Monday, November 24, 2008

Wow! Roberta Taylor came to Newcastle

Fresh from the Jasmine Allen to talk about her new book......... "The Reinvention Of Ivy Brown". On Thursday 13 November, Roberta visited Wallsend District Library as part of the Daily Telegraph's Big Book Club promotion. 100 fans came and listened, asked questions, bought the book, got autographs and photographs and had a delicious literary lunch. Roberta was fabulously gracious, witty and delightful. She was happy to satisfy fans curious about her time on The Bill as well as answering questions about being a writer.

The mysterious flame of Queen Loana


Author: Umberto Eco (translated from the Italian by Geoffrey Brock)
Publication Date: 2006 Category: Literary Fiction Who'll want to read it? People who like a challenge. Point of no return: Pg1 "And what's your name?" "Wait, it's on the tip of my tongue." Classic line: Pg6-7 ' "My name is Arthur Gordon Pym." "That isn't your name." Of course Pym was someone else. He did not come back again. I tried to comes to terms with the doctor . "Call me...Ishmael?" "Your name is not Ishmael. Try harder." ' What's it all about? Yambo, an ageing rare-book dealer, emerges from unconsciousness into a world where he remembers nothing of his past. Yet he remembers every single book he has ever read. Hence, the witty opening chapter. To find himself, Yambo returns to the home of his wartime childhood. The house is like a museum with books, comics, diaries, photo allbums and records from his early years. He studies them all, listening to records in effort to regain himself and emerge from the ever present fog blocking his memories. During the process he imagines how he might have lived in the war years as he uncovers each layer of propaganda and popular fiction. Best of all the book is interspersed with pages from the comics, propaganda posters and lyrics of popular songs, including the Italian version of "Lili Marleen". It's an intricate, very clever book - a rewarding book to read.
Publisher: Vintage