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Poem of the Day - My life closed twice before its close

My life closed twice before its close -
It yet remains to see
If immortality unveil
A third event to me

So huge, so hopeless to conceive
As these that twice befell.
Parting is all we know of heaven,
And all we need of hell

Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)

Poem of the Day - from To a Mouse

Wee, sleekit, cowran, tim'rous beastie,
O, what a panic's in thy breastie!
Thou need na start awa sae hasty,
Wi' bickering brattle!
I wad be laith to rin an' chase thee,
Wi' murd'ring pattle!

Robert Burns (25th Jan 1759-21st July 1796)

Enjoy your haggis on Burns Night.

Book Review - Gone by Michael Grant

"Gone" is a page-turning book, an enticing read about the lives of orphaned teenagers: a fantasy thriller of mystical powers, raw emotions and cryptic cliffhangers. In this bubble, dream-like world, you learn how the teenagers cope without the security of their parents. It truly is a thought-provoking book that plays with the reader's mind. One reason why I love it so much, is that it made me think of life's luxuries and the plentiful indulgences which most of us take for granted. Really worth a read, a superb nailbiting book/series that will certainly toy with your emotions!

Sarah Brown

New Books - Library of Unrequited Love

Published this month - Looks like I'm going to have to treat myself (nice bun!)

"One morning a librarian finds a reader who has been locked in overnight. She begins to talk to him, a one-way conversation full of sharp insight and quiet outrage. As she rails against snobbish senior colleagues, an ungrateful and ignorant public, the strictures of the Dewey Decimal System and the sinister expansionist conspiracies of the books themselves, two things shine through: her unrequited passion for a researcher named Martin, and an ardent and absolute love for the arts. A delightful divertissement for the discerning bookworm"
 

 

Kerry York (Librarian)

Book Review - Just After Sunset by Stephen King

'Just After Sunset' is a good read because there are many different components to the book. Stephen King is a multi-talented writer and has the power to, not only intrigue the reader, but also to keep them hypnotically hooked. This is a short story collection; my favourite isWillow. King is an impeccable writer . He doesn't make the audience so terrified that they can't read on. However he does have them on the edge of their seat so they're dying to turn the page. Although horror-based, these stories are more chilling than terrifying; they stay with you after you've read them. King provokes all sorts of emotions, from anxiety to empathy, happiness to nostalgia. He will always be one of my favourite authors but this book especially shines through. These short stories,are good for people who don't have the motivation to read a full book; they're only a few pages long, thus making the book a wonderful read for everyone.

Victoria Cooper

Poem of the Day - from "It Couldn't be Done"

Somebody said that it couldn't be done,
But, he with a chuckle replied
That "maybe it couldn't", but he would be one
Who wouldn't say so till he'd tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
On his face.  If he worrried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle it in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start to sing as you tackle the thing
That "couldn't be done" and you'll do it.

Edgar A Guest
(suggested by Vicky Fowler, Personal Tutor)

New Year's Resolution

I heard on the Chris Evan's Radio Show today that the nation's favourite New Year's Resolution is to READ MORE and that most people give up their resolutions by the 3rd Friday of the month (that's today)!  So if you want to Read More, don't give up - join the College's Six Book Challenge and we'll help you keep your resolution.

Kerry York

Book Review - 'Lolito' by Ben Brooks

Lolito is a captivating and estranged tale of the realities of teenage youth culture. The book follows a fifteen year old boy Etgar who following a betrayal by his girlfriend meets a middle aged woman on the internet and masquerades as someone he is not to gain her affection. There are some shocking twists to the novel and it shows the reality and consequences of children trying to grow up to fast.

Sophie Bishop

Book Review - 'I escaped from Auschwitz' by Rudolf Vrba

This book was an interesting and tantalizing read. As I went to Poland to visit Auschwitz half way through reading this book it painted me am impeccable image of what the living conditions and the over all life of a prisoner was like in a concentration camp. And gave another side of the catastrophe as he escaped. I could hardly put this book down and i think it is even more special that it was written by a man who had experienced first hand what the dreaded Auschwitz was really like.

Molly Coombes

Poem of the Day - Giving up Smoking

There's not a Shakespeare sonnet
Or a Beethoven quartet
That's easier to like than you
Or harder to forget.

You think that sounds extravagant?
I have n't finished yet -
I like you more than I would like
To have a cigarette.

Wendy Cope (July 21st 1945 - )

Poem Of The Day - New Every Morning

Every day is a fresh beginning,
Listen my soul to the glad refrain.
And, spite of old sorrows
And older sinning,
Troubles forecasted
And possible pain,
Take heart with the day and begin again.

Susan Coolidge (January 29th 1835-April 9th 1905)

World Book Night 23rd April, 2014

For the past two years we've been chosen to distribute free novels on World Book Night.  This year I've requested multiple copies of the following books:

Theodore Boon by John Grisham
Boy with the Topknot by Sathnam Sanghera
Today Everything Changes by Andy McNab
Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch
Whatever it takes by Adele Parks

We'll know on 23rd February if our application has been successful.  Fingers-crossed we get our hands on these great reads.

In the meantime, if you've read  any of these titles please tell us if you like them or not.


Kerry York, Librarian

Poem Of The Day - First They Came for the Jews

First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out -
because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the communists
and I did not speak out -
because I was not a communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out -
because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me -
and there was no one left
to speak out for me.

Pastor Niemoller
January 14th 1892 - March 6th 1984

Book Review - Pride and Prejudice

An absolutely fantastic novel. It is not the same as other love stories - it shows loyalty to family and how a hard exterior can hide an awful lot of love - even the unlikeliest people can love and be loved. And you grow to love the two main characters - routing for them to get together even though they seem to hate each other.  And it’s funny too.

 

Susan Frappell

Book Review - A Thousand Splendid Suns

After reading 'The Kite Runner' for my AS Literature exam, I was very keen to read another one of Khaled Hosseini's books. 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' is set in Kabul just like in 'The Kite Runner' but this time, it follows the women of Afghanistan. Mariam is only 15 years of age when she is sent to Kabul and arranged to marry a man a lot older than herself. However, throughout the years to come, she meets a teenager called Laila, in which she develops strong ties with. The Daily Mail referred to it as 'A gripping tale.. It is, too, a powerful portrait of female suffering and endurance under the Taliban', which I feel sums up this novel completely. If you enjoyed reading/studying 'The Kite Runner' in English Literature, I really recommend giving 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' a read; this book is full of love, harrowing deception, fear and heroism. You will honestly find yourself turning each page, gasping and possibly weeping, and what Mariam and Laila endure. In my opinon, this book is not just as good as 'The Kite Runner', it is exceedingly better.

 

Emily Western

Book Review - The Fault In Our Stars

It immediately captures your heart because of Hazel's - the main character's - situation, and the unique view on how a teenager deals with cancer in today's world. You get sucked into the individual stories of all the characters and root for all of them to overcome their issues. They never pretend to be something special because of their situation, they tell it like it is and don't expect any sympathy for it. But be warned. It is a MASSIVE tear jerker. If you read this then you're going to need a box of tissues to get through it and some cake for afterwards.

Paige Ellis

Book Review - Lolita

It's beautifully written and twists the darkest of scenarios into fantastic pieces of literature. It's also full of hilarious black comedy and really engulfs you into the mind of the protagonist.

Sophie Bishop