ChoiceNovember 2022的目錄

Although we have had a few staycation days over the past couple of years we were looking forward to our first proper holiday since Covid, a week’s cruise to Scandinavia. Maybe we were looking back through rose-tinted glasses, but cruising now seemed a bit different to before. All the crew were wearing masks; although passengers didn’t have to wear them, some did. Perhaps that was one of the reasons why many of the staff in the bars and buffet seemed more distant and not so warm - with some exceptions. Below decks cabin stewards all seemed their friendly and helpful pre-pandemic selves. It seemed that there were fewer patrolling drinks waiters and it was sometimes hard to catch their eye. The ordering system on the boat was computerised and was…

The Best Of Queens She will not walk die wilds of Scotland Nor see the sun setting over the hills She will not paddle in the clear blue river Or hear the song of birds in the dawn But unlike us she will live for all eternity In history she will thrive and be remembered as the best of Queens… Sue Moxley, by email On The Death Of Our Queen It was the greatest outpouring of sincere emotion I have ever seen Such a moving tribute to our late beloved queen Surging crowds in a state of sudden shock Almost besieged palace gates with flowers like a flock Of lemmings drawn unwittingly to an inevitable cliff face Our lives were abnormal and temporarily out of place For older people their…

KNOWING AND managing your cholesterol levels is vital to a heart-healthy life, particularly if you have a family history of heart disease or if you have already had a cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack or stroke. This is because almost half of those who suffer a cardiovascular event experience a second one, on average within 114 days But a recent survey from Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK found that one in five people in the UK aged 55 and over did not know, or could not correctly identify, how cholesterol levels are checked. What’s more, one in five had not spoken to, or had a cholesterol check with, their GP or nurse. Here, GP and President of the Primary Care Cardiovascular Society, Dr Jim Moore, answers some of the most…

Gail Willis is an exponent and teacher of Hatha Yoga. She brings Choice readers a new exercise every month. Gail has recruited her mother, Janet Rogers, to help demonstrate the exercises. In each picture Janet, now in her 80s, illustrates the basic position for each exercise - the easiest one for the beginner. Gail illustrates the maximum position for each exercise. You should start following Janet’s position and try to increase gradually towards Gail’s advanced level. “Only build up to a level that you are comfortable with,” says Gail. “Some exercises you will be able to do the maximum level of stretch, others you will achieve only the basic move or just a little more. It doesn’t matter, because even the easiest will be good for you and make you…

GETTING STARTED with investments can seem like a daunting prospect. Figuring out how much money you need to begin, what to invest in, when to buy and when to sell - many of us end up thinking it’s better left to the professionals. That’s not true, though. Investing isn’t nearly as scary as you think and there are simple steps you can follow to get stuck in. How do I get started? First, there are a few important questions you need to ask yourself about your current financial goals. What are you investing for? Is it to help a family member with a house deposit perhaps? How about your grandchild’s tuition fees, or even just a big holiday and a new car? Figuring out your investing goal is vital, as…

Hello and welcome to my Craft Corner! Every month I share two new projects with Choice readers - one for those who enjoy hobbies such as papercrafting, upcycling and decoupage, and one for those who are fond of sewing and needlecraft, where I focus on simple, everyday stitched fabric accessories. I’ve lived and breathed crafting for as long as I can remember. I have very fond memories of cake decorating, cross-stitching and candle-making with my mum, and in my late teens I discovered the joy of cardmaking. I was fortunate enough to turn my favourite pastimes into my career by setting up Crafter’s Companion out of my university bedroom, and it’s been an amazing journey seeing my business develop into what it is today. I love experimenting and using our…

For whisky lovers… These 24 rare and aged single cask and blended expressions from the five Scotch whisky regions are presented in a handmade wooden cabinet, the perfect place to keep and store miniatures long after Christmas. Available from Harvey Nichols, RRP: £160.00. For candy floss lovers… Each of the 25 windows reveals a sweet message and a different flavour of candyfloss for each day. Included are such Christmas flavours as Christmas Pudding, Irish Cream, Chocolate Orange and AppleS Cinnamon. The Candy Floss advent calendar is priced from £39.99 and is available from (www.jbtreatcarts.com). For jam lovers… Behind the 24 doors of this Bonne Maman Advent Calendar are 23 mini jars of exclusive seasonal flavours of jam - each one different - along with two special surprise gifts on day…

