This week is Book Week Scotland organised by the Scottish Book Trust.

One of the suggestions is to hold a ‘Reading Lunch’ tomorrow on November the 30th  which is incidentally also St Andrew’s Day.

This seems a great idea to me. What could be more relaxing than taking the time out to have lunch and enjoy a good book? I’m all for it!

Then again, this presents me with a dilemma. Which book to read? As usual, I have several on the go at one time.

The question is which one of these would go best with my cheese sandwich?

Well, as Muriel Spark’s protagonist is on a diet of eating only half of everything in order to lose weight and as I have bought some Dutch Edam cheese for a change, I think it will have to be The Miniaturist and I can picture myself in Amsterdam with Nella.

I wonder if I could get away with having a ‘Reading Dinner’ at night to celebrate St Andrew’s day and I could read my Muriel Spark book and eat shortbread? Sounds like a good day to me!

 

 

So which book will you read over lunch tomorrow and will your food choices influence the book or vice versa?

 

Worth a look! The Scottish Book Trust have published an e-book of stories on the theme of ‘Nourish’.

 

I recently wrote a post about ‘Cup of Tea Books’, you know, the books or stories you return to again and again. Comforting, familiar, like the old worn crochet blanket you wrap yourself up in at night.

Well, I had some lovely replies on Twitter and Facebook and I thought I’d list them here. Admittedly so I could make up a list for myself of books to read and then I thought, why not share it? So here we are.

A huge thank you to all who replied, it’s been great fun seeing your recommendations and a good excuse to keep in touch!

I’ll keep on adding to the list and add this to the main page of the blog so please feel free to send me the titles of your ‘Cup of Tea Books’ and spread the word, thank you!

The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood

A Man called Ove – Fredrik Backman

The Miniaturist – Jesse Burton

Theft in a Cake Shop – Italo Calvino

Agatha Christie

Elemental – Amanda Curtin

Rebecca – Daphne Du Maurier

Elizabeth is Missing – Emma Healey

H is for Hawk – Helen Macdonald

Nutshell – Ian McEwan

The Heart of Horses – Molly Gloss

Birdsong – Sebastian Faulkes

Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

We are all Completely Beside Ourselves – Karen Joy Fowler

The Magus – John Fowles

Poldark – Winston Graham

The Island – Victoria Hislop

Ugly, a Memoir – Robert Hoge

The Kite runner – Khaled Hosseini

At First Light – Vanessa Lafaye

How to Eat – Nigella Lawson

The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney

The Lewis Trilogies – Peter May

The Chosen – Chaim Potok

Dorothy Sayers

Eligible – Curtis Sittenfeld

The Help – Kathryn Stockett

Wild – Cheryl Strayed

Consolations of the Forest – Sylvain Tesson

Marianne Wheelaghan

The Book Thief – Marcus Zusak

 

So what goes with a fresh cup of tea? A book!