Meet Julia Donaldson Summer reading Books of my life - RNIB

On our bedside table
Clare Carson, Read On
audio presenter read
The Silver Pigs by
Lindsey Davis
(TB 10320).
“This is Lindsey Davis’ first novel. I
interviewed Lindsey, who is partially
sighted herself, a couple of years ago
and was enthralled by her talking about
the hero in her books: Marcus Didius
Falco. He is a crack detective in Rome,
back in the days when Vespasian was
Emperor. This is a wonderful story
about how he sets up in
business and also travels
to Britain to solve a crime.
There is also a love story
intertwined with it. I loved
it and it helped pass the
time on a 10 hour flight
to America recently.”
Karen Porter works
in RNIB’s Publishing
team. She read The
Lighthouse by Alison
Moore, shortlisted for
the Booker Prize in
2012 (braille, giant
print and TB 20038).
“This is the story of Futh, a lonely
middle-aged man who decides to go on
a walking holiday in Germany. Woven
around it is Esther’s story, the unhappy
landlady of the hotel in which Futh
stays. As the story unfolds you gradually
discover more about Futh’s past, and
how events,
misunderstandings and
missed opportunities
have shaped him. It’s
a rather melancholy
book – quite short and
beautifully written but
left me feeling rather sad.”
Deb Ryan is Reader
Services Manager for
RNIB and the Editor of
Read On. She read The
Snow Child by
Eowyn Ivey (TB 19614,
giant print 4v).
“Based on a traditional story this is one
of the most atmospheric, beautifully
written books I have ever read.
Set in the twenties, Mabel and Jack
move to Alaska to start afresh after the
tragic loss of a child. One night, Mabel
makes a child out of snow. The next
morning, the snow child is gone, but
there is a trail of small footsteps leading
into the woods. The story unfolds as
the child becomes part of the family,
although she always yearns for the life
in the forest she had, and we see the
healing effect she has on the couple. The
question of whether the child is real or
not haunts the book and
you are left to make up
your own mind. At times
sad (I admit I cried), it
is still an uplifting book
about hope and the power
of love.”
21