(Acorn Media International) One of the mysteries of this Australian crime series is how can a show be so full of essentially unlikable, self-regarding sociopaths and yet still be so compelling? The story certainly rattles along, picking off from the end of the first series, with baby snatcher/killer Agatha (Downtown’s excellent Laura Carmichael - one of the best things about the show) facing the many challenges of a life behind bars while still craving a child, as the family whose baby she stole still struggle to rebuild their lives. The ending is a little pat and rushed, but also feels right, with a final episode cliffhanger bringing viewers up with a start and presumably setting the scene for a third series. Now available on DVD, there is also a box…

New to Blu-ray, The Ballad of Tam Lin, a new addition to the BFI’s Flipside range of cult films, dates from 1971 and was Planet of the Apes actor Roddy McDowall’s sole directing credit. It stars Ava Gardner and Ian McShane in a delicious piece of folk horror, based on the traditional Scottish ballad. Perhaps the grandest of Universal’s silent films, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, dating from 1923 and released on Blu-ray for the first time as part of Eureka Entertainment’s Masters of Cinema series, stars Lon Chaney as Quasimodo, the vilified cathedral bellringer who selflessly protects starcrossed street performer Esmerelda. Lucy Lawless returns for the second series of Australian crime drama My Life is Murder (Acorn Media International), and the team investigate a family feud and a murder…

Classical Christmas Apple Music Classical, 50 tracks, 2 hours 39 minutes This is the antidote to Noddy Holder, Bob Geldof and Bing Crosby if you want a calm signature of the Christmas season rather than a party. It is an innovative mix of traditional choices with a sprinkling of the unexpected, a combination of orchestral and choral pieces and individual instrumentals. The Nutcracker is one of the expected works, Tchaikovsky interpreted by the Berlin Philharmonic and Sir Simon Rattle and the Russian State Symphony Orchestra with four pieces - The Miniature Overture, March of the Toy Soldiers, Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy and Waltz of the Flowers. Jess Gillam’s extraordinary saxophone on Carol of the Bells and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas is a stunning contrast. As you…

CRIME FICTION Bleeding Heart Yard by Elly Griffiths They called themselves ‘The Group’, the high achievers at Manor Park, an elite comprehensive school in Chelsea. After their final exams, their plan to scare one of their members ended in tragedy. Ever since, Cassie, now happily married and in the Metropolitan Police, has believed she was responsible. At their 21st-year school reunion, politician Garfield Rice is found dead, possibly from a drug overdose. Cassie’s new boss, DI Harbinder Kaur, takes charge of the investigation. A good, character-driven, classic whodunnit, with enough red herrings to keep armchair detectives entertained. Published by Quercus Price £22 Pages 368 ISBN 9781529409956 FICTION All The Broken Places by John Boyne A widow in her 90s, Gretel Fernsby lives quietly in her exclusive Mayfair apartment. Privacy means…

Marking the 100th anniversary of the discovery of the Egyptian king’s tomb, Professor Joyce Tyidesley looks at Tutankhamun: Pharoah, Icon, Enigma (Headline, £22) and The Accidental Duchess (Pan Macmillan, £12.99) is both the fascinating autobiography of Emma Manners, Duchess of Rutland, and the story of how she helped make her home, Belvoir Castle, a going concern after decades of neglect. In Free Market (Basic Books, £25), Jacob Soil looks at an idea that has shaped our world, from its origins in ancient Rome up to the present day, Nicholas Reynolds explores the birth of modern American intelligence during the Second World War in Need To Know (Mariner Books, £22) and in Boris Johnson, The Rise and Fall of a Troublemaker at Number 10 (Simon and Schuster, £25), Andrew Gimson has…

