Spring 2015 Read On Issue 22 RNIB National Library Service magazine for readers

Jeff Harding The man behind the voice Josephine Cox What inspires her Read On 22

Read On is published by RNIB. First words ©RNIB April 2015 Julie Gibson Library Engagement Manager RNIB charity nos. 226227, SC039316 Hello, and a very warm welcome and 1173 to the spring 2015 edition of Read On! Spring is a time for new beginnings and fresh Read On is available shoots, and that’s exactly what is happening in print, DAISY audio here at RNIB Library. I arrived just 6 months ago CD, braille and email. as the new Library Engagement Manager and Email already feel like I’ve been part of the family for [email protected] much longer. You’ll hear more about my role later in this edition. You will also meet the new Visit National Library Manager Mark McCree, and rnib.org.uk/reading discover more about exciting plans for the future of your service. To join We’re delighted to feature interviews with the Call RNIB on author of dozens of bestselling novels, the 0303 123 9999 fascinating Josephine Cox, as well as the owner Email of a voice which many of our talking book users [email protected] know and love already; Jeff Harding. We also hear from one of our wonderful Reader Support Volunteers, Helen Donnelly, about how much it means to her to share the love of reading with people. All in all, this is a very exciting time for RNIB Library. Mark and I hope to make you proud of your Library and get the most from it. We would love to hear your thoughts on what you’d like us to include in this magazine too, so please do email us at [email protected] or call 0303 123 9999. Have a wonderful spring and enjoy this issue!

ISSN 1758-0188

2 Contents

4 News 18 Literary news 4 RNIB Insight Radio 18 National Trust 4 New online library catalogue hoping for a 4 New DAISY made-to-order titles Wolf Hall effect 5 MANIL 18 5 Changes to braille books to lead cast of 6 Meet our Reader Support volunteers! 18 Filming begins on BBC One’s War and Peace 8 All together now 19 Mel Pepper and the 10 Author meaning of wife profile: 19 Hugh Laurie and Tom Josephine Cox Hiddleston to star in The Night Manager 19 Last writes 20 Books of my life: 12 Narrator Selina Mills profile: Jeff Harding 22 On my bedside table 24 Children’s author profile: 14 World Book David Almond Night 2015 16 More notes from a Small Island 26 Children’s book recommendations 28 Carnegie Awards 30 Behind the scenes

3 News

RNIB Insight Radio New online library catalogue Insight Radio, the award winning RNIB has been working over the Radio Station of RNIB, broadcasts last few months on building a new the needs, interests and online library catalogue that aspirations of blind and partially people can access any time. For sighted people throughout the UK. the first time, all the RNIB Library collections will be searchable in Broadcasting 24 hours a day, one place. More developments are Insight Radio covers news, sport, planned with the website, which entertainment, talking books and will bring greater functionality and social opportunities. In-depth independence for customers. It has feature interviews and lifestyle a lot more features than the programmes address a wide range previous catalogues and the of issues affecting blind and design has been informed by partially sighted people. customer comments. You can listen live on Freeview The site has been road-tested by channel 730, on 101FM in West users, staff and others, so we hope Central Scotland area, on smart that you enjoy it (and all the books devices via apps such as TuneIn or you can find on it). Radioplayer and online at insightradio.co.uk New DAISY made-to-order titles The most recent additions to RNIB’s made-to-order DAISY range include Richard Flanagan’s 2014 Booker prize-winning The Narrow Road to the Deep North (Order no 805468) and Joshua Ferris’s To Rise Again at a Decent Hour (805453), which was shortlisted for last year’s Booker prize.

4 Also newly available to buy are all been working hard to ensure that four of Louisa May Alcott’s books the transition is as smooth as about the March sisters: Little possible. Women (805512), Good Wives Here at RNIB Library, from 1 April (805513), Little Men (805514) 2015 we will begin producing all and Jo’s Boys (805515). new titles added to the Library in All are single-CD titles, priced UEB. This will not affect the existing £9.99 each. Call the Helpline on stock, which we will continue to use 0303 123 9999 to order. as before. You will therefore not notice any changes until you MANIL borrow one of those new titles. This year’s Make a Noise in The changes to your usual braille Libraries Fortnight will take place are minor, but to help with any from 1-14 June 2015. We will be queries you might have, we are encouraging public libraries to join producing a guide sheet to the in and organise activities. new UEB code. This sheet will be MANIL is all about raising posted out to all braille readers, awareness of the library services who can keep this sheet handy for RNIB provides and also about future reference. making public library services There is more information available more accessible. about UEB at rnib.org.uk and if you Look out for what’s going on in need any advice, you can call us on your local library. 0303 123 9999 or email [email protected] Changes to braille books From 1 April 2015 there will be some developments in our braille Library.

As you may already know, the organisation responsible for braille standards in this country, UKAAF, voted to adopt a revised braille code known as Unified English Braille or UEB, back in October 2011. Since that time RNIB and other members of UKAAF have

5 Meet our Reader Support volunteers We now have a new group of volunteers to help blind and partially sighted people with their reading choices.

