2020 a book Odyssey – podcast 48

Looking forward to 2020, podcast 48

Hello and welcome to the Falkirk Libraries podcast with Vikki and Tanya

Today’s episode is about the exciting new books coming out in 2020

All of the books mentioned can be found on our library catalogue

What we have been reading and listening to:

Vikki has been reading:

  • The Absolution, Yrsa Siguardardottir
  • Violet,  SJI Holliday

Tanya has been reading:

  • Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch

New and forthcoming adult books:

  • Philosophy for Polar Explorers ,Erling Kagge
  • The Art of Rest: How to Find Respite in the Modern Age, Claudia Hammond
  • Highfire, Eoin Colfer
  • False Value (Rivers of London 8), Ben Aaronovitch
  • Grown Ups, Marian Keyes

New and forthcoming children’s titles:

  • Greta and the Giants: inspired by Greta Thunberg’s stand to save the world, Zoe Tucker (author), Zoe Persico (illustrator) (3-7)
  • Help Wanted, Must Love Books by Janet Sumner Johnson (Author), Courtney Dawson (Illustrator) (4-7)
  • Your Interests, My Interests: A Visual Guide to Playing and Hanging out for Children on the Autism Spectrum, Joel Shaul (7-14)
  • The Vegetarian Cookbook: More than 50 Recipes for Young Cooks (Dorling Kindersley) (9-12)
  • Reverie, Ryan La Sala (Teen)

DVD recommendations:

  • Downton Abbey The Movie (PG)
  • Dora and the Lost City of Gold (PG)

Our Reading Agony this week: 

“My 14 year old daughter says she isn’t interested in reading anymore as most of the books are boring or lovey dovey and she doesn’t want romance books.  Any ideas to help me out with some good suggestions for her?”

That’s tricky, because there are so many good books that she might like, kids, adult and teen:  How about some manga or comics – like:

  • Adventure Zone: Here There Be Gerblins by Clint McElroy
  • NIMONA by Noelle Stevenson
  • The Graveyard Book Graphic Novel by Neil Gaiman
  • Assassination Classroom by Yusei Matsui
  • My Hero Academia by Kouhei Horikoshi

Or some wonderful novels:

  • Terry Pratchett Discworld novels
  • Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
  • The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud
  • Sabriel by Garth Nix
  • Cirque Du Freak (The Saga of Darren Shan Book 1) by Darren Shan
  • Gail Carriger Finishing School Series
  • The Darkest Minds: Book 1 (A Darkest Minds Novel) by Alexandra Bracken
  • Before I die by Jenny Donovan

Staff quote of the day: “It’s too early for a Christmas cardigan, surely?”

Our Discussion: Forthcoming books in 2020 that we are most excited about.

  • Dark Matter, Doug Johnstone
  • Dead to Her, Sarah Pinborough
  • Such a Fun Age, Kiley Reid
  • Lift As You Climb, Viv Groskop
  • In Five Years, Rebecca Serle
  • This Lovely City, Louise Hare
  • The Water Dancer, Ta-Nehisi Coates
  • Djinn Patrol on the Purple Liney, Deepa Anappara
  • Six Wicked Reasons, Jo Spain
  • Three Hours, Rosamund Lupton
  • Below The Big Blue Sky, Anna McPartlin
  • The Other People,  C.J. Tudor
  • The Squiggly Careers, Helen Tupper, Sara Ellis
  • Dragman, Steven Appleby
  • Us Three, Ruth Jones

Did you know?   

Quick Reads!  Launched in 2006, Quick Reads has distributed over 4.8 million copies of more than 100 titles! The books have been loaned more than five million times through libraries and have established a reputation for publishing diverse works by top quality and popular authors, including Andy McNab, Jojo Moyes, Anne Cleeves, Ian Rankin and Benjamin Zephaniah.  

New Quick Reads titles are coming out in February 2020 and for a sneak peak go to the Reading Agency Website

Thank you for listening to the Library Love podcast, we hope you’ve enjoyed yourself and if you did, then rate us on itunes.  We love to hear from you and if you’d like to get in touch with us, then go to our blog LibraryLoveFalkirk.com, @LibFalkirk on Twitter, or Falkirk Libraries on Facebook or Instagram.  Bye

Comics are go! Podcast 26

Hello and welcome to the Library Love podcast from beautiful Falkirk with Gavin, Grant and Allan. Today’s episode is all about graphic novels, we will be recommending our favourite titles. If you’re tempted by any of the books we suggest, then have a look on our library catalogue where you can request it – or simply have a rummage on our shelves for some fabulous books.

