- Table View
- List View
Raymond and Graham: Cool Campers
by Mike KnudsonIt's time for camp, and fourth-graders Raymond and Graham are excited about their week at Camp Grizzly. This summer they plan to be the coolest kids at camp, but when they arrive they quickly find out they are more like the Geek Patrol than Cool Campers. Illustrations. 160 pp. 5 1/16 x 7 3/4. Pub. 6/11.
Raymond and Graham: Dancing Dudes
by Mike KnudsonItÆs time for the fourth gradeÆs annual hoedown, and best friends Raymond and Graham are ready to wow the whole school with their great dance moves. But Raymond faces a tough choice when itÆs time to pick a dance partner: the most annoying girl in the classùor his teacher! WhatÆs a fourth-grade dude to do? The second book in the Raymond and Graham series is full of kid-friendly illustrations and huge laughs from this hilarious duo!
Rayne & Delilah's Midnite Matinee
by Jeff ZentnerHigh school seniors & best friends Delia & Josie are two of the brightest stars on TV . . . local cable TV. When senior year ends, they have to make a tough decision that will test the bonds of their friendship. A funny, contemporary novel from the Morris Award winning author of The Serpent King.High school seniors and best friends Delia and Josie are two of the brightest stars on TV . . . TV Six, that is, the premiere public access cable station of Jackson, Tennessee. Every Saturday night the duo slip into their on-screen personas, Rayne Ravenscroft and Delilah Darkwood, to host the Midnite Matinee--an enthusiastic, if underwatched, creature feature that brings back the best, the bizarre and the usually zero-budget horror and sci-fi flicks of the 1950s and 60s. But with the end of senior year quickly approaching, the girls must face tough decisions about their futures. For Josie, that probably means leaving town for a big university, and chasing her dream career in mainstream TV. If only she didn't have to leave the show--and Delia--behind to get the life she wants. But the future isn't the only thing Josie feels guilty about. Soon she begins falling for the charismatic MMA fighter, Lawson, and her commitment to the show and Delia is pushed to its limits. Delia can't imagine a life that doesn't involve Midnite Matinee. Scary movies are the one connection she has to her dad who skipped town on her and her mom years ago. If the show becomes a hit, maybe her dad will see it and want to be a part of her life again. And maybe Josie will want to stay in their small town and build her career from home. As the line between growing up and growing apart blurs, Josie and Delia must test the bonds of friendship and learn that an uncertain future can be both monstrous . . . and momentous.
Rayne & Delilah's Midnite Matinee
by Jeff ZentnerFrom the Morris Award-winning author of The Serpent King comes a contemporary novel about two best friends who must make tough decisions about their futures--and the TV show they host--in their senior year of high school. <p><p> Every Friday night, best friends Delia and Josie become Rayne Ravenscroft and Delilah Darkwood, hosts of the campy creature feature show Midnite Matinee on the local cable station TV Six. <p> But with the end of senior year quickly approaching, the girls face tough decisions about their futures. Josie has been dreading graduation, as she tries to decide whether to leave for a big university and chase her dream career in mainstream TV. And Lawson, one of the show's guest performers, a talented MMA fighter with weaknesses for pancakes, fantasy novels, and Josie, is making her tough decision even harder. Scary movies are the last connection Delia has to her dad, who abandoned the family years ago. If Midnite Matinee becomes a hit, maybe he'll see it and want to be a part of her life again. And maybe Josie will stay with the show instead of leaving her behind, too. <p> As the tug-of-war between growing up and growing apart tests the bonds of their friendship, Josie and Delia start to realize that an uncertain future can be both monstrous...and momentous..