Part of the told us why she chose to volunteer Technology for us and what she most enjoys Support Squad, about her role. who’ve been helping people “I’m training to be a rehabilitation with technology worker and as part of my course I in their homes need to gain as much experience for over 70 as possible of working with people years, our new Reader Support who have sight loss. RNIB was the volunteers can visit you at home to obvious place to look for give face to face help with anything volunteering opportunities and this related to reading. This could be role sounded very interesting, help deciding what reading options combining reading and technology are best for you, help using a with meeting and supporting service such as Talking Books or people. RNIB Overdrive, or just some “My son, who’s now 23, has been friendly and knowledgeable advice blind since birth. He’s a braille on what books you might enjoy reader and although he still reading. occasionally gets books from the To arrange a visit from a reading library, his usual method is Reader Support volunteer, just to download audio books which he call our Helpline on can then listen to on his computer 0303 123 9999 or email or phone. [email protected] “I read every day. I normally read a Helen Donnelly from Bristol is a physical book, but I’ve borrowed an Reader Support volunteer for RNIB, e-reader so I’m going to give that a visiting blind and partially sighted go. Kate Atkinson is one of my people in their homes to help them favourite authors at the moment. decide what, and how, to read. She I also love Carol Shields, Ann Tyler,

6 Bill Bryson, Colin Dexter, “As well as my role here, I volunteer Ian Rankin, Martin Cruz Smith and at a work club supporting disabled David Mitchell. and older people to use computers and look for work, and I also help “When I joined RNIB as a volunteer, lead walks for Walking for Health. I was surprised to find out how I get a tremendous amount from many different people are involved volunteering; perhaps the best thing in so many different ways, and just is the people I’ve met. It’s always how important volunteers are to interesting, often good fun and the organisation. there’s the satisfaction of knowing you’re making a difference.”

Helen recommends: Samad; Millat and Magid their White teeth by Zadie Smith twins; Clara the equally young wife of Archie, who is from “Jamaica via White teeth was Lambeth” and Irie their daughter. British author Zadie While you may not agree or Smith’s award-winning sympathise with the characters, first novel. you become involved with all “White teeth is set in these different voices, and want north west London to know what’s going to happen and revolves around next. the lives of Archie I don’t often re-read books because Jones and his friend Samad Iqbal, I always have too many that I’m a newly arrived immigrant, who waiting to read, but this is one book met when they were soldiers. I enjoyed just as much the second The novel starts in 1974 and time around. It’s funny, fast-paced, follows Archie and Samad’s lives full of incident and has great over three decades, describing dialogue. In fact, just by talking their struggles with married life, about it I’m finding that I want to parenting, religious expectations, read it again!” cultural clashes and the ethics of genetically modified mice! White teeth is available from RNIB Library in braille and giant print, You see life from the perspective of and as a talking book on DAISY CD, the different characters in the USB stick or digital download from book: Alsana, the young wife of RNIB Overdrive.

7 All together now Sophie Ainscough from our Reading Services Publishing team reports on how we’re working with publishers to make more books available in accessible formats.

We’re passionate about making released in bookshops, with the more books available in accessible audio version available soon formats, from braille to giant print afterwards as a talking book on and audio. Here are just some of DAISY CD, USB stick and digital the ways we’re working with download from RNIB Overdrive. publishers to make more books accessible for blind and partially Last autumn, we simultaneously sighted readers, and some of the published another HarperCollins fantastic books we’re bringing to title, The Monogram Murders by our library this year. Sophie Hannah. This new Poirot mystery – the first written by New Josephine Cox – anyone other than the famous available now from our library sleuth’s creator, Agatha Christie – Josephine Cox is one of our quickly became one of the most library’s most beloved and prolific popular books in our library. authors, so we were excited to find out that she was releasing her 51st We’re looking forward to working novel this January. Lonely Girl is a closely with publishers to make beautifully written and epic family some of the biggest and best new tale from a truly gifted storyteller, books available simultaneously which tells the heartbreaking throughout 2015. story of a young girl who must discover the secrets behind her How the publishing industry mother’s cruelty to find her own helps us to grow happiness. Our Library is the biggest of its kind for blind and partially sighted Thanks to our relationship with the people, and we want to make sure book’s publisher, HarperCollins, it’s always growing. We wouldn’t be blind and partially sighted readers able to do this without support were able to borrow Lonely Girl from the publishing industry, so from our library in both braille and we’re thrilled to be working closely giant print on the same date it was with several key publishers.

8 One of these is W F Howes, one of the creation of DAISY files, and this the country’s leading audio book work remains as important as ever and large print providers, who to ensure that everything we kindly donated six of the books produce is available in the DAISY longlisted for the Man Booker Prize format that many of our library to RNIB in 2014. We’ll be adding users know and love. more of their audio books to our library this year, including Books currently being recorded in highlights like Peter James’s latest the studios range from The Hairy thriller, Want you dead, Henry Bikers’ Good Eating Cook Book to Marsh’s riveting neurosurgery Benjamin Zephaniah’s powerful memoir, Do no harm, and Emma new novel, Terror kid. The studios Healey’s Costa Award-winning work their DAISY magic on all the novel, Elizabeth is missing. These audio files we add to the library, will be available from RNIB Talking both those we get from publishers Books on DAISY CD and USB stick. and those we record ourselves.

