More about books

Catherine Larner

Hello, I'm Catherine Larner, a freelance journalist, editor and presenter living in Suffolk. I contribute features, profiles, reviews, comment and analysis to regional and national magazines, newspapers and online. You can take a look at my published articles on my website here.

I also interview on stage for festivals, organisations and bookshops, 'in conversation' with novelists, historians, politicians and personalities.

Reading extensively and widely, I report on the books I've enjoyed in a weekly e-newsletter and on this site which now provides a resource of more than 800 titles. I hope you'll find it helpful in choosing books for yourself and for your friends and family.

Thank you for reading

 

My More About Books bookstore where books can be purchased online can be found here or from any 'buy this book online' link. If you buy books linked to this site, I earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops.

What's on

Sunday 1st December, 3.00pm
at Riverside Theatre, Woodbridge

Events Archive

Visit my archive pages for details of all events in recent years.

Listening in

For more than 10 years I co-hosted a monthly book club on BBC Radio Suffolk with the presenter Lesley Dolphin. You can listen to past discussions here.

Book Groups

WOODBRIDGE

I've been hosting an open Book Group in Woodbridge for the past 17 years. We used to meet in the town's bookshop but are now gathering in a hall just off the Thoroughfare. Please ​​​​sign up for the weekly e-newsletter here to receive details. 

Horse
by Geraldine Brooks
A discarded painting in a junk pile, a skeleton in an attic, and the greatest racehorse in American history, 'Horse' is described as a gripping, multi-layered novel highlighting enslavement and racism. What will we think of it?
Monday, 25 November 2024 - 7:30pm

Readers recommendations
At the end of each year, members of the Woodbridge Book Group meet together to share their favourite titles and offer ideas for gifts for friends and family, and for new authors to try ourselves. For 2023 the titles that were mentioned are listed here.

FRAMLINGHAM

I'm leading a monthly adult book group at the fabulous Ottie and the Bea children's shop in Framlingham. You can find out about how to join in the meeting and sign up here or call in to the shop to learn more and browse the wonderful selection of children's books and gifts. The book we are reading this month is

Orbital
by Samantha Harvey
The winner of this year's Booker Prize follows six astronauts on the international space station as they complete the daily sixteen (90 minute) orbits of the planet. The book has been described as 'beautiful and ambitious'. What will we think?
Wednesday, 11 December 2024 - 7:30pm

Buying books

I've linked the reviews on my website so that you can purchase online if you wish (and I will receive a small commission for each purchase, with a further commission going to all independent bookshops). 

Click here for my page on bookshop.org and do consider using it whenever you wish to buy online. 

Book reviews

My recent recommendations

Here are the books I've been enjoying recently, both fiction and non-fiction titles.

Angela Harding
Recommended non-fiction
Publication date: 26th September 2024
Hardback edition
Samantha Harvey
The winner of this year's Booker Prize follows six astronauts on the international space station as they complete the daily sixteen (90 minute)...
Publication date: 27th June 2024
Natasha Walter
Recommended non-fiction
A memoir of famlly and loss, grief and suicide, and also determination, courage and belief.
Publication date: 31st August 2023
Will Dean
Very eery, atmospheric thriller set in Sweden.
Publication date: 14th June 2018
Frances Welch
Recommended non-fiction
A gripping account of the fates of the granddaughters of Queen Victoria.
Publication date: 7th November 2024
Hardback edition
Christina Lamb
Recommended non-fiction
A hotel opened its doors to the homeless of Shrewsbury during Covid. This is an account of what happened.
Publication date: 8th June 2023
Richard Powers
Another incredible read from Richard Powers, this time celebrating the wonders of the ocean in an expansive novel where four lives coincide.
Publication date: 26th September 2024
Hardback edition
Emma Tarlo
Recommended non-fiction
Two men have been sleeping in the trees at Regent's Park for five years. The author takes them food and befriends them. Astonishing and...
Publication date: 18th January 2024
Hardback edition

For children

These are my most recent recommendations for children. Click here to see listings by age.

by Ruth Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
A fabulous, clever and mature story for young readers about the wartime efforts at Bletchley Park.
Publication date: 10th October 2024
by Jack Jackman
A fun, action-packed adventure set in the icy, isolation of Antarctica.
Publication date: 26th September 2024
by Nicola Davies
Stunning book about whales, combining beautiful illustrations, poetry, memoir and fascinating facts for all ages from four upwards.
Publication date: 19th September 2024
Hardback edition
by Anne Twist and illustrated by Emily Sutton
A charming story about plants and wildlife, and living alongside them both, beautifully illustrated by the incredible Emily Sutton.
Publication date: 5th September 2024
by Anne Fine
Finley intrigues his classmates and teachers alike with his calm composure. What's his secret? A wonderful story about being at peace with...
Publication date: 5th September 2024
by Meg Rosoff
A brilliantly funny, life-affirming, classy adventure set in Paris over a very hot weekend.
Publication date: 15th August 2024
Hardback edition
by Hilary McKay
A wonderful, magical, uplifting tale of resourcefulness and courage. Fantastic!
Publication date: 8th August 2024
Hardback edition
by Tania Unsworth
A brilliant adventure about survival and what it means to be family.
Publication date: 1st August 2024

Look out for

These titles will soon be published but are not yet available in the shops. 

by Rob Parker
The first in a brilliant new series set on the Norfolk Broads with Cam Killick, a former Marine and SBS diver investigating cold cases.
Publication date: 16th January 2025
by Tim Sullivan
A DS Cross thriller this time based in the world of secondhand books!
Publication date: 16th January 2025
by Simon Mayo
Publication date: 30th January 2025
by Lucy Brazier
Recommended non-fiction
A memoir of being in a relationship with someone who is neurodivergent. It's fun and enlightening, and talks of family life in Dorset as well as giving an insight into a career in the media.
Publication date: 27th February 2025
by Jamie Hammond
Recommended for children
A funny, fast-paced monster hunt with wonderful illustrations throughout.
Publication date: 13th March 2025
by Rachel Joyce
The story of a family through one summer in Italy.
Publication date: 17th April 2025

News

Sunday 3 November 2024

Knitting ideas

When I'm about to write an article, or find a theme for these newsletter messages, I need to have an opportunity for my mind to wander. And I have discovered that inspiration often strikes when I'm driving. (These are easy-to-navigate journeys with relatively light traffic and when I'm not carrying any passengers, you understand.) It's regularly proved a very productive time - I solve all sorts of problems while I'm moving along. The trick is remembering them all when I get to the destination.

But I haven't had reason to get in the car in the past few days so have looked to other means of triggering my thought processes. And I've found that knitting can do the trick!

For the past couple of years I've been knitting socks. They're small projects which are very satisfying, easily transportable with no complicated instructions to follow so I've taken them with me when I know I'll be somewhere with a lot of downtime (or when I'm watching television which doesn't require full concentration).