The Secret Lives of Colour

Kassia St Clair. John Murray Press. (336p) ISBN: 9781473630833
The Secret Lives of Colour

The Secret Lives of Colour

I bought The Secret Lives of Colour as I loved the cover and I’ve already got a couple of book on the science and psychology of colour.

The book begins with a survey of the history of colour, it socioeconomic and political uses and limitations, existing information that is nicely wrapped up and gives a good introduction to the central part of the book which is to follow individual colours through time, development and use.

Colours are grouped in general families, browns, reds, etc. then several shades of the colour are chosen to be written about.

The thing I loved about this book was how it’s the perfect bedside book, dipping into a chapter each night before sleep catches up with me. Each chapter is fascinating and as vivid as the colours being described.

This is another keeper for me which I keep dipping back into now and again.


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Nature School

Lauren Giordano, Stephanie Hathaway, Laura Stroup. Quarry Books. (144p) ISBN: 9780760378359
Nature School

Nature School

As part of my blogging I’ve just joined NetGalley where I can get early access to books, after watching people go wild I thought I would just ask for on to begin with.

Nature School: Lessons and Activities to Inspire Children’s Love for Everything Wild is a wonderful book with a lot of content in it, beautifully illustrated, and I would say this is aimed at 9+ and doesn’t talk down to its audience.

The book explores five different biome types (Temperate Forests, Deserts, Seashores, Grasslands, Wetlands) taking you through the definitions of these types, explores differences within the biomes (e.g. different deserts), and the plants and animals that can be found in these places.

What is really good is the use of proper scientific terminology with really clear definitions and clarifications throughout, it means this is a real learning tool rather than just a pretty book about the world. Using proper terminology also makes the book a great stepping off point for further learning and research.

There are also 30 activities to encourage nature and science learning, all relatively low cost and look like they would be great fun.

A perfect book for a school library, science class, or just for all the family to learn more about nature.


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Always Take Notes

Simon Akam, Rachel Lloyd. Bonnier Books. (288p) ISBN: 9781804183182
Always Take Notes

Always Take Notes

Another book I was asked whether or not I would be interested in reading and talking about, and of course I was, it’s as though people know me…

Always Take Notes is a spin-off from the podcast and collects lots of little gems of advice from a lot of successful writers.

This advice covers several different areas of the writers experience, including research, money, and success… Some of my favourites are from the inimitable Jay Rayner.

Another great read for a bedtime as you can read one or two of the insights before dropping off, or you could do what I did and binge it over a couple of days commuting.

A very interesting read but if your looking for a thread of commonality between all these writers, the only thing they have in common is that they all had to find their own way and so will you if you wish to become a writer.

But these anecdotes will give some helpful hints if you get stuck and are extremely entertaining to read as a whole, drawing aside the curtain on authors and their lives so to say.

One to keep on the shelf and refer to for inspiration when you’re having a bad writing day.


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Tiffany Aching’s Guide to Being a Witch

Rhianna Pratchett, Gabrielle Kent, Paul Kidby. Penguin. (208p) ISBN: 9780241651995
Tiffany Aching's Guide to Being a Witch

Tiffany Aching’s Guide to Being a Witch

I was asked if I wanted to read this by Gabrielle, and as a fan of Terry Pratchett’s work (and I love Gabrielle’s work too) I just had to jump at the chance

I finally got the chance to sit down and read it on a wet Sunday afternoon and it was the perfect day to lose myself in a bit of warmth and love.

Because that’s what it truly felt like, a remembrance and pulling together of all the best things of the Witches of the Discworld, a real homage to the work that was done by Terry.

This is a manual of how to be a witch, but a very specific witch. This is not your magic-wielding hag, but the witch that looks at people to see how they work and who sees themselves as guardians of a place and community whether they like it all or not. This is a witch who understands the hard work that people can be and still works on, whether the community wants it or not. This is the witch who will leave the world a better place, even if by just a little whether they really want to or not.

but it’s also a book of asides, dirty humour, wonderful illustrations, call backs to the world that we’ve all explored as we made our way through the Discworld books. There’s sidebar conversations between Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg, the wee free men make multiple misspelt appearances, there’s goats, elves, Greebo, and so much more.

Lots of small chapters explain various aspects of witchcraft according to Tiffany, which makes it an easy read with lots of places to pause, or if you want to read it as a soothing bedtime read in small bites. I had to read it all in one go as it was so like the books we all loved that it was almost as though he had written it himself.

What it’s also done is made me want to read all Terry Pratchett’s books once more!

A brilliant fun book for all ages, to be read to young ones, and read by everyone else.


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Norse Mythology

Neil Gaiman. Bloomsbury. (304p) ISBN: 9781408891957
Norse Mythology

Norse Mythology

Another of those books that’s been adorning my shelves for many months, but Norse Mythology felt like another book for these times.

I’ve read the myths referenced in this work several times from several sources, and they were enjoyable, so I was really looking forward to seeing what Neil Gaiman would do with them, especially since I wasn’t that keen on Stephen Fry’s take on the Greek myths.

Once started it was impossible to put down, they were fresh and fun whilst not detracting from the source material. Neil’s voice and tone were spot on and added a great flavour to the myths, something which has sometimes felt lost in a lot of other translations/interpretations.

Finished this in an afternoon and evening, but the tales are so well executed that they can easily be revisited again and again, especially since the ones chosen are great fun.

Another great book from Neil Gaiman which is a keeper, a rare occurrence now we’re running out of shelf space.


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How to Build Your Own Record Pressing Plant

Steve Spithray. Butterfly Effect Publishing. (272p) ISBN: 9781739100407
How to Build Your Own Record Pressing Plant

How to Build Your Own Record Pressing Plant

For a while I’d been seeing posts about this book on various social media and out of the blue Steve sent me a copy to read which I’m always grateful for when authors/publishers send me stuff to read.

Written in diary form, “How to Build Your Own Record Pressing Plant” follows the first year of a business start up in Middlebrough where two best friends and music lovers decide to set up their own vinyl printing plant!

Each chapter takes in a ‘day’ in the life of the first year of Press On Vinyl and consists of interviews and discussions, sometimes written exactly as said, sometimes woven into the developing narrative of the presses development.

Each chapter is fascinating and shows a company driven by strong personalities with a passion for music and vinyl in particular, a strong ethos of equity and a need to be as ecologically sound as possible within a notoriously oil-hungry sector.

I really grew to feel for the people involved as they all came across so genuine and passionate, with a drive to change things for the better grassroots and who are really proud of their Middlesbrough heritage and are doing everything they can to make thing better in the town.

This is not only a fascinating look into a new and exciting business opening up in Middlesbrough but a really interesting look at the record business overall, well worth a read if you have any interest in music at all.


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