We need to talk about...books!

I am in a book club. I am not sure how I managed to get into this elite book club, because that is exactly what it is, elite. We have 6 regular members, myself being counted and more than a couple are Literature majors (since I haven’t been educated in America, I can consider myself in the minor league!) and some even have Literature degrees. Yet, I have managed to give people the false belief that my input in discussions on Austin ,McEwan, Roy and so on, are valid.

I have not yet admitted to the group that my English Literature teacher once told my class that I was dyslexic (which I am not…ro os I evileb!!) or that my Dad still spell checks my e-mails (NOT by choice!!). Anyhow, in the club, I am! I love it…but little beads of sweat drip on my forehead when it comes to choosing the our book to discuss, we take it in turns to do so-and I feel it always reflects on our readership and belonging in the group! I luckily managed to choose a ‘good’ discursive book last time round, one that, thankfully, no one had the previous desire to read (!!!) and the book, We Need To Talk About Kevin, led to the usual heated discussions over wine and cheese.

The bar, however, has been raised and we have to try to choose a book that nobody has read before, including ourselves. Since the top 100 books often include the likes of Jodi Picoult and Bill Bryson as well as other well know artists with great penmanship and spelling; Katie Price, David Beckham etc etc (!!!!), I am stuck! My suggestions of books I would love to read usually belong to an A-level book reading list (or in worst case scenarios Alison, as toilet paper), so please… help me..!!!????

Airports, Aeroplanes and African Coffee!

Airports, for me, signal the start of a mini adventure. I am not a business traveler, I do not clock up the miles to get anywhere near past a Blue loyalty card. Actually, I still enjoy just going to the airport to pick-up/ drop of friends and family; I start getting excited about my next trip!

I am not yet bored by air travel, I still want to dress for the occasion and wish it really was the 1950s so that I could wear high heels and Jackie Onassis glasses ( remembering that I am not Victoria Beckham, so doing this in 2010 would look rather ridiculous!)..but am happy when splurging on a new pair of comfy(yet flattering..eh, no!) tracky bottoms for a journey instead! I still get a thrill sitting at the bar in an airport ordering a glass of white wine …and even more of a thrill when I pop into the Mulberry store and buy a bag that matches the said tracky bottoms!!

I enjoy making-up stories of all the people I see coming and going to and from exotic places. All airports have their own highlights; Zanzibar has their outdoor check-in and chalk written departure black board, Heathrow, its caviar bar and SHOPPPING, Dubai, the Irish Village…and Entebbe International, Uganda…has a brand new African Coffee Shop!

Yes, well, quite…air travel from Uganda now suddenly doesn’t quite hold the same excitement! Good job they upgraded me to First class! I’m off for more champagne…it must have been the Mulberry bag!!