most libraries in the city, which can be delivered to Whitchurch. Staff will then ring you to make an appointment for you to collect it. It may take a little longer to do this so please be patient.  By: Nathalie Haynes on 17/09/2020 Caroline's Book Choice: My book of the week this week is A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes. It is the story of the Trojan War and the Greek myths as seen through the eyes of the women, wives, girlfriends and mothers. It gives a totally different perspective on familiar stories. I have only just started this myself but am so enjoying it that I thought others might like it too.
It is available on BorrowBox, via the library website as both an ebook and an e-audio book. There is also an interview with the author at the Wigtown Festival available on You Tube.
 By: Bryan Talbot on 11/09/2020 Caroline's book choice - very different this week! My book for this week is a graphic novel (a novel written in comic book style) Alice in Sunderland by Bryan Talbot. This is an amazing work of art and a history and geography of Sunderland mixed in with all the legends and links with Alice you could want. The author and illustrator takes on three differing persona as he delves into Sunderland’s past. This is the book that inspired me to visit Sunderland to see some of the features he describes. It would be wonderful if every area could have its own Bryan Talbot to bring their history to life. Lucky Sunderland. The book is available via the library website on the Comics Plus library edition app. You will need to download and register with the app first and instructions are on the website. The app will give you access to over 16,000 comics free of charge.  By: Kia Abdullah on 03/09/2020 Caroline's Book suggestion...the book I have chosen this week is a crime novel. It is not an easy read involving abuse and accusations of rape. A young lawyer with problems of her own, takes on the case of a young girl who accuses four boys of rape. But in this case nothing is quite as it seems as it is not easy to work out who is telling the truth. Disability and religion also play a part in this story which keeps you turning the pages until the last twist and turn of the plot. It is available as an ebook on BorrowBox via the libraries’ website.  By: Michael Morpurgo on 03/09/2020
 By: Jennifer Donelly on 22/08/2020 Caroline's book choice: Today I thought I would mention books that were written originally for the teenage market but are often described as “crossover” novels - ones that work well as teenage or adult fiction and I have certainly enjoyed both.
The first is by Jennifer Donnelly and is “A gathering light”. Part coming of age novel, part murder mystery it is set in North America in the early 1900s. Beautifully written, it is a book that stays with you long after you finish it. It is available from BorrowBox via the libraries’ website as an ebook...another favourite crossover novel next week....
 By: Susan Berger on 13/08/2020 Caroline's book choice: many people have turned to gardening during the last few months so I thought today’s choice should reflect that. “Allotment gardening: an organic guide for beginners” by Susan Berger is a guide for all new gardeners to an allotment, but there is a lot of good advice for other gardeners. After an introduction to allotments, there is a “gardener’s year” to help with planning. This is followed by a section on individual vegetables together with specific requirements for growing and harvesting and recipes to make use of your home grown crop. This is available as an ebook from BorrowBox via the library website. For armchair gardeners or those without a garden or allotment try “Beatrix Potter’s gardening life” by Marta McDowell, an e-audio book available from RBDigital, which recounts Beatrix Potter’s relationship with plants and her garden.  By: Amor Towles on 06/08/2020 Caroline's Book Choice is not easily available at the moment -only one audio book and that has a waiting list till October, and two copies in Central that you would have to make appointments to both borrow and return to Central, but well worth seeking out A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. The story starts just after the Russian revolution as a wealthy count is sentenced by the Bolsheviks to indefinite house arrest in the Metropole Hotel. As the decades pass the count adjusts to living in an attic and eventually working as a waiter in the hotel, while in the outside world the country undergoes tumultuous changes. The endearing count keeps his love of life and his humour and makes the most unlikely of friendships during this time. A delightful and positive read, ideal for lockdown.