Razzmatazz: A Novel
by Christopher MooreRepeat New York Times bestselling author Christopher Moore returns to the mean streets of San Francisco in this outrageous follow-up to his madcap novel Noir.San Francisco, 1947. Bartender Sammy “Two Toes” Tiffin and the rest of the Cookie’s Coffee Irregulars—a ragtag bunch of working mugs last seen in Noir—are on the hustle: they’re trying to open a driving school; shanghai an abusive Swedish stevedore; get Mable, the local madam, and her girls to a Christmas party at the State Hospital without alerting the overzealous head of the S.F.P.D. vice squad; all while Sammy’s girlfriend, Stilton (a.k.a. the Cheese), and her “Wendy the Welder” gal pals are using their wartime shipbuilding skills on a secret project that might be attracting the attention of some government Men in Black. And, oh yeah, someone is murdering the city’s drag kings and club owner Jimmy Vasco is sure she’s next on the list and wants Sammy to find the killer.Meanwhile, Eddie “Moo Shoes” Shu has been summoned by his Uncle Ho to help save his opium den from Squid Kid Tang, a vicious gangster who is determined to retrieve a priceless relic: an ancient statue of the powerful Rain Dragon that Ho stole from one of the fighting tongs forty years earlier. And if Eddie blows it, he just might call down the wrath of that powerful magical creature on all of Fog City.Strap yourselves in for a bit of the old razzmatazz, ladies and gentlemen. It’s Christopher Moore time.
Raúl el copado
by Alain RuizRaúl no es ni el tonto ni el tragalibros de su clase, es solo Raúl, el chico más copado del colegio Santo-Suplicio. Él está convencido que sus padres no estuvieron al momento de su nacimiento, que su vieja tía Gertrudis es todavía una espía en actividad y que su profesora de lengua es una incendiaria. A pesar de todo, Raúl encuentra su vida súper copada. Podría tener un montón de amigos, pero prefiere quedarse con Bart, su mejor amigo que le tiene fobia a las serpientes y a las arañas. Cuando Raúl y Bart conocen a Catalina y a Li Mei, dos chicas de su clase, es el comienzo de una gran amistad en un grupo verdaderamente copado. Doctora en Ciencias de la religión de la Universidad de Montréal, Alain Ruiz es la autora de varias novelas y guías prácticas, vendidos más de 130.000 ejemplares, de los cuales la serie Ian Flibus (Ian Flix) conoció un enorme éxito en Quebec, e igualmente Las Crónicas de Braven OC, adaptadas en cómic.
Re-run the Fun: My Life as Pat Sharp
by Pat Sharp Darren Richman Luke Catterson'The perfect antidote to 2020' Huffington Post'A must-read if you like funny things' Greg James'I had no idea Pat Sharp's life story would be so hilarious and I strongly suspect neither did he' Nish KumarPat Sharp is a man out of time.For those of a certain generation, he is an iconic figure synonymous with good fun, great hair and excess gunge. For others, he's just that bloke with a mullet. Fame is a fickle beast and, since the cancellation of Fun House in 1999 ('Just ten years into its run, when it was finally finding its feet'), Pat has become a reclusive figure, only emerging from his splendid isolation to pop up on things like I'm A Celebrity: Get Me Out Of Here, Never Mind the Buzzcocks and Come Dine with Me. Until now.With time on his hands and now reliant on a faulty memory, Pat has expertly blended fact and . . . fiction: revealing all about his adventures with David Hassselhoff at the Berlin Wall in 1989; how he broke up a fight between Damon Albarn and Liam Gallagher at a house party; the time he suggested Geri's dress be a Union Jack; and much more.A definitive work (based on very little fact) that anatomises the cultural trends of the '80s and '90s, Re-run the Fun is just the kind of sorta-biography we need in these turbulent times. Finally, the Great British public can learn what life is like just about in sight of the top - the highs, the lows and the hair tips.'It's easy to forget, as I had, that Pat Sharp is so much more than an iconic haircut and a helter-skelter - and this well overdue book goes into hilarious, largely-fabricated detail about Pat's critical role in shaping our world today' Rick Edwards'No previous knowledge of Pat Sharp is required' Paul Sinha
Re-run the Fun: My Life as Pat Sharp
