The Hereford Times

Books in the afternoon

11:29am Thursday 22nd November 2007

BOOKS and reading are an integral part of many people's lives, offering inspiration, enlightenment and escape from increasingly stressed lives.

Building on the increasing popularity of readers' groups around Herefordshire, West Midlands Readers' Network and Herefordshire Libraries are presenting a readers' afternoon on Saturday, December 1.

The afternoon will include a presentation, Our Reading Lives, by Jonathan Davidson of WMRN, and discussion groups will be invited by author Clare Brown to consider whether we should take comedy more seriously.

And novelist Paul McDonald, whose books are largely set in that bit of the West Midlands he has called home since childhood, will explore how a novelist goes about turning fact into fiction without losing his friends.

Two other thorny issues will be up for discussion later in the afternoon when Clare asks whether we read to get away from it all or to see ourselves?

Is a book with an exotic setting more appealing than one set in the recognisable here and now?

Paul's second discussion group will consider book covers, casting his eye over good and bad examples. Bring along any examples you think work well, or don't work at all.

With readings, a quiz and swap-a-book (bring along a quality paperback to swap), the afternoon promises to be a fascinating afternoon for anyone who loves books.

A Readers' Afternoon is on Saturday, December 1, from 2pm to 5pm at the Kindle Centre (next to Asda). Tickets are available from Hereford, Ross, Leominster and Ledbury libraries and the library unit at Shire Hall. For further information, call Anne-Marie Dossett on 01432 260646.