Dick Strawbridge is an energetic television presenter with the best moustache on television.  A retired Lieutenant Colonel, you may know him from his popular BBC2 series on  sustainable living ‘It’s No Easy Being Green’. As well as fronting  ‘Scrapheap Challenge’ and being a finalist in Celebrity Masterchef’’, Dick has travelled round the British coast with his son James in ‘The Hungry Sailors’. Now they have written a series of books called Made at Home.

In this series, which includes ‘Vegetables, ‘Preserves’, ‘Curing and Smoking’ and ‘Eggs and Poultry’,  Dick & James Strawbridge show you how to grow, harvest, preserve, cook and make the most of your local produce – ultimately, it’s all about the eating!

 Dick and James will be at Cobbs Farm Shop (nr Hungerford on the A4) happy to have a chat and sign copies of their books from 2pm – 3.30pm. www.cobbsfarmshop.co.uk

There will be two sessions on the day (which is during the Easter Holidays) – 10.30am – 12pm, and 1pm – 2.30pm.

Katie Cleminson’s work has already been heaped with praise and she has won several prestigious awards. Her rising profile was officially recognised earlier in the year when she was named as one of the Booktrust Best New Illustrators 2011. You can visit her website at: http://www.katiecleminson.com/

Katie’s books, which also include, ‘Wake Up!’ and ‘Box of Tricks’ will be available to buy ater the event, and Katie will be happy to sign them.

(Free Event).

Bestselling novelist, Joanne Harris, will be talking about her latest novel ‘Peaches for Monsieur Le Cure’ at the Town Hall on Thursday May 24th at 7pm.

‘Peaches for Monsieur Le Cure’ completes the trilogy that started with ‘Chocolat’ (which was made into an Oscar-nominated film starring Johnny Depp and Juliette Binoche) and ‘The Lollipop Shoes’.  As well as  ‘Chocolat’ Joanne Harris has written thirteen books of fiction including ‘Blue-eyed Boy’, ‘Blackberry Wine’,  ’Coastliners ’ and ‘Five Quarters of the Orange’. She has also written two books on french cooking: ‘The French Kitchen and ‘The French Market’.

Come along to listen to Joanne talk about her latest novel in the Corn Exchange .  There will be books there on the night for her to sign (and also plenty available in our shop in the run-up to the event incase you would like to try or revisit her work).  Tickets are £5 from the bookshop (redeemable against ‘Peaches..’ on the night).

About the book:

It isn’t often you receive a letter from the dead. When Vianne Rocher receives a letter from beyond the grave, she has no choice but to follow the wind that blows her back to Lansquenet, the village in which eight years ago, she opened up a chocolate shop. But returning to her old home, Vianne is completely unprepared for what she is to find there.

Women veiled in black, the scent of spices and peppermint tea – and there, on the bank of the river Tannes, facing the church, a minaret...

For more information on Joanne Harris and her latest book visit her website: http://www.joanne-harris.co.uk/

Click for Costa Book awards, Valentine’s Day, Charles Dickens, Bedtime Books for Children and lots of other snippets of info!

Kate Summerscale’s forthcoming book, Mrs Robinson’s Disgrace, is one of the most anticipated books of 2012. Her previous book, The Suspicions of Mr Whicher, became a bestseller and won the Samuel Johnson prize for non-fiction in 2008. The book was later dramatised on TV.

When Isabella Robinson met Edward Lane in 1850, the pair became friends and – according to her diary – intimates, in an affair that was played out in the divorce courts.

In her follow-up to the bestselling ‘The Suspicions of Mr Whicher’, Kate Summerscale tells the true story of a frustrated Victorian wife undone by her salacious personal testimony.

Kate will be giving a talk, followed by questions and a signing in Hungerford Croft Hall about Mrs Robinson’s Disgrace: The Private Diary of a Victorian Lady. Tickets are £5 (redeemable against the book on the night, making it a beautiful hardback for £11.99). Wine will be avauilable to buy by the glass.

View Kate talking about the inspiration for the book: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/hay-festival/9232281/Mrs-Robinsons-Disgrace-by-Kate-Summerscale-extract-one.html

Bestselling novelist, Robert Harris, renowned for his hugely popular thrillers that include ‘Enigma’ and ‘The Ghost’, which was made into a film, as well as his novels set in Ancient Rome, will be talking about his latest book ‘The Fear Index’, a thriller set in the world of high finance on the final day of the Blair-Brown era.

After the talk the author will be happy to answer questions and sign copies of his book – a great gift for Christmas!
Tickets £5 (redeemable against the book on the night). A bar will be available.

This is the remarkable story of a Berkshire airfield during the Second World War. Everyday thousands of motorists pass Membury Services between London and Bristol. Few will see the old concrete runways or notice hangars as they speed by, but both are clues to its former wartime past.

Listen to Roger Day reveal Membury Airfield’s past through an illustrated talk (the book has over 100 photographs, most of which are published in the book for he very first time) followed by questions and a booksigning (the book will be available at the special price of £10 on the night).

Roger Day has also written ‘Ramsbury at War’, ‘Savernake at War’ and ‘Tonight We Die as Men: The Untold Story of the Third Battalion 506 Infantry Regiment’. Also just published is ‘Look, Duck and Vanish: A History of the Sixth (Marlborough) Home Guard’ which will be available on the night too.

Tickets £5 from The Hungerford Bookshop

James Aitcheson is the local author of ‘The Sworn Sword’ – a novel of intrigue and betrayal, rebellion and revenge set in the turbulent aftermath of 1066. It is the first in a gripping new series published by Preface.

James will be signing copies of his book on the night of the annual Victorian Extravaganza from 5.30pm – 8pm. For more information on James and his book please visit his website www.jamesaitcheson.com