Travelling Companions.

On long train journeys, where I drink tea, read good books, watch the countryside fly by, I also talk to strangers.

On a train to London, I met another Rebecca, a nursing student from Dundee, confirming her shifts via text en route and visiting her older brother. I was visiting my brother in London too, and so we talked and exchanged mobile numbers. Same-name people who meet on a long journey.

A few months later, I met Lucy, a dentistry student studying in Sheffield and working as an events organiser, on this occasion at a stately home. Again, we laughed and talked- she was going to Paris- after finishing work that day. And so complete strangers, we exchanged numbers and she texted me when she made it to France. Later texts at Christmas went back and forth.

Yesterday I met Gordon. A man in his 70s who recently lost his wife to breast cancer. He said "life is hard".
"You work all your life and save up money but it does not mean anything."
So I asked questions and listened. He told me about his son, his career in the Nuclear Physics department at Oxford University. his too-big four bedroom house, how his wife did all the cooking and he did the cleaning, going on holiday on his own. But he had friends through church and good neighbours- but I will pray for him for he is right. Life is hard.

After Gordon, I met Izzy. Half Italian and from the Isle of White, and studying French and Spanish at Oxford. Capacious leather hand bag and obvious huge appetite to learn and study. Kindles. You can't turn pages. And Trinity College library probably has not digitalised all it's archives to fit on a kindle. Such encounters light up the sky.

I love train journeys.

"He ate and drank the precious words..."

During this month, http://www.ylcf.org/, a blog I read regularly, is doing a month of book reviews, and book-related posts.

In addition on the 5th March, World Book Night will take place, where thousands of free books will be handed out to encourage the non-reader to read. (http://www.worldbooknight.org/)

"One million books will be given away free in the UK and Ireland on 5 March for the inaugural World Book Night.
Some 20,000 volunteers will hand out 48 copies each of their favourite book from a 25-strong list. A further 40,000 will be distributed by organisers.
Would-be volunteers apply through the event's website, choosing a book from the list which features Alan Bennett, John Le Carre and Margaret Atwood."
Will Gompertz
(http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11905619)

I have always loved to read, and believe that books have enormous power to inform, inspire and give the reader tremendous pleasure. Benjamin Franklin said, "Give me 26 lead soldiers and I will conquer the world." The written word - books- have unlocked potential. I cannot go anywhere without a book to read, even if the opportunity of actually sitting down and reading is limited. Books can take the reader from the living room, the cafe, the train, from under the covers - to another place, another country, without moving a step.

"He ate and drank the precious words,
His spirit grew robust;
He knew no more that he was poor,
Nor that his frame was dust.
He danced along the dingy days,
And this bequest of wings
Was but a book. What liberty
A loosened spirit brings."

Emily Dickinson, Poems, pg 47 (1948)

In keeping with YLCF's March of Books I will be writing as many book reviews as I can during the next month. I initially resolved to do one every day, but I fear the quality would inevitably decline as I tryed to churn them out, so instead I will write as many "good" reviews as I can.
And may the many recipients of all those books on the 5th March, become a whole nation of book worms.