BOOKS IN THE NEWS.

Though looking a little chubbier if not totally dissimilar on the right we have David Suchet as the latest tv version of Agatha Christie's Poirot and, on the left, a rare 1924 edition of a book that, originally costing 7/6 (just over 37p), recently sold at auction for over £40,000 smashing the world record price for a book by the author. More


There are few fairy stories better loved or more often retold than J. M. Barrie's classic about the boy who never grew up.


Now a long-lost photo album featuring images of the holiday adventures of the five young brothers - the 'Lost Boys' - that inspired the famous story of Peter Pan has surfaced at an auction for the first time. 
The remarkable collection of 150 black and white photos - which is expected to fetch £18,000 - represents the only known record of the early years of the Llewelyn Davies boys Peter, George, Jack, Michael and Nico behind Barrie’s most famous creation. More






The adventures of Enid Blyton's Famous Five were the favourite childhood read of today's adults, according to a survey.


The fast moving yarns finished ahead of other classics such as Charlie And The Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl (in at number 2), and The Lion, the Witch And the Wardrobe by CS Lewis (3), Black Beauty by Anna Sewell (4), and Winnie the Pooh by AA Milne (5). 


More than a quarter (26%) said their oldest children's book has passed down through two generations of their family while four out of five (80%) said they read, or will read, their favourite title to their own youngsters.


Nearly nine out of 10 (85%) of adults felt their reading experiences as a child helped shape the person they are today while about two in three (64%) agreed their favourite book helped them to read and write. More


How could I post about books in the news without mentioning the latest so-called 'bonkbuster'/'mummy porn' 50 Shades Of Grey by EL James?

I'm sure that like myself many of you have a mental picture of just what your favourite book characters look like and so it's hardly surprising that a university boffin has created an e-fit portraying Christian Grey, the millionaire protagonist of the saucy best selling trilogy.

Taking the descriptions of 12 readers and using software designed to catch criminals Dr Faye Skelton of the university of Central Lancashire has come up with an image of the man who up until now had only existed in the individual readers minds. More

And whilst on the subject .........


A man has been convicted of assault after he plastered his lover with brown sauce for reading erotic novel 50 Shades Of Grey.


Raymond Hodgson, 31, flipped when he caught Emma McCormick with the “porn” and stormed out of her house.


He returned with a bottle of HP Sauce and squirted her from head to toe with the goo — completely coating her face and eyes — before splattering the walls.


Last night remorseful Hodgson, a carer for his disabled sister, told The Sun: “I did what I did to show her what saucy really means. More


Not a good move I wouldn't have thought ......


A Newcastle hotelier has replaced copies of the bible with copies of the racy novel 50 Shades Of Grey More  much to the annoyance of vicar The Rev Michael Woodcock who has accused the hotel boss of cashing in on the success of the book. More


And lastly.....

The uplifting story of some of Brazil's most notorious prisoners who have been given the opportunity to reduce their prison sentences thanks to a new government initiative dubbed the 'Redemption Through Reading' programme.

Yes, inmates in some of Brazil's overcrowded prisons have been given the chance to shave 48 days off their sentences by reading books.

Allowed up to 12 books a year and with a reduction of 4 days for every book read (no skim reading allowed), the prisoner must follow up with a written essay that demonstrates that they have understood what they have just read, 'make correct use of paragraphs, be free of corrections' and 'use legible joined-up writing'. More