The Physical and The Ethereal

Does something that you cannot heft in your hands have less value, physically and emotionally, than something that does? This is something I've been juggling with for a while, especially when it comes to books. Books are my addiction. Having a book in my hand elicits a response that fills me with joy. But, is it the actual papery thing tied up with sting or is it the contents of it that are important? As I sit and write these words, I am surrounded by books. Having a quick count on the walls either side of me, there are about 380 books on the shelves. Hardback, paperback, signed first editions, special editions, some more loved than others, all wonderful and utter dust magnets. Looking at them, they pull memories from my life.

BlogMatthew Bone28 September 2015Book, Books, eBooks, Selfie, Love, Adiction, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Bernard Cornwell, Nick Harkaway, Chris Beckett, Chris Wooding, Conn Iggulden, Novels, Long Form, Long read, digital, digital distribution, death, Library, Libraries, Book Stores, Amazon, Interactive, Interactivity, Spotify, Film, Kindle, Franzen, Hay FestivalComment

You Can Keep Your Dragons, Uthred Is Coming

It is rare that entertainment news makes me happy. Thankfully, last week, the BBC did just that, announcing that they were adapting The Last Kingdom. The Beeb is in an interesting place at the moment, they have huge global hits with the likes of Sherlock and Doctor Who, win Emmy’s for fun with Neil Cross and Idris Elba’s Luther and mange to keep us thrilled by the exploits of three ageing men who make poor jokes and ass about in cars on Top Gear. But in a TV world that is being rewritten using the rules the BBC used to commission by (1985’s Edge of Darkness, 1984’s incredible Threads, 1979’s Tinker, Taylor, Soldier, Spy and comedy like Partridge and The Royal Family to name but a few), Auntie is being left to her knitting.