This November, see Kew Gardens in a whole new light as the UNESCO World Heritage landscape glitters with millions of festive lights with the return of Christmas at Kew. Since the inaugural Christmas trail in 2013, this unique event has paved the way for festive displays across the country each winter, cementing light trails as a firm festive favourite in the run up to Christmas. Marking ten years since the original festive trail, this year’s display features a host of seasonal favourites alongside mesmerising new light installations. To add an extra touch of magic to the Christmas at Kew experience, visitors can book a traditional Christmas dinner at The Botanical Brasserie. Tasty treats from a selection of independent street food vendors are also available along the route, including spiced cider,…

Just a reminder… … that in November 1970, a pressure group with just 250 members held a demonstration in London on behalf of gay men and women. The Gay Liberation Front called for gay men and women to be free to express their feelings without shame … and in this month in 1969, in the world of fashion, skirts went from one extreme to another, minis being abandoned in favour of ‘the maxi’ Spare a thought for delivery drivers A few months ago I commented on the workload of drivers bringing our internet purchases to our homes - and the effect all those delivery vehicles must be having on our roads and the climate. I was set thinking about this recently when, as I awaited news of an item I’d…

Soothing, relaxing and stress reducing, these CDs from GAP MuSic and it’s sister label Tantajo Records are a great addition to any music collection. Checkout the GAP website: (www.gapmusic.co.uk) for more wonderful music for relaxation and wellbeing Star Letter Prize: £20 and a selection of five reflective music CDs from GAP MuSic worth £54.75 and a Pen from GAP MuSic goes to the writer of our Star Letter each month The CDs are: Moments of the Heart music for the soul - Various Artists. From the soothing melodies of Peaceful Lament and Confidence of Hope to the haunting ambiance of Natural Elements and Awakenings, Moments of the Heart music for the soul is the perfect ‘friend’ to have by your side, to help ease away the hustle, bustle, and stresses…

The UK’s first institute dedicated to detecting and studying cancers at the earliest stage has been launched. Scientists at the University of Cambridge’s Early Cancer Institute (ECI) will focus on hard-to-treat cancers, such as lung and pancreas. Institute director Rebecca Fitzgerald said the research was essential to improve survival rates in patients. “Outcomes can be transformed if the cancer is diagnosed early enough and we have the right treatments,” she said. The ECI is based at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, alongside academic, medical and pharmaceutical specialists. The campus is home to two world-renowned research hospitals, Addenbrooke’s and Royal Papworth, as well as the Laboratory of Molecular Biology. Work could also start next year on the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital, meaning that the institute’s discoveries and new treatments will be…

The benefits of this exercise are to lengthen your neck and upper back muscles and to release tension from your neck area. If you do have neck issues make sure you keep looking forward. How to do it Gail and Janet both sit for this pose. Janet starts the pose by placing her fingertips behind her ears and has her elbows pulled back to a comfortable position. Slowly feel like you are lifting your chest and ribs up and look slightly up if it is comfortable to do so. Gail then shows the roll-down by tucking her chin in, looking down to her legs and allowing her elbows to come forward and her back rounding - do not pull head down using hands. It is a natural drop of elbows…

“Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times if one only remembers to turn on the light” - JK Rowling, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban “If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome” - Anne Bradstreet “Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home” - Edith Sitwell “Winter blues are cured every time with a potato gratin paired with a roast chicken” - Alex Guarnaschelli “Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face” - Victor Hugo “If Winter comes, can Spring be…

IN ITS simplest form, an annuity is an insurance product, which, in return for a lump sum payment, buys you a regular income for the rest of your life. It is one of the world’s oldest financial products, and examples can be found in Roman times. Up until April 2011, anyone with a defined contribution (DC) pension had to use their fund to purchase an annuity by age 75. This law was controversial and campaigners long sought its abolition, citing annuities’ inflexibility, not least the fact that the decision to buy, once made, was irrevocable and in many cases when you died, the annuity died with you. The abolition of compulsory annuity purchase in 2011 was followed by pension freedoms legislation from April 2015, which allowed savers to flexibly access…

