(Image: Pixabay)
‘You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me’ – although this quote is attributed to author C.S Lewis who published his last novel in 1956, it seems as though it is no less true today.
In 2022, the UK’s book market experienced an unprecedented boom, with over 669 million physical books sold, according to a Publishing Association report. 2023 brought a 2.6 percent drop in sales, but the industry still raked in a staggering £1.83 billion per annum.
The generation fuelling many of these sales might surprise you. People aged between 13 to 24 overwhelmingly contributed to 2022’s record-breaking year, counting for 80 percent of purchases, research from Nielsen BookData found.
(Image: Pixabay)
It appears that Gen Z and later millennials – who have often been described as ‘digital natives’ – play a major role in this increased popularity for print.
Growing up so heavily influenced by the internet and social media could be one reason the younger generations have fallen back in love with reading – but are there any other factors that make flipping through the pages of a book attractive to so many?
Gill Edwards, owner of The Little Ripon Bookshop, thinks that reading trends have shown a marked change since the Covid-19 pandemic.
She explained:
“We spent months delivering books to people in Ripon and beyond who were isolating, and I think they were very thankful for this service and have since become loyal customers.
“I also think that many people picked up a reading habit during lockdown which has continued and they have turned to books rather than screens because so much of life is now screen based and reading an actual book is a welcome change.”
The independent bookshop offered Zoom book clubs when restrictions were first put in place that still run to this day, alongside their face-to-face meetings which are described as ‘thriving and full’.
With The Little Ripon Bookshop’s 15-year anniversary approaching in July, Gill has many years of experience in the industry to reflect upon.
The Little Ripon Bookshop
She believes that a preference for physical books endures because customers like to be able to browse the shelves, read the first page and even see the typeface, discovering what appeals to them.
She added:
“This is particularly important for children, and we work hard to make sure that the young people of Ripon have somewhere to find their next favourite author.
“There’s been a lot of media noise about the decline of the high street, but we see such a lot of positivity and joy in our bookshop.
“New customers seem thrilled to find us, and visitors to Ripon often say they are delighted to find an independent bookshop.”
The region has enjoyed something of a boom of independent bookshops of late, reflective of the wider UK trend in which the industry has seen year-on-year growth since 2017.
Last year, four Yorkshire bookshops were shortlisted for Independent Bookshop of the Year – Imagined Things in Harrogate, Halifax’s The Book Corner, Kemp’s General Store & Bookshop in Malton, and Wave of Nostalgia in Haworth.
It appears that the indie market shows little signs of slowing; earlier this week, the Stray Ferret reported that Paper People Books will soon be opening in Pateley Bridge.
Kerry Thorpe, owner of Paper People Books
Commenting on the launch, owner Kerry Thorpe said:
“Reading should be fun, not a chore and we want people to feel happy and spread a bit of joy when coming into the shop.
“We feel everyone needs a book in their lives, we are all so busy and sometimes it’s just great to switch off, read a book and really escape.”
If this emerging trend of favouring physical books continues to grow or if another technological innovation finally usurps print, remains to be seen in the habits of consumers.
Generation Alpha encompasses those born between 2010 and 2024 – perhaps they’ll be the next generation of book lovers, and will continue to fuel the thriving independent bookshop scene across Yorkshire and beyond.
Read more:
St Peter’s CE Primary School in Harrogate has unveiled its new library.
The library aims to give children a place to build and nurture their love of reading. It was funded by the Friends of St Peter’s and a grant from local charity the Johnson and Mukherjee Trust. St Peter’s worked with York outdoor play company Playscheme to develop the design.
To celebrate the opening, the school and the Friends of St Peter’s have launched a wish list campaign in partnership with independent Harrogate bookshop Imagined Things, which aims to restock the school library with additional books.
Debbie Phillips, the manager and school’s co-ordinator from Imagined Things, said:
“We love partnering with local schools and encouraging that love for reading within their communities. We’re so excited by St Peter’s new library and can’t wait to help fill it with new books.”
Head teacher Paul Griffiths
Paul Griffiths, headteacher at St Peter’s, said:
“Reading from physical books in an inspiring environment is incredibly important to us all St Peter’s. It is at the heart of our focus on enabling children to become fluent, confident, lifelong readers, giving them access to all the wonderful opportunities available to them now and in the future.
“That’s why we are we are truly delighted to have been able to provide such a wonderful child-friendly and exciting space within our school.”
St Peter’s is a member of Yorkshire Causeway Schools Trust and is housed in a Victorian building formally home to Harrogate Hospital. The primary school is now looking at plans to further develop its nurture space The Nest.
Anyone can support St Peter’s library by visiting Imagined Things Bookshop on Montpellier Parade to buy a book of their choice that will be placed in the new library, including a personalised note if they wish.
