Books Blaze A Trail

'A good book is the precious life-blood of a master spirit' wrote John Milton.

I've been invited to join a 'Serious Book Club'. It meets at Haddington, south of Edinburgh. It consists of a Jesuit and Presbyterian ministers who have made life-long  use of their left brain.  Last month we studied a book about Martin Luther, this month a book by the Czeck author Halik. I have  suggested that next month we study a book  that comes from both a good head and a good heart. It is entitled 'Encountering the Mystery' and is by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.

We would be foolish to dismiss books. 'The Author' magazine reports that for the first time for years sales of printed books have increased while sales of digital books have declined.

Recently I spent time in our Celtic Christian Library on Holy Island with its librarian, Judith Line.  She was cataloguing some brilliant new books such as reprints of the previously unobtainable  series 'The Irish Saints' by O'Hanlon. I borrowed Laura Swan's book 'The Forgotten Desert Mothers'. Today a new book purchase for the library arrived through the post: 'Alcuin: his life and legacy' by Douglas Dales.

The Bowthorpe  Book -  'written by the people of Bowthorpe for the people of Bowthorpe to celebrate 40 years of the modern community 1977-2017' has done so well it is already being re-printed. It is dedicated to my sister Sally 'and to all those people who have selflessly devoted their time and energy to helping the community of Bowthorpe.' This remarkable volume is surely a marker for a better Britain.

There would be no books without writers. A publisher commissioned me  three years in advance to write an Advent Book.  This I am now engaged in writing. It provides a new angle on The Book of Revelation. It is in the genre of George McDonald and The Inklings.  But this is a book you will have to wait for!