 By: Caroline on 30/07/2020 Today’s book choice is The National Trust cook book. It is available from RBDigital via the libraries’ website as an ebook. It contains tried and tested recipes from National Trust cafes including Beatrix Potter’s Plum Cake recipe and, of course, the National Trust’s famous scones. There are also other cookery ebooks available from either RBDigital or BorrowBox. Just check them out. I know a lot of people have been turning to baking and cooking during the last few months so you might be interested in downloading cookery magazines via RBDigital on the libraries’ website. There is a huge range of magazine titles all available to download free of charge, and in many cases back copies are available. Cookery titles include the BBC’s Easy Cook and Good Food, Eating Well and Gluten Free Living. Let us know what you cook.  By: Vikram Seth on 23/07/2020 Caroline's weekly book choice (although it may take a lot longer than a week to read) is Vikram Seth’s “A Suitable Boy”. It’s very size, nearly 1500 pages, might put you off, but don’t let it do so. It is a wonderful book, full of fascinating characters, as a mother searches for a suitable boy for her younger daughter, Lata, in 1950s India. As you might imagine, Lata and her mother don’t necessarily agree on what makes a boy suitable. Once read you will not forget this book or the atmosphere it creates. It is available as an e-audio book from both RBDigital and BorrowBox from Cardiff libraries. Both have an abridged version lasting about five hours from a radio production. It is also going to be on the BBC as a series as from this coming Sunday.  By: Louise Candish on 16/07/2020 This week’s book is Our house by Louise Candlish. What would you do if, on returning home after a few days away, you found another family moving into your home? This is Fi’s problem, but the other family are convinced of their ownership. Fi tells the story online, complete with social media comments, whilst her husband tells his side of the story as a blog. But who is telling the truth? And what else is revealed? The twists and turns of this story keep you reading right to the very end. It is available from Cardiff libraries as an e-audio book via RBDigital, using your Cardiff libraries log in. It is also available from Radyr library as a “click and collect” service but it must be collected and returned there and you must book an appointment for both borrowing and returning. For more details on the click and collect service see the libraries website.  By: Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows on 09/07/2020 Today’s book is “The Guernsey literary and potato peel pie society” by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. Told in the form of letters, it is the story of a London based writer, Juliet and her correspondence with a man in Guernsey shortly after the Second World War. On hearing about their literary society she decides to write about it and arranges a visit. Once there she is drawn into the lives of many people including the very independent four year old Kit. The book deals with the difficulties experienced during the German occupation but also how they survived together by supporting each other. There are many funny incidents and the book has a definite “feel good” factor.
It is available through the library services’ Borrowbox as an e-book and is on the Reading Agency’s list of mood boosting books https://reading-well.org.uk/books/mood-boosting-books , which gives suggestions of other positive reads.
 By: Sarah on 02/07/2020 Today I am going to recommend not a single book but lots! During lockdown a few people have mentioned they have been enjoying reading poetry so I thought I would recommend going to the library website and accessing either BorrowBox or RBDigital (some examples in the picture) and searching under Poetry or Poems and seeing what turns up. There are e-audio and e-books available to download, with collections for children, teenagers and adults. One that I have reserved is an e-audio version of “Shakespeare’s sonnets retold” by James Anthony and read by Stephen Fry and Paapa Essiedu, with one reading the sonnet in its original form and one reading the modern retelling. What poems will you choose?  By: Andrea Levy on 26/06/2020 Today’s book is Small Island by Andrea Levy. This book covers the lives of four main characters, Gilbert and Hortense from Jamaica and Queenie and Bernard in London. Gilbert travels to London after the war, on the Windrush and his new wife Hortense comes to join him. They find digs in a small bedsit in Queenie and Bernard’s house, and it is not quite up to Hortense’s expectations, nor are many aspects of life in London. They experience the hostile attitudes of 50s London as they try to make a new life for themselves. The characters are by turns appealing and infuriating and there is a wonderful vein of humour throughout the book. The National Theatre production of Small Island was streamed on line last week.  By: Sarah on 18/06/2020 Here is Caroline's book recommendation - “Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine” by Gail Honeyman. Eleanor lives a predictable life wearing the same clothes, eating the same food and drinking a bottle of vodka every weekend. Outspoken and unusual, she admits to being “completely fine” until a chance accident leads to major changes to Eleanor’s life. Eleanor is a character that remains with you long after the book has finished. The book is available as an ebook via Cardiff Libraries’ BorrowBox and RBDigital.  By: Sarah on 18/06/2020 If you are a member of Cardiff Libraries you can borrow eBooks, eAudiobooks and eMagazines 24 hours a day, and access a range of other electronic resources from home and within the Hubs and Libraries. If you are not a library member find out how to join Cardiff Libraries. eBooks and eAudiobooksBrowse, borrow and reserve your eBooks and eAudiobooks from:
The first time you use the services, you will be prompted to download and install Adobe Digital EditionsExternal link opens in a new window External link opens in a new window if this software is not already on your PC or Mac. Adobe Digital Editions software offers an easy and engaging way to view and manage your eBooks, including transferring them to portable devices.
