Billericay's Town Crier - Jim Shrubb
Guest:Billericay's Town Crier -Jim Shrubb and Toastmaster-James Shrubb
Competition Question: What is the capital of Australia?
Correct Answer- Canberra
Winner- Andy Tandy, Hackney
Prize- Sponsored by Faber and Faber; 'His Illegal Self' by Peter Carey
BOOKS
Abstinence Teacher by Tom Perrotta
Cherished by her high school pupils as someone who'd tell it straight, after one innocent classroom
indiscretion Ruth suddenly finds the curriculum she has taught for nigh on 15 years, worryingly,
out of vogue. It seems these days the kids no longer need teaching; they need telling. As the scandal
flares up and attracts the unwelcome eye of the local evangelical Church, the appeasing high-school
principal forces her into advocating a pro-abstinence agenda in the classroom that is at odds with
all conventional wisdom. Jaded though she is by her recent divorce and fruitless search for a new
love, she is not yet ready to kneel at the altar of sophistry -- if common sense is to be sacrificed
to Puritanism, she won't let it pass without a fight.On the other hand, it is a syllabus change
which Tim Mason, recovering addict, local football coach, and recent convert to the same plaintiff
Church, should consider a victory.
But his new found faith is constantly put to the test by the temptations of his former wayward life,
forcing him into grand, defensive statements of purpose. When he makes the gesture of leading his
football team in prayer after a hard-fought victory, in which Ruth's daughter Maggie starred, he
manages not only to incur the wrathful attention of her mother, but to cement his position as the
star evangelist of his church -- an office he is none too sure about occupying. 'The Abstinence
Teacher' is a cutting portrayal of modern America and the influence of the Christian right from the
acclaimed, bestselling author of 'Election' and 'Little Children'. Scathing, witty and brilliantly
observed, it will doubtless confirm Perrotta's standing as one of the finest chroniclers of American
life.
Promise of Happiness by Justin Cartwright
Two years earlier, Charles and Daphne Judd were settling into a somewhat uneasy retirement in
Cornwall when their world was shattered by the news of their beloved daughter Ju-Ju’s conviction and
imprisonment for her part in an art theft in New York. As the novel opens they await her release and
return. Charlie, their capable and successful son, is bringing Ju-Ju home and helping her to re-enter
the world after her ordeal; his own life is unsettled by his glamorous girlfriend's pregnancy and his
ambivalence towards it. Sophie, the youngest and most rebellious sibling, has decided to get her
chaotic life under control. These five disparate yet closely bound family members are finally
reunited at Charlie's Cornish wedding. With astute perception and gentle humour Justin Cartwright
gradually reveals the inner struggles of the Judds as they grapple with their conflicting feelings
for each other, Ju-Ju's imprisonment and the moral dilemmas that beset them.
Red Tails in the Sunset by Bryn Williams
Red Tails in the Sunset by Bryn Williams, the doyen of that most quintessential of all British
professions, the toastmaster.
Bryn shares his hopes and fears as he takes his first nervous steps as an acne-ridden, pre-pubescent
sixteen-year-old, to the very top of his profession, meeting a Who’s Who of royals, international
leaders and legends in the world of entertainment along the way.
Having attended over 15,000 functions worldwide throughout his career, Bryn is not short of the odd
anecdote or two. Providing a balance of humour and pathos this book provides an entertaining and
educational insight into a world rapidly passing into nostalgia. This book is both inspiring and
informative. Synopsis Courtesy by www.boundbiographies.com
Books by Norman Wisdom
My Turn
To millions of people around the world Norman Wisdom in his cloth cap and ill-fitting suit is the
living embodiment of the little man battling against the forces of authority and pomposity. His
career in comedy, making people laugh for over six decades, has been the fulfilment of what Charlie
Chaplin predicted - that Norman Wisdom would be the man to take his mantle. Still working as hard
in his late eighties, Sir Norman - he was knighted by the Queen in 2001, in an hilarious episode
described in this book - has become a cult hero to today's young, cutting edge comedians.
Dont Laugh at Me
The memoirs of Norman Wisdom who was born in poverty in the East End and became one of the most
successful comedians of the 1950s and early 1960s. His stories from this time revolve around film
greats including Laurel and Hardy, Frank Sinatra, Edward G. Robinson and John Wayne.
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
Black Beauty begins life in a loving home. But his owners are forced to sell him, and Black Beauty's
fortunes change. He is moved from place to place and job to job, often suffering cruel treatment and
harsh conditions - until a chance encounter leads to a new turn of events.
Coming up Next Week on Book Club- Local Author Reginald Haynes joins me for a chinwag.
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