Please Sir, can I have some more?

We return to our old friend Charles Dickens as this month there are many special events celebrating his work.

Many people will be joining in reading Oliver Twist during April and there are versions available in all our libraries for children and teens as well as the original full length novel.

To celebrate the great man’s 200th birthday, we’ve got some great talks lined up for you in April.

Novelist Ian Porter will be taking you on a “Walk through Dickens’ London”; a talk on Dickens’ life and times in London and Kent.
Erith Library Tuesday 24th April 2.30pm
Sidcup Library Wednesday 25th April at 2.30pm

 

Historian and author Adam Roberts will be giving a talk called “Dickens with a Twist”; a sideways look at the book, and the man
“Why has the novel proved so enduring?...How does it map London?...And why is Twist called Twist?”
Central Library, Wednesday 25th April 7.30 pm

 

Tickets for all the talks cost £2.50 and are available from the libraries concerned, or telephone 020 8303 7777

What the Dickens?

2012 sees the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens' birth and the celebrations start with some TV adaptations this Christmas.

But how many of his books have you actually read? And do you have a favourite?

Would it be the ever popular Christmas Carol?

or Great Expectations with the unforgettable Miss Havisham?

Or the boy who wanted more - Oliver - which is next year's City Read.

City Read London is a campaign to spread a love of books and reading to the widest possible audience throughout our capital. By choosing one book - Oliver Twist - for the whole city to read, discuss and debate, it aims to bring Londoners together in a series of special events, across London and online.

City Read London will launch on 2 April 2012.

 Follow the link from the front page of Bex-L to read 'A daily dose of Dickens' online.

Books we'll never forget...

This month we thought we’d tell you about our favourite books, so here are three of mine:

The Re-invention of Ivy Brown is like a jigsaw – set in the past and the present, with the hint of a mysterious happening which is not fully revealed until the end.  

Carry on Jeeves – any Jeeves title takes the reader into a world of country houses, landed gentry and Bertie Wooster, well-meaning gentleman about town who regularly needs rescuing by his manservant, Jeeves.

Oliver Twist – have you seen 'Oliver!' but never read the book? You’d be surprised how much more happens to Oliver. I was also surprised how much humour there is in it, despite it being the story of a mistreated workhouse boy.

Share your favourites with us and introduce others to books they’ll never forget by clicking on 'comments' below. 

For more reading choices try the Read and Relax pages on Bex-L. 

Next month, in time for the summer holidays, we'll be chatting about books we loved as children.

This month's moderator: Jill