Out and About - Winter 2021

Out & About leisure

Christmas Crackers Books are the gifts that keep on giving and whether you love a good crime thriller, want to learn more of our rich history or to read someone’s life story, there is always a great selection to choose from. Out & About has picked some reads that might be just the thing for your nearest and dearest bookworms

The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles Fans of A Gentleman in Moscow, will be

Silverview by John le Carré was the last story he completed and explores familiar territory - the world of espionage. Julian Lawndsley has given up his high-flying job in the City to move to

footsteps of the earliest generation of giants to the founding of Britain, England, Wales and Scotland, the birth of Christ, the wars between Britons, Saxons and Vikings, and closes with the arrival of the Normans. Legendary Medieval tales are retold from Cornwall to Snowdon and the highlands of Scotland. The book is an illustrated mythology of Britain, which informs how we the identities of the different landscapes of Britain have been shaped.

intrigued by this road trip with a difference. Emmett, his little brother Billy and runaways Duchess and Woolly are each hoping to fulfil their dreams and their journey is once filled with heroes and villains as well as the vibrant charm of 1950s America.

an English seaside town and run a bookshop. Not long after his arrival, he is disturbed by Edward, a Polish émigré who lives in the big house on the edge of town, Silverview. Edward appears to know a lot about Julian’s family and takes a keen interest in the book shop. Meanwhile a spy chief in London receives a letter warning him of a dangerous leak. His investigations take him to the same town where Edward has his book shop. Silverview explores the twists and turns of espionage in classic le Carre fashion, leaving the reader constantly guessing who is guilty and who is innocent, and who is duping who.

The Storyteller by Dave Grohl Foo Fighters fans have been waiting for this tome and it doesn’t disappoint. Dave Grohl takes you from growing up

Black Gold by Jeremy Paxman Coal mining may have vanished, but coal has shaped every aspect of Britain, so where would we be without it? Paxman explores the social history

in Springfield, Virginia, to getting to the top of his game as a musician and playing with the best, including Iggy Pop, Tom Petty, Little Richard and Sir Paul McCartney. He also gives an insight into the importance of family in his rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle. He puts the cool into cool.

of coal mining from Roman times, through the birth of steam power to war, nationalisation and the picket lines of the Miner’s Strike.

The Appeal by Janice Hallett A debut thriller at the centre of which is a murder mystery, which in turn relates to an

He looks at the engineers and inventors, entrepreneurs and

Windswept & Interesting by Billy Connolly Billy Connolly is nothing less than a national treasure and this is a treat for any fan as well

industrialists, with a particular focus on the working miners - the men, women and often children subjected to appalling conditions in the mines. He delves into the formation of the villages that grew around the pit, the communities that formed and the tragedies that followed.

amateur production of All My Sons and a fundraiser for a little Poppy Reswick’s potentially life-saving treatment. The story is told mainly through emails and messages, giving the reader an extra insight into the thoughts and emotions of the characters involved. With many strands that eventually

O&A WINTER 2021 His live performances became the stuff of legend until a diagnosis of both cancer and Parkinson’s Disease brought his touring days to an end. As funny as you’d expect it to be from the Big Yin, this is a warts- and-all story of a comedy legend. 87 as anyone interested in the life of a young orphan - he was just four years old - his brutal upbringing in Glasgow and his eventual rise to fame.

Storyland by Amy Jeffs If you are fascinated by myths and legends then this is the book for you, a new illustrated mythology of Britain. Storyland traces the

come together, this is a murder mystery that will truly have you puzzled.