Of course, our work doesn’t just To find out more about the reading focus on our own library. We also choices available to blind and work with publishers to encourage partially sighted people, visit commercial accessibility, including rnib.org.uk/reading-choices ebooks. We’re excited to see the publishers making more and more books available in unabridged audio formats. This year HarperCollins, who publish a number of high profile authors such as G R R Martin and Hilary Mantel, have the admirable aim of making all of their new adult fiction books available to buy as audio books at the same time as the printed versions.

RNIB Talking Book studios A lot of work goes on behind the scenes at our recording studios at locations across the UK, from the recording of new audio books to

9 Author profile: Josephine Cox

Described as a born storyteller, Josephine began life in Blackburn and was one of 10 children. At 16, Josephine met and married her husband Ken, and had two sons. Then, as a mature student, she returned to college and went into teaching at the same time as writing her first novel. She’s now a bestselling author and writing her 53rd book.

What makes your books so siblings would love to hear my successful? stories. I’ve always been a storyteller from as far back as I can remember. Do you base your characters Even at school I would sit in the on your friends and family or playground and tell stories to other people from your past? children. My inspiration was my I take little bits from different granddad who told magical stories. people. I can be sitting on a bus Stories have always been in my with strangers or in a room full of psyche. To me, a story really begins people and one person will just leap in the heart. Many of the out at me and light up something in characters I’ve grown up with and me that won’t go away. It could be a met along the way, since my look in the eye, a certain smile or a childhood in the north of England turn of the head – through that a – a lot of them come alive in my character is created. It’s not always stories. the pure image of the person, it’s their aura that inspires me. You come from a large family of ten children – did you take Your books are one of the top refuge in storytelling? three authors borrowed from Yes, there were seven boys and public libraries, how do you three girls. I think stories gave me come up with so many ideas? somewhere else to go. I would My publisher always asks me that! create characters and all of my My head is just full of ideas. In my

10 office I have three drawers Lonely Girl was published in crammed with bits of paper as braille and giant print at the well as big thick ledgers with ideas same time as the book for characters and stories using appeared in bookshops – everything around me. I just love writing stories and don’t have any was that something that you problem coming up with new planned to do? ideas. I didn’t know that but I think it’s wonderful. I will have a word with Your latest novel Lonely Girl the powers that be to make sure has quite traumatic passages, that happens in future too. did you find those difficult Have you ever included a to write? blind character in a story? I do feel the emotions of the I haven’t but I think I will now! characters. In Lonely Girl I had Now that I’ve got that idea into my planned to punish the little girl’s psyche it’s bound to come out in a cruel mother at the end but when future book. I got to it I decided I couldn’t change her wickedness so instead of her feeling remorse at Books available from the the end, she hasn’t really been Library by Josephine Cox: punished enough. So sometimes I Lonely Girl plan to do one thing but then I do available in braille the other. and giant print, audio coming You’re very true to your soon characters then? My characters tell the story and Blood Brothers speak through me. It’s them who TB 17847, build the story and I go with it. I braille and giant make a sketch of all the characters print as I am writing – colour of eyes, Songbird TB 17917, height, build, their part in the story braille and giant print and I pin those up on the walls Bad Boy Jack TB 14984, around my office so I have all the braille and giant print characters at my fingertips and Outcast TB 12073, they guide the story. braille and giant print.

11 Narrator profile: Jeff Harding American-born Jeff Harding is one of our most popular narrators of talking books. The Talking Book Library regularly gets requests for books read by him, regardless of what they are. Books he’s narrated include The Da Vinci Code, The Bourne Identity and many of Lee Child’s thrillers.

How did you first get involved Were you worried about in narrating? coming to London as an actor A friend was reading for the British with an American accent? Library of Tape Recordings so I I didn’t think about it. When I arrived started there in the 1980s and I met most of the American acting they told me about the RNIB community early on. Ed Bishop audition process and I’ve never became a bit of a mentor. I asked looked back. him whether I should learn a proper English accent and he said “Why Were you an actor before? would you want to compete with Yes, I was an actor before I came to them?” And he was right, there was London. When I was in the States I a lot of film and television work for was an apprentice, then I went to us in the 80s. My best known work Tangier in Morocco where I taught is probably the Fast Show, Father for two years. While I was there I Ted and a couple of seasons of met an Irish girl – we married and Howard’s Way. then settled in London in 1978. Did you then decide to stick Did you know that you had a with talking books? gift for narrating? It was a natural progression. The No, I didn’t. My mother was good at acting work was disappearing it, so I think I picked it up from her. I backwards, just like my hairline! remember there was a tradition of And I was doing more and more her reading things at Christmas talking books. And then I thought, using lots of different voices so I what am I enjoying more? And the think it’s genetic. truth was that I would rather do