Can you advise on funeral plans? Q You recently answered a question about funeral plans and mentioned registration of companies with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), A couple I know used a company I suggested was a bit dodgy for their Wills, Power of Attorney and funeral plans. I have looked on the FCA register and they are not there. They have already been closed down once and reopened with a slightly different name. What happens if they cease to exist? This couple cannot afford to lose out. Name and email supplied Teri Harman, editor YM&YR replies: A It is difficult to comment without knowing the name of the firm, but I can offer the following general observations. From July 29, 2022, all firms selling funeral plans had to be…

To create:…

Clive Nicholls My first royal encounter came at Gatcombe Park, the home of Princess Anne and her husband at the time, Captain Mark Phillips. I was taking pictures of Mark for an equestrian magazine in their drawing room. In pops Anne, herself one of the best (and bravest) event riders in the world. “Has he asked if you want a cup of tea?” I’m stuck. If I say “No” I drop Mark in it, or do I say “yes, but I declined”? Instead all I could manage was to stare back blankly, which told Anne everything she needed to know. “Oh Mark!” she chided, and I thought that was the end of it. Not a bit of it. The Princess returned five minutes later with a tray of tea and…

(BBC, Blu-ray and DVD) Originally screened in the autumn of 1967, during Patrick Troughton’s second series as the Time Lord, this is one of the most fondly remembered stories from the Second Doctor era, possibly because no one has seen the serial in its entirety since that original broadcast (only episode two has survived). This new release features newly commissioned animation for all the episodes, in black and white and colour, using the original soundtrack to give an approximation of what it was like to view this story in grainy black and white all those years ago. There’s also a restored version of the surviving episode along with a making-of documentary. And the story? It’s charming, very much of its time, and a soothing wallow in nostalgia.…

Revolver (Universal) Despite being recorded at a time when the band was still touring heavily, Revolver marks the point at which The Beatles started to exercise their creativity in the studio. Although, unlike Sgt Pepper, released less than a year after Revolver, most of the tracks would have been easily replicable live, there were several t6hat wouldn’t have been, including two of the album’s strongest recordings, Eleanor Rigby, with its elegant string guartet accompaniment, and the effects-laden Tomorrow Never Knows. Now reissued in multiple formats, the inclusion of multiple takes from the sessions for Revolver reveal just how much care went into making the album. This was no throwaway, recorded on a couple of days in between concert dates for the Christmas market, as the For Sale album had been…

INEVITABLY THERE has been a rush of books celebrating the life and reign of our late Queen and two of the best are the richly illustrated Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 1926-2022, by Brian Hoey (Pitkin, £9.99) and Queen Elizabeth II, by David Souden (BBC, £22), which features many never seen before black and white colour photographs, drawn largely from the BBC archives. And The Reign, by Matthew Engel (Atlantic, £25), is the first of two books reflecting the transformation of life during the 70 years of the Queen’s remarkable reign. This first volume looks at the years from 1952 to 1979. Love and Let Die, by John Higgs (W&N, £22), interweaves the stories of The Beatles and James Bond over the past 60 years, looking at how they represented…

Beyond A Fringe by Andrew Mitchell From prep school, the army, Cambridge and the City on to Parliament, Andrew Mitchell had the ultimate establishment career trajectory, until an altercation at the gates of Downing Street one night ended his career and left him facing financial ruin. Now an outsider looking in, Mitchell’s story is selfdeprecating, humorous and very revealing about the world he left behind. Published by Biteback Price £12.99 Pages 384 ISBN 9781785907616 The Winter Rose by Katie Flynn Katie Flynn was the pen name of the late Judy Turner, whose work was inspired by family accounts of life in Liverpool in the early 20th century. Her daughter Holly is continuing her legacy, and this is a festive-themed follow-up to The Rose Queen, following young Cadi as she makes…

Before reading on, cover the South and West hands on the deal below. NORTH-SOUTH GAME; DEALER SOUTH Playing teams, South opens one spade. What do you respond with the North cards? Bid two notrumps, Jacoby, showing a game forcing raise in spades. South makes a jump rebid of four spades to show a minimum hand, and this ends the auction. West leads the jack of hearts, taken in dummy with the king. Declarer leads a low spade from the dummy. Which card do you play as East? Hopes for beating the contract look slim, especially since you know that declarer, holding minimum values, must have at least five spades. The only card in partner’s hand that could give declarer a losing option is the ace of trumps. Your aim is…

