To be or not to be

This week includes William Shakespeare's birthday - 23rd April- and we thought we should give the bard a mention after so much publicity for Charles Dickens.

You may have noticed that Shakespeare is being featured in many ways by the BBC as part of the promotion of our cultural heritage as the Olympics draw closer. Have you watched or listened to any of the programmes?

Did you study Shakespeare at school? Have you tried any since? Does the presence of someone like Lenny Henry or David Tennant in the cast encourage you to watch one of his plays?

If reading the original plays seems off-putting, there are many other ways of trying Shakespeare - abridged versions of the story, visual and audio productions and even graphic novels.

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

From Hobbits to Adrian Mole

Can it really be 30 years since Adrian Mole wrote his secret diary?

Indeed it is and his publishers are celebrating with a new anniversary edition which includes more details of his life and world.  

His creator, Sue Townsend, became one of the UK's most popular comic writers.

 Celebrating its 75th birthday this year is The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien - the prequel to the cult classic

Lord of the Rings.

Did you love or hate Lord of the Rings? and did you read The Hobbit ?

Tell us what you thought of these books - and have you read any other diaries or journeys through life which you have enjoyed?

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.