12 40 voices in a day than sit around go online and find it. Then I’ll leave on a film set all day to say just the book alone for a little while so three lines. So I’m now very happily that when I come to record it I’m reading talking books full time. coming at it fresh and with a little excitement. Why are so many of the books you narrate thrillers and Does narrating books for a detective stories? living take the enjoyment out I guess it’s what my voice is suited of reading for pleasure? to. I do read a lot of Stephen King I don’t have time to read a book books too. RNIB gives me a great outside of work – I haven’t for some variety of books so if I’m not years but I don’t regret that at all. blowing up the world or saving the Every once in a while I get to world sometimes I just burst into narrate something that is brand tears because somebody’s dog is new and fresh and that is very dying. exciting – it’s often things I would never have read had I not been Do you get moved when cast to do it. you’re reading them? Yes, the funniest things will get to me. Sometimes when I’m preparing Here’s a selection of the many a book I know what’s going to hit titles narrated by Jeff: me but I remember when I finished Doctor Sleep recording Marley and me I had to by Stephen King take a break to have a big blub and TB 20921 finish it the next day. The Kill Room How do you prepare for a by Jeffery Deaver TB 20603 book? I like to read it through once slowly. Private No 1 I’m delighted that I can do it on an suspect by iPad now and change the colours James Patterson and make notes alongside the text TB 21578 – technology has made it so much Tell no one by Harlan Coben easier. I don’t have to worry about TB 18163 page-turn noises with the Marley and Me by John Grogan microphone and if there are any TB 14900 pronunciation concerns I can just

13 World Book Night 2015 World Book Night on 23 April 2015 aims to share the joy of reading with people by giving away free books. Every year thousands of volunteers apply to gift complete strangers with storytelling at its best.

You too can join in. Here’s a list of Staying Alive the World Book Night titles by Neil Astley available from the RNIB Library. Staying Alive includes many of Agatha Raisin and the great modern the Quiche of Death love poems and by M C Beaton elegies, but it also Agatha Raisin’s early shows the power retirement to a of poetry in picture-postcard celebrating the ordinary miracle village is a dream (TB 20543). come true. But when her entry into the Honour by Elif Shafak local quiche-making contest Esma is a young Kurdish woman in poisons the judge she must set London trying to come to terms about finding the killer (TB 15528, with the terrible murder her brother giant print). has committed. She tells the story of her family stretching back three Assassin’s generations (TB 19895). Apprentice by Robin Hobb My Sister Lives on When Fitz is the Mantelpiece adopted into the by Annabel Pitcher royal household, he Five years ago must give up his old Jamie’s sister was ways of magic and blown up by a learn a new life: terrorist bomb. The weaponry, scribing, courtly family fell apart. manners and how to kill a man When 10-year-old secretly (braille). Jamie sees a TV advert for a talent

14 show, he feels certain that this will hope of surviving until the next make everything better (braille, scheduled mission because giant print and synthetic speech). everyone thinks he is dead (TB 21289, braille, giant print). Prime Suspect by Lynda La Plante The Unlikely A prostitute is Pilgrimage of found murdered in Harold Fry her bedsit. And by Rachel Joyce then a second body When Harold Fry turns up. With the nips out one team against her, morning to post a and a dangerous letter he has no idea criminal still on the loose, DCI Jane that he is about to walk from one Tennison must fight to prove end of the country to the other. To herself, now or never (TB 12589). save someone else’s life (TB 19838, braille, giant print). Skellig by David Almond Michael’s baby sister is ill. While his Water for Elephants by Sara Green parents spend time at the hospital, When Jacob Jankowski jumps onto Michael finds something sinister; a a passing train, he enters a world strange creature, part owl, part of a second-rate travelling circus angel. Is it something good or struggling to survive during the something evil? (TB 11976, braille, Great Depression (TB 18575, giant print). braille, giant print).

The Martian When God was by Andy Weir a Rabbit by NASA has a series Sarah Winman of expeditions to Spanning four Mars but the third decades, this is a one is aborted soon story about the after landing and unbreakable bond the scientists have between a brother to leave. One finds and sister himself stranded on Mars with little (TB 19307, braille, giant print).

Call our Helpline on 0303 123 9999 to order any of these books.

15 More notes from a Small Island Bill Bryson’s humour-filled bestselling travel books include The Lost Continent, A Walk in the Woods and Notes from a Small Island, which in a national poll was voted the book that best represents Britain. He’s now writing a follow up called The Road to Little Dribbling – More notes from a Small Island. He talked to Insight Radio’s Robert Kirkwood.

Did A Walk in the Woods to go to those countries just for the put you off travel? pleasure of it. It put me off going for long- distance hikes in the American Did you find writing your wilderness, that’s for sure. But no, it African Diary difficult then? didn’t put me off travel at all, I still I did indeed. And if you read it you love to travel. Part of the problem I can see why there was no scope have is that I haven’t entirely run for humour in the situations I was out of places to write about but looking at, like the slums of Nairobi. because of the kind of books I So any jokes are directed at me write, I have a much more limited and the British people I was range of places I can comfortably travelling with, which was really write about. My books are based quite limiting. I realised when I was on the idea that I can take the doing it that that would be a mickey out of the countries I am challenge. writing about. If you’re doing that in a big powerful nation like Canada You mentioned Canada, one or France or Britain, that’s one country that you haven’t yet thing, but to do it at the expense of written about – are you people in India or parts of Africa is planning to write about it? quite another and could seem I love Canada! Canada is a country I cruel or in bad taste. So that limits would be very happy to make jokes the areas I can write about. But about. And I’m sure they would be that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t want happy for me to do so because they

