Good reads
At Adventure into Books we love to tell you about books that have caught our eye and to recommend some of our long-standing favourites.
These books can found in our bookshop or can be ordered from us by email, phone or Facebook (pretty much anything except smoke signals or pigeons).
However, if you can’t get in to see us, you can now order online by clicking here: Adventure into Books. This will take you to our page on Bookshop.org – an alternative to Amazon, designed to support independent bookshops on the UK’s high streets (or in our case, Blairgowrie’s Wellmeadow).
When you visit Bookshop.org using this link, you will know that you are visiting our bookshop because our name and profile picture will appear in the top left of the page. You can also find us by searching for us in the list of bookshops or by clicking on the map marker. When you first visit us using the link, a cookie is set and any books you buy from our page will be credited to us. To keep supporting us, just bookmark the page and come into Bookshop.org through your saved link.
From our page on Bookshop.org you can search for and buy any book that’s available from our supplier (not just books we have in our bookshop on the Wellmeadow), and they will send it to you.
Thanks as always for your fantastic support of our bookshop. It is very much appreciated.
Among the many fabulous new titles published recently, these have particularly caught our eye:
Islands of Mercy by Rose Tremain
Recommended by our book festival friends, BOOKMARK, this novel spans the globe. Set in the 19th century, the characters we meet live a terrific and serious story, as they each search for ‘places of consolation and solace’. It was both difficult to put down and hugely satisfy in its conclusion
You can buy this book from us through our Bookshop.org page by clicking: Islands of Mercy
The Liar’s Dictionary by Eley Williams
The language in this book is just delicious and the story is both gentle and classic – of mis-matched rivals in love. It’s also funny and surprising, with a choking pelican, a menacing nuisance caller and a fatally determined moth, traipsing up and down a railway carriage window, all playing noteworthy cameo parts. I loved coming across words such as psithurism (the rustling of leaves) and clepsammia (an hourglass, from the Greek for theft and sand). But most of all, I loved the confirmation that language needs to live and change.
You can buy this book from us through our Bookshop.org page by clicking: The Liar’s Dictionary
Mr Wilder and Me by Jonathan Coe
Described by various reviewers as ‘bittersweet’, this has been recommended by one of our customers and will be joining my ‘duvet-days’ book selection to see me through January. Set on a Greek island in the summer of 1977, Calista finds herself working for Hollywood director Billy Wilder: her life is about to change for good.
You can buy this book from us through our Bookshop.org page by clicking: Mr Wilder and Me
Going to the Berries: Voices of Perthshire and Angus Seasonal Workers by Roger Leitch
This is a must for our local community along Strathmore but will also appeal to anyone interested in knowing more about the social history of this major industry. The book is full of contributions from locals and seasonal visitors, enriched with fascinating archive material, recalling their memories of berry picking and the many agricultural and estate activities that were taking place during a time of great change.
You can buy this book from us through our Bookshop.org page by clicking: Going to the Berries
And not forgetting our younger readers (and the young at heart):
Amari and the Night Brothers by BB Alston
Due out on 21 January, I love, love, love this book. Suitable from about 9 upwards, Amari finds herself in a summer school for people with special, supernatural talents. She needs to learn fast and quickly work out who she can trust if she’s to find out what’s happened to her big brother and hero, Quinton. If you like adventure stories and magic, this is one for you.
You can buy this book from us through our Bookshop.org page by clicking: Amari and the Night Brothers
Dance Like a Flamingo by Moira Butterfield
Ideal for 2-5 year olds. Bright, fun and active – AND ideal for any grown-up wanting to shake off some of those mince pies (I can hear my mum making up the next batch as I write). Perhaps check no one is videoing this before you get too carried away?
You can buy this book from us through our Bookshop.org page by clicking: Dance Like a Flamingo
Our friends at Bookmark also publish their own recommendations each month (www.bookmarkblair.com) – we either have these books in stock or can order them in if any happen to catch your eye.