Weidenfeld & Nicolson

I was quite surprised to discover that I had in fact quite a few different tranlation but I have to say that this version translated by Stephen Mitchell is the best. It is modern but not too much - it is easy to read and immediately captivates you, without the struggle of 'do I understand this translation and what does it mean' bit. He allows you to enjoy the story that Homer has written in all its full glory with a friendly introduction to the book.

This is a most profound and informative book about how we as a society care about our terminally ill people and how they die. It is also a book about our cultural fear of death.

A very beautiful and thought provoking book - some truly amazing photo's coupled with some insightful prose which can not help but inspire and beguile the reader. The trees look alien, as if they belong on a distant planet somewhere, but it's possible to lose yourself in the photo's - they're that stunning. It's also proof that the English language is surely lacking, for when we think of the word tree nothing prepares us for the striking and warped beauties that feature in this magnificent book!

The Blue Notebook is perhaps the most extraordinary and elegant books I have ever read. It tells the story of Batuk a 15 year old child prostitute from Mumbai's 'Street of Cages'.

At first this seems like an ‘aga saga' but soon develops into an intriguing tale of discovery. Written in the person of the two main characters, Michael and his wife Elizabeth, in alternate chapters, it is two separate but joined stories, which is very apt.

I have always wanted to visit Istanbul, Byzantium, Constantinople, and the detail in this book makes that desire even more acute. One can envisage wandering the streets, exploring the markets and ruins, gazing at the churches and mosques and wallowing in the history. Perhaps a map would have helped those of us who have not been there.

I really appreciated this book, for its great insight as to how people in little villages react when they hear something they think is important and then it goes right round the village and then back again.  We used to call it chinese whispers, when we played it in school.  But in this case it caused a lot of trouble for the person who suggested istarted the chain of messages.

The Story of the Olive Tree is a fascintating, evocative story of both the past and the present in how this scrubby tree can produce what could be called the nectar of life. It's history goes back thousands of years quite literally, and through many different countries, religions, cultures and histories and agriculture with our attitude to money and profit with little regard of the tree's health and welfare.

Call the Midwife is the first in Jennifer Worth's trilogy about life in the East End and her experiences as a midwife. I have to say this brought back a lot of happy memories of my own experiences of midwifery in my own local are in the late '60s and early '70s.

Jennifer's experiences are very colourful and atmospheric especially when she's describing the ship, massive in her field of vision as she walks down the road in the Docklands to attend a delivery of which everyone was involved with; from boiling the kettle to giving advice!

Shadows of the Workhouse is the brilliant follow up to Call the Midwife with Jennifer Worth following a new set of people - Jane, Peggy and Frank, Mr Collett, Mrs Warren and her 24 children and last but not least Sister Monica Joan who was very 'naughty' to say the least!