Day Thirty Four

In the beginning was the word….

…and the words were taught to me by my mother (who swears I was reading the local newspaper at three years old), and later perfected at Whetley Lane Infants’ School.

From then on, my whole life revolved around words.

After Janet and John,  I graduation to Enid Blyton, oblivious to the subtext, later written into her Noddy and Bigears books.  

Then it was Famous Five and for more frivolous times, Beano, Dandy, Eagle and at Christmas, the annuals.

 Usually I asked for  The Broons and Oor Wullie.  I loved the antics of that rascally boy Wullie and the way Ma Broon took care of her large family.

Books were my life and I managed to read several a week until, in my 60's,  I developed  Macular Degeneration which effectively stopped me reading anything at all.

I had already discovered audio books, preferring them to music while I worked.

Television has never interested me so I’ve never owned one  and as I don’t like music so when my eyes began to go, I was almost an audio book expert.

Reading audio books is an art and best done by a professional, something publishers should acknowledge instead of cost-cutting, a recent trend, by allowing authors to read, and usually ruin,  their own books.

A mediocre story can be brought to life by a good reader such as Tony Britton, Martin Jarvis or the wonderful Anne Dover.   Conversely, a brilliant book can be made dull and mundane by a poor reader.

When Covid-19 hit and the local library shut down, leaving me without any books at all, I thought I may well go completely bonkers but my son gave me a voice operated device on which I can listen to podcasts and audio books. 

 

At the moment,  BBC  staff are working from cupboards under the stairs, bathrooms, attics and garages but somehow the same BBC quality comes through. 

  

If you haven't tried it yet, the BBC has everything from drama to comedy,  science, history, politics, discussion, quizzes and a whole lot more.

 Go on, explore a new world......

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds

As well as applauding the healthcare staff and other essential workers, I give a standing ovation to the BBC which has kept me company through lockdown and is as essential to my life, health and happiness as sunshine.