h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hello again Steve. Thought I'd pop over and give you a proper welcome to the Guide. I'm not around here so much these days (I first joined h2g2 over five years ago!) but am always happy to chat about my favourite topics.

Hope you're feeling a bit better now. At least you've had the opportunity to browse through the Guide a little while you're off work.

I see you used to teach English. Language, literature, or both? I'd be interested to hear your views on some of the authors/books that you may have covered, and on children's response to English in school. As a teenager, I loved English language (and writing stories!) but hated literature. Love of the latter has come with age (and admittedly some great BBC adaptations that inspired me to read some of the classics)! I've always harboured thoughts of being a writer (as so many people seem to do!), and the likes of Diana Wynne Jones, Kevin Crossley-Holland and Dick King-Smith, who all say they didn't start writing til well into their forties at least, are an assertion that it's never too late. My son is an avid reader, but doesn't seem to have much interest in writing (unlike I did at his age), which seems a great pity as his teachers are very enthusiastic about his work (if not his handwriting!).

As I found myself drifting further from the topic on the DWJ page, I thought I'd start this brand new one here, if you fancy chatting about books, the universe and everything.

(Pegasus - currently appreciating the new radio series with a change of name!)

Thanks for the message
Always love talking about books. I'm envious of you meeting all those authors too, but it's all my own fault for not stirring myself more. When I taught (until 6 years ago - I keep thinking of it as 'recent' but the number is getting scarily large)it was the whole gamut of English - language, literature, media, the lot, and I wouldn't have had it any other way. Loved it, and moved to a job working with teachers in an LEA where I could still enthuse about books one of which, recently, is 'Holes' which I thought was brilliant. The other one that has really caught on with lower secondary pupils is 'Skellig', David Almond. Great to see quite young readers engrossed in complexity.
We seem to have read a lot of the same stuff, in fact. In fact, oddly enough, my enforced absence from work has allowed me to read at last (had it for ages) the last of the Kevin Crossley-Holland 'Arthur' trilogy, 'King of the Middle March' which I have enjoyed a great deal.
English wasn't my first love, though - until 16, I was going to be a linguist, before I discovered poetry and novels. Not a writer, alas, though the odd poem emerges, strictly not for publication.
Going back to Philip Reeve, I was drawn into the world (like with any really good fantasy writer, Philip Pullman especially for instance) though I found myself becoming a tad concerned about the body-count towards the end.
Like you, and inveterate collector, I have to make myself slim down the library. All sorts, too, so I can see a new Terry Pratchett launch () at the same time as thinking that I ought to have another go at 'Ulysses'.
Don't know how wide your taste goes - books I have enjoyed especially this year are Iain Banks, 'The Business' and Michael Frayn, 'Spies'.
I do actually still work, though all this reading doesn't sound like it and vie with one of the colleagues in the advisory team for the most obscure World Music CD (at the moment, my Kalmykian throat-singing wins hands down.)
You can tell I'm not at work, I'm drivelling on . Hope to get back to it tomorrow - my sort of job is one where absence just builds a backlog, so it will be nose to the grindstone.
Love the new name - the mattresses may be my favourite bit of the new series.
Usual responses unlikely to be as long as this here is a man with time on his hands!

Hi Steve. Sorry for taking so long to reply.

I absolutely loved 'Skellig' too. I'd really recommend the audio book, read by the author. It says it's 'abridged' but there is really very little cut out. Do you ever listen to audio books? Are they ever used in schools? David Almond's accent and style really bring the story and setting vividly to life. I wasn't able to see David Almond at the festivals this year (sold out! - as was Louis Sachar - I'll not leave it so late next time!), but I did manage to sneak into the signing.

I've still got the second and third parts of the 'Arthur trilogy' to look forward to, although I seem to recall KCH saying that a fourth book would be necessary to complete the story. Did you feel there should still be more to come at the end of the third book?

I take it you're a keen Terry Pratchett reader too? I've only read the first 3-4 books so far, then got stuck on 'Soul Music'. I just couldn't get into the book, although I've subsequently seen the television adapatation of Soul Music, and I love it! Have you see the animated TV versions? I've got both 'Soul Music' and 'Wyrd Sisters' on DVD (bargains from DVD.co.uk ) I'm not sure if there any any others available. I'd love to own the 'Unseen Library' collection of his books (available through BOL.com) - gorgeously bound and just for collectors. However, I too will need to slim down my library (and rake back some cash) before I can contemplate such a treat.

