It would have been tempting to name this blog post "Books Of The Year",
but went against it for fear of Simon Mayo's book-related podcast issuing a writ.
And the fact that the producer of said pod has written a book himself.
"Art Is Everywhere" - by Joe Haddow, illustrated by Elle Hawes
As far back as first meeting as radio students at Westminster University
it was more than evident that Joe Haddow was a bit more cultured
than most of the other classmates.
Actually, a lot more.
The boundless enthusiasm for theatre, dance, and reading ever-present then,
now brought to life in a book aimed at 7-11 year olds but accessible for any
reader, along with amazing illustrations making the written word look as
if it's being said out loud.
A potential magnet for anyone who doesn't pick up a book that often,
so it had me drawn in from the outset.
Bright attention-grabbing front covers also happen to be a mainstay of this
anticipated read.
"Reach For The Stars" by Michael Cragg
AKA "The Pop Bible"*. Music journalist Michael Cragg assesses
what has now become as treasured an era for pop music
as the decades that preceded it, and possibly the last as intoned
by the sub-title "Pop's Last Great Party".
Yet the book's biggest gift is that of sending you off on many different spirals,
which in this case is all the fault of contributor Peter Robinson
the man behind the Popjustice website.
Where a brilliant blog on the state of pop in 2006 spiralled itself towards
TV shows that escaped one's radar first time round, showcasing the
inability to jump, let alone land on the bandwagon of boyband
back-togethers as ignited by Take That around that time.
MTV's "Totally Boyband" and the East 17 Reunion being two such hilarities.
That said, "Rock Steady" by All Saints is still a gem.
"The Dreams We Had As Children" by Ben Baker
When ITV closed it's CITV Channel in September this year, social
media was dominated by an outpouring of grief from grown-up children
in their 30s and 40s.
Many of them probably hadn't even set eyes the channel which on launching
in 2006, was living off a brand that like many declining high street stores
had seen better days.
Unlike ten years earlier, the channel doing nothing to mark 40 years
of the CITV brand, may have said more about ITV not only wanting
to ditch children's programmes, but refusing to acknowledge
they'd ever made any full stop.
Which is why it's left to enthusiasts such as Ben Baker, whose book lists
40 shows from 40 years of Children's ITV from Dangermouse to Dave Spud.
A book I loved so much, I wanted to chat with the author to delve further,
and the idiotic results (mine not Ben's) can be heard below.
Here's hoping for more enjoyable reads in '24, and hope from everyone else
that I may actually read a work of fiction.
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