Nothing like a good book to see you through winter
PENNY THE PENCIL ****
By Eileen O’Hely;
illustrated by Nicky Phelan
Mercier Press, 2005
I know we’re encouraged not to judge books by their covers, but sometimes it’s impossible not to—especially when there’s a pencil attached to the spine of the book, and the cover illustration just begs you to look inside! Penny the Pencil is delighted to be bought by an eight-year-old boy, Ralph, who isn’t looking forward to going back to school after the summer break. But, luckily for Ralph, Penny’s spelling is excellent and she is great at sums, too. It is not long before Ralph is getting full marks on his tests. But Penny’s help goes against the pencil-case rules and other residents of Ralph’s pencil case are not happy. Penny the Pencil is a wonderful children’s story, and will make youngsters look at their pencil case in a whole new light! Nicky Phelan’s black-and-white illustrations are fantastic and make this fun story all the more enjoyable.
TALK TO THE HAND ***
By Lynne Truss
Profile Books, 2005
Talk to the Hand or, to give its full title, Talk to the Hand: The Utter Bloody Rudeness of Everyday Life (or six good reasons to stay home and bolt the door), is Lynne Truss’ follow-up to her best-selling rant about punctuation, Eats, Shoots and Leaves. Although the phrase “talk to the hand” comes from “The Jerry Springer Show,” the book is about Britain and might not be so enjoyable for people who aren’t familiar with modern British culture. The aim of the book is not to teach good manners; instead it’s more a plea for people to show some consideration to others. Truss breaks the subject into six chapters and draws on a vast range of sources—from sociologist Erving Goffman to novelist Henry James—to back up her points. The book opens with three quotes, the first from Oscar Wilde, the second from Erving Goffman and the last from soccer player Paul Gascoigne (which, incidentally, was “F*** off, Norway,” when asked if he had a message for the people of Norway. Charming). Touching on subjects ranging from holding doors open to talking on mobile phones, from customer service to disciplining children, Truss’ writing is humorous and enjoyable throughout. The book is an easy read. In fact, many readers will wish Truss had probed a bit deeper, or developed a more thought-provoking argument.
REBECCA ***
By Daphne Du Maurier;
read by Harriet Walter
Der Hörverlag, 2005
3 CDs; running time approx. 185 mins.
Part of Der Hörverlag’s BBC Audio series, Rebecca is a chilling and timeless classic not to be missed. The story follows the new Mrs. de Winter, who can’t believe her luck when her husband, Maxim de Winter, brings her to the idyllic estate of Manderley on the Cornish coast. However, she soon realizes that the mansion is haunted by the shadow of Maxim’s first wife, Rebecca, who died in a sailing accident. The housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers, finds it particularly hard to let go of Rebecca’s memory. As Maxim’s second wife learns more about Rebecca and the details of her marriage with Maxim, past events slowly unravel. This version is narrated by Harriet Walter, who starred in the 1979 TV series of Rebecca. She gives a lively and engaging reading of this popular classic.
