Difference between revisions of "Features"

From TheBookbag
Jump to navigationJump to search
(31 intermediate revisions by 2 users not shown)
Line 2: Line 2:
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
 
|category=interviews
 
|category=interviews
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Elizabeth Fox and Martin le Comte
+
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Gerry Brown About Making a Difference: Leadership, Change and Giving Back the Independent Director Way
|summary=Peter thought that [[The Ten Golden Rules of Leadership by Elizabeth Fox and Martin le Comte|The Ten Golden Rules of Leadership]] was the best book on leadership he'd ever read and he couldn't resist asking authors Elizabeth Fox and Martin le Comte quite a few questions when they came to Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
+
|summary=Gerry Brown is so keen to see people geting involved that there's a free digital [https://www.degruyter.com/view/title/580618 download] of this £42 book.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
|category=interviews
+
|category=lists
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Gabe Riggs
+
|title=Top Ten Self-Published Books 2020
|summary=Luke thought that [[Punk Love Foucault by Gabe Riggs]] was an intense, emotional and visceral read that illuminates and educates with a strong voice and clear, capable prose.  There was a lot to talk about when Gabe popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
+
|summary= In this strangest of years we've been delighted by the self-published books we've read and they're all books which compare well with traditionally-published books in the same genres. We really couldn't narrow the choice down any further - so this year's top ten consists of eleven books and here they are, in alphabetical order by author...
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
|category=newsletters
 
|title=October 2017 Newsletter
 
|summary=
 
Hi, hello and welcome to October's witterings from all of us here at Bookbag Towers.
 
 
 
The list of titles for 2018's World Book Day has [http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-41429806 been announced]. So good to see a [[Paddington's Finest Hour by Michael Bond |Paddington]] book on there. RIP Michael Bond and his wonderful messages about openness and inclusivity. But the 2018 list isn't universally popular. Many children's authors, among them Bookbag favourites David Almond and Anthony McGowan, have [https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/oct/02/childrens-authors-slam-celebrity-heavy-world-book-day-lineup criticised it] for the number of celebrity authors it contains. Almond says '' It’s demeaning to children, because it is assuming that children don’t read properly.'' What do you think? Here at Bookbag, we are inclined to agree. World Book Day should feature quality writing, not famous names. Even so, good luck to an important event. Oh, and good luck in advance to all frazzled parents helping with costumes when the big day eventually arrives!
 
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
 
|category=interviews
 
|category=interviews
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Sandra Aragona
+
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Olga Kokshagina and Allen Alexander
|summary=Sue loved Sandra Aragona's lightly-fictionalised [[Sorting the Priorities: Ambassadress and Beagle Survive Diplomacy by Sandra Aragona|autobiography]] of life as a diplomatic spouseThere was a lot that she wanted to ask about when Sandra popped into Bookbag Towers.
+
|summary=Sue was so impressed by [[The Radical Innovation Playbook: A Practical Guide for Harnessing New, Novel or Game-Changing Breakthroughs by Olga Kokshagina and Allen Alexander]] that she wished that she had a good business idea of her own so that she could use the bookPerhaps that was what she was talking about when Olga and Allen popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
 
|category=interviews
 
|category=interviews
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To K J Lawrence
+
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Andrew Hampshire
|summary=Sue was delighted when she read [[The Cossack by K J Lawrence|The Cossack]] as it restored her faith in the thriller genreWhen the author, K J Lawrence, popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us, Sue had quite a few questions ready!
+
|summary=Technology can seem frightening to people who don't have the background. In [[Creating Value Through Technology: Discover the Tech that Can Transform Your Business by Andrew Hampshire|Creating Value Through Technology: Discover the Tech that Can Transform Your Business]] Andrew Hampshire discusses the tech that can add quantifiable value to your business and how to get the most out of it.  He and Sue had a lot to chat about when he dropped into Bookbag Towers.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
|category=interviews
+
|category=comments
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Stuart Burrell
+
|title=Stand Up to Bullying With a Pulitzer Prize Winner
|summary=Sue found Start Burrell's book [[Twelve Times To The Max: One Man's Journey to, and Recollections of, Setting Twelve Verified World Records by Stuart Burrell|Twelve Times To The Max: One Man's Journey to, and Recollections of, Setting Twelve Verified World Records]] an inspiring, feel-good read. She wanted to know more when Stuart popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
+
|summary=In every generation, there are kids who become bullies. They bully their siblings, neighbor kids, and their classmates. They seem to believe that other kids look up to them and respect them. That is self-delusion, as most adults are aware, but kids don't have the experience to properly judge what is respect and what is merely fear.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
|category=newsletters
+
|category=comments
|title=September 2017 Newsletter
+
|title=From Sci Fi to Reality: How Dreams Turn Into Innovations
|summary=
+
|summary=The gap between sci-fi and reality is not so big anymore. You don’t have to go that far back in time to see huge developments in technology. For example, the smartphone has been around for over 10 years now, but if you don’t have one in today’s society, you’d either be seen as crazy or just out of touch.
Oh man, Bookbaggers. Summer is over. Did you go on holiday? If so, we hope you had a lovely time and got to read a book or two. If you didn't, we bet you managed to get some reading time in anyway, didn't you? Which summer book did you enjoy the most?
 
