I only get to read for myself at night time but it is an essential part of my day. It’s a cliché, but it’s an escape.

Sometimes I only manage half a page. Sometimes I wake up the next morning realising I didn’t even focus on the

page - not for want of trying!

Authors I’ve enjoyed recently, in no particular order:

Alexander McCall Smith (all his series), Nora Ephron, Ann Tyler, Elizabeth Berg, Adriana Trigiani, Manette Ansay,

Pauline Mclynn, Valerio Massimo Manfredi and Joshua Ferris.

I read the Bible, favouring the bits that remind me to be patient and not to try to control my world.

Children’s authors I always enjoy:

Oliver Postgate - over the moon that the Ivor the Engine stories have been published. We have them all. He did tell

a story so well. I can also recommend his autobiography, “Seeing Things”.

Lauren Child - Charlie and Lola stories and others.

Richard Hammond - “Can you Feel the Force?” - well-written and engaging science book.

Benedict Blathwayt - mostly for his fantastic illustrations which you just have to keep looking at.

Okay, so nothing too high-brow there, but gone are the days when I could read for hours and hours if I wanted to.

In days past I have repeatedly read all of Jane Austen, all of Anthony Trollope, all P.G Wodehouse Jeeves and

Worcester and more and all Elizabeth Gaskell. You can see the rut I was in. It’s only fairly recently I’ve dragged

myself into the 20th and 21st centuries, mostly through humour and some great female New England authors. But

I did have a delicious wallow in history with Manfredi’s absolutely epic stories. Reminded me of “The Robe”, “The

Source” and “Chesapeake”. Yes, I’ve enjoyed a great many epic films too. Can you tell?!

Most disturbing recent read - Ruby Wax’s autobiography, “How Do You Want Me?”. New found respect for her.

Actually had to stop reading it at night - stopped me sleeping.