Welcome, reader

Does the world need another book blog, really? Probably not, but here I am anyway, late to the party as usual, starting a blog about books. Why? Why??  

  1. I think books are important. I was a librarian for most of my working life; I’ve also been a bookseller – oh, and I’m a published author as well.
  2. I read a lot, and I like thinking about books and writing and reading and stuff.
  3. I’ve kept a personal reading journal for the last couple of years, but I thought it might be interesting to make it more social. Putting it online makes me think more analytically, and write more thoughtfully. And I’d like it to start conversations. Hi! I’m Lesley, by the way.

I’ll post about most of the books that I read, and muse about reading and writing and whatnot occasionally. I’m not a wannabe reviewer or critic, and I’m not after free books or invitations to literary events (though I won’t say no to either, obviously). I would like to help promote new current authors when I can though. Most importantly, I guarantee there will be no photos of coffee, fountain pens, notebooks, vintage typewriters or houseplants in my posts.

And what kind of books? I read mainly fiction but non-fiction as well – history, memoirs and essays mainly. I dip into genre fiction and YA from time to time. I read more women authors than men. I would like to decolonise my reading much more. I pay a modicum of attention to literary buzz, but I’m not usually interested in bestsellers per se. If this sounds like you too, grab a coffee and a houseplant, and let’s go.