by Pat Sharp Darren Richman Luke Catterson'The perfect antidote to 2020' Huffington Post'A must-read if you like funny things' Greg James'I had no idea Pat Sharp's life story would be so hilarious and I strongly suspect neither did he' Nish KumarPat Sharp is a man out of time.For those of a certain generation, he is an iconic figure synonymous with good fun, great hair and excess gunge. For others, he's just that bloke with a mullet. Fame is a fickle beast and, since the cancellation of Fun House in 1999 ('Just ten years into its run, when it was finally finding its feet'), Pat has become a reclusive figure, only emerging from his splendid isolation to pop up on things like I'm A Celebrity: Get Me Out Of Here, Never Mind the Buzzcocks and Come Dine with Me. Until now.With time on his hands and now reliant on a faulty memory, Pat has expertly blended fact and . . . fiction: revealing all about his adventures with David Hassselhoff at the Berlin Wall in 1989; how he broke up a fight between Damon Albarn and Liam Gallagher at a house party; the time he suggested Geri's dress be a Union Jack; and much more.A definitive work (based on very little fact) that anatomises the cultural trends of the '80s and '90s, Re-run the Fun is just the kind of sorta-biography we need in these turbulent times. Finally, the Great British public can learn what life is like just about in sight of the top - the highs, the lows and the hair tips.'It's easy to forget, as I had, that Pat Sharp is so much more than an iconic haircut and a helter-skelter - and this well overdue book goes into hilarious, largely-fabricated detail about Pat's critical role in shaping our world today' Rick Edwards'No previous knowledge of Pat Sharp is required' Paul Sinha
Re-run the Fun: My Life as Pat Sharp
by Pat Sharp Darren Richman Luke Catterson'The perfect antidote to 2020' Huffington Post'A must-read if you like funny things' Greg James'I had no idea Pat Sharp's life story would be so hilarious and I strongly suspect neither did he' Nish KumarPat Sharp is a man out of time.For those of a certain generation, he is an iconic figure synonymous with good fun, great hair and excess gunge. For others, he's just that bloke with a mullet. Fame is a fickle beast and, since the cancellation of Fun House in 1999 ('Just ten years into its run, when it was finally finding its feet'), Pat has become a reclusive figure, only emerging from his splendid isolation to pop up on things like I'm A Celebrity: Get Me Out Of Here, Never Mind the Buzzcocks and Come Dine with Me. Until now.With time on his hands and now reliant on a faulty memory, Pat has expertly blended fact and . . . fiction: revealing all about his adventures with David Hassselhoff at the Berlin Wall in 1989; how he broke up a fight between Damon Albarn and Liam Gallagher at a house party; the time he suggested Geri's dress be a Union Jack; and much more.A definitive work (based on very little fact) that anatomises the cultural trends of the '80s and '90s, Re-run the Fun is just the kind of sorta-biography we need in these turbulent times. Finally, the Great British public can learn what life is like just about in sight of the top - the highs, the lows and the hair tips.'It's easy to forget, as I had, that Pat Sharp is so much more than an iconic haircut and a helter-skelter - and this well overdue book goes into hilarious, largely-fabricated detail about Pat's critical role in shaping our world today' Rick Edwards'No previous knowledge of Pat Sharp is required' Paul Sinha
Read Bottom Up: A Novel
by Neel Shah Skye ChathamA charming novel about falling in love (or like) in the digital age—the never-before-seen full story.Madeline and Elliot meet at a New York City restaurant opening. Flirtation—online—ensues. A romance, potentially eternal, possibly doomed, begins.And, like most things in life today, their early exchanges are available to be scrutinized and interpreted by well-intentioned friends who are a mere click away.Madeline and Elliot's relationship unfolds through a series of thrilling, confounding, and funny exchanges with each other, and, of course, with their best friends and dubious confidants (Emily and David). The result is a brand-new kind of modern romantic comedy, in format, in content, and even in creation—the authors exchanged e-mails in real time, blind to each other's side conversations. You will nod in appreciation and roll your eyes in recognition; you'll learn a thing or two about how the other half approaches a new relationship . . . and you will cheer for an unexpected ending that just might restore your faith in falling in love, twenty-first-century style.