BBC PRESENTER Sara Cox is supporting a campaign to launch 200 tea party groups across the UK to help older people who feel isolated following the Covid pandemic. Re-engage, a charity that is dedicated to ending loneliness among those aged 75 and above, says it has been inundated with requests to join its social activities, including monthly free tea parties. Since the Covid regulations were ended in February, 800 older people have applied for the first time to join these social gatherings, which often provide the only opportunity for them to spend time with others. The pandemic inevitably led to a shutdown of these small, local events and many groups are keen to get running at full capacity again. Sara, who is a volunteer driver and host for Re-engage, said:…

My month The enduring appeal of package holidays IF YOU were challenged to name someone whose innovation has given most pleasure to most British people, it’s unlikely you’d come up with the name Vladimir Raitz. And yet he has a good claim to the title. In fact, nearly every Brit has at some time had a whole new and exciting world opened up to them thanks to him… It was back in 1950 when foreign travel by air was for a special few that, while holidaying in Corsica, this immigrant had the idea of chartering a governmentsurplus Dakota and taking British holidaymakers to the same destination. There were 11 passengers on the first trip. The package holiday pioneers faced a long haul and spartan conditions. The plane had to stop…

Since our much-loved Queen Elizabeth II passed away and the crowning of our new King Charles III is on the horizon, my memory turns back to 1953 and another Coronation. I was just a schoolgirl of 13 and vividly remember the Coronation of our dear Queen and the first time I saw a television. Only the wealthy could afford such a luxury but my uncle bought a set especially for that unique occasion and our two families huddled round the tiny TV with a 12in screen to watch the magnificent ceremony at Westminster Abbey in black and white. What a day! What a sight! Such history in the making! I was so inspired as we watched in wonderment the crowning of our young Queen and the procession that followed in…

A service run by Surrey and Sussex Cancer Alliance, offering a simple prostate test to eligible males, is being piloted across the region. By using a method called case finding, which is a search of GP records, the service aims to find males with risk factors for prostate cancer and aid the early diagnosis of prostate cancer. The initial pilot project is being rolled out in the Guildford East area of Surrey. It will then be offered to a further 12,000 men throughout the Surrey and Sussex Cancer Alliance region. Diagnosing prostate cancer early means there is a much greater chance of being able to treat it successfully. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men with one in eight being diagnosed with it during their lifetime. Of men…

ONE OF motor racing’s most legendary classic sports-racing cars, Bruce McLaren’s 1964 Cooper-Zerex-Oldsmobile ‘Jolly Green Giant’, has been unearthed and returned to British soil for the first time in 57 years. The first sports car to carry the Kiwi team badge of the late Grand Prix and Le Mans-winning driver and constructor, Bruce McLaren, was offered for sale at the Goodwood Revival Sale on September 17, realising a price of £911,000. The machine achieved top level success in the hands of a trio of mid-century motor sport legends, Bruce McLaren, Roger Penske and, previously, Briggs Cunningham’s team driver Walt Hansgen. Not only did the Cooper-Zerex-Oldsmobile have three celebrated owners but it also had several different guises, being continually adapted, from Formula 1 single-seater to three different sports car forms to…

Drawdown Income drawdown can be an expensive option. You may need to transfer your pension fund to a company that offers drawdown (for which there will be a cost). There will also be ongoing charges for managing your investments. Rules set by HMRC mean that the amount of income you take out of your pension fund has to be reviewed regularly, and there are charges for this as well. For these reasons many experts suggest that drawdown is only suitable for those with a large pension fund (£100,000-plus). If you decide on drawdown, make sure you are fully aware of the costs and are confident your investments will grow enough to cover the extra costs. Tax Pension savers can generally withdraw up to 25 per cent of their fund tax-free…

