Inspiring Women – Podcast 36

Hello and welcome to the Falkirk Libraries podcast with Tanya and Vikki. You can find the books mentioned here on our library catalogue, if you want to request them.

Today’s episode is all inspiring women

What we have been reading and listening to:

Tanya has been reading and listening to:

  • The colour of Bee Larkham’s murder,  Sarah J Harris
  • Recipes for love and murder, Sally Andrew
  • Welcome to Nightvale podcast

Vikki has been reading:

  • The Librarian – Salley Vickers
  • Last Rituals, Yrsa Sigurdardottir

New and forthcoming adult books:

  • Scent of Death. Simon Beckett
  • Identity Crisis, Ben Elton
  • The Garden of Lost and Found , Harriet Evans
  • A Time of Blood , John Gwynne
  • The Swap, Fiona Mitchell

New and forthcoming children’s titles:

  • I’m not Grumpy Steve Smallman,  Illustrator Caroline  Pedler  (0-5)
  • The Naughtiest Unicorn,  Pip Bird (5-7)
  • Robin the First and Teen Titans Go … Fish, Amy Wolfram (Author), Sholly Fisch (Author), Jorge Corona (Illustrator), Chris Gugliotti (Illustrator) (7-9)
  • Head Kid, David Baddiel , Illustrator Steven Lenton (9-11)
  • A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, Holly Jackson (Teen)

DVD recommendations:

  • Bohemian  Rhapsody (12)
  • Johnny English Strikes Again (PG)

Our Reading Agony this week: ‘We would like to add an animal addition to our family can you help?’  Below are a few suggested titles

  • 21 days to the perfect cat: the friendly boot camp for your imperfect pet, Kim Houston
  • 21 days to the perfect dog: the friendly boot camp for your imperfect pet, Karen Wild
  • The complete book of pets and pet care : the essential family reference guide to pet breeds and pet care, David Alderton
  • The ultimate encyclopaedia of caged and aviary birds : a practical family reference guide to keeping pet birds, with expert advice on buying, understanding, breeding and exhibiting birds, David Alderton
  • Complete puppy and dog care : what every dog owner needs to know, Bruce Fogle

If all of this puts you off we do have an alternative – cheaper and less stressful

  • Knit your own Pet, Sally Muir

Staff quote of the day “Are you a Lizard?”

Our Discussion was all about inspiring women and their achievements – Among our selection we’ve chosen a few potted female history and biography collections, as well as books by inspirational women. Hopefully they will be a jumping off point for reading more detailed historical titles or biographies.

  • Malala’s Magic Pencil by Malala Yousafzai
  • Where are the women? A guise to an imagined Scotland, Sara Sheridan (published May 2019)
  • Wild Women,  Mariella Fostrup
  • A History of Britain in 21 Women, Jenni Murray
  • Bloody Brilliant Women: The Pioneers, Revolutionaries and Geniuses Your History Teacher Forgot to Mention, Cathy Newman
  • Yes She can –Why Women Own the Future, Ruth Davidson
  • A Woman’s shed: spaces for women to create, write, make, grow, think and escape,  Gill Heriz
  • Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History , Vashti Harrison
  • The Skills: From First Job to Dream Job – What Every Woman Needs to Know, Mishal Husain
  • So here I am Speeches: Speeches by great women to empower and inspire, Anna Russell
  • Equal Power: Gender Equality and How to Achieve It, Jo Swinson
  • Everywoman,  Jess Phillips
  • A History of the World in 21 Women,  Jenni Murray

Did You Know? Theory Test Pro (on library Pcs or online) – Theory Test Pro is a highly realistic online simulation of the UK’s driving theory tests for all vehicle categories.

  • It contains all the official test questions licensed from the DVSA, the people who set the tests.
  • Unlimited access to all the official questions from the DVSA in the same format as the official test
  • Includes online version of Highway Code
  • Realistic hazard perception video simulations
  • Access to test banks for car, motorcycle, passenger carry vehicle and heavy goods vehicle categories
  • Machine translation into over 40 different languages
  • Speech-enabled tests so you can listen to questions

Simply create an online account, entering your library card number, and off you go!

This is our last podcast before a 6 week break. We begin our new, refreshed season 3 on 15th May.

 But keep an eye on our blog for new posts and feel free to go back and listen to some of our older episodes.

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

Series versus standalone – podcast 35

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

Today’s episode is all about what’s better a series or a standalone novel?

