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Coles Books News – Edition 34 – 26th August 2023

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Here I go again on my own
Goin’ down the only road I’ve ever known.

The attire wasn’t really appropriate for the time of year – that particular dark November afternoon had some sleet in the air, the temperature was set to ‘chilly’, and yet here he was – Hawaiian shirt, shorts and flipflops – long, slightly greying hair down to his shoulders and a confident, but not too confident, manner. The shop was going through the end of day processes, and we were winding down after another busy day of bookselling. And then he spoke – ‘I’ve written a book, it’s about me!’ – those were the first words from Bernie Marsden to me at the start of what was to become a fifteen-year friendship. From that date onwards, he’d pop into the shop from time to time, sometimes with his dad Joe, who would sit in one of the big comfy armchairs whilst Bernie pootled about, sometimes with Fran, his lovely, kind and gentle wife. In the years after Joe’s death, Bernie would come and just sit quietly in ‘Joe’s Chair’. He was at ease in the bookshop, and the evenings when he came and introduced his book and his albums, and played one of his many guitars, were beyond special for us, for our customers, but also I think, for Bernie.

He was made with a special sauce, his guitars were like an extension of his self – he didn’t play them, he lived them. And he wore his fame lightly, I often thought it might be a burden to him – you could tell he was at his most comfortable just chatting amongst family and friends. He was a natural storyteller, I would sit and listen to him for hours, every anecdote, every memory full of fascination and often humour. We’d chat about vinyl records and hi-fi kit, tweeters & woofers and all that ‘men in sheds’ kind of stuff. But I soon noticed that the twinkle in his eye gave something away – he was just one of us, his tales of tone and volume excited and entertained him as much as they did me – it was if he still couldn’t believe that his life had become so extraordinary. He was our special correspondent, our man on the inside, reporting on a world we would never enter, but one which we, and he, found fascinating and enjoyable. Friendships like ours never end, even through death, because a life which leaves behind such joyful memories is a life well lived. Knowing Bernie Marsden has made my life richer and more entertaining and I will be forever grateful for our friendship, but my heart still aches for Fran, Liv & Charlotte.

I don’t know where I’m going
But I sure know where I’ve been
Hanging on the promises
In songs of yesterday

Here I go again on my own
Goin’ down the only road I’ve ever known
Like a hobo I was born to walk alone
And I’ve made up my mind
I ain’t wasting no more time

But here I go again

A striking cover for an unforgettable story, Prophet by Helen Macdonald is our top fiction pick this week. This dystopian novel sees a mysterious diner appearing in a field and, as the death toll rises, Sunil Rao investigates what it is about this place that leads to nostalgia and happy memories proving fatal.

Our non-fiction choice this week delves into the aftermath of Britain’s empire. In Imperial Island, historian Charlotte Lydia Riley examines the tensions that have mounted between Britain and the rest of the world. From personal letters to pop culture, Riley leaves no stone unturned in her mission to explain Brexit, the Windrush deportations, and far-right movements in the UK today.

Elsewhere in fiction, Kate Atkinson, who has been sitting firmly in the Indie Chart week after week, is back with a short story collection. In Normal Rules Don’t Apply, eleven tales imaginatively weave together as a secretary watches over her lifeless body and a horse changes a man’s fortune through the power of voice. Joe Thomas’ crime novel White Riot is set to be the first in a trilogy set in London’s Hackney in the 1970s and 80s; DC Noble has been tasked with investigating racist attacks, but after an undercover operation goes awry, he must expose the horrors of a nation at war. Wilbur Smith is trying to unite Egypt in Testament; in Bridge by Lauren Beukes, a daughter searches for her mother in alternative realities, unaware of the others also tracking her down; and Kousuke Oono cleans, schemes and cooks in a manga dedicated to the most mundane of jobs: housework.

There’s still just enough sunshine to host a drinks evening in the garden, and How to Fix the Perfect Cocktail will give a helping hand on why bitters are crucial, the best techniques, and how to get bold flavours into every drink. The Magick of Matter by Felix Flicker takes the tough subject of condensed matter physics and makes it fun by comparing it to wizardry. Lastly, in non-fiction, Anne Funder uncovers the brilliance of George Orwell’s wife – how did she influence his writing and why was she written out of the story?

For younger readers, Unraveller by Frances Hardinge is out now in paperback, a fantasy tale about Kellen, who can unravel the curses inflicted on those around him. In picture books, Dinosaurs by Caryl Hart encourages imagination to create your own small world, one full of prehistoric creatures!

As always, if there’s a book you can’t find, call us and we will try our best to source a copy for you.

From Sophie

Click on any of the book covers below for more info.

The full newsletter with links to books – including this week’s Signed Editions – can be found HERE

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