Ask The Experts is a free service exclusively for readers of Choice. Write to: Ask The Experts, Choice, 4 Milnyard Square, Crton Southgate, Peterborough PE2 6GX OR you can e-mail: (editorials@choicemag.co.uk). If you do not want your name publishing with your letter, please state this in your correspondence. All materials and advice contained in these replies are specific to facts surrounding the questions posed. Neither Choice nor the expert contributor accept liability for any direct or indirect loss which may arise from any reliance placed on the advice contained in these replies. If any reader would like to resolve any matter arising out of anything contained in these articles then specific advice should be sought from a suitable adviser or professional body. All letters will be answered and you will…

SERVES FOUR Vietnamese-Inspired Caramelised Pork Bowls Ready in under 30 minutes, this is a great alternative to those over-used spag bol or chilli con carne recipes YOU WILL NEED Wok or large frying pan 1 If you’re serving with rice, get your rice on the go first 2 Heat a wok over a medium-high heat with the oil, then add the spring onions (white parts only), half the carrots and the salt. Cook for three to four minutes, stirring constantly. You’re looking for the carrot to turn slightly limp. Add the ginger, garlic and chillies and cook for a further minute until aromatic 3 Add the pork mince to the wok and turn up to…

Desirable graters The slick new Microplane® BLACK SHEEP Series, with matt black stainless steel handle, frame and blade, is inspired by Microplane’s heritage and expertise in ultra-sharp woodworking tools. It combines a dramatic and extravagant look with the soft curves of the robust matt black stainless-steel handle, frame and blade, coated in functional PVD for extrascratch resistance. Equipped with a non-slip rubber base for stability, the graters remain stable on the work surface regardless of the angle of use. There are five blade styles for specific, superior, grating and slicing results and the range includes a Zester and the paddle-shaped graters include Fine, Coarse and Extra Coarse. The Microplane® BLACK SHEEP Series is available from Borough Kitchen priced at £49.95, (www.boroughkitchen.com). HEINZ VEGAN MAYO Heinz [Seriously Good] Vegan Mayos are…

The Posh Shed Company has launched a new range specifically designed for homes where garden space is limited. The ‘Back To The Wall’ range is purpose designed for smaller gardens, backyards or courtyard areas with perimeter fencing. The sheds are effectively half the depth of conventional products so sit directly up to a fence with a forward facing roof. They are designed to be modular, so customers can configure according to their space and layout preferences; for example, they might like a door in the middle unit, maybe flanked by left and right modules with windows; or perhaps the door to the left and just one module to the right with no window. There are numerous permutations. Kay Frost, co-founder of The Posh Shed Company, says: “The ‘Back To The…

As someone who was still in the sixth form when the nation celebrated the Queen’s Silver Jubilee, in the summer of 1977, my initial thoughts about this outpouring of royal sentiment was boredom verging on hostility. I’d bought my copy of the Sex Pistols’ God Save The Queen, and gone along with the feeling amongst some of my contemporaries at school that the whole thing was an embarrassing waste of time and money. “She had a remarkable ability to bring people together” But when it came to the day itself (we’d been given the day off school) there was something about the coming together of neighbours for street parties - people you wouldn’t normally pass the time of day with - that warmed even my stony heart. And that’s what…

(Network) These spooky gems from the golden age of television have resurfaced on DVD and Blu-ray, and what a treat they are. It’s remarkable to think that something as strange and disturbing as The Owl Service, a multi-layered tale of the supernatural first screened by Granada in 1969, was deemed suitable for children, and it’s a remarkable piece of work that still stands up more than 50 years on. Available for the first time since its original broadcast in 1970, Tales of Unease was an anthology series that featured seven scary stories that relied for their effect on atmosphere and a sense of menace. Contributing writers included Andrew Newman, of Bouquet of Barbed Wire fame and John Burke, on whose trilogy of horror anthologies the series was based. The Intruder,…

Tubular Bells: 50th Anniversary Celebration (Cleopatra Records) Next year is the 50th anniversary of Mike Oldfield’s magnum opus, Tubular Bells, the extended composition that launched the young musician’s career - not to mention Virgin Records - and expanded the parameters of what was possible across two sides of an LP. That fast approaching milestone has been marked by a tour devoted to reimagining the album with top-notch session musicians and a symphony orchestra, the results of which are captured on this double-CD set. There have been several versions of Tubular Bells over the years, most notably David Bedford’s orchestral arrangement, released in 1974. The new arrangement, captured here, is by Simon Dobson and it successfully fuses the folk and rock elements of the original with the rich symphonic sweep of…