 
 
The latest figures tell us that children are [https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/sep/02/young-readers-drive-book-sales driving book sales]. Sales of children's titles rose 16% last year alone. This is such great news. But it does lead us back to that drum we like to bang from time to time - the Cover Kids Books [http://www.thebookseller.com/news/gaiman-pullman-support-cover-kids-books-campaign-371596 campaign]. Why does a third of the market get only 3% coverage in newspapers and magazines? It's as though children, and the authors who write for them, don't matter at all. Do better, British press, do better.
 
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
|category=interviews
+
|category=comments
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Wes Stuart
+
|title=5 Great AI books to read in 2020
|summary=Luke enjoyed the combination of compellingly-written science fiction which blends themes of innocence and growth with some well depicted moments of horror in [[My Name is Sam by Wes Stuart|My Name is Sam]] and he had quite a few questions for author Wes Stuart when he popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
+
|summary=Artificial intelligence (AI) has expanded into one of the most important technologies in human history. It comes with so many benefits, from improving the efficiency of simple, basic tasks to helping to solve advanced problems by quickly analyzing large data sets.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
|category=interviews
+
|category=lists
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To B C R Fegan
+
|title=A Baker's Dozen of Books to Keep the Kids Occupied When They Can't Go Out
|summary=Sue giggled like a child when she read [[Henry and the Hidden Treasure by B C R Fegan and Lenny Wen]]: it's a good story with some valuable lessons.  It was a real pleasure to chat to writer B C R Fegan when he popped into Bookbag Towers.
+
|summary= Are you running out of inspiration for what to do with the kids when they can't go out?  We've come up with a baker's dozen of books to give you some brilliant ideas.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
|category=interviews
+
|category=lists
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Annie Ingram
+
|title=Top Ten Self-Published Books 2019
|summary=Very few people believe that dogs can talk so it was something of a relief when Sue met author Annie Ingram.  She has lengthy conversations with her cocker spaniel Kammie and has shared them with us in her [[Conversations with Kammie by Annie Ingram|book]]. There was a lot to talk about when she popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
+
|summary= We've seen some cracking self-published books this year and they're all books which compare well with traditionally-published books in the same genres.  We really couldn't narrow the choice down any further - so this year's top ten consists of eleven books and here they are, in alphabetical order by author...
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
|category=interviews
+
|category=comments
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Stephan Santiago
+
|title=Desiree Villena Talks To Bookbag About 5 Key Tips for Writing a Critical-Yet-Fair Book Review
|summary=Ani was quietly moved by [[Returning Home by Stephan Santiago|Returning Home]] and there were a several points she wanted to discuss with author Stephan Santiago when he popped in to Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
+
|summary=Writing a book review isn't difficult, you know, but there are a few things you need to keep us in mind. Desiree Villena gives us five tips.
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
|category=newsletters
 
|title=August 2017 Newsletter
 
|summary=
 
Happy August, Bookbaggers! Here's hoping you get the opportunity to make the most of summer's good weather by taking some time to read in the sun.
 
 
 
Not that we spend much time sympathising with politicians here at Bookbag Towers but oh, poor old Andrea Leadsom! Her slip of the tongue - at least we hope it was a slip of the tongue - in referring to Jane Austen as one of our greatest ''living'' authors has resulted in [http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/news/andrea-leadsom-jane-austen-waterstones-throw-shade-a7851571.html much merriment]. ''Anyone know who Jane Austen's agent is? We'd love to book her for an event,'' said Waterstone's. Teehee.
 
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
 
|category=interviews
 
|category=interviews
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Tessa Buckley
+
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Melanie Martin
|summary=Jill's really taken by author Tessa Buckley's mystery and family drama series, Eye Spy Investigations and enjoyed [[Eye Spy II by Tessa Buckley|Eye Spy II]].  There were quite a few questions for Tessa when she popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
+
|summary=|summary=In [[War and Love: A family's testament of anguish, endurance and devotion in occupied Amsterdam by Melanie Martin|War and Love: A family's testament of anguish, endurance and devotion in occupied Amsterdam]] Melanie Martin reconstructs what happened to her family in occupied Amsterdam in WWIIIt's a highly compelling if occasionally shocking read.  Days after she finished the book Sue could not stop thinking about what she had read and was delighted when the author agreed to chat with her.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
|category=newsletters
+
|category=comments
|title=July 2017 Newsletter
+
|title=Framing the Brexit narrative: immigration, myths and public perception
|summary=  
+
|summary=Loobna Joomun looks at how Brexit is likely to affect the publishing industry - and the wider country.
Hello Bookbaggers! How the devil are you? Well, we hope.
 
 
 
The best bit of book news recently comes right after one of the worst news stories for the country generally. Philip Pullman  [http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2017-06-27/philip-pullman-set-to-name-character-in-new-book-after-grenfell-tower-victim-following-charity-campaign is set to name] one of the characters in his upcoming novel after a victim of the Grenfell Tower fire. Teacher James Clements pledged £1,500 in memory of his former pupil Nur Huda El-Wahabi, who died in the fire, and hundreds of others added more cash to his bid in the Authors for Grenfell fundraising auction. The whole auction raised £150k. And we don't mind telling you that we shed a few tears over it all. We hope the authorities get their stuff together and show a similar generosity of spirit. We're not holding our breath on the showing so far, sadly.
 
