Free ebooks and audiobooks now available from Manchester Libraries

We are very happy to announce our fabulous new free ebook and audiobook download service. It's totally free and there is an automatic return feature so there are no late charges. Hop on over to our website and follow the download link.

You'll need your library membership number and pin code (the first four digits of your date of birth) to download. Not a member? Not a problem - you can join online now and start using the download service straightaway!

Once you are logged in you can download up to five ebooks or audiobooks and that doesn't count against your normal borrowing limits so you can still borrow eight normal books/CDs/DVDs at the same time!

You can even download stuff to your phone! How good is that? You just need to download the Overdrive Media Console first. There's more information here...

The art of slow reading

Has endlessly skimming short texts on the internet made us stupider? An increasing number of experts think so - and say it's time to slow down . . . read more in the Guardian

Finding the right cover for 'Dragon Tattoo'

The cover of Stieg Larsson's "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," featuring a swirling dragon design, has become one of the most instantly recognizable and iconic book covers in contemporary fiction, but the path to this design—like the thriller—has been full of twists, red herrings and wrong turns. Find out why at the Wall Street Journal.

Reserve books by Steig Larsson from the library catalogue for free and we'll email you when they are ready to collect.

Eurocrime: two new competitons

Eurocrime is one of my favourite blogs. It's a comprehensive site for fans of British and European crime fiction as well as non-European born authors who are strongly associated with European crime fiction (eg. Donna Leon).

The site have just announced two competitions for July and one is open internationally. There is a chance to win one of ten copies of Jail Bird by Jessie Keane and also a chance to win one of five copies of The Assassin's Prayer by Ariana Franklin.

You'll also find excellent reviews and lots of links to other crime fiction blogs and websites including author sites. Visit Eurocrime!

'Planet Middle Aged' Book Launch

This Wednesday Gerry Potter is launching his new book, Planet Middle Age at the Green Room. Hosted by Jackie Hagan with special guest artistes Rosie Garland, Cathy Crabb, Michelle Green and Marvin Cheeseman it will be a classic slice of Mancunian language and frollicking, quality and dancing.



Picking up from where Planet Young leaves off, Gerry’s second instalment of autobiographical poetry intimately explores his own love, grief, friendships, family and journey into Planet Middle Age. It’s a journey with jostling and lost tickets, the strength and vulnerability of first-hand secrets and seats warm from the strangers that sat there before, and the intensity and passion that takes us from one planet to another.



"In his last collection Potter wrote about killing off his alter-ego Chloe Poems and discovering his Scouse voice. His true voice has never been more expressive than in this latest collection. Middle age has not dampened his talent. Here are poems that will amuse, move, inspire and provoke. Long may he continue" - Paul Burston





Green Room Wednesday 21 July


Doors open 7pm. Free entry. All welcome.



Planet Middle Age [ISBN: 9780955509278]: Published by Flapjack Press on 21 July 2010. Preorder your copy at http://www.flapjackpress.co.uk/ (copies also available on the night).

Tuesday night poetry in Sale

Write Out Loud's Trafford poetry night returns to the Waterside Arts Centre tomorrow night (Tuesday 20th July) with Open Mic spaces available on a first come first served basis. Reading slots are snapped up, so the sooner you get there the better!

This month's guests include Vanessa Fay with poetry that celebrates the non-conformists within society, explores the personal and political and challenges inequity. You can also see Emma McCourty – founder of Chester's Cellar Door Writers.. Emma will be reading from her new collection, Every Nothing. And that's not all - Jackie Hagan will be performing an exclusive all new before taking it on to this year’s Edinburgh Festival. Jackie will also have copies of her brand new zine Where Are You, Pixie? available. Your host is Steve O'Connor

For full details and map, see the Write Out Loud gig guide.

Where to meet book lovers online

Do you want to get book recommendations, connect with like-minded readers and exchange books for free? Explore these sites created specifically for readers and book lovers.

Goodreads - With more than three million members, Goodreads is one of the largest social network for readers. Members can use the site to track what they are reading, make lists of books they would like to read, recommend books and form book clubs. There's aso a Facebook app so you can share books with your Facebook friends.

Shelfari - Shelfari is a community of book lovers who share what they are reading by building virtual book shelves. The site is a good place to discuss and discover new books with friends and other readers around the world.

