Tag: books

Manjula’s Library

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It started out as a joke.

Manjula complained about me filling the house with art and books —- and we were running out of space.

She decided that when I was seventy-five (that’s right, i’m —not yet) and stopped leading MYcycle tours (big assumption there) we’d open the house as a library.

In her memory I closed one of the bedrooms to reopen it as ‘Manjula’s Library’

Just one of the bookcases

There’s now hundreds of fiction and non-fiction books in English, including those about education, India, history, philosophy, for adults and children.

It’s an idiosyncratic mix already used by our guests, the members of ‘reflective space’ and the time I spend with young people.

My own favourites are the picture books.

It changes by the day ….

… check out the new arrivals.

Yes, it’s not JUST books, we now have a selection of cool badges.

Manjula’s Library

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Me and the dogs sorting out the children’s section of the library.

Fact is Lucie has scarpered. Nowhere to be seen, but frankly , it’s no loss as she can’t read anyway.

Billet-Doux is present, after a fashion.

Books are slowly finding their way to the shelves.

Manjula’s Sari’s protect the books from the get-everywhere dust.

Thank you to Judith Gilliland of the USA for the donation of the books you authored which started our library years ago.

I’ve now sorted over 150 young children’s books but I don’t agree with that classification as they’re for ALL ages. There’s many others: novels, india, management, thinking, politics, history, philosophy, uncategorisable for another day.

Lucie appears at the precise moment the work is over.

Meanwhile, it’s catching, Sowbaghya doing her own thing.

I’m clearly a clutter bug

Manjula gives again

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Vanshika and her younger sister Samiksha with their gifts from Manjula

Vanshika was the first to borrow books from the library. She was worried that her English wasn’t perfect, well it’s much better than this Yorkshireman’s.

Her mum thinks she’ll love the books but she’s uncertain about that man.
Manjula’s kind

Manjula’s library.

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Latest delivery to the children’s section.

The board books in the centre use more appropriate local images for the traditional English rhymes still shared with ‘early years’ children in India.

What do you think?

I’ve ordered extra as gifts from Manjula to some of the children in the immediate locality.

Even more at Manjula’s library

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I recently discovered that Stardust, one of my favourite films is written by an author I’ve only just discovered: Neil Gaiman. I know, I know, I’m behind the times.

Here’s the author’s original outline for the book.

Well now I’ve read the book and strongly recommend both.

With superb images by Charles Vegg

Manjula was full of them.

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Ideas and jokes that is.

It all did begin as a joke. Justin is leaving Mysore so we’ve craftily fetched a couple of useful items that he can’t take with him.

That’s our first stage.

Manjula’s concerns included what to do with all the stuff I was bringing home. Especially art and books. She reckoned there wasn’t enough room. Wrong!

Second she wanted to give me things to do when I couldn’t lead cycle tours anymore. When I was 75, or so she thought.

Well it all started with Faizan borrowing. Now we have Manjula’s library. She’s left it a bit messy.

There’s also a work area and..

Balcony.

Available for guests and our friends in Mysore

Stories rule!

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“Real isn’t how you are made… It’s a thing that happens to you”

From the Velveteen Rabbit

Check here for great article

I love young children’s books. When my granddaughter Poppy was born I arrived with a box full of the picture books I’d saved from when Ben and Ols were young children. From that and subsequent books, she has a great collection, some of the best insightful and political stories.

I’ve also created a small library at Mysore Bed and Breakfast.