Review: Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival celebrates its 20th year
Lauren Crisp is a book editor, writer and keen follower of arts and culture. Born and raised in Harrogate, Lauren recently moved back to North Yorkshire after a stint in London, where she regularly reviewed theatre – everything from big West End shows to small fringe productions. She is now eager to explore the culture on offer in and around her home town. You can contact Lauren on laurencrispwriter@gmail.com
2023’s Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival got off to a killer start on Thursday with the announcement of the winner of the Crime Novel of the Year, awarded to M.W. Craven for The Botanist, the latest in his Washington Poe series.
But this was just the start of a truly arresting line-up: a celebration of all things murder and mayhem (fictional, of course) and one of the biggest crime-writing festivals there is, now in its twentieth year. The Old Swan, its halls and gardens once walked by Agatha Christie, the Queen of Crime herself, was ready and raring to play host to the “Glastonbury of Crime”.
Whether author, agent, publisher, blogger, reader or author, every visitor had one thing in common, and that was books. For four whole days, the festival hustles and bustles with people from far and wide who love books, want to talk about them, hear about them and meet the minds behind them. There was a tangible buzz about the place; a camaraderie and shared excitement among the reported 17,000 ticketholders.
Even the A-List of the crime-writing world gets right into the mix, mingling with their readers. You might, as I did, run into Val McDermid in the corridor, or spy Richard Osman browsing the shelves of the Waterstone pop-up. I heard excited word of Richard Armitage, actor and now debut author, charming guests at Saturday’s author dinner. I was lucky enough to chat to Shari Lapena, writer of the smash hit The Couple Next Door, and to hear about her latest penning, Everyone Here is Lying.
It was great to see some local authors on the panels, too. A.A. Dhand, writer of the Bradford-based DI Harry Virdee series (with a TV adaptation in the works) spoke of his hometown’s influence on his writing. Yorkshire-born debut author Heather Darwent got a golden ticket to the much-coveted New Blood panel (a choice of the year’s best debuts) to share her book, The Things We Do to Our Friends.
Talking of new blood: this is also very much a festival for the new kids on the block – the debut authors for whom this is an exciting new adventure, and the aspiring writers, who must truly be in their element, surrounded by stars of the crime-fiction world, sharing their processes and secrets to success. It’s a crash course in the process of writing crime fiction, from those authors who plan methodically with spreadsheets and pie charts, to those who simply invent as they go, with no apparent idea of where their writing will take them. It’s enough to make anyone want to (try to) write a novel.
I met audience members who had travelled from the other side of the world, and locals who’ve visited since the festival’s infancy, recalling its much smaller scale when it first began. Today, the festival’s programme is mammoth, set to appeal across the fanbase of the myriad of sub-genres found in crime fiction, from detective novels to domestic noir to police procedurals and everything in between. With interviews, panel discussions, book signings, incident rooms, meet and greets and more, there is such a constant stream of entertainment that even those not into crime writing would likely still find themselves engaged and inspired (but of course, a love of crime, intrigue and bloody murder is encouraged).
2023’s big names included the inimitable Ann Cleeves (who received the Outstanding Contribution Award), Jeffrey Deaver (on his whopping 42nd novel), Lee and Andrew Child (the now-collaborators on the multi-million selling Jack Reacher novels), and Lucy Worsley (whose recent biography of Agatha Christie throws new light on the Queen of Crime’s time in Harrogate). I also enjoyed Lisa Jewell and Ruth Ware in conversation, the Murder Most Joyful panel (creators of so-called ‘cosy’ crime, who, with their gallows humour, were just as amusing a bunch in person as on paper) and the Never-Ending Golden Age discussion, which delved into the enduring appeal and influence of Agatha Christie and her peers.
If you love crime fiction and want to get up close and personal with the masterminds, this is the festival for you. My first visit was an open and shut case: it was criminally good.
Tomorrow we will be publishing Lauren reviews one of the highlights of this year’s Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival – a talk by well known TV historian Lucy Worsley on Agatha Christie.
Harrogate district libraries will not ban or censor ‘offensive’ books
North Yorkshire Council has said it will not ban or censor books that readers find offensive in its libraries.
Novels have increasingly become tangled-up in the so-called culture wars, particularly in the United States where thousands of books have been banned in school and public libraries due to complaints about race or LGBTQ+ themes.
The trend has spread to the UK with research published this year by the UK’s library association, the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals, finding that requests to ban books in the UK have increased significantly in recent years.
Its survey of librarians reported a third have been asked by members of the public to censor or remove books and 82% said they were concerned about the increase in the requests.
But North Yorkshire Council, which runs libraries in the Harrogate district, has said it has only received one request to ban a book in the last five years.
Boroughbridge Community Library
The book in question was Hilary Bonner’s crime thriller Deadly Dance and the request related to graphic descriptions the reader found upsetting.
