The Windsor branch of Waterstones has put up a shelf of books chosen by me as a local author. I was asked to choose two of my own books and four by other authors.
Of my own titles I chose my Simon Cowell biography and Not In My Name. For the other four I selected The Old Devils by Kingsley Amis, Cheryl by Sean Smith, Israel: A History by Sir Martin Gilbert and The Diary Of A Young Girl by Anne Frank. I had a heavy cold when I made the latter four choices and they certainly constitute an eclectic line-up.
Still, an honour to be asked. I might pop in next week, take a photograph of the shelf and post it here.
Update: here is a photograph of the shelf.
Ha ha ha! Funny choice, my man! Mazel tov anyway. Desert Island Discs up next?
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Radio/Player.htm#2#496
Parts of it have been publicised, but Sir Martin Gilbert’s radio interview last week is well worth listening to in full – to my knowledge he has never spoken about himself at such length before.
Good on you N-B for choosing a Sir Martin Gilbert tome.
Thanks Shmuel and DF. And thanks Jonathan, I shall listen to that interview for sure.
Sir Martin Gilbert is amazing. I’ve read so many of his books: The Righteous, Churchill & The Jews, The Boys, The Story of Israel (strongly recommended), Kristallnacht and others too. He even – very kindly – sent me a book last year after reading this very blog. My Dad is a fan, too. He is a national treasure.
Are you trying to manufacture a broiges tanz between Simon and Cheryl and Louis and Danni?
Is Cowell Jewish?
Is Cowell Jewish?
No but his father was Jewish, something Cowell only discovered after his father died. I did lots of interviews for the book, including one on that very subject area.
Windsor Waterstones – well get you!
I fucking hate Cheryl Cole, but I’m proud of you.
You really can’t beat Martin Gilbert’s Jewish History Atlas. You can get your facts so quickly without needing to read a whole book. I have had to buy so many copies as they keep getting ‘borrowed’ by friends… you just flick through it, and you can’t put it down.
I must check that one out one day Michelle. Thanks.
Forgot to say, I had to do a little explanatory blurb for each of my choices:
The Diary Of A Young Girl by Anne Frank
One of those books that everybody should read during their lifetime. Touching and engrossing.
The Old Devils by Kingsley Amis
Forget ‘Lucky Jim’ – this is the best from Amis snr. All that boozing and bitching makes old age sound rather fun. Bring it on I say!
Israel: A History by Martin Gilbert
A fine history of my favourite country by my favourite historian.
Cheryl by Sean Smith
I want to be friends with Cheryl Cole. No, I want to be Cheryl Cole. And I want you to read this book.
Alright,you’ve made your point.Maybe you have read a book.You’re halfway there.Just throw away the Cheryl stuff and the Cowell stuff and read The Horses Mouth by Joyce Cary.Understand that I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt on all this celebrity pony.My sister watches Xfactor.I think she’ll probably grow out of it and start living life to the full rather than vicariously.You catching my drift?
Yes, drift definitely caught!
Martin Gilbert was my supervisor when I was at UCL for a Masters’ in Holocaust Studies. For part of our degree, Sir Martin and Ben Helfgott and the rest of the students spent two weeks ‘camping’ in Eastern Europe, ie we visited most of the larger extermination camps. It was an exhausting but enlightening time. The book ‘Holocaust Journey’ was published as a result. Each of us contributed to it and it is a tome that should be part and parcel of Holocaust education.
I’ve spent much time with Martin, helping him with research and he is the consummate historian and very good company!