Read Something Else: Collected And Dubious Wit And Wisdom Of Lemony Snicket
by Lemony SnicketLooking for wit, wisdom, and inspiration all within the pages of one useful book? Read Something Else. Life is a turbulent journey, fraught with confusion, heartbreak, and inconvenience. This collection of wit and wisdom from New York Times bestselling author Lemony Snicket is unlikely to help.It includes a new introduction filled with curious aphorisms, a handful of never-before-seen-or-heard quotations, and fan favorites from works over the years. These dubious offerings, collected from Snicket’s books, unpublished papers, and more, have been made pleasing to the eye by illustrations, select fan art, and design flourishes.
Read This Book If You Don't Want a Story
by Richard Phillips Eric ZelzMr. Book With No Story wants his pages uncluttered by pictures and plot lines, but images, questions, and ideas keep invading the unruly pages he is trying to police, ignoring his efforts to chase them away. Mr. Book is determined to share nothing with readers, but his pages have other ideas. It turns out that Mr. Book’s big fear is having nothing worthwhile to say, but in this fun, zany tribute to the creative process, he needn’t have worried. The bumbling blowhard of the first page inspires empathy and affection by the time the last page chimes in. The messages are simple: Stories are fun, and all of us can tell them.
Read the Book, Lemmings!
by Zachariah Ohora Ame DyckmanThe team behind the New York Times bestselling Wolfie the Bunny and Horrible Bear! is back with with new Arctic characters in this hilarious learning-to-read adventure!Aboard the S.S. Cliff, First Mate Foxy reads an interesting fact: "Lemmings don't jump off cliffs." But Foxy can't get the lemmings on the Cliff to read his book, too. They're too busy jumping off.After a chilly third rescue, exasperated Foxy and grumbly polar bear Captain PB realize their naughty nautical crew isn't being stubborn: The lemmings (Jumper, Me Too, and Ditto) can't read. And until Foxy patiently teaches his lemmings to read the book, he can't return to reading it, either!
Reader I Married Me: A feel-good read for anyone in need of a boost!
by Sophie TannerChloe Usher has just broken up with the love of her life. All her friends urge her to find another man before she disappears down the slippery slope to spinsterhood. After a particularly messy date and several gins, she decides that she doesn't need an 'other half' to complete her and announces that she is going to marry herself. The news goes viral and, in the sober light of day, Chloe finds herself thrust firmly into the public eye to the embarrassment of her friends and family. Planning her wedding solo takes Chloe on a bumpy journey of self-discovery, as she realises why wish away your life waiting for 'the one' when YOU are, in fact, the one?