16 Photo © Julian James could take it. I wouldn’t be Sadly Paul Newman passed away. patronising them or insulting them, But they are still talking about I’d just be teasing them so I would doing a film with Robert Redford love to write about Canada. The playing me and Nick Nolte playing problem is that as a nation it has a Stephen Katz. Even better, reputation for being dull. originally Julia Roberts was to play my wife, which pleased me hugely. You talk in your books about dogs not liking you – is that What do you read for fun? really true? Good question – the answer is very Yes, that is true. There’s just one little, simply because all my reading exception, my daughter recently is directed to the work I am doing. got a cocker spaniel and he seems So if I’m doing a book on Australia I to love me. But that doesn’t in any will read about that, which leaves way nullify all the other dogs in the very little time for discretionary world hating me. reading, which sometimes slightly saddens me. If you could have swapped You can listen to this interview as a Stephen Katz, your travelling podcast at insightradio.co.uk in A Walk in the Woods, for any other human Books by Bill available from being, alive or dead, who the Library: would you choose? Down Under At the time I would have swapped TB 12564 him for literally any human being. But looking back, he stood by me Notes from a on that walk, he didn’t have to be Big Country there, he could have quit at any TB 11742, braille time. If Stephen Katz hadn’t been A Walk in the there with me, doing and saying all Woods those crazy things, the book could TB 11837, braille not possibly have been what it Notes from a Small Island turned out to be. So my debt to him TB 10500, braille is immense. The Lost Continent Tell us about the possible film TB 10290, braille starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford?

17 Literary news National Trust hoping for a The play has been adapted by Wolf Hall effect critically acclaimed playwright National Trust houses are hoping and will air on for a bumper tourist season as the BBC One later this year as part of BBC’s adaptation of Wolf Hall its season of classic 20th century proved hugely popular. Among the literature adaptations. locations that Wolf Hall fans can Thewlis will be joined by , visit are Montacute House in , Chloe Pirrie, Somerset; Lacock Abbey, Wiltshire; Kyle Soller, Sophie Rundle and Finn Anne of Cleves House in Lewes, Cole. BBC One’s season of classic East Sussex, the Tower of London 20th-century literature will also and Hampton Court Palace. include Adrian Hodges’ adaptation of The Go-Between, ’s adaptation of DH Lawrence’s Lady Chatterley’s Lover and Ben Vanstone’s adaptation of Laurie Lee’s novel Cider with Rosie.

Filming begins on BBC One’s War and Peace Work has begun on Andrew Davies’ adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s literary masterpiece War and Peace with cameras rolling in Russia, Lithuania and Latvia. The drama stars Paul Dano as Pierre Bezukhov, Lily James as David Thewlis to lead cast of Natasha Rostova and James An Inspector Calls Norton as Prince Andrei Bolkonsky David Thewlis is to lead an all-star and will air in six one-hour cast of the BBC One adaptation episodes. Also joining the cast will of JB Priestley’s classic play be Stephen Rea, Ade Edmondson An Inspector Calls. and Greta Scacchi.

18 Mel Pepper and the meaning Last writes of wife Colleen McCullough Jonathan Izard, one of the Colleen McCullough, presenters of the DAISY audio author of version of Read On, has published The Thorn Birds a book called Mel Pepper and the (TB 4115) – the meaning of wife. It’s a witty bestselling comedy, available now from Australian novel of Amazon or visit melpepper.com all time – died aged 77 on 29 January. Hugh Laurie and Tom Hiddleston to star in The The 600-page tale of the doomed Night Manager love affair between a country girl, A six-part adaptation of John le Meggie Cleary, and a priest, Ralph Carré’s novel The Night Manager de Bricassart, sold more than 30m will be coming to BBC One, with copies in dozens of languages and Hugh Laurie and Tom Hiddleston was turned into a popular UK starring. television miniseries, with Richard Chamberlain playing Ralph and Filming on the contemporary Rachel Ward as Meggie. interpretation of le Carré’s espionage drama was set to begin McCullough was also a this spring under director Susanne neuroscientist and wrote her first Bier. novel, Tim (TB 6415), while working at Yale medical school in Published in 1993, The Night the US. This was later was turned Manager is one of le Carré’s most into a film starring Mel Gibson and beloved and critically acclaimed Piper Laurie. books. Fusing a spy story and a tale of organized crime, the novel Among the nearly two dozen other was a bestseller in the US and the books she wrote were The Masters UK, translated into more than 20 of Rome series – seven massive languages and selling over a novels on the life and times of million copies in North America Julius Caesar (all available as alone. talking books), Life Without the Boring Bits – a volume of autobiographical essays, and Bittersweet.

19 Books of my life: Selina Mills Selina Mills is a journalist and author. She has sight loss herself and is currently writing a book.

