Ventnor Blog

We all know that the Island is bursting at the seams with creative types, from musicians to writers, artists to designers, it seems that at almost every corner we turn, more talented and interesting folk appear.

Lisa and Andrew Dowden, who we met some time ago, are another great example.
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Books worms and film buffs - here’s the latest on what’s new at the Library. Some corkers this month and with DVD rentals at only £2.75 per week or £1 a night what are you waiting for?

DVDS
The Nines – The Matrix via Donnie Darko
Butterfly on a wheel – paying the ransom is just the beginning
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This is the time of the year that arty type people in the town and around, finish of their works of art and craft and get ready for the MacNaughton Howe Arts and Craft Festival in the Winter Gardens.

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As we reminded you yesterday, Alan Titchmarsh will be launching the 2008 National Year of Reading this coming Friday and from Saturday all residents are invited to join the libraries all over the Wight.

If you’re not a member, you might not realise that you can borrow up to 30 books (and other things) at a time?
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New High Sheriff of the Isle of Wight, Alan Titchmarsh will be launching the 2008 National Year of Reading.

Old Titters is in town at the the Lord Louis Library on Friday between 3.30-4.30.

The author, gardener, TV personality (and don’t forget - new High Sheriff) will be charming the crowds and parting with wise words on the subject of reading.

The life of Oscar-winning filmmaker Anthony Minghella is to be celebrated at a thanksgiving service in Newport on Saturday April 26.

The service is being organised by the Isle of Wight Council with the agreement of Mr Minghella’s family. Mr Minghella was born in Ryde and remained a passionate ambassador for his native Island throughout his illustrious career.

In 1997 he was made a Freeman of the Island by the council in recognition of his achievements.
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THE ISLE of Wight’s newly elected High Sheriff and popular TV personality and author Alan Titchmarsh will be launching the Isle of Wight’s National Year of Reading at a book signing and short talk taking place at Lord Louis Library in Newport on Friday, April 25, from 3.30 to 4.30pm. (more…)

One of the first people we bumped into at the Eco Island Conference last Wednesday was an American writer and poet named Jack Tupac Pennington.

Simon was quick to pull out his ever faithful audio recorder after Jack explained that he’d embraced the Eco Island vision and decided to walk all the way from Ventnor to the conference in Cowes.
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New at Ventnor Library during March !

Adult DVD’s
Silk- Based on the novel by Alessandro Baricco
American Gangster – Denzil Washington and Russell Crowe
Brick Lane - from the award winning novel
Into the wild – inspired by the true story of Christopher McCandless
Beowulf – computer enhanced Ray Winstone as the eponymous hero
Jane Austen book club – 6 months, 6 novels, 6 members
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Many thanks to Marcia for sending in the following tribute to Anthony Minghella, who sadly died last week. Ed

For a film director, film is a journey through uncharted seas and particularly for Anthony Minghella, because he intuitively got inside the essence of the story, usually working from his own screenplay before putting together an amazing crew of old and new talents, to tell that story on film.
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We’ve got some great news coming up later today with regard to sponsorship of Invent Theatre’s forthcoming production, The Asphodel Fields.

In the meantime, Jack has more news about the production. Ed

Invent Theatre is pleased to announce more details on a new play to be performed this year.
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Louis Lawrence has a lot to be pleased about at the moment - having just confirmed his lineup for the Easter Circus Variety Show he now hears that his latest local book, Ventnor Town of Thousand Steps has become a best seller in Ventnor.

According to the stockists (Seasons) his book is a runaway best seller, having outsold all the other Island focused books.

Louis comments ….
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We’ve lots of new items at Ventnor Library this month. DVDs for all and lots of great new books.

DVD’s for adults
Atonement – Oscar nominated from the novel by Ian McEwan
Elizabeth :The Golden Age – Oscar nominated
Sense and Sensibility- BBC Series
As You Like It –Directed by Kenneth Brannagh

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We mentioned The House of Lost Souls yesterday, a novel inspired during a stay at the Harbour View Hotel in Ventnor.

Today, we’ve news about a book, written by a Ventnor author, which you might be interested in.

Ventnorian Jo Hawk’s novel, The Man Who Thought He Was Hitler has been published by Exposure Publishing. If you’re interested in hearing more, here’s a brief synopsis of the book.
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We reckon when looking through the list of new books in the library last month, you didn’t realise that one particular book has a very special connection with Ventnor.

The House of Lost Souls was written by mainland author, F. G. Cottam. It was written two years ago and we hear from the author that the inspiration for what became the Fischer House in the book occurred way back in 1994 when he was staying in Ventnor at the Harbour View Hotel with his brother on a cycling holiday.

