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I was joined in the studio by Sylvia Kent & Patrick Forsyth for this months Book Club.

Sylvia Kent is A F/L columnist/author,  a contribute to national, regional magazines and on-line journals. Most of Sylvia’s 9 books have been reprinted and are on sale in Waterstones, Sainsbury, WHSmith et al.ESSEX FOLKLORE helped Channel 5’s film COUNTY SECRETS. Sylvia’s book THE WOMAN WRITER, published by The History Press sells at the British Library. https://sylviakent.blogspot.co.uk/

Patrick Forsyth has written a very funny book called Empty When Half Full. Patrick read a few extracts from the book we had myself and Sylvia in stitches. You can get a copy of Patrick’s book from all good book shops, Amazon, etc but you can get a signed copy from Patrick’s own website https://www.patrickforsyth.com/

Empty When Half Full . We are all assailed on a daily basis with blandishments to buy and commands to carry out. And, let’s be honest, some are inaccurate, slapdash, erroneous, mistaken and often downright dishonest. In fact, much of what they tell us is not just simply wrong, it is wrong in a way that is funny – it makes us laugh. In Empty When Half Full, a plethora of such nonsense is quoted and analysed, highlighting the silly, surreal and often hilarious nature of it. Organisations large and small are equally guilty. So much so that sometimes what they say to persuade us can be positively dangerous. From misprint to misdirection – this book will give you a hundred hilarious reasons never to buy anything ever again.

Recommendation from Sylvia this month The Woman Who Went to Bed for a Year by Sue Townsend. A funny and touching novel about what happens when someone stops being the person everyone wants them to be.

The day her twins leave home, Eva climbs into bed and stays there. For seventeen years she’s wanted to yell at the world, ‘Stop! I want to get off’. Finally, this is her chance.

Her husband Brian, an astronomer having an unsatisfactory affair, is upset. Who will cook his dinner? Eva, he complains, is attention seeking. But word of Eva’s defiance spreads.

Legions of fans, believing she is protesting, gather in the street. While Alexander the white van man brings tea, toast and sympathy. And from this odd but comforting place Eva begins to see both herself and the world very, very differently. . .