Remember, remember, that November is Men’s Health Month so make sure to visit the libraries website and check out the curated selection of books and resources on offer. Also this month, adventures in far off places, some animal talk and a bit of forbidden love thrown into the mix.

 

Top non-fiction, chosen by Julia: Step by step : the life in my journeys by Simon Reeve

In his autobiography Simon Reeve lays open his adolescent experiences of crime and depression, leading to the moment when his life was literally hanging in the balance.

Simon puts himself into extreme situations, meeting with terror suspects and civil rights champions and this is a book that should be explored if you have any interest in travel, adventures and

humanity.

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Top fiction, chosen by Liz: The Humans by Matt Haig

To celebrate Men’s Health Month our book club choice is Matt Haig’s The Humans.

A funny, sad, compulsively readable novel about depression, alien abduction, mathematics, and that most interesting subject of all: ourselves. Combine Douglas Adams’s irreverent take on life, the universe, and everything with a genuinely moving love story, and you have some idea of the humour, originality, and poignancy The Humans.

Writer and mental health campaigner Matt Haig believes we should be frank, unashamed, and comfortable talking about the way we feel.

“There is this idea that you either read to escape or you read to find yourself.”

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Top audio book, chosen by Crispin: Disobedience – Naomi Alderman 

The search for love, tolerance and faith in a tightly-knit Jewish community in London. The overriding theme in the book is about suppressed sexuality and how social mores can prevent a person from being truly happy.

This is wonderful, thoughtful and occasionally funny book and definitely not lazy-minded: forbidden desire is not unequivocally good, deterministic religion is not unequivocally bad.

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Listen to the E-audio here

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Top children’s fiction, chosen by Ann: NO! said Rabbit by Marjoke Henrichs

Rabbit is happy doing his own thing, and he doesn’t want to listen to his mum telling him to get up, get dressed, have breakfast, play outside, come inside and least of all have a bath! NO, NO, NO! he says.

Ironic humour, lively and gorgeously colourful illustrations, this is a cleverly empathetic tale of tears and tantrums.

NO! said Rabbit is shortlisted for the BookTrust Storytime Prize

Find the Pbook here

 

Top children’s non-fiction, chosen by Ishmael: Wait, Rest, Pause : Dormancy in Nature by Marcie Flinchum Atkins

Imagine being a tree, ladybird, Arctic ground squirrel, chickadee, or alligator in cold weather or an earthworm in a drought. Imagine. No really, take a minute and really imagine.

You would pause.

Plants and animals have many different ways to enter dormancy, using minimal energy when weather extremes or seasonal changes require a pause. Many books for young children address the concept of hibernation, but Marcie develops the concept further, going deeper.

Large, close-up photographs from various sources show the trees and animals and the weather conditions that prompt these activities.

Remember, as winter draws in, our Libraries are open back to our usual opening hours. Libraries are warm and welcoming, there’s always a place to study or sit and read.

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Have you read any of the books featured this month? If so we’d love to hear what you thought! Leave your reviews in the comments below. Missed October book reviews? Catch up on them here.

You can find out more about libraries in East Sussex by visiting the East Sussex County Council website.