What we have been reading and listening to:
Gavin has been reading:
• The Dragon’s Legacy, Deborah Wolf

Allan has been listening to:
• Podcast: You Must Remember This

Grant has been listening to:
• Mark Kermode podcasts

New and forthcoming adult books:
• Let Me Be Like Water by S K Perry
• The Boy At The Door by Alex Dahl
• You Were Made For This by Michelle Sacks.
• Wild Hunger by Chloe Neill
• Baptism of Fire: life, death and Piper Alpha by Geoff Bollands

New and forthcoming children’s titles:
• Who’s afraid of the big bad bogey? Timothy Knapman (0-3 years)
• Beano Ultimate Joke Book (6-9 years)
• Minecraft STEM Challenge: Build a Theme Park (9-12 years)
• It’s only the end of the world, JR Henderson (teen)

DVD recommendations:
• I feel pretty (15)
• Deadpool 2 (15)
• Showdogs (PG)

Our Reading Agony this week: Help, my kid is better at video games than I am! We have a great range of game guides to help you navigate your way through tricky levels. Read up on them and then impress your kids with your mad skills!

Staff quote of the day: “I can see the pub from here!”

Our discussion:  Our Favourite Graphic Novel titles
• Walking Dead, Robert Kirkman and Charles Adlard
• Judge Dredd, any author/artist
• Sweet Tooth, Jeff Lemire
• Saga by Brian K Vaughan and Fiona Staples
• Kill Or Be Killed by Ed Brubaker and Sean Philips
• Rebellion Fleetway reprints particularly Charley’s War by Pat Mills and Joe Colquhoun
• Dungeon Fun by Colin Bell and Neil Slorence
• Watchmen, Alan Grant
• Preacher, Garth Ennis
• Halo Graphic novels

Did you know? Libraries have print magazines to read and back issues to borrow

Thank you for listening to the Library Love podcast, we hope you’ve enjoyed yourself and if you did, then join us on rate and review us on Apple so that more people can find out about us. We love to hear from you and if you’d like to get in touch with us, or if you’ve got a Reader Agony of your very own then go to www.librarylovefalkirk.com, Falkirk Libraries on Facebook or @LibFalkirk on Twitter

Forever Books – Podcast 25

Hello and welcome to Falkirk Libraries’ Library Love podcast with Gavin, Grant and Allan. Today’s episode is all about books we never tire of recommending. If you’re tempted by any of the books we suggest, then have a look on our library catalogue where you can request them – or simply have a rummage on our shelves for some fabulous books.

What we have been reading and listening to:
Gavin has been reading:
• The Witcher 3 Game Guide

Allan has been listening to:
• Podcast: In The Dark

Grant has been reading:
• Inside the Wickerman by Alan Brown
• The Stand by Stephen King

New and forthcoming adult books:
• The Polish Girl, Hania Allen
• The Rules Of Seeing, Joe Heap
• Ordinary People, Diana Evans
• Kill For Me, Tom Wood
• He Is Mine And I Have No Other, Rebecca O’Connor

New and forthcoming children’s titles:
• Cock-a-doodle-poo! by Steve Smallman (0 – 3 years)
• Go Popplio (3 – 6 years)
• Dogman: Lord of the Fleas, Dav Pilkey (6 – 9 years)
• The Heart, Richard Spilsbury (9-12 years)
• Kick, Mitch Johnson (Teen)

DVD recommendations:
• Solo: A Star Wars Story (12)
• Walking Dead, Series 8 (15)

Our Reading Agony this week:  My new partner likes to eat out, but I can’t afford to keep doing it. – The library has a fantastic range of cook books; why not borrow one that has recipes for their favourite types of food. It’ll save you a fortune and you can dress it up as being romantic.

Staff quote of the day: ‘I must be a clock watcher because I keep looking for the clock!’

Our discussion:  Books we never tire of recommending
• Football leaks : the dirty deals behind the beautiful game, Rafael Buschmann
• The Road by Cormac McCarthy
• Homicide: a year on the killing streets by David Simon
• Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dream by HG Bissinger
• Killers Of The Moon by David Grann
• Lost City of Z by David Grann
• The Devil and Sherlock Holmes by David Grann
• My Father and Other Working Class Football Heroes by Gary Imlach
• The Shining by Stephen King
• Rendezvous with Rana by Arthur C Clarke
• Death of Salesman by Arthur Miller

Did you know? That in the libraries we have a selection of Local History publications for sale? Some of these were even written by current and former members of staff.

Thank you for listening to the Library Love podcast, we hope you’ve enjoyed yourself and if you did, then join us on rate and review us on Apple so that more people can find out about us. We love to hear from you and if you’d like to get in touch with us, or if you’ve got a Reader Agony of your very own then go to www.librarylovefalkirk.com, Falkirk Libraries on Facebook or @LibFalkirk on Twitter

International Women’s Day – podcast 13

Hello and welcome friendly podpeople. So lovely to see you on International Women’s Day. Vikki, Lynne, Anna and I (Tanya) chatted about women’s issues today – but this is definitely a podcast for 100% of the population