How did you come to write books. Titles like Death on the Nile The Story of Blindness? took me to places I hadn’t been I was a journalist at the Daily before. They were really well Telegraph when I found out I was plotted and a jolly good read. Then losing my sight. I started looking I ended up at boarding school and for books on blindness but couldn’t was quite lonely. None of my find a book I wanted to read about classmates seemed to read like me blind people in history. There were so I would sneak off to the library lots of hero and heroine books but and the only books I was allowed nothing on the history of sight loss to read without getting special so I decided to write it myself. permission were Agatha Christie. Was it a challenge to narrow What about a book from when your choice of books down to you were studying? just five? My second choice is Henry James’ It was impossible. I think it Portrait of a Lady. It was an A level depends on so many things like English text for me and I thought it your mood, whether you want to be was one of the most beautiful uplifted or calmed. I find reading books I’d ever read. It’s about the the most reassuring thing for me – ambivalence of human beings – no it orders my thoughts, I come out one is totally good or bad. A of reading a novel feeling better. I woman inherits a lot of money but feel like I have entered a world and makes bad choices in terms of come out the other end. husband. It’s quite a painful read. She was a very strong female Tell us about a book from character even though the book your childhood. was written by a man. The When I was younger I was a character of Henrietta Stackpole, voracious reader. I remember a female journalist, inspired me saving up for Agatha Christie to go into journalism.

20 What’s your third book? these poems together for his men It’s Howard’s End by EM Forster, to help them through the long which was made into a fabulous periods of waiting that occur in film by Merchant Ivory. Some of the wartime. He had memorised the sentences are so beautiful such as, poems and wrote them on pieces “Although her lips spoke culture, of paper and handed them out to her heart was inviting him to tea”. his men. It’s about following your passion even if it’s the wrong social class. I think the link between all my It’s a little bit sentimental and books is that they have characters about the end of the British Empire who are striving for something, and the changing of society. wanting to life the best life they can and connect. And your fourth? All Passion Spent by Vita Sackville- If you’d like to read Selina’s West. It’s about women taking choice of books, the following control of their lives. A woman titles are available from the marries the Viceroy of India and Library: they go to live in India and then he dies and it’s about what she does Death on the Nile in her mid-60s after his death. She TB 3515, braille buys a house in Hampstead and Howard’s End by decides to become an artist. I love EM Forster the idea that you have choices TB 1493, braille, about how you live your life. Ten giant print years later I read Oranges are not Portrait of a Lady the only fruit – which, in a similar by Henry James vein, is about lifting yourself out of TB 1450, braille, a situation. giant print Do you have a book that you All Passion Spent by Vita return to that gives you Sackville-West TB 6121, braille solace? Oranges are not the Only Fruit I have a book which I often give to by Jeanette Winterson others – it’s an anthology of poems TB 6547, braille called Other Men’s Flowers put Other Men’s Flowers by together in 1944 by AP Wavell. AP Wavell TB 5699 He fought in several wars and put

21 On our bedside table Reviews of books enjoyed by the team behind Read On

Mark McCree enjoyed versions of some of his most Beginners by Raymond heralded writing. They are often Carver available as TB 17184. not laugh-a-minute, and offer a I’ve always loved snap shot of the wrong side of the short stories. The American dream – the ability to condense disconnected, the drinkers and the characters and dreamers, but they are packed full their lives into a of vivid description, real emotion, few pages is a true crackling dialogue and a faded talent. I think that beauty.” we mostly only ever get to see Julie Gibson read The God of people’s lives, so short stories carry that reflection Delusion by Richard Dawkins with them. It’s like the writer available in braille, giant print doesn’t have to waste time on back and TB 15362. stories, or side characters, or too “I was inspired to much scene-setting, because they read this after need to get on with what they have watching a to say. documentary about Richard Raymond Carver Dawkins. I took it for me is one of to read on holiday, the masters of this which my friends thought was a bit form, along with heavy going for a holiday read. As a other greats, such person with no religion I was really as Gabriel Garcia interested in how he would portray Marquez, or Alice different religions in contrast to Munro. His stories how they are portrayed in the are generally media. It’s also about how those tautness views are accepted and embraced personified, but this collection by various groups in an contains ‘extended’, pre-edited increasingly secular society.

22 There is type story then you’d be mistaken. discussion of This tale, set in Victorian England, science and how it has a thread of fantasy woven can sit alongside through the supernatural. religion for some people and how it Ten-year-old William Bellman kills a doesn’t for others. rook with a catapult in a moment of His example of an thoughtless childish cruelty. This equivalent god is act stalks him though life as famously the great tragedy and death surround him. spaghetti monster in the sky and As the years pass, he becomes a about how that can be evidenced brilliant and innovative and justified in the same way that businessman changing the any god can. fortunes of his family mill. Then a mysterious man in black appears Do have a read of it – it will make and offers Bellman an opportunity you think and I’m sure it will make he finds unable to resist. some people angry, but keeping an open mind and getting some This is a balance is never a bad thing. I think tremendously it’s well written, it kept me going atmospheric from beginning to end. I sat for two novel. As it is set and a half days completely lost in it at a time when and it sparked some interesting funerals were as family debates afterwards.” elaborate as weddings, the Lynne Livingstone read presence of death Bellman and Black by Diane as part of Victorian life is brilliantly Setterfield available in braille, conveyed. Bellman is a wonderful character who obsessively throws giant print and as talking himself into creating an emporium book TB 21060. of funeral goods but in the process “The subtitle to forgets to actually live. Although this book is ‘A the supernatural element is kept at ghost story’, a minimum the author is very skilful however if you in making you feel a rising sense of were expecting a unease.” straightforward ‘Woman in Black’

23 Children’s author profile: David Almond David Almond is a writer of teen fiction. He’s the author of many books including the award-winning Skellig. As a child he loved his local library, reading Hemingway, the tales of King Arthur and anything else he could lay his hands on. His latest book A Song for Ella Grey is a love story inspired by a Greek myth but set in modern-day Tyneside.

