A Review By Keith

In the year 1570, at the age of thirty-seven, Michel de Montaigne gave up his job as a magistrate and retired to his chateau to brood on his own private grief – the deaths of his best friends, his father, his brother and, most recently, his first-born child. But finding his mind agitated rather than settled by this idleness, Montaigne began to write, giving birth to the Essays – short prose explorations of an amazing variety of topics. And gradually, over the course of his writing Montaigne began to turn his back upon his stoical pessimism, and engage in a new philosophy of life, in which living is to be embraced in all its sensory, exuberant vitality – the smell of his doublet, the pleasures of friendship, the intelligence of his cat and the flavour of his wine.

Quite frankly I was surprised by this book. I knew nothing of Montaigne to speak of, and could easily have mixed him up with Montesque. Now I have discovered what I have been missing. Montaigne was not only a great thinker and writer and philosopher, but he was also some one who was very human and whom we get to know in intimate detail..whether it was the agonising problems he had with kidney stones, the circular stone library he loved to inhabit, his love life, his problems with his vineyard, his close involvement with the horrific Wars of Religion then raging in France, or his attitiude to the foreigners he meets on his travels, it all adds up to making him a man we can almost regard as a friend…such is the acuity and cleverness with which Saul Frampton paints his picture.

Indeed Saul Frampton offers a celebration of perhaps the most joyful and yet profound of all Renaissance writers, whose work went on to have a huge impact on Shakespeare (very interesting this….Shakespeare virtually copies and pastes huge chunks of Monataigne into his plays) , and whose writings offer a user’s guide to existence even to the present day. I shall certainly now be reading some of the Essays as a result of this marvellous introduction which made a thoroughly enjoyable read.

A Review By Joe Maiden

 A classic ghost story but with an original twist, this is not a tale for the faint-hearted. Young Michael’s mother has recently died and he has passed into the care of a mysterious benefactor. He is taken away from his home in the city and is brought to his new carer’s manor house. When he arrives strange things start to happen throughout the house and Michael’s sanity is tested as he is visited time and time again by a mysterious presence. Can he find the source of the disturbances, or has he truly gone insane? A thrilling read for teens and adults alike.

A Review By Keith Smith

A story, rather remarkable really, of someone who decided to live in a run-down, isolated, virtually derelict cottage in mid-Wales where he saw no-one for weeks on end. So this is a lovingly-written account of his communion with nature and all the multifarious creatues that surrounded him. Lyrical and magical are two words that would best describe it.

Because he had little to do, other than survive, he came to know every inch of ground around the cottage and he knew the animals and birds almost by name, certainly as individuals. Such a privilege is rarely given to anyone. Indeed very few would put themselves in his position to find out.  We learn about bats and goshawks, otters and ravens, sparrowhawks and starlings….and we feel we get to know them as intimately as he did. A wonderful book. So much missing in our lives!

A Review By Tamsin

Also published for the occasion of Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee is the Royal Collection’s Souvenir Album. This is a lovely, small-sized coffee table book with many photographs that chronicle the life of the Queen: the many gifts from around the world presented to her, articles of clothing and jewellery for official appearances, letters, books and even early toys and pets.

A Review By Tamsin

With his usual flair Andrew Marr turns his attention to Elizabeth II and the events of her Reign. He looks at her role and influence as Head of State and her position within the great but unwritten constitution of Britain.

Rather than writing a chronological biography, Andrew Marr has arranged his book by theme: relationships with Politicians, her role in our economic fortunes and her work abroad for example. He gives us an almost photographic insight into what the Queen actually does with her time from the hours spent with red boxes, to the meticulous organisation of a walkabout. He argues carefully, and with the great skill as a journalist and historian, that far from being a detached but privileged family, under her scrutiny the Royal institution has been made into something already fit for purpose for a 21^st century society.

Replete with Marr’s engaging style and the thorough research for which he is rightly so highly regarded.