Book Events in and around Wallingford
Coming Up…

Classics Book Club will focus on classic and modern classic fiction and non-fiction from around the world.

All books would have less than 350 pages to keep them achievable.

Our books this month are: Inspector Imanishi Investigates by Seicho Matsumoto and Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata. 

We'll be talking about both books, but you only need to read one!

Pop in to pick up your copy / book your slot and we'll see you there!  

£5 entry redeemable against the book of the month, or a shop voucher for a future purchase if you already have the book.

Join us as we welcome Dr Steven Parissien, Fellow of Kellogg College, Oxford, to discuss his book, Building Britannia, A History of Britain in 25 Buildings.

In Building Britannia, Steven tells both a national story, tracing how a growing sense of British nationhood was expressed through the country’s architecture, and also examines how these structures were used by later generations to signpost, mythologise or remake British history.

From the iconic (the Roman baths at Aquae Sulis, the early Gothic splendour of Lincoln Cathedral and the Tudor jewel that is Little Moreton Hall) to the quirky (a Regency pub in Manchester city centre and the Edwardian Baroque Electric Cinema in Notting Hill), we’ll be discussing buildings that promise to open doors into some familiar and perhaps less familiar areas of social history. If you love history, architecture or just learning something new in good company with a glass of something nicely chilled, you will enjoy this!

We have TWO June bookclub choices. Either/Or … or both. There’ll be lots to chat about come June 29th. Black Woods Blue Sky is a magical fictional novel set in the Alaskan wilderness in contrast to: The Mercy Step, 1960’s Bradford and a young girl’s quiet rebellion and refusal to be bowed down by her circumstances.

Angela Young will be in conversation with Rev Bruce Thompson at the Methodist Church on Tuesday 30th June from midday. Angela's great-grandmother, Noël Rothes, was a passenger on The Titanic. When Thomas Jones recognised Noël's calm capability he put her in charge of the tiller on his tiny lifeboat. This is a fascinating story of endurance and enduring friendship. Don't miss it.

A book club where you could choose to read your own book!

Come along, chat about the books you're currently reading for 15 minutes or so (or just listen to the discussion - no participation necessary) then read quietly for 45 - 50 minutes in the company of like-minded bibliophiles.

£5 entry, redeemable against your next read

You bring a blanket / cushion and we'll provide the herbal tea and biscuits!

​Please get in touch if interested.

The workshop, run by Colin Wade, will help independent authors with how to market and brand themselves and their books, with lots of practical tips to take away.

Click the link to book your place.

The premise of Cookbook Club is simple. We come together on the first Tuesday of every month to enjoy a meal cooked from a favourite cookbook, discuss recipes and ideas and have a glass (or two) of something fitting. Tickets are limited.

Our cookbook for this month is The Farm Table by Julius Roberts.

Come along to the shop at 6.30pm if you'd like to discuss the book and swap recipes with the other guests, before heading across to Five Little Pigs for Aimee's take on the recipes and a fabulous two course dinner from the book.

Email the Pigs to book your ticket at littlepigsltd@gmail.com

Charles Boundy's talk at The Wallingford Historical and Archaeological Society (TWHAS), St Mary's Church.

Charles has a legal background, including a period as a Legal Director for a major publishing group. He is author of Ice to Athelstan – The Emergence of England and Conquest to Charter – The Resilience of England 940 to 1272. Charles has been giving talks about the various periods covered, including (by zoom) to the national U3A audience which have built up a considerable following.  

Charles’s talk will fill in some of the gaps between the reigns of King Alfred and Edward the Confessor, including Viking inroads, the role of Wessex as the ‘Last Kingdom’, and the Vikings in Dublin, York and Normandy through to the Danish Conquest under Sweyn and Cnut. It will be an overview of events that were later to lead to the Norman Conquest of 1066.

Non-members welcome, £5 (cash only) on the door.

Helen Russell is the author of The Year of Living Danishly, How To Be Sad and How To Raise a Viking. She will be chatting to Gaye about her debut novel (our book club choice for September!), Laura Clark Is Away From Her Desk.

The event will take place in Goring Library, so we recommend calling the library on 01865 815155 to book your seat or through the link below.

The bookshop is supporting Wallingford's first Independent Authors' Festival on 3rd October. Open to all Oxfordshire authors who are not traditionally published by the big four (Penguin, HarperCollins, Macmillan and Hachette) this is an opportunity for indie authors to showcase their books. There will be workshops, talks and a chance to chat to local authors.

If you are a local author who would like to take a stall, run a workshop or present a talk, please email colinwade40@btinternet.com.

Tom Hindle and more - watch this space...