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
|category=interviews
+
|category=comments
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Saqib Noor
+
|title=8 ways to motivate yourself to write, right NOW by Jessica Jarlvi
|summary=Sue laughed and cried when she read [[Surgery on the Shoulders of Giants: Letters from a doctor abroad by Saqib Noor|Surgery on the Shoulders of Giants: Letters from a doctor abroad]], touched and humbled by a man who has provided medical aid in some of the most needy parts of the world. She had quite a few questions when author Saqib Noor popped into Bookbag Towers to see us.
+
|summary=Ever felt that you've hit a brick wall with your writing? Jessica Jarlvi has eight tips yo get you writing again.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
|category=interviews
+
|category=comments
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Johnny Ringwood
+
|title=Greg Hickey Talks To Bookbag About The Old Guard of Dystopian Fiction
|summary=Peter enjoyed [[Cargoes & Capers: The life and times of a London Docklands man by Johnny Ringwood|Cargoes & Capers]] with its memories of life in the East End and stories how the author, Johnny Ringwood, turned his life around.  He had rather a lot of questions when Johnny popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
+
|summary=Where do you go when you move beyond classics like ''1984'' and ''Brave New World''?
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
|category=newsletters
+
|category=lists
|title=June 2017 Newsletter
+
|title=Top Ten Self-Published Books 2018
|summary=  
+
|summary= Choosing the top ten self-published books we read in 2018 was difficult as we're constantly surprised at just how good some self-published books are. Here's our final top ten in alphabetical order by author...
Hello you lovely Bookbaggers. It's been a sad and angry month since we last spoke, what with terror attacks and general elections. We hope all is well with all of you and you are all coping as best you can. But we are going to try to distract you from it all just for a minute or two by pointing you in the direction of some great books to read. When all else fails, books can comfort, right? So let's have some positivity, if only on the subject of books and reading.
 
 
 
So here's some exciting news! We have a title, a character and an [http://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/may/26/before-his-dark-materials-how-lyras-story-began-exclusive-extract extract] for the first volume in Philip Pullman's new trilogy, out in October. ''La Belle Sauvage'' is the canoe owned by Malcolm Polstead. His daemon is Asta. And you can read an interview about it with Philip Pullman [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rE45VHtSzw here]. As you can imagine, we at Bookbag Towers are beyond excited. Roll on October! And while we're on the topic of young readers, here's some more good news. [http://www.tes.com/news/school-news/breaking-news/record-number-teenagers-say-they-enjoy-reading Record numbers] of children say they enjoy reading. A survey by the Literacy Trust has found that more than half of children and young people say that they read for pleasure. Isn't that great?
 
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
|category=interviews
+
|category=comments
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Isabella Davidson
+
|title=James Donald Talks To Bookbag About The Death Of Norman Breyfogle
|summary=Sue was grabbed by [[The Beta Mum: Adventures in Alpha Land by Isabella Davidson|The Beta Mum: Adventures in Alpha Land]] as soon as she started reading.  She decided to tackle author Isabella Davidson about what it means to be an alpha or a beta mummy when she popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
+
|summary=One of the finest storytellers you've never heard of, who died in September 2018 at the age of 58.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
 
|category=interviews
 
|category=interviews
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Lizzy Mumfrey
+
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Melissa Leet
|summary=Sue was stunned by [[Fall Out by Lizzy Mumfrey]] and simply couldn't put the book down.  She had a whole list of questions for the author when she popped into Bookbag Towers.
+
|summary=Sue was impressed when she read [[Landslide by Melissa Leet|Landslide]] by Melissa Leet and was surprised to find that it was a debut novel.  She had quite a few questions for Melissa when she popped into Bookbag Towers.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
|category=interviews
+
|category=comments
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Hugo Driscoll
+
|title=Faiz Kermani talks to Bookbag about how a blue frog is helping Malawi's vulnerable children to live safe, healthy and happy lives
|summary=Sue thought that [[Seven Days with You by Hugo Driscoll|Seven Days With You]] was a quick but suprisingly deep read which looks sensitively at young love and terminal illness and that it's more uplifting than you might expect from that description!  There was a lot to chat about when author Hugo Driscoll popped into Bookbag Towers.
+
|summary=Every child has a right to medical care
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
|category=newsletters
+
|category=comments
|title=May 2017 Newsletter
+
|title=Abi Silver Talks To The Bookbag About A Few Of Her Favourite Things
|summary=  
+
|summary=''We could definitely make a flying car – but that's not the hard part. The hard part is, how do you make a flying car that's super safe and quiet?'': Elon Musk
Hi, hello and how the devil are you, fellow Bookbaggers?
 
 
 
We want to start out this month by mentioning not one, but two, good causes. Anna Boatman, along with 29 of her Hachette publishing colleagues have cycled 185 miles from London to Paris, in order to raise money for TWO amazing charities: the Literacy Trust and The PSP Association. Progressive Supranuclear Palsy is a little-known disease similar to Parkinson's that Anna's lovely Dad has been suffering with for 17 years. We think these are great charities to support and if you do too, you can contribute towards them by donating to this sterling effort. Anna's Just Giving page is [http://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Anna-Boatman?newPage=True here] and the Hachette team's page is [http://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Hachette-Connect-Team here]. Well done, you guys. You've more cycling courage than we have!
 
