On Wednesday 25th April at 7pm in Kenilworth Library

Adam Ruck will be talking about his new book

‘France On Two Wheels : six long bike rides for the bon vivant cyclist’

For Adam Ruck, France and cycling go together like a rich Camembert and a heady glass of Bordeaux. This book – full of useful details and tips – follows him through six intricately plotted Gallic cycling routes; from Lake Geneva to the Channel, the Mediterranean to the Atlantic, Vichy to Roanne, Paris to Provence, Roanne to the Atlantic, and Burgundy to Spain. His talk will be both amusing and full of interest for those who love France and those who hanker for a quiet life……

Having lived in France in his youth, Adam, now in his fifties, sets out to rediscover a landscape that was once familiar, now forgotten. His journey combines the pleasures of exploring a landscape by bike with the pleasures of exploring the depths and idiosyncrasies of another culture. It is a passionate moment in the British love affair with all things Gallic.

Both a practical companion and a story of exploration and rediscovery, ‘France on Two Wheels’ offers detailed descriptions of useful routes, stop-off points and watering-holes, along with detours into subjects as varied as wine, Flaubert, windmills, Wodehouse, belfries, battlefields and beer. It is vivid proof that the only way to experience the French countryside is on two wheels!

Adam Ruck is an established British travel journalist whose knowledge of France goes back more than 40 years. He has written guidebooks to France for Consumers’ Association and the AA (Automobile Association), and contributes regularly to the travel pages of The Daily Telegraph.  A short account of the first of Adam’s rides through France, from Lake Geneva to Normandy, was published in the Travel section of The Sunday Telegraph in August 2010.  

Tickets are FREE and are available from Kenilworth Books, Warwick Books and both libraries……We are grateful for the support of our partners at Kenilworth Library and the publisher Short Books.

Please note change to schedule, as below….

Meets at the Virgin and Castle Pub, High Street, Kenilworth,

4th Tuesday of every month 7.30 p.m. till about 9.30 p.m.

24th April:        The Rainbow by DH Lawrence

The Silver Pigs by Lindsey Davis

22nd May:         Past Caring by Robert Goddard

Winter in Madrid by CJ Sansom

26th June:         The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

by Rachel Joyce

Mr Chartwell by Rebecca Hunt

24th July:          A Debt to Pleasure by John Lanchester

The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach

We are an informal and friendly group. Do come along and join us! Ring Victoria Lee on 0790 8899250, Kenilworth Books on 01926 855784 or see www.warwickbooks.net

for more information.

On Wednesday April 18th at 7pm

in The Shire Hall, Warwick

Hodder’s brilliant new author Erin Kelly

talked about her second book

set in Warwickshire

‘The Sick Rose’

‘You kept my secret. I know yours now. That makes us even.’

Paul has been led into a life of crime by his schoolyard protector, Daniel – but one night what started as petty theft escalates fatally. Now, at nineteen, Paul must bear witness against his friend to avoid imprisonment.

Louisa has her own dark secrets. Having fled from them many years ago she now spends her days steeped in history, renovating the grounds of a crumbling Elizabethan mansion in Warwickshire. But the her fragile peace is shattered when she meets Paul; he’s the image of the one person she never thought she’d see again.

A relationship develops between them, and Louisa starts to believe she can experience the happiness she had given up on; but it soon becomes apparent that

neither of them can outrun their violent past . . .

‘It’s unusual for a second novel to be even better than the first but Kelly has pulled off that difficult trick.’ (Literary Review)

‘Erin Kelly’s debut THE POISON TREE was a fine psychological thriller; THE SICK ROSE confirms that promise . . . a first-class suspense novel’ (Mail on Sunday )

Erin  was born in London in 1976 and grew up in Essex. She read English at Warwick University and has been working as a journalist since 1998, writing for newspapers including The Sunday Times, The Sunday Telegraph, the Daily Mail, the Express and The Mirror, and magazines including Red, Psychologies, Marie Claire and Elle. She continue to write about health, lifestyle, women’s issues and parenting, and is a columnist at Mother and Baby magazine.

She lives in north London with her husband and daughter.

We still have one or two signed copies of Erin’s book available.  If you haven’t read it, be sure to pick up a copy……….

 Thursday 12^{th April}   11.00 – 2.00

Janet Roberts, husband Mike and Chico himself came to Kenilworth Books on Thursday 12^th April.  They brought with them lots of little gifts to give away, gas filled balloons, badges, rubbers, etc.  Of course, we were selling copies of the book, “Chico Chugg” (isbn 9781848971967  at  £6.99) and Janet was signing copies.  We also had a colouring competition that had been running for a few days during the holidays.  Lots more children came into the shop to colour in pictures of characters from the story: Hilary, Harry(with his guitar), the children, Charlie & Jimmy and of course Chico himself and the narrow boat “which wey”.  Everyone who coloured a picture was entered for a prize draw.  The winner was Sophie Langdon, who won a toy “Chico” and a little bag of goodies including a copy of the book.  Two runners up, Jessica Lang and William Luxmoore won a bag of goodies each plus signed a copy of the book each.

 Photographs of the event and some of the coloured in pictures will be available on Chico’s website at www.chico.chugg.com

Ian McMillan Talking Myself Home

Monday 23rd April 7pm Old Shire Hall

This is a FREE event to celebrate World Book Night and the official opening of Warwick Library. Tickets from Warwick Books or Kenilworth Books.

‘world-class – one of today’s greatest poetry performers’ Carol Ann Duffy
‘an inspiring figure, an encouraging & democratic spirit, a strong & popular poet and one of the funniest people in Britain’ Poetry News

‘If there’s a more engaging presence on the radio than Barnsley poet Ian McMillan and a more entertaining show than Radio 3’s The Verb then I don’t know it’ Stuart Maconie, Radio Times

Ian is poet-in-residence for English National Opera, The Academy of Urbanism and Barnsley FC. He presents The Verb every week on BBC R3 and appears regularly on Pick of the Week, Quote Unquote, The Arts Show, You & Yours and this spring, Coast. He’s Yorkshire TV’s Investigative Poet and Humberside Police’s Beat Poet. He was recently castaway on Desert Island Discs and featured with his Orchestra on The South Bank Show. His rip-roaring poetry shows are legendary. Cats make him sneeze. www.ian-mcmillan.co.uk