Where did the idea for your There’s so much in this story latest book come from? about love and darkness and It’s based on the ancient Greek myth death and it’s haunted me ever of Orpheus and Eurydice. Orpheus since I’ve been writing so I is a great singer and musician with a decided to re-write it for the face so beautiful that even the wild present day. I set it amongst animals become tamed. He contemporary teenagers on wanders the world singing beautiful Tyneside and the beaches of music and falls in love with Eurydice Northumberland. It’s just ordinary and they marry. Their love is very kids caught up in a Greek myth. passionate but then she is bitten by a snake and dies and goes down to Most Greek myths don’t have the Underworld. Orpheus decides to a very happy ending though? follow her there and bring her back. A Song for Ella Grey follows the He sings so beautifully that he same trajectory, Eurydice dies and manages to charm the gods of the at the end Orpheus dies too. So underworld and they allow him to yes, it deals with tragedy but I think bring Eurydice back. He has just one one of the great things about the instruction, not to look back at her story is that because it’s so until they are back in the world of beautiful, in a strange way it is also the living. But at the last moment optimistic. The characters live on he can’t resist and she is taken back through music and songs and the into the underworld and he’s lost beauty of the world. her forever.

24 Did you study Greek myths Do you have a favourite when you were young? book? I came across them later in life. As I am very close to A Song for Ella a young man I read a lot about Grey as it’s so recent. But I also like Greek mythology. a collection of stories called Counting Stars which was the first Have you had much feedback time I used my family history and from your readers? locality in stories. Yes, quite a lot. Some people were bamboozled but generally there’s Do you have any advice for been a really powerful and positive young writers? reaction to the book and to the Just do it! Don’t worry about passion of the story itself. making mistakes – my notebooks are filled with imperfection – I think Have you ever included a that is at the heart of creativity. Be blind character in any of your imperfect, just enjoy doing it and books? do the best you can. I did include one blind character in my story Francesca and the tiger, Several books by David are which includes a cart driver who available from the Library, goes blind. I will think about including: including more now though! Skellig TB 11976, braille What do think about your and giant print books being turned into Kit’s Wilderness braille or talking books? TB 12348, braille I think it’s very important and and giant print should happen more. As a writer I Jackdaw Summer write for everyone, I want to be TB 19479 and totally inclusive. Thinking about braille blind readers in particular, I write My Name is Mina TB 18062, for the sound of the words and the braille and giant print language I use is really important to me as much as the sense of it. The Fire-eaters TB 19350, So I love the idea that they are braille and giant print turned into audio books. Counting Stars braille and giant print

25 Children’s book recommendations A few months ago twelve-year-old RNIB library member Brandon Hulcoop won the Onkyo World Braille Essay Contest in the junior category. Brandon is an avid reader of both braille and talking books. We asked him to pick his favourite book. Here’s his review:

“Trick or treat is throughout the book. It’s available a gripping horror in contracted braille.” story by Richie Tankersley Brandon is also a huge Cusick. Martha fan and enjoys the wide selection Stevenson of titles available. His favourite moves into an Doctor Who book so far is Doctor old house that Who and the Green Death by has been empty. . It’s available as a Martha sees talking book, TB 17373. shadows flitting around and finds out that her closet door, spookily, is open. She receives mysterious phone calls that scare her. Soon, her friend Blake tells Martha about the murder of Wyn’s best friend. Wyn starts talking about it and things get spookier.

I enjoyed this book because of its plot. In many places, I just sat there on my bed, my mouth open, scared stiff. It’s so good that I’ve read it twice since Christmas. I also like the descriptive language put into this book and that introduces fear

26 Photo © Chris Harvey/Shutterstock.com Here’s a selection of Doctor Who Doctor Who and the cave titles suitable for young people: monsters by Malcolm Hulke Autonomy by Blythe Daniel (TB 15585) (giant print) Earthshock by Ian Marter Beautiful chaos by Gary Russell (TB 19808) (giant print) The monsters inside by The clockwise man by Justin Stephen Cole (TB 14999, braille) Richards (TB 14958, braille) Revenge of the Judoon by trap by Simon Terence Dicks (braille, giant print). Messingham (braille)

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27 Carnegie Awards Scottish-American Industrialist Andrew Carnegie believed that every man, woman and child had the right to the free education which comes from books. In America his libraries were often the only place in town where black people were allowed to mix with white people as he believed that books should be available to all members of society.