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
 
|category=interviews
 
|category=interviews
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Michael Pronko About ''The Last Train''
+
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Daniel Peltz
|summary=Sue was very impressed by [[The Last Train (Detective Hiroshi) by Michael Pronko|The Last Train]], a thriller set in Tokyoshe had quite a few questions for author [[:Category:Michael Pronko|Michael Pronko]] when he popped into Bookbag Towers.
+
|summary=Sue wasn't expecting to enjoy a novel about a ''building'', but was surprised by just how compelling she found [[The Indomitable Chiesa di Santa Maria by Daniel Peltz|The Indomitable Chiesa di Santa Maria]].  There was a lot to chat about when author Daniel Peltz popped into Bookbag Towers.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
|category=interviews
+
|category=lists
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To David Windle
+
|title=Top Ten Self-Published Books 2017
|summary=After reading [[Spudboy and Chip by David Windle]] Jill wants a potato superheroThere was a lot to talk about when the author popped into Bookbag Towers.
+
|summary= Choosing the top ten self-published books we read in 2017 was one of the toughest jobs we did all year and involved a great deal of discussionHere's our final top ten in alphabetical order by author...
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
 
|category=interviews
 
|category=interviews
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To B C R Fegan
+
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Chit Dubey
|summary=Jill thought that [[The Grumpface by B C R Fegan and Daniela Frongia]] was sweet, funny and vividly illustrated. She had quite a few questions for author Bryce Fegan when he popped into Bookbag Towers.
+
|summary=Sue was quietly impressed when she read [[21 Doors to Happiness: Life Through Travel Experiences and Meditation by Chit Dubey]] as it chimed with her personal view of life. She was delighted when Chit Dubey popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
|category=newsletters
+
|category=comments
|title=April 2017 Newsletter
+
|title=Melita Thomas Talks To Bookbag About The King's Pearl: Henry VIII and his Daughter Mary
|summary=  
+
|summary= Melita Thomas tell us that Mary was a true Renaissance Princess
Hello Bookbaggers! How are you? Well, we hope.
 
 
 
First up this month, our great friend SF Said reminded us of an important campaign the other day, and we want to remind you in turn.#coverkidsbooks draws attention to the lack of representative coverage of children's books in newspapers and other media. You can read about it here.As this blogpost points out, according to The Bookseller, sales of children's books overtook adult fiction for the first time in 2014, and they now account for over 30% of the UK publishing market. And yet children's books currently get just 3% of all book review space, despite accounting for that 30% of the market. That is an entire order of magnitude of under-representation. We couldn't agree more and we at Bookbag give equal priority to adult and children's books. But we know that we are preaching to the converted and we wish that newspapers would make more effort to get on board. There is more to children's fiction than Harry Potter, guys. A lot more.
 
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
 
|category=interviews
 
|category=interviews
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Spadge Whittaker About Confessions of Modern Women
+
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Elizabeth Fox and Martin le Comte
|summary=Jill thought that ''Confessions of Modern Women'' was both fun and funny to read and occasionally bawdy to boot.  There was a lot to chat about when Spadge popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
+
|summary=Peter thought that [[The Ten Golden Rules of Leadership by Elizabeth Fox and Martin le Comte|The Ten Golden Rules of Leadership]] was the best book on leadership he'd ever read and he couldn't resist asking authors Elizabeth Fox and Martin le Comte quite a few questions when they came to Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
 
|category=interviews
 
|category=interviews
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Tormod V Burkey
+
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Gabe Riggs
|summary=Sean was impressed when he read [[Ethics for a Full World or, Can Animal-Lovers Save the World? by Tormod V Burkey|Ethics for a Full World or, Can Animal-Lovers Save the World?]].  There was a lot to chat about when author Tormod V Burkey popped in to Bookbag Towers.
+
|summary=Luke thought that [[Punk Love Foucault by Gabe Riggs]] was an intense, emotional and visceral read that illuminates and educates with a strong voice and clear, capable prose.  There was a lot to talk about when Gabe popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
 
|category=interviews
 
|category=interviews
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Marilyn Bennett
+
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Sandra Aragona
|summary=Sue's only problem with [[Granny with Benefits by Marilyn Bennett]] was that she would have loved to spend more time with the characters.  When the author popped into Bookbag Towers there was quite a lot to chat about.
+
|summary=Sue loved Sandra Aragona's lightly-fictionalised [[Sorting the Priorities: Ambassadress and Beagle Survive Diplomacy by Sandra Aragona|autobiography]] of life as a diplomatic spouse.  There was a lot that she wanted to ask about when Sandra popped into Bookbag Towers.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
|category=comments
+
|category=interviews
|title=Keren David Talks To Bookbag About Alternative Facts
+
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To K J Lawrence
|summary=Keren David Talks To Bookbag About #alternativefacts
+
|summary=Sue was delighted when she read [[The Cossack by K J Lawrence|The Cossack]] as it restored her faith in the thriller genre.  When the author, K J Lawrence, popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us, Sue had quite a few questions ready!
|summary=It wasn't until someone on Twitter tagged her book [[The Liar's Handbook by Keren David|The Liar's Handbook]] with #alternativefacts that Karen David realised quite how well the title and themes hit the zeitgeist.
 