The council declined to remove the book on the grounds that it follows the approach of CILIP, which says access to information should not be restricted. Its guidance states:
“It is the role of a library and information service that is funded from the public purse to provide, as far as resources allow, access to all publicly available information. Access should not be restricted on any grounds except that of the law.”
The council added that its own policy does not permit the removal of any books at the request of an individual or group and that library staff do not label items to warn customers about potentially offensive or harmful content.
Ripon pupils dress up to celebrate World Book Day
Children at a school near Ripon were among thousands nationwide to dress up today for World Book Day.
Pupils and staff at Fountains Church of England Primary School, which is at Grantley, came to lessons dressed as their favourite characters from a range of books.
The children also swapped books with each other as part of the celebrations.
It comes as pupils across the district have celebrated the day, which aims to promote reading for pleasure among children.
Staff at the school get into the spirit.
Do you have any pictures from your school celebrating World Book Day? Send them to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk or message us on Facebook.
Home library service still going strong after 60 years
Keen readers who struggle to get to their local library are being offered a lifeline from a service which has been operating in the Harrogate district for more than six decades.
Organised by North Yorkshire County Council, the home library service runs across the county – and has capacity to support new customers.
A fortnightly delivery of books or audio books is completely free of charge and the service is delivered by volunteers, coordinated by the Harrogate area’s outreach librarian Deborah Thornton.
She said:
“We have schemes at all our libraries. Harrogate is the biggest one, so we have the most customers and the most volunteers here.
“It used to be the case that people would have to prove they were housebound, but now we take people’s word for it that they need us. They can use the service if they can’t get out, but also if they can’t carry heavy books.
“We have people who are with us temporarily after an operation and carers who can’t easily leave home. We also have people who just use us through the winter when they don’t want to go out in ice and snow.”
The service was first set up in Harrogate in 1962 and has been going strong ever since. It has 35 volunteers supporting 150 customers, mostly around Harrogate itself but some further afield.
Its numbers dipped during covid, when Deborah said some of the service’s users were nervous about people visiting their homes. Since then, she has been on a mission to reach new people and ensure anyone who wants to can access deliveries of books.
Deborah said:
“However much we try and promote it, you still get people saying they’ve never heard of it before.
“We will serve absolutely anybody. Some of our volunteers are older than our customers!
“We’ve served younger people: a lady a while ago contacted us because she was poorly, so we brought her books for her young daughter to read, to keep her entertained.
“We have customers who have been with us for a long time and love the service.”
Deborah said the volunteers are given enough time to get to know the customers and are always happy to take on board people’s preferences.
They ask customers not to be too specific – only selecting one author, for example, will limit how many deliveries they can receive – and as keen readers themselves, volunteers will often make recommendations for them.
Books can be delivered in different formats, including large print and audio books, and customers can keep them for as long as they like.
Among the recipients is 95-year-old Doris Guiseley, who said:
“I’ve had the service since I was 80 and to me it is a godsend. I’m an avid reader and can get lost in a good book, it’s what keeps me going.
“I recommend it to everyone I meet and tell them it’s a brilliant service.”
Anyone who would like to find out more about the home library service can call Deborah Thornton, who is based in Starbeck, on 01609 533619.
Book collection launched across district to support teenagers’ mental healthBooks that support the mental health of teenagers have been put in libraries across the Harrogate district.
The North Yorkshire’s library service initiative coincides with today’s World Mental Health Day.
The pandemic’s disruption to young people’s lives, alongside issues such as growing concern about global warming, has increased uncertainty about identity, position in society and future plans.
In 2020, almost half of young people said they did not feel in control of their lives and almost a third felt overwhelmed by feelings of panic and anxiety on a daily basis, according to North Yorkshire County Council.
The new books, which are recommended by health professionals as part of the Reading Well initiative, cover topics such as body image, bereavement, social anxiety, boosting confidence, surviving online, sexuality, gender identity and mental health.
They cater for a wide range of reading levels and formats to support less confident readers and encourage engagement.
North Yorkshire County Council’s executive member for libraries, Cllr Greg White, said:
“Our libraries have embraced the Reading Well scheme for some years, already focusing on mental health, dementia and issues facing young people.
“This latest collection adds another strand to the support that young people can find at their library, again showcasing their important role in maintaining the health and wellbeing of the communities they serve.”
Every library in North Yorkshire, including Harrogate, Knaresborough, Boroughbridge and Ripon, will be displaying titles from the new collection and any title which is unavailable can be requested and borrowed free of charge.
The Reading Well collection is curated by The Reading Agency in partnership with experts from organisations and professionals including NHS England, leading mental health charities and library staff.
More information about the Reading Well collection can be found here.
