A Bit More World Book Night

World Book Night is collating giver stories for a blog.  Definitely worth a read. Particularly the one about the 57 year old woman who cannot read and write.

http://www.worldbooknight.org/wbn-blog

World Book Night

This week Monday was World Book Night.  A charitable event created by publishers and the book industry to encourage reading.  They aim to give away 1m books.  Some direct and some via "givers" who nominate themselves online and say which of 25 titles they would like to give away.  If successful the giver has 24 copies of the chosen book delivered to a library or bookshop, they pick them up and then give them away.  Last year I had The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark - a crucial book as it was reading it and being so amazed by its structure that I decided to study English at university.  This year I have Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier.  While it has no claims as lofty as Jean Brodie in its impact on my life, it is a terrific book and one I have always loved, partly because of its reflections and links to Jane Eyre - my all time favourite book.  I hope Jane Eyre is on the list one day!

For more information about World Book Night go to www.worldbooknight.org

A week in the Lake District

We had vowed never to return to the Lake District after counting 80 people on top of Haystacks one summer weekend, but the lure of a family get together with great walking thrown in was just too much.  We spent the week in a gorgeous house just near Shap, in spitting distance (though we didn't) of the Lakes.  For some of the party it was an introduction to hill walking - though maybe doing Striding Edge on Helvellyn in the snow was not the most sensible walk for a novice.  But they enjoyed it and we had a few days of great hills in the snow and with brilliant views in between some nice family time.

I didn't take my camera on this walk, which was a mistake.  We were up the High Street - a great ridge walk up and then superb views across the hills.  I had to take this on my iphone and really regretted not taking the camera.  It still looks fab though.

Next stop - a quick southerly Munro at the beginning of May when I will take my camera!