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
|category=newsletters
+
|category=interviews
|title=February 2017 Newsletter
+
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Stuart Burrell
|summary=  
+
|summary=Sue found Start Burrell's book [[Twelve Times To The Max: One Man's Journey to, and Recollections of, Setting Twelve Verified World Records by Stuart Burrell|Twelve Times To The Max: One Man's Journey to, and Recollections of, Setting Twelve Verified World Records]] an inspiring, feel-good read. She wanted to know more when Stuart popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
Hi, hello and how are you all?
 
 
We don't want to dwell too much on convulsive world events - not because they don't concern us but because everyone is doing it and probably doing it much better than we could. But how could we ''not'' point out that George Orwell's ''newspeak'' classic ''1984'' is, as we write, back in [http://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/jan/24/george-orwell-1984-sales-surge-kellyanne-conway-alternative-facts Amazon's bestseller list]. Alternative facts are not facts. And thank you, George Orwell, for warning us.  
 
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
|category=comments
+
|category=interviews
|title=Linda Newbery Talks To Bookbag About The Power Of Protest
+
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Wes Stuart
|summary=Linda Newbery Talks To Bookbag About The Power Of Protest
+
|summary=Luke enjoyed the combination of compellingly-written science fiction which blends themes of innocence and growth with some well depicted moments of horror in [[My Name is Sam by Wes Stuart|My Name is Sam]] and he had quite a few questions for author Wes Stuart when he popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
|summary=We were very impressed by Linda Newbery's [[Until We Win by Linda Newbery|Until We Win]] a dramatized example of Suffragist ideas.  She's been chatting to us about the power of protest.
 
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
|category=lists
+
|category=interviews
|title=Top Ten Self-Published Books 2016
+
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To B C R Fegan
|summary= It's never an easy job picking our top ten self published books of any year, but 2016 was particularly difficult as we've seen some exceptional books.
+
|summary=Sue giggled like a child when she read [[Henry and the Hidden Treasure by B C R Fegan and Lenny Wen]]: it's a good story with some valuable lessons.  It was a real pleasure to chat to writer B C R Fegan when he popped into Bookbag Towers.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
 
|category=interviews
 
|category=interviews
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Charles D Blanchard
+
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Annie Ingram
|summary=Luke thought that [[Kingdom's End by Charles D Blanchard]] was an adventurous take on a political thrillerIt features rats but offers some facinating insights into the world of us humans.  Luke had quite a few questions for the author when he popped in to Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
+
|summary=Very few people believe that dogs can talk so it was something of a relief when Sue met author, Annie Ingram.  She has lengthy conversations with her cocker spaniel Kammie and has shared them with us in her [[Conversations with Kammie by Annie Ingram|book]].  There was a lot to talk about when she popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
|category=newsletters
+
|category=interviews
|title=January 2017 Newsletter
+
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Stephan Santiago
|summary=  
+
|summary=Ani was quietly moved by [[Returning Home by Stephan Santiago|Returning Home]] and there were several points she wanted to discuss with author Stephan Santiago when he popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
Hello, hello, hello! And a very happy New Year to you all. May 2017 bring joy and prosperity to every one of you. The world may well be heading to hell in a handcart but we hope it finds a new direction this year and, even if it doesn't, all our readers find at least the small pleasures that make life worth living come their way.
 
 
 
Have you seen the film of [[A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness|A Monster Calls]]? It's lovely! As lovely as the book - and we rarely say that hereabouts. The cast is super and the film balances its emotional and fantastical elements beautifully. If you haven't seen it yet, then you really should.
 