Cottam is a regular visitor to Ventnor, he tells us it is a place that he loves and was thrilled to see that the hardback version of the book is now being stocked in Ventnor Library. (more…)

Are you looking for something to do with you 4-8 year old this coming Thursday?

If you’re kids love listening to stories then why not join others at Ventnor Library for a Terrible Tots Storytime.

It starts at 10.30 and lasts for just over an hour, finishing at 11.45am. Just giving you enough time to get home and put on the lunch.

This is absolutely free, and if you’ve been stuck in all week desperate to get out and meet others, here’s your chance.

The Ventnor Library Reading Group met again in the St. Boniface Arms to discuss Ben Elton’s First Casualty and Chimananda Ngozi Adichie’s Half of a Yellow Sun …….The group will be reading Markus Zusak’s, The Book Thief next.

Chimananda Ngozi Adichie - Half of a Yellow Sun
..a bit slow to start but once it had …really gripping ..

.. what a tragedy …I had forgotten so much about the Biafran war, all I remember is the pictures of starving children …
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Latest just in from IW Festival HQ is a call for punters to contribute stories and recipes for a new book.

Apparently a new cook book is being produced by Andy LoRusso, The Singing Chef, who will also be performing at this year’s IW Festival in the new Big Top tent. (more…)

Some of the new titles at Ventnor Library …

FICTION - we have all the Richard and Judy selection for the British Book Awards as well as ..
Wendy K HARRIS Blue slipper bay – the second novel from the local author
Angela BENSON The Amen sisters “..one of the brightest voices in Christian fiction..”
Markus ZUSAK The book thief – truly exceptional story of a young girl in Nazi Germany
Khaled HOSSEINI The Kite Runner- recently filmed
Benjamin MARKOVITS A quiet adjustment – a novel of Byron
Conin IGGULDEN Lords of the Bow- The epic tale of Genghis Kahn
Chris COLLETT Blood money – a D I Tom Mariner crime novel
Kate KINGSBURY Shrouds of holly – a Pennyfoot Hotel mystery
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We met at the St Boniface Arms on Wednesday night to discuss the author Ian McEwan of “Atonement” fame …these are some of our thoughts.

“Obviously an accomplished writer…one of the first on Bradbury’s Creative Writing Course at UEA in the 60’s and now named in the Times as one of our top 50 post war writers.”

“So glad I persisted - after a slow start I wizzed through it.”

“On Chesil Beach – deceptively simple – a “quick read” but actually very complex and rewarding.”

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Ventnor Library’s Reading Group met in the St Boniface Arms on the 12th December to discuss the works of Doris Lessing, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature this year at long last - she commented that she supposed that she was so old that they probably thought “they should!”

This is a brief flavour of what was said among the Group.

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We’re pleased to announce the winners of our Library Poetry Competition.

The winner of the children’s prize is Zoe Barrett aged 6, and the adult is Edward Lyon.

The winners are being presented with their prizes at Ventnor Library at 10 o’clock tomorrow (Saturday) and hopefully will read their poems to us. All the poems including the winners will be displayed in the Library until after the New Year.

Poems after the click. (more…)

If you’re starting to think about Christmas presents already (sorry!), or fancy treating yourself to something new to read, check out Extradited!: One Man’s Prison Hell and His Lover’s Fight for Justice by John Packwood, Jane Amestoy and Andrew Crofts.

I’m sure you will all remember the story of John Packwood and his fight to prove his innocence when he was arrested by Spanish police on suspicion of being involved in drug smuggling. This review of the book below, by Patrick Eden (who also shot this great portrait of John and Jane) sets the scene.

John Packwood is a marine engineer from Cowes on the Isle of Wight UK. He undertook with a crew of friends to deliver a former Royal Navy Patrol Boat to Morocco. They delivered it after a traumatic journey, after which they flew home.
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Everyone loves a competition and Ventnor Library have just launched one to get your creative brain cells working over the long dark nights.

It’s pretty straight forward, all you’ve got to do is write a poem, ditty, ode or sonnet celebrating the festive season!

The closing date 8th December with the results being announced on 15th December. If you impress the judges, you could win a tasty prize and best of all see your work displayed not only at the library, but also on VB.

Call the Library on 852039 for more details.

Ventnor Library Reading Group recently met to discuss their latest choices – Sebastian Faulks’ Human Traces and Richard Benson’s The Farm – here is what they said!

About Human Traces
“I thought it impenetrable.”

“Very hard going at first but persevere, because it says a lot about what I suspect is still the same situation in the debate about psychology and psychiatry.”

“I found the end very moving having slogged my way through it – the characters are quite well drawn but you do have to persevere – it is worth it.”

It could do with a good editor – but I suppose you don’t tell Sebastian Faulks that he needs editing, do you?
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