BooksWellRead - BooksWellRead is an online book journal for people who want to share thoughts on books they have read. The site can also be used to take notes and get book recommendations.

ConnectViaBooks - ConnectViaBooks is another global community for book lovers. Members can meet other readers, get recommendations on what to read next and write book reviews.

BookGlutton - This unique community for book groups allows members to read, annotate and discuss books online. Classic books are free to read online; more recent publications must be purchased.

BookMooch - BookMooch keeps used books in circulation by allowing members to exchange books for free. The site works on a point system that requires you to give away one book for every two you receive.

Sweet to tweet or is Twitter twaddle?

From The BookSeller on Tuesday..."The Bookseller has more than 10,000. Jackie Collins has more than 16,000. Stephen Fry has 1.6 million. But do Twitter followers mean book sales and have publishers got Twitter right?

Kate Fitzpatrick, HarperCollins digital marketing manager, warned against complacency when using social media to promote books. "Publishers are grasping it but there are also some examples of ‘we’ve ticked the digital boxes’.” She added: ‘It’s organic, but it needs a structure behind it,” arguing it should be decided whether Twitter is appropriate for publicity on a “case by case” basis..."

Read more of this story over at The Bookseller

Bored kids? 300+ free summer activities in libraries across the city...

Just a quick note to let you know there are over 300 free events for children this summer in libraries...explore the Summer in the Library brochure, download a PDF version or pick up a copy at your local library. Happy holidays!

Download a PDF version

Best-selling books weekly update

Jodi Picoult's Picture Perfect retains pole position in the The Official UK Top 50 book chart this week with a 32,279 weekly sale. Audrey Niffenegger's Her Fearful Symmetry takes second position and Harlan Coben's Play Dead falls one place to third position overall.

The appearance of "Eclipse" at cinemas boosted sales of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight titles and Meyer's novella based on a character that first appears in Eclipse, The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner, stays top of the children's charts.

In non-fiction hardback Bill Bryson's At Home stays top for a seventh week and in paperback Frankie Boyle's My Shit Life so Far holds top spot for a fifth week.

Link to The Bookseller's book charts and bestsellers list.

Reserve books by Jodie Picoult, Audrey Niffenegger, Harlen Coben, Stephanie Meyer, Bill Bryson and Frankie Boyle from the library for free. Click the author's name to see a list of their books, sign in and reserve - we'll email you when your book is ready to collect...

Win a copy of The Wonder

We’ve got 15 copies of The Wonder to share with you, courtesy of our friends at Vintage. An absorbing mystery of family, absence and inheritance, The Wonder is the second work by Diana Evans, winner of the Orange Prize for New Writers.

To enter the competition, visit the ReadersPlace on our Facebook page. The closing date is July 11 and you can join Diana Evans in an online chat on Auguest 12 at 7pm. Sign up at www.rchatrandom.co.uk.

ReadersPlace aims to be the social networking site for book clubs, offering global interaction, debate and thoughts about your favourite books. You can web chat with authors live, get reading guides to more than 200 titles including author details and interviews, plot summaries, starting points for discussions and suggested further reading.

Join romcom author Adele Parks for cocktails...

Adele will be talking about her new book, Men I've Loved Before, answering questions and signing books. Tickets cost £10, but that includes a copy of her latest book (RRP £12.99), a cocktail AND a Trevor Sorbie goodie bag - so what are you waiting for - buy tickets from Silverdells of Kirkham on 01772 683444. Tickets are limited though, so you need to snap them up quickly!

Thursday 15th July - Manchester

Event starts at 7pm
Malmaison Manchester
Piccadilly, Manchester, M1 1LZ

Tickets from Silverdell of Kirkham Tel: 01772 683444
info@silverdellbooks.com
www.silverdellbooks.com

July's Poem(s) of the month

Jennifer Wong's poems have appeared in Warwick Review, Iota, Coffeehouse Poetry, Cha, Dimsum, Aesthetica, Mascara, New Writer, Open Wide Magazine, Strong Verse and The Reader. Her poetry collection, Summer Cicadas, was published by Chameleon Press. She graduated from Oxford with an English degree and took an MA in creative writing at the University of East Anglia.

Canary Wharf

A Babel crane points
its long finger to the slate sky
as if in a plea
or question.

Regent's Park

A pair of Canada geese
scissor across the pleasant water
as if nothing ever
ripples their minds.