I haven't read any Iain Banks or Michael Frayn. Would they fall more into the 'thriller' genré? I suppose most of my books fall into the fantasy and/or sci-fi categories. A bit of an escapist when it comes to reading I guess. I'm currently reading Diana Wynne Jones' 'A Sudden Wild Magic', and totally immersed in it.

There are so many great children's authors around at present, and children's literature is very exciting and different to that of my youth. I enjoyed the 'traditional' books as a child ('The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe', 'The Secret Garden', 'The Railway Children', 'Tom Sawyer', 'Heidi', 'Little Women', 'Black Beauty', etc.) but was also a big fan of sci-fi - Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, John Wyndham, Aldous Huxley, John Carpenter ('The Lotus Caves' was a particular favourite) and lots of short sci-fi stories. I wonder if my enjoyment of the 'classics' as a child was spurred by the many excellent TV adaptations that used to be made for children? I feel there is a distinct lack of good quality dramatisations on TV for kids these days (but that is a whole other topic!). I'm sure I would have been delighted by the current range of children's book offerings.

I think children's literature is undergoing a renaissance and a lot of positive publicity, perhaps spurred by JK Rowling's phenomenal success with 'Harry Potter', but also because the kind of modern children's authors we have been discussing seem to be passionately interested in and positively promoting their work. Philip Pullman is an excellent example. Maybe also the lack of 'good TV' these days is turning more kids to reading?! Although the majority of these books may fall into the 'fantasy' genré, I think the average child is finding more in common with their characters than, say, five posh kids on a country holiday. Whilst Enid Blyton is undoubtedly dated now, stories set in fantasy worlds can never really go out of date.

My World Music collection is woefully lacking, although it is something I've been wanting to hear more of for about five years now. I studied an Open University course on 'Third World Development', which included a look at the culture and music of various developing countries. The course was also responsible for getting me into Paul Simon! I've been a fan of Peter Gabriel for many years, and I occasionally drift past his 'Realworld' website and long for a subscription to 'Realworld Notes' magazine. Have you heard of it? I went to Glastonbury for the first time this year, and it was incredible. I am determined to go to WOMAD next year (and Glasto too if I can manage it), so I think that come the New Year, I will finally treat myself to those precious 'Notes'. I want to make the most of WOMAD when I go, so some footing in World Music must be prerequisite.

Well, I seem to have made up for a five week delay in replying but writing five-weeks-worth in one post, so I had better quit there! Look forward to 'chatting' further soon.

Hi to you too Pegasus - thanks for the message, loads to chew over.

I was like you - got into 'children's classics' as a child through TV and haunting the library - worked through almost all E Nesbitt. Actually, I think radio is doing a better job now - heard a really effective adaptation of Skellig a while back. I got a digital radio last Christmas and there are two really good spoken word channels - BBC7 and Oneworld.
The last Crossley-Holland is a real treat when you get to it. I hadn't heard about a possible fourth, and didn't find the end unsatisfying. I like being left 'wanting more'. Sometimes when authors try to extend a series I find it disappointing - I can think of two immediate examples - Asimov's Foundation trilogy which I think he should have left at three - and Unsula Le Guin's Earthsea trilogy which has a brilliant end. Mind you, I suppose there are all sorts of pressures to produce just one more.
I completely agree about the quality of children's reading. I work with schools, and it isn't unusual now to go into a class of 10 year olds and find virtually all with a Harry Potter poised for slack moments.
Several of the books you mention ring a bell, and I had completely forgotten about 'The Lotus Caves'. Was it the same author who wrote 'The Guardians'?
Frayn and Banks are more conventional writers - not thrillers really - though Banks writes as Iain M Banks too, turning out Sci-Fi (not read any). Just read 'The Poisonwood Bible' by Barbara Kingsolver which was stunning - family of missionaries in the Congo in the 60s and 70s. Big book but v absorbing.
Pratchett, now - I find plenty who just can't take him at all - but I have loved his books since I found them (recommendation of a 14 year old pupil, so it works both ways). The Fifth Elephant is a personal favourite, but I reread several at any opportunity. Haven't seen any TV versions, but have heard some radio adaptations. And yes, I love talking books though don't tend to buy many.
Lots of good World Music stuff on the web - good old BBC website has a nice if small section with usually some interesting sound clips. There is also a Froots website with links to a world music radio programme.
I often find myself driving around between meetings etc in the day - so listen to the odd CD in the car (get some v funny looks at some of the strange noises). Nearest I will get to Womad. Happy with that though.
All the best