BorrowBoxeBooks and eAudiobooks are available to use on your portable device, tablet or phone using the BorrowBox app which can be downloaded from the Apple App storeExternal link opens in a new window External link opens in a new window or Google Play storeExternal link opens in a new window External link opens in a new window
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You can view what eAudiobooks are available prior to signing in, although you will need to sign in using your library card number and PIN (if you do not know your PIN, contact your local library).
RBdigitalAccess eBooks and eAudiobooks on your portable device using the RBdigital app. Download the app via the Apple App storeExternal link opens in a new window External link opens in a new window, Google Play storeLink opens in a new window Link opens in a new window or from the RBdigital websiteExternal link opens in a new window External link opens in a new window
For eBooks you will need Adobe Digital EditionsExternal link opens in a new window
By: Sarah on 11/06/2020 Here is Caroline's book recommendation: This week I have gone for a classic, which I am rereading at the moment. It is The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte. This book is not as well known as the books by Charlotte and Emily Bronte, but I think it deserves to be better known. It tells the story of a woman, Helen Huntingdon, who escapes an unhappy marriage and makes a bid for freedom. Written at a time when attitudes to women were still very oppressive, Helen stands up for herself and attempts to make a new life for her and her son. The book is available as an e-audio book through both BorrowBox and RBDigital via Cardiff libraries’ website.  By: Caroline on 29/05/2020 This week’s book is a brilliant historical novel. Hilary Mantel’s “The mirror and the light”. This is the third part of her Thomas Cromwell trilogy which started with “Wolf Hall”. This book takes the story forward from Henry VIII’s marriage to Jane Seymour until Thomas Cromwell’s death. The details of the appearance, sounds, smells and tastes of the age are brought vividly to life. Although it would be possible to read this as a single novel it would be better to read the trilogy in order. All parts can be downloaded as ebooks or e-audio books from RB Digital or BorrowBox with your library card, although there may be a waiting list.  By: Judith on 29/05/2020 I really enjoyed this book by young author Barney Norris. Here are individual reflections (appropriate for now) from five different people in Salisbury: Five Rivers Met on a Wooded Plain by Barney Norris. 'There exists in all of us a song waiting to be sung which is as heart-stopping and vertiginous as the peak of the cathedral. That is the meaning of this quiet city, where the spire soars into the blue, where rivers and stories weave into one another, where lives intertwine.' One quiet evening in Salisbury, the peace is shattered by a serious car crash. At that moment, five lives collide – a flower seller, a schoolboy, an army wife, a security guard, a widower – all facing their own personal disasters. As one of those lives hangs in the balance, the stories of all five unwind, drawn together by connection and coincidence into a web of love, grief, disenchantment and hope that perfectly represents the joys and tragedies of small town life.  By: Sarah on 09/05/2020 This week I have picked one of my favourite books, “I heard the owl call my name” by Margaret Craven. Set in British Columbia in a time of change, when the old tribal customs of Kingcome bay were being forgotten and the youngsters were leaving the village. A young priest, Mark, is sent by his bishop to his “most difficult parish” to learn about life, death, belonging and love. A beautifully written story that can be read and reread.
It is available as an ebook to download from RB digital via your library card and PIN.
By: Caroline on 30/04/2020 In our book group we recently read Michelle Obama’s book “Becoming”, which I really enjoyed. She tells of her life growing up on the south side of Chicago, with hard working and loving parents. She succeeds in school and college and goes on to work as a lawyer, where she meets her future husband. The success of his career and their move to the White House is not always easy. Her modest and natural style come through the telling of this absorbing autobiography.
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