Reader in Comedy: An Anthology of Theory and Criticism
by Alan Ackerman Magda RomanskaThis unique anthology presents a selection of over seventy of the most important historical essays on comedy, ranging from antiquity to the present, divided into historical periods and arranged chronologically. Across its span it traces the development of comic theory, highlighting the relationships between comedy, politics, economics, philosophy, religion, and other arts and genres. Students of literature and theatre will find this collection an invaluable and accessible guide to writing from Plato and Aristotle through to the twenty-first century, in which special attention has been paid to writings since the start of the twentieth century. The book is arranged in five sections, each featuring an introduction providing concise and informed historical and theoretical frameworks for the texts from the period: - Antiquity and the Middle Ages - The Renaissance - Restoration to Romanticism - The Industrial Age - The Twentieth and Early Twenty-First Centuries Among the many authors included are: Plato, Aristotle, Horace, Donatus, Dante Alighieri, Erasmus, Trissino, Sir Thomas Elyot, Thomas Wilson, Sir Philip Sidney, Ben Jonson, Battista Guarini, Molière, William Congreve, John Dryden, Henry Fielding, Samuel Johnson, Oliver Goldsmith, Jean Paul Richter, William Hazlitt, Charles Lamb, Søren Kierkegaard, Charles Baudelaire, Bernard Shaw, Mark Twain, Henri Bergson, Constance Rourke, Northrop Frye, Jacques Derrida, Mikhail Bakhtin, Georges Bataille, Simon Critchley and Michael North. As the selection demonstrates, from Plato and Aristotle to Henri Bergson and Sigmund Freud, comedy has attracted the attention of serious thinkers. Bringing together diverse theories of comedy from across the ages, the Reader reveals that, far from being peripheral, comedy speaks to the most pragmatic aspects of human life.
Reader's Digest Dumb Dad Jokes
by Reader'S DigestIs your dad funny? Is he funny looking? Just kidding. In the Reader's Digest Dumb Dad Jokes we have compiled some of the funniest jokes, riddles, and one-liners that can be shared across generations, around the dinner table or the campfire. Truly, there's something for everyone from 6 to 106."Knock! Knock! Who's there? Justin. Justin who? Justin the neighborhood and thought I'd come over." Most dads get their best material from their families. And that's what we have here: a collection of riddles, jokes, one-liners, hilarious anecdotes and pointed wit that see families for what they truly are--our chief source of amusement! Reader's Digest has a long tradition of providing our readers with laughter through our many columns in the magazine. This collection is pulled right from that humorous source. "Did you hear that NASA has launched several cows into orbit? It was the herd shot around the world!"
Reader's Digest Dumb Dad Stories: Ludicrous tales of remarkably foolish people doing spectacularly stupid things
by Editors of Readers DigestThe Editors of Reader’s Digest present a hilarious collection of real people doing dumb things. Every day in America we are bombarded by stupidity; sometimes we just shake our heads, but most of the time we get a good laugh out of the really dumb things people do and say. In this collection of dumb stories we poke a little fun at the unbelievably dumb things that happen in our lives and have a good chuckle along the way. For example: You’re a dumb criminal if…you’re not picky about your office locations. Christopher Exley of Everett, Washington, was arrested for conducting a drug deal over the phone—in the bathroom of the Everett Police Department. During my brother-in-law’s first performance review, his boss said, “I’m not quite sure what it is you do here. But whatever it is, could you do it faster?” --Jeanie Waara, Philip, SD In an attempt to balance work and motherhood, I delegated the grocery shopping to my young babysitter. But the job proved a tad daunting. One day while I was at work, she texted me from the supermarket. “Can’t find Brillo pads,” she wrote. “All they have are Tampax and Kotex.” --Kimberly Clark, Alpharetta, GA I overheard an elderly gentleman tell his friend that he couldn’t meet him the next day because he had to go to the hospital for an autopsy. His friend was sympathetic: I had one of those last year. Luckily it wasn’t serious.” --Tracy Moralee, Hitchin, Great Britain
Reader's Digest Fun Jokes for Funny Kids
by Reader’s DigestWhere does a king keep his armies?... ...In his sleevies! Do you have a budding comedian on your hands? Loaded with Knock Knock jokes, riddles, one-liners, tongue twisters and puns, Fun Jokes for Funny Kids will give them hours of new material that will keep kids ages 6-12 rolling in laughter.Knock Knock jokes, riddles, tongue twisters and puns guaranteed to make your kids (and you) laugh out loud. Also includes illustrations and cartoons for extra giggles.
