World Book Night 2021: Book Thirteen

 

Up in the Attic by Pam Ayres (Ebury)

Own book

I've been dipping in and out of this book for a couple of weeks  and this is how I normally approach poetry books not a reflection on the quality or the ability of this volume to capture my interest.

As is to be expected not every poem in the book is to my taste but certainly enough were to mean that I did read them all and laugh mightily at some of them.

I think my favourite was the series about long haul travel - I recognised every stage of that cycle and it was a way to remember that the pandemic and not being able to travel does have some plus sides!

The one thing I couldn't quite capture with this was Ayres' own voice - she has a great accent and her work does sound best (to my ears at least) when she is reading them and I'd have loved this even more as an audio book.

As a World Book Night introduction to poetry I think it is a brilliant choice and I'm not sure that I will be passing my copy on to family as I initially thought.

World Book Night 2021: Book Twelve

 

Elevation by Stephen King (Hodder and Stoughton)

own copy (eBook)

This was another book that I was dreading reading, I am not a horror fan and Green Mile/Shawshank Redemption excepted I only know King as a writer in that genre.

The first bit of good news about this book was that it wasn't a horror novel. The second bit of good news was that it was short - only 160 pages so definitely a novella.

However that's where the positives stopped for me. I found the writing clunky, the message didactic and patronising and as for the 'mystery'...words fail me.

Unlike many of the books I've discovered through this challenge and others similar to it there was nothing in this book that made me want to read more by the author but at least now I can say I've read a King novel and he isn't for me at all!

Thinking about WBN as a project I can't help but feel a little sorry for people who are gifted this book on the back of saying they liked recent films based on King's books. I guess it might introduce them to new genres but I don't think they'll be expecting what they get!

World Book Night 2021: Book Eleven

 

Ask A Footballer by James Milner (Quercus)

Own copy (eBook)

I'll confess I nearly put this book off until last from the 2021 WBN list. I had no idea who James Milner was, and I've only watched one football match from start to finish in my entire life. I expected to skim this read and then struggle to write a review.

How wrong I was, and it was a needed lesson about not judging books before you've read them!

It didn't matter that I had no clue who Milner was, or what the rules of football are - in this book Milner answers questions that fans have asked him about life as a footballer and he (for the most part) answers them fully and honestly.

We get to see life on and off the pitch, as well as how fast sport science has changed the thinking on being a top level athlete. From chips and parties post match in 2002 through to tailored menus, superfood smoothies and early bedtimes in 2019 every aspect life seems to have changed

There were questions I glossed over, I don't know anything about football so the techincal questions on matches, positions and results I'll confess to skim reading but the rest was fascinating and really opened my mind to see past the 'celebrity' players to the hard graft that they put in. 

Don't get me wrong I do still think that they are overpaid and over represented in the media but Milner, through this book, and Rashford, through his charity campaigning, have made me think in a more rounded and less biased way about some aspects of the Premier League.

World Book Night 2021: Book Ten

 

A Dutiful Boy by Mohsin Zaidi (Square Peg - a Penguin Random House imprint)

Own copy (eBook)

I saw reviews for this pre-publication and it instantly went on to my 'I want to read this' list and so I am very glad that it has been picked as a World Book Night title as it means I got to it quicker!

This was never going to be an easy read, coming out memoirs rarely are and when the addition of a strong faith is also part of the equation then the book becomes even more layered. This book also added in the pressure of living in an area with many social and economic and so from all these issues I was expecting a heavy read.

I won't lie, at times this book did make for a hard read but it was also full of surprises and joy too. The start of the book, where Mohsin is taking his boyfriend home to meet the family was cleverly stopped at a key point so you aren't sure for the rest of the book what family reaction will be at this occasion and left me with my heart in mouth as I read the rest of the book.

No spoilers as you need to see the story unfold in real (life) time but this book was brilliant and taught me a lot about what life in the UK must be like as an outsider, as well as if you are an outsider in your own family.

World Book Night 2021: Book One

 

The Kindness Method by Shahroo Izadi (Pan Macmillan)

Borrowed from the library

I'm not saying I am a sucker for marketing but it did seem right to start this challenge with a book that would fit into the traditional "New Year, New You' book promotions.

I have to say that this one really wasn't for me, I do occasionally borrow books like this from the library looking for hints or tips on how to make alterations in my life (and usually forget them pretty much instantly) but in this book I didn't find anything that resonated with me at all. Possibly because it is a book you need to work through slowly and annotate as you go and that isn't something you can do in a library book!

As I've long been vocal in saying that schemes like World Book Night and Quick Reads need more non-fiction options I do feel bad in finding this one so disappointing but not every book can be for everyone so on to the next book...