Robert Harris and Chris Ryan coming to Harrogate literary festivalHistorical novelist Robert Harris, SAS hero Chris Ryan and broadcaster and political commentator, Iain Dale, have added their names to the line up of speakers at this year’s Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival.
They are the latest headline names that have agreed to appear at the celebration of books, which is being held between October 20 and October 23, at the Harrogate’s Crown Hotel.
Other names already announced include the 8th Earl of Harewood David Lascelles, Antiques Roadshow expert Ronnie Archer-Morgan, broadcaster Sarfraz Manzoor, The Great British Dig co-presenter Dr Chloë Duckworth, and broadcaster and TV presenter Nihal Arthanayake.
Commencing with a literary lunch staring Countdown’s Susie Dent, this year will see 23 names appearing on the Raworths stage.
Bringing the curtain down at the end of the four-day event is Fatherland author, Robert Harris, who has had many of his novels adapted for TV or film, including Enigma, which starred Kate Winslet, and Archangel featuring Daniel Craig.
He will be talking about his latest thrilling novel, Act of Oblivion – set in 1660 after the restoration of the monarchy — with BBC Radio Four’s Mark Lawson.
Iain Dale’s latest book, On This Day in History, charts the main events of the last few hundred years, with one event per page, per day.
He will be joined on stage by former LBC stablemate and festival regular, Matt Stadlen, as the pair take a journey through Britain’s political history, told in 365 events.
Former SAS corporal, Chris Ryan will talk about how his own experiences have influenced his writing.
Sharon Canavar, chief executive of Harrogate International Festivals, which produces and curates the event, said:
“The latest names added to this year’s roll call, Robert Harris, Chris Ryan and Iain Dale, are all best sellers in their own right and need no introduction, and the
quality of speakers is a testament to the ever-rising prominence of this annual literature festival.”
Further information about the festival is available here.
Harrogate’s crime writing festival names its novel of the yearNewcastle novelist Mick Herron has won the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year 2022, presented by Harrogate International Festivals, for his crime novel Slough House.
The announcement was made at The Old Swan Hotel in Harrogate last night during the opening ceremony of the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, which runs until Sunday.
The book, which is the seventh installment in the bestselling series of the same name, follows a band of failed spies.
This year marks Herron’s first time winning the award after five appearances on the shortlist in just six years.
The author received a £3,000 prize, as well as a handmade, engraved beer barrel provided by T&R Theakston Ltd.
Mick Herron said:
“This is the most coveted trophy in the crime writing community and I couldn’t be more thrilled to have won it.”
Sharon Canavar, chief executive of Harrogate International Festivals, said there was “an incredibly strong shortlist”.
The festival will see crime fiction icons including Kathy Reichs, Tess Gerritsen, Denise Mina, Lynda La Plante, Mark Billingham, Ann Cleeves and more take to the stage to discuss all things crime fiction at the world’s biggest celebration of the genre.
For more information on the line up and tickets, visit here.
Author on the hunt for Harrogate ghost storiesThe man behind Harrogate’s first ghost walk is writing a book about spooky tales in the town — and he needs your help finding stories to include.
Paul Forster launched his ghost walk last year, offering an evening excursion around Harrogate’s most haunted locations.
The one-hour trail takes in The Alexandra pub, The Crown Hotel and Hales Bar, among other places.
One of his favourite stories is the time Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the author behind the Sherlock Holmes novels, held a seance at The Harrogate Club on Victoria Avenue.
Mr Forster has now found a publisher for a book of Harrogate ghost stories and he wants people to submit their tales from the other side.
Since starting his ghost walk, Mr Forster said he’s encountered several unexplained phenomena, including what he believes was an apparition taunting him at the Turkish Baths.
He said:
“I saw a woman’s body peeking out from a cubicle, I went to the cubicle, but nobody was there. The door shut on its own then I heard a woman’s voice that went ‘ha!’ really loud. It freaked me out.
“There was a young member of staff there who said she had heard the same ‘ha!'”
Mr Forster is particularly interested in ghost stories about Windsor House, a large building that overlooks Valley Gardens. It used to be the Grand Hotel during Harrogate’s Victorian heyday.
He said:
“At Windsor House there was a woman who stepped into a lift but it wasn’t there, so she fell to her death in the lift shaft. She’s been seen lots of times. There is also ghost children running down the corridors there and unusual orbs of light. There must be more stories.”
Mr Forster said Harrogate is a hotbed of ghostly activity due to its Victorian past.
He added:
“People kept saying to me there are no ghosts in Harrogate, you need to go to York, but a lot of the ghosts came here from the Victorian era and World War One. Tourists from all over the world left an imprint behind with both fond or bad memories.
“There’s the ghost of a Victorian gent in the Pump Room museum. He’s dressed like a tourist in bowler hat and can be seen disappearing through the wall.”
Do you have any ghost stories? Email Paul Forster here or message him on Facebook.