What we have been reading and listening to:

Vikki has been reading:

  • Clock Dance,  Anne Tyler

Vikki has been listening to

  • Pilot TV Podcast

Margo has been reading:

  • Midwinter Break, Bernard MacLaverty
  • Milkman, Anna Burns
  • Sir Walter Scott’s Waverley, Jenni Calder

New and forthcoming adult books:

  • Fallen Angel, Christopher Brookmyre
  • The Book of Dreams, Nina George
  • Stone Mothers, Erin Kelly
  • The Lost Ten, Harry Sidebottom
  • The Rosie Result, Graeme C Simsion

New and forthcoming children’s titles:

  • Doodle Cat Wears a Cape, Kat Patrick, Lauren Farrell (Illustrator) (0-5)
  • Mystery on the Ostrich Express,  Laura James, Emily Fox (Illustrator) ((5-7)
  • Space Chase, Steve Barlow & Steve Skidmore (7-9)
  • Tilly and the Bookwanderers, Anna James  (9-11)
  • The Boy Who Steals Houses,  C G Drews (Teen)

DVD recommendations:

  • A Star is Born (15)
  • Venom (12)

Our Reading Agony this week:

“I want to learn a musical instrument. I’m not sure where to start, Can the library help?

  • Music Theory for Dummies, Michael Pilhofer
  • The Everything Music Theory Book, Marc Schonbrun
  • How to play guitar in 10 easy lessons, Dan Holton
  • How to Play Piano, James Rhodes
  • Trumpet For Dummies, Jeffrey Reynolds
Staff quote of the day “Can I help you off with those Paws”        

Our Discussion was all about the virtues of a standalone novel versus a series

Did You Know?

Library members can access Ancestry the online family history database for free from library computers.

Ancestry is the world’s largest online library of family history information, containing thousands of databases and billions of indexed names. There are record collections from the UK, USA, Canada, Europe, Australia and other areas, as well as census, Birth, Marriages and Deaths, military, immigration and parish records. You can find out more about what is available at www.ancestry.co.uk

Coming Soon:

Get It Loud in Libraries brings Punk Band Rascalton to Denny Library on Sunday 14th April in this all-ages, intimate afternoon show. They’re unlikely to play a venue this small again!

Rascalton have leapt from the basements of Glasgow’s Punk/garage scene to tour the UK and Europe, closing 2018 with a sold out hometown headline appearance at St. Luke’s. They’ve appeared with BBC Introducing and played a bunch of festivals, including Electric Fields. We’ll catch them hot off their appearance at SXSW in Austin Texas. Find Rascalton on FacebookTwitterInstagram

Non-alcoholic bar. Doors 2.30pm.

Buy ticketsTickets are available in person at Denny Library and online at Ticketlab and See Tickets, priced £7 + booking fee. Under 12s, library members and Young Scot card holders are eligible for discounted tickets .

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

Not a traditional romance – podcast 34

Hello and welcome to the Falkirk Libraries podcast with Lynne, Tanya and Vikki.

Today’s episode is all about Romance and relationships but definitely not in the traditional sense. All the books mentioned can be found at our library catalogue. Our ebooks, eaudiobooks and emagazines can be found online here

What we have been reading and listening to:

Vikki has been reading:

  • Our House, Louise Candlish
  • The Lingering, SJI Holliday
  • Rupture, (Dark Iceland series), Ragnar Jonasson

Tanya has been reading and listening to:

  • Millie’s Fling, Jill Mansell
  • Tez Talks podcast (with comedian Tez Ilyas)

Lynne has been reading:

  • Burial Rites, Hannah Kent
  • Beastie Boys Book, Michael Diamond and Adam Horovitz

Audio Book of the Podcast:

  • Beastie Boys Book

New and forthcoming adult books:

  • Love Without End – the story of Heloise and Abelard, Melvyn Bragg
  • The Wrong Mother, Michel Bussi
  • Three Bullets, Jon Roger Ellroy
  • Swallowtail Summer, Erica James
  • The Lemon Tree Hotel, Rosanna Ley

New and forthcoming children’s titles:

  • The story of Tantrum O’Furrily , Cressida Cowell (0-5)
  • Row, row, row your boat: a lift-the-flap, sing-along book, Richard Merritt (0-5)
  • The Dragonsitter’s party, Josh Lacey,  Illustrator Garry Parsons (7-9)
  • The Tale of Angelino Brown, David Almond, Illustrator Alex T. Smith (9-11)
  • Savage Island, Bryony Pearce (Teen)

DVD recommendations:

  • The Happy Time Murders (15)
  • Hotel Artemis (15)
  • The House with a Clock in Its walls (PG)

Our Reading Agony this week: ‘I want to set up a reading group can you help?’

Our suggestions for finding material included

  • Joining Reading Groups for Everyone (via the Reading Agency website)where there are lots of tips and potential freebies to apply for
  • There are lots of authors, book bloggers, book publishers on social media who have lots of book suggestions
  • Podcasts and blogs can be useful (perhaps even this one!)
  • Shadow other reading groups examples include Radio 2 book club, Hurricane book club

Staff quote of the day: I’m chasing my tail this week and it’s not as fun as it looks when the cat does it….’

