RLB’s weekly recommendations
Essex has a rich tradition of legends and folk tales and this book is packed with mysteries, marvels and magical characters. The origins of many of these stories are lost in the dim and distant past but Jan Williams’s skill as a story teller shines though and she breathes new life into these old tales. … Continue reading Book of the Week, April 21st 2018
Cockshutt Wood is a few acres of mixed woodland in Herefordshire and this is a diary written by an award-winning countryside writer. It records the last year he spent managing the wood, detailing day by day, the seasonal ebb and flow of life amongst the trees. It is full of fascinating history and country lore; … Continue reading Book of the Week, April 14th 2018
The timing of this novel’s publication is spot on. It is a story about the growth of artificial intelligence, how we increasingly live our lives and conduct our relationships online – and how much of ourselves that ultimately remains stored in cyberspace. But it is also a deeply moving account of one woman, computer expert … Continue reading Book of the Week, April 7th 2018
Written by an anonymous barrister working in criminal law, this is a look behind the scenes at how our justice system really works – or quite often, as we discover, doesn’t work! The police and prosecution services are underfunded and understaffed; 50% of cases reach their first court hearing with prosecution not fully prepared, critical … Continue reading Book of the Week, March 31st 2018
It’s hard to believe that next year it will be 50 years since men first walked on the surface of the moon. People watching those historic images all those years ago might have imagined that 50 years later space travel would be routine. But is has remained the stuff of science fiction. So, what can … Continue reading Book of the Week, March 24th 2018
In the mid nineteenth century the army camp was built just outside Colchester and soon it was the largest garrison in the country. The town benefitted from an economic boom but with It came problems. There was drunkenness, brawling and, with only 7% of soldiers allowed to marry, prostitution rocketed. Colchester’s existing red-light district could … Continue reading Book of the Week, March 17th. 2018