Newsletter

"The gloomy months of November, when the people of England hang and drown themselves."
- Joseph Addison

It's probably a better idea to curl up in front of the fire with a good book! Try our Book of the Month - Booker shortlisted THE CLOTHES ON THEIR BACKS by Linda Grant. or one of this month's new recommended titles TOUCHING DISTANCE by Rebecca Abrams and ALL SHALL BE WELL; AND ALL SHALL BE WELL; AND ALL MANNER OF THINGS SHALL BE WELL by Tod Wodicka

Or escape to Corfu in the pages of SONGS OF BLUE AND GOLD by Deborah Lawrenson, our guest review for November.

Read our interview with Linda Grant and see our competition page to win copies of THE CLOTHES ON THEIR BACKS.

Can you Spot the Bookshop?
Congratulations to our October winner, Alan Bailey, for spotting the Sandwich Bookshop which is, of course, in the county of Kent. A £10 book token is on its way.

Congratulations to the winners of THE SEPTEMBERS OF SHIRAZ: Ruth Slater, Ormskirk; Samantha Hammersley, Peterborough; Anthony Martin, Stranraer; Andrew Hindley, Blackpool and Alison Smith, Carnoustie. Many thanks to Picador publishers.

Claim your FREE BOOKS! If your group is registered with us you are eligible to claim free copies of our recommended titles every month (sorry, UK and Ireland groups only). See our offers page for all the details. If you haven't already done so, please first register your group.

Read about our Bookgroup of the Month Chapter and Verse from Ilkeston in Derbyshire who have to share a male member between them, poor things!

Fill in the questionnaire if you'd like to be a BGoTM.

Picture This at Somerset House is a series of writers' talks in The Courtauld Gallery with six eminent authors including Philip Pullman, Colm Tóibín and literary critic Gillian Beer, who discuss their favourite paintings in a series of exclusive events. Enjoy a glass of wine after the talk and a chance to meet the writer.

Alexander McCall Smith is writing his online novel Corduroy Mansions exclusively for Telegraph.co.uk. A new chapter will appear each weekday from Sept 15th - Feb 3rd. The author welcomes readers' suggestions as the story unfolds.

Send in your entries for The New Writer magazine annual Prose and Poetry Prizes - a major international competition for short stories, novellas, single poems, poetry collections, essays and articles. Cash prizes from a total fund above £2,000 as well as publication for the prize-winning writers. Closing date 30 November 2008.

Radio 4 Bookclub on Sunday 2nd and Thursday 6th November features Fay Weldon who joins Bookclub to discuss her novel THE CLONING OF JOANNA MAY. Remember you can "listen again" if you miss either programme.

Congratulations to Aravind Adiga who has become the fourth debut novelist to win the Man Booker Prize for his novel THE WHITE TIGER(see our review of this tale of modern India).

The agreement between Google and the US book industry means that internet users will soon be able to choose from and buy millions of titles, many out of print, online or read them on a page-by-page basis. Read more.

The Guardian First Book Award shortlist is announced - and not a woman in sight.

Have you got a comment to make about these - or any other book-related topic? Have your say on our notice-board.

Support Wallace & Gromit's Children's Foundation by taking part in Wallace & Gromit's Great British Tea Party on Friday 5th December. All funds raised will go to support children in hospitals and hospices throughout the UK.

Arts Council funded YouWriteOn.com (YWO), is a UK website that works with leading publishers to find and develop new literary talent.

Many thanks to all of you have emailed us to thank us for helping with setting up your group and making your reading choices.
Please do remember to forward the newsletter to other members of your group so that they can take advantage of the offers and competitions.

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