Oxfam bring out Manchester’s literary side

Bookfest is go! The Manchester Oxfam Bookfest runs until July 17th with literary prize-winners and big-hitters taking part in readings, Q + As and competitions in Oxfam bookshops all across the city.

On Wednsday 7 July at 7.30pm you can catch poet Jane Weir giving a reading of her work at Oldham Street’s Oxfam Emporium. Carol-Ann Duffy has described Weir as “quite simply the most exciting poet I have read since Alice Oswald”. High praise indeed.

On Thursday 8 July Oxfam’s Oxford Road shop is hosting a Sci-Fi Bonanza on 8th July featuring not one, but two Doctor Who writers, Steve Lyons and Paul Magrs, who will be taking part in a Q+A session with the audience. There will also be a quiz and the chance to hear the writers read their work. Entry is free and fancy dress strongly encouraged!

The poet laureate Carol-Ann Duffy will be giving a reading of her poetry on 17th to round off BookFest events programme which also includes horror supremo Conrad Williams, crime writer Cath Stainecliffe and cult comic book scribe Mike Carey.

BookFest aims to highlight Manchester’s love of books and literature but also raises money about the vital work Oxfam does. For every 5 books bought from Oxfam, 8 schoolbooks can be bought for a developing country school. For more information contact your local Oxfam shop or call Michael Healy on 0161 234 2924.

Book club member? Star in a new TV advert for Penguin Books

If you are in a reading group Penguin Books need your help to star in a TV advert to launch a debut author on prime-time national television. In October 2010, Penguin will be putting their biggest advertising campaign of the year behind an exciting debut author. If you have a passion for brilliantly written, comic women's fiction or simply have a love of discovering new authors, they want to hear from you.

Six readers will be chosen to star in the ad, where they'll have a chance to meet and interview the mystery author plus £100 worth of Penguin Books and a signed first edition of the book. To enter, write 50 words about why, as a member of a Reading Group, you like to discover new authors. Email your answer to marketing@penguin.co.uk along with your name, age and location.

You will need to be available to travel to London for the shoot on 7th September. Penguin can pay travel expenses but not accommodation costs. More information at the Cafe Penguin online newsletter.

There are over a dozen different reading groups in Manchester Libraries. Visit the Reading Group page on our website to find a group near you...

Debut novelists shortlisted for Theakstons Crime Writing Award

The Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award shortlist, which is the result of a public vote, has been announced with debut novelists Elly Griffiths and Tom Rob Smith featuring prominently on the list along with Mark Billingham, Peter James and Ian Rankin.

The shortlist in full (click book title to reserve book for free from the library):

In the Dark by Mark Billingham. Available to borrow in paperback, large print, on CD and as a Playaway MP3.

The Surrogate by Tania Carver. Available to borrow in paperback and large print.

A Simple Act of Violence by R J Ellory. Available in paperback, large print and on CD

The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths. Available to borrow in paperback, large print and on CD.

Dead Tomorrow by Peter James. Available to borrow in paperback, hardback, large print on cd and as an MP3 Playaway.

Gallows Lane by Brian McGilloway. Availalbe to borrow in paperback and large print.

Doors Open by Ian Rankin. Available to borrow in paperback, large print and hardback.

Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith. Available to borrow in paperback, large print, on cd and as an MP3 playaway.

Happy reading!

Pages ago - time to read history @ your library

From May to November 2010 North West Libraries will be promoting historical fact and fiction under the banner "Pages Ago".

Designed to encourage more people to read historical novels and books - both fictional and non-fictional - Pages Ago is being promoted in libraries across the North West through a range of events and a well researched list of historical novels and non-fiction books available to borrow in libraries across the region.

They have very helpfully paired up fiction with non-fiction, so if you have really enjoyed a novel set in a certain historic period, you may wish to further your interest by reading some non-fiction on the same subject.

Or maybe you are one of those readers who says they only ever read true fact? You might be surprised by some of the historical fiction out there which has been meticulously researched, by writers who are passionate about history. Explore all the suggested books at the Time-to-Read website.

Pages Ago is promoted by Time To Read, a unique network of public library authorities in NW England, working to promote reading, in partnership with the University of Manchester, as well as writers, publishers, museums and heritage organisations.

If you interested in getting involved, please contact Jane Mathieson, tel 0161 234 1210, email j.mathieson@manchester.gov.uk
www.time-to-read.co.uk