It's been rather shocking to learn about the loss, damage and theft of artefacts at the British Museum this week, revealed as having taken place over a period of years. And of course it's receiving international attention, not least by the media in Greece.
The campaign for restoring ancient, important and valuable exhibits to their place of origin may certainly gain momentum. The argument that these items were in a safer, more secure location in Britain no longer rings true.
We will be able to explore the situation in detail in a few weeks' time as Victoria Hislop's wonderful new novel takes the provenance and ownership of ancient Greek relics as the core of its story.
Called 'The Figurine' it boasts the usual powerful storytelling, characterisation and scene-setting of Victoria's other novels and so much more!
Should ancient treasures remain in the ground as originally intended? Should they be held by those who have discovered them? Should they be displayed for education and enjoyment? How should they be redistributed if in the wrong hands?
Click here for details of Victoria's visit to Woodbridge in a few weeks' time and book early to make the most of a very special 'early bird' ticket price!
But whether you're in Greece or Suffolk this bank holiday, I hope you'll find time to read. It's our Booker Challenge in a few days' time and I'm receiving encouraging reports from our team on their allocated titles from this year's Longlist. We're meeting on Monday 4 September at 7.30pm and if you would like to come along to listen to the discussion, please let me know.
Thank you for reading.