Our discussion was all about Romance but not as you know it. Our varied suggestions included:

  • Gracekeepers, Kirsty Logan
  • Jane Eyre,  Charlotte Bronte
  • Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte
  • Lost and Found, Oliver Jeffers
  • Comet in Moominland, Tove Jansson
  • High Fidelity, Nick Hornby
  • Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
  • Outlander, Diana Gabaldon
  • Warm Bodies, Isaac Marion
  • The Time Traveller’s Wife,  Audrey Niffenegger
  • The Book of Strange New Things, Michel Faber 
  • Strong Poison, Dorothy L Sayers

Did you know?

One of the things libraries have always done is Storytimes. It’s one of our favourite things to do. Every library has a weekly storytime except Slamannan, but the staff at Slamannan are happy to read a wee story if you pop in and they’re not too busy.

Families usually start out at the library with Bookbug song and rhyme sessions and Storytimes are a great way to move on from that to and get ready for school and nursery. It gives even more time over to falling in love with books, encouraging wee ones to listen and improve their focus and lets them hear new words and word sounds. And really what’s nicer than having someone read you a  story – especially when they’re doing the sounds and voices and actions?

Also afterwards there’s time for parents and wee ones to socialise and there’s often fun to be had with colouring and other things. You’ll find details of our storytimes on our website.

Thank you for listening to the Library Love podcast, we hope you’ve enjoyed yourself and if you did, then 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

Desert Island Books – Podcast 33

Hello and welcome to the Falkirk Libraries podcast with Tanya, Vikki and Lynne.

Today’s episode is our Desert Island Books episode – probably our trickiest to decide on. The items mentioned here can be found on our library catalogue

What we have been reading and listening to:

Vikki has been reading:

The Darkness by  Ragnar Jonasson 

Tanya has been listening to and reading:

Peace Out Podcast

The Third Nero by Lindsay Davis

Lynne has been reading:

Picturing Prince by Steve Parke

New and forthcoming adult books:

  • A Gift for Dying, M J. Arlidge,
  • Storm Cursed, Patricia Briggs
  • Accidental Agent,  Alan Judd
  • The Stowaway: A Young Man’s Extraordinary Adventure to Antarctica, Laurie Gwen Shapiro
  • Scottish Highlands and Islands, Neil Wilson (Lonely Planet Series)

New and forthcoming children’s titles:

  • Please, please save the bees! , Janey Jones, Illustrator Jennie Poh (0 – 5 yrs)
  • Bumblebee the Boss  (5-8 years)
  • The Bolds go Wild, Julian Clary, Illustrator David Roberts (7 – 9 years)
  • The Girl Who Thought her Mother was a Mermaid, Tania Unsworth, Helen Crawford- White (9 – 12 years)
  • Peadar O Guilin, The invasion  (Teen)

DVD recommendations:

  • Blackclansman (15)
  • Yardie (15)
  • Christopher Robin (U)

Our Reading Agony this week: ‘Can you help me beat my Post Christmas slump?’

We have some brilliant books on healthy eating, goal setting, exercise and hobbies – get into your local library and get motivated.  You might like:

  • Spark Joy by Marie Kondo
  • Get fit, get happy by Harry Judd
  • The kindness method: changing habits for good by Shahroo Izadi
  • Add one stitch knitting : build up your skills stitch by stitch by Alina Schneider

Or check out one of our groups in the library – maybe try a reading group or a knitting group (there’s a new one starting in Larbert Library called Chronicles of Yarnia, which is my favourite group name ever).  Or maybe use one of our pcs for free to look up some local clubs, or to tidy up your cv and look for a new job.

Staff quotes of the day: “I’m at work for a rest”

Our discussion was all about our 4 books that we’d each take to a desert island (and there was a lot of complaints that 4 books was nowhere near enough):

  • Going Postal by Terry Pratchett
  • Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance by Robert M Pirsig
  • A book on how to build your own boat to escape the island
  • Any collection of Jeeves novels by P G Wodehouse 
  • Persuasion by Jane Austen
  • War and Peace  by Leo Tolstoy
  • Lord of the Rings by JR Tolkein 
  • Collected works of Momintroll by Tove Jansson
  • A book on raw food recipes…in case I can’t build a fire
  • Collected Calvin and Hobbes
  • A book by Ben Law
  • Movie encyclopedia
  • A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

Did you know?

Book Rivers on our catalogue and our blog

Thank you for listening to the Library Love podcast, we hope you’ve enjoyed yourself and if you did, then 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

 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