Reader's Digest Fun Jokes for Funny Kids Vol. 2
by Reader'S DigestWhy aren't dogs good dancers?... ...They have two left feet! Do you have a budding comedian on your hands? Loaded with Knock Knock jokes, riddles, one-liners, tongue twisters and puns, Fun Jokes for Funny Kids Vol. 2 will give them hours of new material that will keep kids ages 6-12 rolling in laughter.Knock Knock jokes, riddles, tongue twisters, one-liners and puns guaranteed to make your kids (and you) laugh out loud. Plus--Icon for Alexa's Favorites. Alexa is a 2nd grader from New York who loves telling jokes. She has hand-picked her favorites from each chapter. Knock Knock. ...Who's there? Dozen. ...Dozen who? Dozen anyone want to let me in? Knock Knock. ...Who's there? Pecan. ...Pecan who? Pecan someone you're own size! Why don't mummies take time off? ...They are afraid to unwind! Did you hear about the crook that stole a calendar? ...He got 12 months! What would bears be without bees? ...Ears! What travels all over the world but stays in one corner? A Stamp! How do turtles talk to each other? By using shell phones! Why are ghosts bad liars? Because you can see right through them! Why did the spider go to the computer? To check his web site. Where do polar bears vote? The North Poll.
Reader's Digest Fun Jokes for Funny Kids vol 3 (Fun Jokes #3)
by Reader'S DigestLoaded with knock knock jokes, riddles, one liners, tongue twisters and puns, Fun Jokes for Funny Kids Vol. 3 will give kids hours of new material. They will keep their friends and family rolling in laughter. Perfect for kids 6-12.Knock knock jokes, riddles, tongue twisters, one liners and puns gauranteed to make your kids -and you- laugh out loud. Icon's for Alexa's Favorites denote her hand picked, favorite jokes. Alexa, a real life 4th grader from new York who loves telling jokes, is our resident guest editor!
Reader's Digest Laughter is the Best Medicine: All Time Favorites (Laughter Medicine)
by Reader'S DigestA hilarious collection of the funniest family-friendly jokes, quotes, stories, cartoons, and anecdotes from the past 100 years of Reader&’s Digest magazine. A little chuckle every day will keep the doctor away.Editors have mined the Reader&’s Digest archives to bring you Laughter Is the Best Medicine, All-Time Favorites, a collection of the most hilarious jokes and anecdotes we&’ve come across over the years. As you turn the pages of our newest collection, you&’ll realize once again that laughter is always the best medicine. If evolution really works, how come mothers have only two hands? –Milton Berle The game card said: &“Name three wars.&” My teenage daughter&’s response: &“Civil War, Revolutionary War, and Star Wars.&” Keep your temper. Nobody wants it. –Dearborn Independent Check out this billion-dollar idea. A smoke detector that shuts off when you yell, &“I&’m just cooking!&” Anthropologists have discovered a 50-million-year-old human skull with three perfectly preserved teeth intact. They're not sure, but they think it may be the remains of the very first hockey player. –Jay Leno This collection of laugh-out-loud, clean jokes, one-liners, and other lighthearted glimpses of life—drawn from Reader&’s Digest magazine&’s most popular humor columns—is sure to tickle the funny bone. Packed with cartoons, quotes, quips, and stories contributed by professional comedians, joke writers, and readers of the magazine, this side-splitting compilation pokes fun at the facts and foibles of daily routines, illustrating that life is often funnier than fiction.
Reader's Digest Timeless Favorites
by Reader'S DigestA collection of heartwarming, thrilling, surprising and hilarious stories selected from nearly a century of Reader&’s Digest magazine.Certain tales stick in our memories and remain timeless as the years march on—and they shine like never before in this compilation from Reader&’s Digest. Our editors have carefully selected narratives readers have adored throughout the past century; humorous slices of life in decades past, captivating tales of survival against the odds, sweet stories about cherished animal companions and side-splitting commentaries on everyday annoyances. Each remains as resonant and meaningful today as it was when it first appeared in the pages of Reader&’s Digest magazine, such as: A man&’s chance meeting with Einstein at a chamber music performance, and another&’s encounter with Hemingway A harrowing account of a courageous skydiving instructor&’s determination to save an unconscious diver A woman&’s first-person tale of remaining awake as she received a brain operation In addition, the book features bonus material never before published in the magazine, along with full-color illustrations and inspiring quotes.