“It was from my own early experience that I decided there The shortlisted titles was no use to which money could The Middle of be applied so productive of good Nowhere to boys and girls as the founding of by Geraldine a public library in a community...” McCaughrean When Comity’s He built his first library in his mother dies, she hometown of Dunfermline in 1880 turns to Fred, the and continued spreading the good Aboriginal yard boy, work throughout the English- who becomes her only friend. speaking world. In total 2,509 But then Fred becomes the libraries were built with his money. target of her father’s assistant and events spiral dangerously The Carnegie Award was started in out of control. 1936 in honour of this wonderful philanthropist. The Carnegie When Mr Dog bites shortlist was announced on by Bryan Conaghan 17 March with all titles available in Dylan Mint has braille, giant print and synthetic Tourette’s. But then speech. This year, for the first time, a routine visit to the we will also have the whole hospital changes shortlist available in talking book everything. by date of the Awards on 22 June. Overhearing a conversation between the doctor and his Call our Helpline on mother, Dylan discovers that 0303 123 9999 to read any of he’s going to die, so he grants books on the shortlist. himself three wishes. Contains strong language.

28 The Fastest Boy in Buffalo Soldier the World by by Tanya Landman Elizabeth Laird In a terrifyingly Eleven-year-old lawless land, where Solomon loves to the colour of a run! The great person’s skin can athletes of the bring violent death, Ethiopian national freed slave Charley team are his heroes disguises herself as a man and and he dreams that one day he joins the army. It’s only when will be a gold-medal-winning Charley is posted to Apache athlete like them, in spite of his territory that she begins to learn ragged shorts and bare feet. what it is to be truly free.

Tinder by Apple and Rain Sally Gardner by Sarah Crossan Otto Hundebiss is When Apple’s tired of war, but mother returns after when he defies eleven years of Death he walks a absence, Apple dangerous path. A feels whole again. half-beast half-man gives him It’s only when Apple shoes and dice which will lead meets someone more lost than him deep into a web of dark she is, that she begins to see magic and mystery. things as they really are.

Cuckoo song by More than this Frances Hardinge by Patrick Ness When Triss wakes up A boy called Seth after an accident, she drowns. But then he knows that wakes in the something is very suburban English wrong. She is town where he lived insatiably hungry; her sister as a child. But the seems scared of her and her neighbourhood around his old parents whisper behind closed house is overgrown, covered in doors. Soon Triss discovers that dust and completely abandoned. she is not herself. What’s going on?

29 Behind the scenes Mark McCree is National Library Manager and Julie Gibson is Library Engagement Manager. Both joined RNIB in October last year.

Tell us a bit about what we need to ensure that our talking you do. books are available on USB stick Mark: I manage RNIB’s Library and via Overdrive, our digital Service and took over from Pat download service. It’s about Beech when she retired in October. providing a bridge for our My responsibility is for all the customers so that they are library services – braille and giant comfortable accessing our print, talking books and our online materials in the way that’s best catalogue, and for the team who for them. deliver those services. What would you say is Julie: I try to ensure that people your greatest challenge in interact with and get the most out this role? of our library services. On a larger Mark: I think getting in touch with scale I work with the organisations our current customers – because I who use RNIB such as local haven’t had the pleasure of authorities who pay a subscription working with many blind and to Talking Books for their residents. partially sighted people before so I’m also involved in coordinating I’ve got a lot of listening to do to national events such as Make a understand people’s experiences Noise in Libraries Fortnight, which and what they need from our this year is from the 1-14 June. Library Service. I’m also conscious that there are a lot of blind and How do you help people keep partially sighted people who don’t up with changes in yet know about our services and technology? it’s important to me that we grow Mark: It’s about providing our and appeal to as many people as material in a number of formats. possible. I firmly believe the Library So for example we continue to can make a huge difference in support DAISY, which is very people’s lives. important to us, but increasingly

30 Julie: One of my immediate the Magna Carta. I was keen to challenges on joining RNIB was take this job as I wanted to focus launching a new computer system on libraries and be in a role where I to manage the Library Service, so was in touch with customers more. for the first two weeks I had to learn as much as possible about What does the next year the system and manage the roll hold? out. It hasn’t been easy and we’ve Julie: I want to make sure we had some teething problems but spread the word about our Library we did it! We’re now about to services. It’s about getting launch a new Library Catalogue materials to people who would website that links into the new enjoy them, not being aware that system so for the first time ever we exist is the biggest barrier. If we’ll have a fully integrated every person who uses our library catalogue. We’ll be telling people at the moment told one other about that very soon. person we could potentially double our reach overnight. Where were you before you joined RNIB? Mark: We already have a very Julie: I worked in broad collection but we have to planning department for two years continue to produce material of a as Community Engagement Officer breadth and an interest to our but prior to that, most of my readership. As much as we would working life was spent in public love publishers to produce libraries. When this job came up it everything in all formats, it’s not was everything I’d done combined the case at present so we need to into one role – I came across it by work to develop and increase the accident and it was absolutely content that we hold and produce what I wanted to be doing. for our readers.

Mark: I have a background in public libraries too but my last post before joining RNIB was with Lincolnshire County Council. I was responsible for their Museums, Libraries and Archives output. It was very interesting as I found myself managing steam engines and paintings as well as a copy of

31 RNIB Overdrive If you’re looking for a present that lasts all year round, buy a gift subscription to RNIB Overdrive, our new digital download service.

RNIB Overdrive lets you borrow, download and listen to talking books, talking magazines and podcasts on your computer, smartphone or tablet.

Visit rnib.org.uk/overdrive for more information.