What we have been reading and listening to:
Lynne has been reading:
• Val McDermid – Retribution
Vikki has been reading:
• Muriel Spark – The Driver’s seat
Sweet Little Lies by Caz Frear
Tanya has been reading:
• More Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
Anna has been reading:
Neogenesis by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller – Most recent in the Liaden series – an SF book, very strong on character with a real Georgette Heyer in space feel
And listening to these podcasts:
• Tim Ferris: Tribe of mentors
• Gretchen Reuben: Happier

New and forthcoming adult books:
Head Case by Ross Armstrong
Three Things About Elsie by Joanna Cannon
Iron Gold (Red Rising Series) by Pierce Brown
This Could Change Everything by Jill Manselll
Deeds Not Words by Helen Pankhurst

New and forthcoming children’s books:
The Strongest Mum by Nicola Kent (0-5 years)
The Big Box by Sue Graves , illustrated by Louise Forshaw (5 – 7 years)
• Reissue of Ailsa Wild’s Squishy Taylor series (7-9 years)
A most magical girl by Karen Foxlee (9-11 years)
The Wren Hunt by Mary Watson (12 – 15 years)

DVD recommendations:
Atomic Blonde (15)
Wind River (15)
Lego Ninjago Movie (PG)

Our Reading Agony this week: ‘I’m a busy mum, all these books sound great, but I don’t have time to read’
Ebooks while kids falling asleep
Eaudiobooks / audiobooks – while doing other things, such as traveling, housework, feeding / sleeping children / cooking tea
• Take a book to work and read during lunch
• Be a reading role model and read so your kids see you – curling up with a book on the sofa together under a duvet is lovely
• Always have a book (e or paper) with you for any waits
Quick reads – short, high interest books by popular authors
• Short stories
• Kids and Teen books
• Get rid of your tv and social media and read instead ….
• Encourage your children to take up activities with days /weekends away….

Staff quote of the day ‘We need more scary women’

Our Discussion was looking at feminism and things we’ve loved as women. It was fairly wide ranging, ‘cos we’re all pretty keen, but here’s a brief taster of what we touched on and some book recommendations:
International Women’s Day 2018 campaign theme: #PressforProgress
• It’s just over 100 years since women (over 30) got the vote in February 1918
• I (Tanya) recommends that everyone should read How to be a Woman by Caitlin Moran;
Guilty Feminist podcast (sweary warning) with descriptions of the comedy industry and sexism
• What annoys me – that research has found that women read more than men, that there are more women authors than men, but that far more books by men are reviewed in newspapers. I haven’t counted what we review here… maybe we should …
• We have a load of new books on the libraries’ shelves about inspiring women, rebel girls etc.

Lynne recommends women in rock memoirs. Particularly:
• Carrie Brownstein (Sleater Kinney and TV’s Portlandia) Hunger Makes Me a Modern Girl
• Viv Albertine (UK punk icons, The Slits) Clothes, Clothes, Clothes, Music, Music, Music, Boys ,Boys, Boys
• Patti Smith’s Just Kids,  the beautiful memoir of her youthful NY relationship with artist Robert Mapplethorpe
And adds: Chrissie Hynde’s Reckless and Kim Gordon’s Girl in a Band

Vikki remembered historical strong women, especially Eleanor Marx and Ada Nield Chew and we talked about the joy of Virago published books , especially authors Angela Carter, Margaret Atwood, Marilyn French, Maya Angelou ,Vera Brittain, Muriel Spark.

Other powerful women writers inspired Vikki as a young woman:
Maya Angelouhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08l6jjw
Alice Walker The Colour Purple & In Search of Our Mother’s Gardens.
Their Eyes were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
• Anna was interested in the girl boss idea and recommended:
• Jen Sincero : You are a bad ass
• Elizabeth Gilbert: Big Magic
• Sarah Knight: You do you

• The Reading Agency have a great new book list of brilliant books for kids with strong women

Did you know? Libraries have loads of comics and they are for everyone.  Have a look back at our Podcast 5 all about comics, but here’s a couple to tempt your children with strong central female characters: DC Superhero Girls, Lumberjanes and My Little Pony. Also, for older teens (a bit of a sweary warning, but themes not too adult) Paper Girls which Vikki loves

Coming Soon: Digi Drop in Day. This is for everyone to try our techie kit. It’s at Falkirk Library, during the Easter School holiday on Friday 13th April. Try our 3D printer, create your own design in Tinkercad, give coding a go. We’ll have cool toys, we’ll use our green screen to slot you into the photo of your choice. You can learn about Ancestry to search for your family history, get advice about tablets and we’ll show you how to set up and use our eBooks, magazines and audiobooks. We’re still planning this extravaganza so watch our facebook page for details.

Thank you for listening to the Library Love podcast, we hope you’ve enjoyed yourself and if you did, then give us a shout out on Facebook or twitter. We love to hear from you and if you’d like to get in touch with us, then go to then go to librarylovefalkirk.com, Falkirk Libraries on fb, or @LibFalkirk on Twitter