Kate Hamer author of ‘The Doll Funeral‘ mentioned Burway Books in her Faber Blog ‘My Favourite Indie’
“Burway Books, Church Stretton
Nestled in the Shropshire hills these incredible booksellers here are headed up by Ros whose forty years of running the shop has led to a depth of knowledge rarely experienced. One way this really counts is her ability to recommend something one might not have read otherwise, books that have stayed with me ever since. Author events, an informal ‘book chat’ session and – a genius idea – a book club run by theme rather than being tied to a single book.”
Thank you, Kate @kate_hamer. If you have not yet read ‘The Doll Funeral’ it is a beautiful, heartfelt study of the human condition and our need for the spirit of the natural world.
Yesterday I went with Charles to Media City, Manchester to a book trade show. Roddy Doyle author of ‘Smile’ was one of the guest speakers’.
Roddy Doyle tells stories; he talked about the time at his secondary school when unbeknownst to him and his fellow classmates, they were chosen (by a singing test with a deadly tuning fork) to rehearse a Gaelic mass with their tutor for their tutor’s own funeral.
This brought back memories for me of a ‘planned’ funeral. A smartly dressed lady who lived in Church Stretton asked me and many from Church Stretton to her funeral – she would be in the front row with her family. It was the most unusual event that I have ever attended. A soprano sang beautifully with a call to heaven, her eyes rolling upwards towards the ceiling. There was also a wake, I did not attend; I needed to get back to the bookshop and reality.
The lady died two or three years later.
I will start reading ‘Smile’ by Roddy Doyle @JonathanCape this evening.
