Reviewing A Library Book And the Unexpected Peril Of Moving A Library (Yes We're Talking Bridgend Again)

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Been a while since I've chatted about a book I've read, which was remiss of me. Yesterday though finished The Restless Dead by Simon Beckett.

To be honest I've mixed views of this crime novel. I constantly felt as if I'd read similar things before. Did not feel that reader sensation of "Oh this is different".

Perhaps I can explain that more clearly by summarising the plot as follows:

Troubled medical guy investigates a series of murders.

Enough said re the storyline.

And the other thing is this: I've learnt as a reader that when the blurb (not any included reviews) compares the author to another writer then the book, though not necessarily bad, is not one you'd remember till the end of your days either. In this case the line is: "With forensic detail to rival Kathy Reichs".

To be fair though it is readable. And I particularly liked the way Mr Beckett was able to end most chapters with a twist. As if these chapters in the audiobook would have " Dah Dah Daah" for emphasis.

Regular readers will know how I've illustrated the urban tragedy that is Bridgend Town thanks to the incompetence that is the Welsh Labour council there. You might remember one of my oldest bugbears revolves around the town centre library, which the council moved (with EU funding!) to a place nine minutes away from the town centre. Thus making Bridgend probably the only town in Britain where the town centre library is away from the town centre.

Well I was speaking to someone recently and the subject of Bridgend Town came up. I mentioned in passing the library moving away from the town centre. The person was surprised. The person thought that the library had closed altogether after fancying after a break to borrow some books (months after the move) only to find that that the doors were shut (It's now. It needs to be said an Arts centre)

Now you might ask why the person just left it that. The answer is simple. Given the swathes of empty outlets in the town the assumption was made that it was a library closure. That was not then unreasonable particularly given the closed down premises in that street (Wyndham Street) alone.

Of course, and I acknowledge this, that this story is anecdotal. But I would guess that it's not exceptional. You have to wonder how many people stopped going to a library on this mistaken belief of closure brought on by the atmosphere of urban tragedy that is Bridgend Town.

The Welsh Labour Council should really apologise.

But you know they won't .

Until the next time.

So The Thing I Can't Do In Bed......And Other Things To Do With Reading Including A Bit Of Gore

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

This morning I woke up early (again) around four o'clock but for reasons I can't say today I was unable to go into the living room and either watch the TV or go on the laptop. So what could I do? I decided to try again what I haven't done in a while.

Read in bed.

No point in going online. I saw the news yesterday. This country seems to be run by a government and a Prime Minister in the form of a nervous breakdown.

Unfortunately I couldn't do it. I've never understand those scenes where somebody is engrossed in a book propped up in bed. I can't do it. My back starts to go into knots. I get uncomfortable.

I just can't do it.

Must admit it doesn't help that one of the books I'm reading, 1876 by Gore Vidal is something I'm not enthused about so far. I've reached almost halfway and I can't say I've read a more dull book in a long while. When I say dull, I don't mean that intellectually it's beyond me (and regular readers will know I'm not afraid to say when that's the case) but that very little actually seems to happen. I hope that it's not going to be one of those novels where everything including the kitchen sink is thrown.

Went to the library today. This was the book I got.

Simon Beckett - The Restless Dead

Now this seems to have an interesting link. It's set in Essex where I was in exile earlier in the month to look after my mother. And the covering blurb says that Mr Beckett (who I've never read before) has "forensic detail to rival Kathy Reichs" whose life was the basis for the TV series Bones which I became a fan of when I returned from hospital after seeing my mother.

Connections eh? Never watched it in bed though.

Until the next time.