The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho by Paterson Joseph Published by Dialogue Books Price £16.99 Pages 432 ISBN 9780349702391 It’s fiction, but the story springs from documented history - and an extraordinary story it is. Charles Ignatius Sancho was born on a slave ship crossing the Atlantic in 1729, where his parents both died. Brought to London, he suffered danger and hardship, found kindness, hope and love, became an acclaimed writer and composer, met the King, and was the first Black person in Britain to vote. With a multicultural cast of larger-than-life characters, Georgian London comes vividly alive in this cleverly constructed novel, written in the form of a memoir and movingly told by a talented writer. HARDBACK BOOK OF THE MONTH…

Terry Pratchett, A Life With Footnotes Before his untimely death in 2015, the much-loved creator of Discworld was writing a memoir of a boy who. aged six, was told by his teacher he’d never amount to anything and spent the rest of his life proving him wrong. For many years, Rob Wilkins was Sir Terry Pratchett’s friend and personal assistant and by drawing on his own memories, and those of Terry’s family, friends and colleagues, he writes a wonderfully personal biography of the man, his many achievements and how he coped with the “Embuggerance” of Alzheimer’s disease. Published by Doubleday Price £25 Pages 448 ISBN 9780857526632…

BLENHEIM PALACE’S Great Court will be once again transformed into a spectacular Christmas Market in November. Traditional wooden chalets will showcase a range of festive treats for designer-makers and artisan food and drink producers - and this year’s market will be the biggest ever, with up to 80 stall holders selling their wares. Taking place against the beautiful backdrop of the baroque Oxfordshire Palace from Friday, November 18, it will be filled with a variety of handpicked, gifts, unique works by a range of designers and tempting treats to taste and take home. Gifts include everything from handcrafted silver and gold jewellery, paintings and pet portraits, to locally hand-poured soy candles, fresh flowers and natural coconut bowls. Handpicked British cheeses and locally sourced charcuterie are perfect for seasonal feasts and…

Marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Parachute Regiment, Newsnight’s diplomatic editor Mark Urban has written a detailed history covering its daring actions at D-Day, Arnhem and across the Second World War. Publishing with full authorisation from the Parachute Regiment, the book came out on October 27, the 80th anniversary of the regiment’s first significant operation, Operation Torch. The Paras of the Second World War, or ‘Red Devils' as their German enemies named them, were an extraordinary group of wartime heroes. Recruited from all walks of life, their ranks included circus performers, solicitors, policemen, gravediggers, Christians, Jews and even communists. Through the fates of six heroes, from recently-widowed Geoffrey Pine-Coffin, who had to leave his little boy to head to the front, to Mike Lewis, whose photographs became…

If you were brought up in the country and you’re of ‘a certain age’, you might have memories of one of the most absorbing sights from childhood. It was of an ancient activity taking place, one you don’t see nowadays… a scythe being swung rhythmically, and corn, or grass or nettles, falling in waves. It was the hissing sound of the cutting that got me and has stayed with me. Scything once went on everywhere. Remember that old song One Man Went to Mow, a favourite for passing time on long journeys in childhood? Scything in country areas was fairly common when I was little but by the time I left school and got a temporary job with an agricultural company, the only scythe I saw was wielded by the…

We’ve all taken decisions that had big consequences for our lives and, for me, a massive one was stopping smoking. If I hadn’t, I’m sure I wouldn’t have been around to write this - and I’d also probably have been skint. For years I was a 20-plus-a-day man but then, in 1984 (a year chosen because the titular George Orwell novel would always make it memorable), I stubbed out my last one. The pack of 20 had cost me around £1.45. I can’t begin to calculate how much money would have gone up in smoke over the years if I’d kept up the dreadful, enslaving habit but I've just learned that if I had kept puffing, and not conked out, I’d have a miserly retirement budget. Nowadays, I learn, better-quality…