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
|category=lists
+
|category=interviews
|title=Top Ten Non-Fiction Books of 2016
+
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Tessa Buckley
|summary= If fiction's not your bag then we've chosen some special non-fiction books for youAs always they're in alphabetical order by author.
+
|summary=Jill's really taken by author Tessa Buckley's mystery and family drama series, Eye Spy Investigations and enjoyed [[Eye Spy II by Tessa Buckley|Eye Spy II]]There were quite a few questions for Tessa when she popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
|category=lists
+
|category=interviews
|title=Top Ten Teens Books of 2016
+
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Saqib Noor
|summary= There have been some cracking books for teens and young adults this year. These are our favourites in alphabetical order by author.
+
|summary=Sue laughed and cried when she read [[Surgery on the Shoulders of Giants: Letters from a doctor abroad by Saqib Noor|Surgery on the Shoulders of Giants: Letters from a doctor abroad]], touched and humbled by a man who has provided medical aid in some of the neediest parts of the world. She had quite a few questions when author Saqib Noor popped into Bookbag Towers to see us.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
|category=lists
+
|category=interviews
|title=Top Ten Books for Confident Readers 2016
+
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Johnny Ringwood
|summary= We've quite a range of books in our confident readers category - it stretches from the time that children are nicely reading on their own right through to the point where they're looking at books for teenswe think we've got something for everyone is this selection which is in alphabetical order by author.
+
|summary=Peter enjoyed [[Cargoes & Capers: The life and times of a London Docklands man by Johnny Ringwood|Cargoes & Capers]] with its memories of life in the East End and stories how the author, Johnny Ringwood, turned his life aroundHe had rather a lot of questions when Johnny popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
|category=lists
+
|category=interviews
|title=Top Ten Children's Picture Books 2016
+
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Isabella Davidson
|summary= We've found some wondefful picture books this year and they#re all going to appeal to adults ''and'' childrenHere they are in alphabetical order by author.
+
|summary=Sue was grabbed by [[The Beta Mum: Adventures in Alpha Land by Isabella Davidson|The Beta Mum: Adventures in Alpha Land]] as soon as she started readingShe decided to tackle author Isabella Davidson about what it means to be an alpha or a beta mummy when she popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
|category=lists
+
|category=interviews
|title=Top Ten Children's Non-Fiction Books of 2016
+
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Lizzy Mumfrey
|summary= We really struggled to pick just ten of the wonderful children's non-fiction books which we've seen this year, but here they are, in alphabetical order by author.
+
|summary=Sue was stunned by [[Fall Out by Lizzy Mumfrey]] and simply couldn't put the book down.  She had a whole list of questions for the author when she popped into Bookbag Towers.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
|category=lists
+
|category=interviews
|title=Top Ten General Fiction Books of 2016
+
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Hugo Driscoll
|summary= We look for cracking good reads from our General Fiction favourites and here they are in alphabetical order by author.
+
|summary=Sue thought that [[Seven Days with You by Hugo Driscoll|Seven Days With You]] was a quick but surprisingly deep read which looks sensitively at young love and terminal illness and that it's more uplifting than you might expect from that descriptionThere was a lot to chat about when author Hugo Driscoll popped into Bookbag Towers.
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
|category=newsletters
 
|title=November 2016 Newsletter
 
|summary=
 
Everything has gone a little bit crazy in dear old Blightly of late, hasn't it? Brexit has sent us all into a spin and there is a great deal of anger about. Our hope, in this November newsletter, is to bring you - whichever side of the Brexit divide you find yourself on - some of the joy and happiness found in reading for pleasure. Reading is the best escape of all. We'll never change our minds about that here at Bookbag Towers.
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
|category=lists
 
|title=Top Ten Crime Novels 2016
 
|summary= For the most part we've avoided the big names in our favourites this year: it's good to see some new names coming throughThese are our favourites in alphabetical order by author.
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
|category=lists
 
|title=Top Ten Historical Fiction Books of 2016
 
|summary= A few years ago historical fiction was a niche genre, but now it's mainstream and we've seen some cracking books this year.  These are our favourites in alphabetical order by author.
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
|category=lists
 
|title=Top Ten Women's Fiction Books of 2016
 
|summary= There should be something for everyone's tastes here: they're all great fun and we've presented them alphabetically by author.
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
|category=lists
 
|title=Top Ten Autobiographies and Biographies 2016
 
|summary= We've seen a lot of biographies and autobiographies in 2016 and it hasn't been easy to select just ten as our favourites, but here's what we finally settled on in alphabetical order by author.
 
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
 
|category=interviews
 
|category=interviews
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Leigh Bardugo
+
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Michael Pronko About ''The Last Train''
|summary=Olivia thought that [[Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo|Crooked Kingdom]] was all that she could want from a book and more, so she had quite a few questions when Leigh Bardugo popped in to Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
+
|summary=Sue was very impressed by [[The Last Train (Detective Hiroshi) by Michael Pronko|The Last Train]], a thriller set in Tokyo.  she had quite a few questions for author [[:Category:Michael Pronko|Michael Pronko]] when he popped into Bookbag Towers.
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
|category=lists
 
|title=Top Ten Literary Fiction Books of 2016
 
|summary= It's been a rich year for literary fiction and we had great fun debating which were our favourites - but here they are in alphabetical order by author.
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
|category=lists
 
|title=Top Ten Science Fiction and Fantasy Novels 2016
 
|summary= We've got some old favourites and some new names in this year's selection of our favourites. Here they are - in alphabetical order by author.
 
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
 
|category=interviews
 
|category=interviews
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Steven Burgauer
+
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To David Windle
|summary=Ani thought that [[The Road To War: Duty & Drill, Courage & Capture by Steven Burgauer]] was personal, inspiring & insightfulShe had quite a few points to discuss when Steven Burgauer popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
+
|summary=After reading [[Spudboy and Chip by David Windle]] Jill wants a potato superheroThere was a lot to talk about when the author popped into Bookbag Towers.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
 
|category=interviews
 
|category=interviews
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Numba Pinkerton
+
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To B C R Fegan
|summary=For years Sue has bought mostly black clothes, because they seemed ''safe'': Numba Pinkerton has shown her how to have a wardrobe which works and which she loves.  When Numba, author of [[The No Black Project by Numba Pinkerton|The No Black Project]] popped into Bookbag Towers, Sue had lots of questions she wanted to ask.
+
|summary=Jill thought that [[The Grumpface by B C R Fegan and Daniela Frongia]] was sweet, funny and vividly illustrated. She had quite a few questions for author Bryce Fegan when he popped into Bookbag Towers.
}}
 
{{newfeature
 
|category=lists
 
|title=The Richard and Judy Book Club Autumn 2016
 
|summary= Seven great reads for the autumn - and we've read them all!
 
