Holiday Reading

The past few weeks have been very busy, with all the strange comings and goings on – none of us have had time even to go up to Edinburgh, despite the convenience of the new Scottish Borders Railway – and everyone has been agog over the remarkable appearance of two Professor Sir Clement Danes strolling arm-in-arm around Melrose, not to mention the influx of American Gis who have been allowed to rest here before they are flown off to America, in some cases to meet children who are older than they are themselves! And that is not to mention the disappearances of, first Sir Pantagruel MacFarlanem and almost immediately afterwards, my lovely cousin, Trainee WPC Gertie Mountcastle! And to cap it all the flurry of Police activity in Bowden, culminating with the arrest of TV star, recording artist and intimate of Queens and Potentates, Ranulph Ochan'toshan OBE! And the simultaneous disappearance of several of his friends and a couple of Police Officers from Ochan'toshan's Hill House in the village! What a lot to take in – so I am way behind with my preparations for the Annual Family Holiday By The Seaside: I haven't packed a thing, and we set off tomorrow lunchtime; but, at least I know what my holiday reading will be.

I have started Travels with my Aunt, by Graham Greene, and after watching The People Vs O J Simpson, I have now started on Marcia Clark's account, in her book Without a Doubt. Marcia Clark was the Deputy DA who led the Prosecution team in the O J Simpson trial and despite knowing the eventual outcome, I found the TV drama, with John Travolta as Defence Attorney Robert Shapiro and Sarah Paulson as Clark, fascinating viewing, giving back-room insight into both prosecution and defence strategies. Over ten episodes, there was ample time for different individuals to be focussed on, and for character development and as an ensemble piece I gave it top marks. Unfortunately, the ending wasn't what it should have been but that was no-one's fault (I was going to say 'but the jury's' though that would be unfair, because every juror is an individual and we all heve our own histories and belief-systems and no matter how logically and expertly a case is made, we can each, for our own reasons, turn it down; simple human nature) and any story based on fact must work within those confines.

Graham Greene's story – I think it would fall into the class of 'Entertainment' as opposed to those works he called 'novels' although in his later years he seemed to disregard these divisions – has two central characters: Henry Pulling, an early-retired Bank Manager who was not longer required after a take-over, and his eponymous Aunt Augusta, plus the many and varied personalities they encounter on their Travels. Travelling anywhere is really outside Henry's experience, and travelling with Augusta is unlike anything he would ever have contemplated; old lovers, Police – both at home and abroad – and strange hotels, all figure prominently. Mine is a Folio Society edition, borrowed from my father's library, with colour illustrations by John Holder. Henry looks rather like Hiram Holliday as portrayed by Wally Cox which is good enough for me, although he hasn't been called on for any bravery or derring-do.

I've also got more books on my Kindle, should my attention flag a little and I will take War and Peace, theough whether I will get enough peace to read it will depend on the younger members of the family – or maybe the older ones: my Aunts are quite capable of stirring up a hornets nest wherever they go! Aunt Augusta may have a string of old lovers scattered across Europe and beyond, but I'm sure my Aunts could run her pretty close!