Readers Digest Funny Family Jokes
by Editors at Reader's Digest"Knock! Knock! Who's there? Justin. Justin who? Justin the neighborhood and thought I'd come over." Reader's Digest has a long tradition of providing our readers with laughter through our many humor features. In the Reader's Digest Funny Family Jokes we have compiled some of the funniest jokes, riddles, and one-liners that can be shared across generations, around the dinner table or the campfire. Truly, there's something for everyone from 9 to 99. We hope you and your family will take the time to read, share and laugh together. Did you hear that NASA has launched several cows into orbit? It was the herd shot around the world.
Reading Allowed: True Stories and Curious Incidents from a Provincial Library
by Chris PalingChris works as a librarian in a small-town library in the south of England. This is the story of the library, its staff, and the fascinating group of people who use the library on a regular basis. We'll meet characters like the street-sleepers Brewer, Wolf and Spencer, who are always the first through the doors. The Mad Hatter, an elderly man who scurries around manically, searching for books. Sons of Anarchy Alan, a young Down's Syndrome man addicted to the American TV drama series. Startled Stewart, a gay man with a spray-on tan who pops in most days for a nice chat, sharking for good-looking foreign language students. And Trish, who is relentlessly cheerful and always dressed in pink - she has never married, but the marital status of everybody she meets is of huge interest to her.Some of the characters' stories are tragic, some are amusing, some are genuinely surreal, but together they will paint a bigger picture of the world we live in today, and of a library's hugely important place within it. Yes, of course, people come in to borrow books, but the library is also the equivalent of the village pump. It's one of the few places left where anyone, regardless of age or income or background, can wander in and find somebody to listen to their concerns, to share the time of day. Reading Allowed will provide us with a fascinating portrait of a place that we all value and cherish, but which few of us truly know very much about ...
Reading Allowed: True Stories and Curious Incidents from a Provincial Library
by Chris Paling'Paling's deftly drawn vignettes are frequently funny, sometimes sad and occasionally troubling . . . Borrow a copy from your local library, if you still have one. Better yet, buy it' Neil Armstrong, Mail on Sunday'Not only was I captivated by Paling's lovingly wrought series of pen portraits, I was amused, moved and - perhaps most surprising of all - uplifted' John Preston, Daily Mail'There are many detractors who question whether libraries are still relevant in the digital age. Paling's keenly and kindly observed account of his encounters offers a gentle insight as to why they still are' Helen Davies, Sunday TimesChris works as a librarian in a small-town library in the south of England. This is the story of the library, its staff, and the fascinating group of people who use the library on a regular basis. We'll meet characters like the street-sleepers Brewer, Wolf and Spencer, who are always the first through the doors. The Mad Hatter, an elderly man who scurries around manically, searching for books. Sons of Anarchy Alan, a young Down's Syndrome man addicted to the American TV drama series. Startled Stewart, a gay man with a spray-on tan who pops in most days for a nice chat, sharking for good-looking foreign language students. And Trish, who is relentlessly cheerful and always dressed in pink - she has never married, but the marital status of everybody she meets is of huge interest to her.Some of the characters' stories are tragic, some are amusing, some are genuinely surreal, but together they will paint a bigger picture of the world we live in today, and of a library's hugely important place within it. Yes, of course, people come in to borrow books, but the library is also the equivalent of the village pump. It's one of the few places left where anyone, regardless of age or income or background, can wander in and find somebody to listen to their concerns, to share the time of day. Reading Allowed will provide us with a fascinating portrait of a place that we all value and cherish, but which few of us truly know very much about ...