 
}}
 
}}
 +
 
{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
 
|category=interviews
 
|category=interviews
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Richard Smith about The Darzoids' Stone
+
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Spadge Whittaker About Confessions of Modern Women
|summary=Jill loved [[The Darziods' Stone by Richard Smith|The Darziods' Stone]] - a fast-paced teen adventure - and had quite a few questions for author Richard Smith when he popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
+
|summary=Jill thought that ''Confessions of Modern Women'' was both fun and funny to read and occasionally bawdy to boot.  There was a lot to chat about when Spadge popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
 
}}
 
}}
  
 +
Move to [[Recommended Resources]]
 
[[Category:Features|*]]
 
[[Category:Features|*]]

Revision as of 14:03, 15 January 2021

Check out the full lists of interviews, top tens and articles.

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Gerry Brown About Making a Difference: Leadership, Change and Giving Back the Independent Director Way

Gerry Brown is so keen to see people geting involved that there's a free digital download of this £42 book. Read more...

Booklists.jpg Top Ten Self-Published Books 2020

In this strangest of years we've been delighted by the self-published books we've read and they're all books which compare well with traditionally-published books in the same genres. We really couldn't narrow the choice down any further - so this year's top ten consists of eleven books and here they are, in alphabetical order by author... Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Olga Kokshagina and Allen Alexander

Sue was so impressed by The Radical Innovation Playbook: A Practical Guide for Harnessing New, Novel or Game-Changing Breakthroughs by Olga Kokshagina and Allen Alexander that she wished that she had a good business idea of her own so that she could use the book. Perhaps that was what she was talking about when Olga and Allen popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Andrew Hampshire

Technology can seem frightening to people who don't have the background. In Creating Value Through Technology: Discover the Tech that Can Transform Your Business Andrew Hampshire discusses the tech that can add quantifiable value to your business and how to get the most out of it. He and Sue had a lot to chat about when he dropped into Bookbag Towers. Read more...

Bookcomments.jpg Stand Up to Bullying With a Pulitzer Prize Winner

In every generation, there are kids who become bullies. They bully their siblings, neighbor kids, and their classmates. They seem to believe that other kids look up to them and respect them. That is self-delusion, as most adults are aware, but kids don't have the experience to properly judge what is respect and what is merely fear. Read more...

Bookcomments.jpg From Sci Fi to Reality: How Dreams Turn Into Innovations

The gap between sci-fi and reality is not so big anymore. You don’t have to go that far back in time to see huge developments in technology. For example, the smartphone has been around for over 10 years now, but if you don’t have one in today’s society, you’d either be seen as crazy or just out of touch. Read more...

Bookcomments.jpg 5 Great AI books to read in 2020

Artificial intelligence (AI) has expanded into one of the most important technologies in human history. It comes with so many benefits, from improving the efficiency of simple, basic tasks to helping to solve advanced problems by quickly analyzing large data sets. Read more...

Booklists.jpg A Baker's Dozen of Books to Keep the Kids Occupied When They Can't Go Out

Are you running out of inspiration for what to do with the kids when they can't go out? We've come up with a baker's dozen of books to give you some brilliant ideas. Read more...

Booklists.jpg Top Ten Self-Published Books 2019

We've seen some cracking self-published books this year and they're all books which compare well with traditionally-published books in the same genres. We really couldn't narrow the choice down any further - so this year's top ten consists of eleven books and here they are, in alphabetical order by author... Read more...

Bookcomments.jpg Desiree Villena Talks To Bookbag About 5 Key Tips for Writing a Critical-Yet-Fair Book Review

Writing a book review isn't difficult, you know, but there are a few things you need to keep us in mind. Desiree Villena gives us five tips. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Melanie Martin

In War and Love: A family's testament of anguish, endurance and devotion in occupied Amsterdam Melanie Martin reconstructs what happened to her family in occupied Amsterdam in WWII. It's a highly compelling if occasionally shocking read. Days after she finished the book Sue could not stop thinking about what she had read and was delighted when the author agreed to chat with her. Read more...

Bookcomments.jpg Framing the Brexit narrative: immigration, myths and public perception

Loobna Joomun looks at how Brexit is likely to affect the publishing industry - and the wider country. Read more...

Bookcomments.jpg 8 ways to motivate yourself to write, right NOW by Jessica Jarlvi

Ever felt that you've hit a brick wall with your writing? Jessica Jarlvi has eight tips yo get you writing again. Read more...

Bookcomments.jpg Greg Hickey Talks To Bookbag About The Old Guard of Dystopian Fiction

Where do you go when you move beyond classics like 1984 and Brave New World? Read more...

Booklists.jpg Top Ten Self-Published Books 2018

Choosing the top ten self-published books we read in 2018 was difficult as we're constantly surprised at just how good some self-published books are. Here's our final top ten in alphabetical order by author... Read more...

Bookcomments.jpg James Donald Talks To Bookbag About The Death Of Norman Breyfogle

One of the finest storytellers you've never heard of, who died in September 2018 at the age of 58. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Melissa Leet

Sue was impressed when she read Landslide by Melissa Leet and was surprised to find that it was a debut novel. She had quite a few questions for Melissa when she popped into Bookbag Towers. Read more...

Bookcomments.jpg Faiz Kermani talks to Bookbag about how a blue frog is helping Malawi's vulnerable children to live safe, healthy and happy lives

Every child has a right to medical care Read more...

Bookcomments.jpg Abi Silver Talks To The Bookbag About A Few Of Her Favourite Things

We could definitely make a flying car – but that's not the hard part. The hard part is, how do you make a flying car that's super safe and quiet?: Elon Musk Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Daniel Peltz

Sue wasn't expecting to enjoy a novel about a building, but was surprised by just how compelling she found The Indomitable Chiesa di Santa Maria. There was a lot to chat about when author Daniel Peltz popped into Bookbag Towers. Read more...

Booklists.jpg Top Ten Self-Published Books 2017

Choosing the top ten self-published books we read in 2017 was one of the toughest jobs we did all year and involved a great deal of discussion. Here's our final top ten in alphabetical order by author... Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Chit Dubey

Sue was quietly impressed when she read 21 Doors to Happiness: Life Through Travel Experiences and Meditation by Chit Dubey as it chimed with her personal view of life. She was delighted when Chit Dubey popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us. Read more...

Bookcomments.jpg Melita Thomas Talks To Bookbag About The King's Pearl: Henry VIII and his Daughter Mary

Melita Thomas tell us that Mary was a true Renaissance Princess Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Elizabeth Fox and Martin le Comte

Peter thought that The Ten Golden Rules of Leadership was the best book on leadership he'd ever read and he couldn't resist asking authors Elizabeth Fox and Martin le Comte quite a few questions when they came to Bookbag Towers to chat to us. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Gabe Riggs

Luke thought that Punk Love Foucault by Gabe Riggs was an intense, emotional and visceral read that illuminates and educates with a strong voice and clear, capable prose. There was a lot to talk about when Gabe popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Sandra Aragona

Sue loved Sandra Aragona's lightly-fictionalised autobiography of life as a diplomatic spouse. There was a lot that she wanted to ask about when Sandra popped into Bookbag Towers. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To K J Lawrence

Sue was delighted when she read The Cossack as it restored her faith in the thriller genre. When the author, K J Lawrence, popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us, Sue had quite a few questions ready! Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Stuart Burrell

Sue found Start Burrell's book Twelve Times To The Max: One Man's Journey to, and Recollections of, Setting Twelve Verified World Records an inspiring, feel-good read. She wanted to know more when Stuart popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Wes Stuart

Luke enjoyed the combination of compellingly-written science fiction which blends themes of innocence and growth with some well depicted moments of horror in My Name is Sam and he had quite a few questions for author Wes Stuart when he popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To B C R Fegan

Sue giggled like a child when she read Henry and the Hidden Treasure by B C R Fegan and Lenny Wen: it's a good story with some valuable lessons. It was a real pleasure to chat to writer B C R Fegan when he popped into Bookbag Towers. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Annie Ingram

Very few people believe that dogs can talk so it was something of a relief when Sue met author, Annie Ingram. She has lengthy conversations with her cocker spaniel Kammie and has shared them with us in her book. There was a lot to talk about when she popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Stephan Santiago

Ani was quietly moved by Returning Home and there were several points she wanted to discuss with author Stephan Santiago when he popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Tessa Buckley

Jill's really taken by author Tessa Buckley's mystery and family drama series, Eye Spy Investigations and enjoyed Eye Spy II. There were quite a few questions for Tessa when she popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Saqib Noor

Sue laughed and cried when she read Surgery on the Shoulders of Giants: Letters from a doctor abroad, touched and humbled by a man who has provided medical aid in some of the neediest parts of the world. She had quite a few questions when author Saqib Noor popped into Bookbag Towers to see us. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Johnny Ringwood

Peter enjoyed Cargoes & Capers with its memories of life in the East End and stories how the author, Johnny Ringwood, turned his life around. He had rather a lot of questions when Johnny popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Isabella Davidson

Sue was grabbed by The Beta Mum: Adventures in Alpha Land as soon as she started reading. She decided to tackle author Isabella Davidson about what it means to be an alpha or a beta mummy when she popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Lizzy Mumfrey

Sue was stunned by Fall Out by Lizzy Mumfrey and simply couldn't put the book down. She had a whole list of questions for the author when she popped into Bookbag Towers. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Hugo Driscoll

Sue thought that Seven Days With You was a quick but surprisingly deep read which looks sensitively at young love and terminal illness and that it's more uplifting than you might expect from that description! There was a lot to chat about when author Hugo Driscoll popped into Bookbag Towers. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Michael Pronko About ''The Last Train''

Sue was very impressed by The Last Train, a thriller set in Tokyo. she had quite a few questions for author Michael Pronko when he popped into Bookbag Towers. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To David Windle

After reading Spudboy and Chip by David Windle Jill wants a potato superhero. There was a lot to talk about when the author popped into Bookbag Towers. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To B C R Fegan

Jill thought that The Grumpface by B C R Fegan and Daniela Frongia was sweet, funny and vividly illustrated. She had quite a few questions for author Bryce Fegan when he popped into Bookbag Towers. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Spadge Whittaker About Confessions of Modern Women

Jill thought that Confessions of Modern Women was both fun and funny to read and occasionally bawdy to boot. There was a lot to chat about when Spadge popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us. Read more...

Move to Recommended Resources