No One Round Here Reads Tolstoy: Memoirs of a Working-Class Reader

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Books have always been a refuge and, as Hodkinson points out, they will wait when life is a little crazy, always being there for you when you are ready. At that point, the books shifts into a slightly different perspective, more about Mark's career and how it intertwines his reading, and his reading drives his career.

In his head he is in dusty Algiers – “the fig trees, the red sky” – watching the sea sending “long, lazy” waves across the sand. I felt like I was living a parallel life: part of me on the sandy streets of Algiers, drinking strong coffee at Celeste’s restaurant; the other slightly feverish in snowed-in Rochdale. Books are very much the heart and soul of our library, but we do a lot more as well, although I’ve never put a cardboard box on my head abs pretended to be a clock… not yet anyway! You'd struggle to enjoy this unless you grew up in the 70s in the north of England, and slightly resent it. This is something Mark could readily identify with as he now realises he owns more unread books than time left in his life to read them.From an early age he loved to read, which was viewed with great suspicion by most of his family and friends. But we also get a lot of information about his career as a journalist, which wasn't exactly scintillating.

This is yet another one of those delightful books about books, but it’s obviously about a lot more than that too, class, culture, aspiration and life’s vicissitudes are also explored in pleasing detail too. A resounding defence of the physical book and the thankless enthusiasts who bring it into existence .Its a shame the book doesn't contain anymore pictures though- either of the author, his family or the books he loves- but maybe the printed word is the thing and he didn't want the reader just skipping to the pictures and colour plates in the middle! It is not just about books though, it is about his take on life and is full of the happy and sad memories he still carries with him. Despite his difficulties, it is obvious that his grandfather was deeply beloved by his family and that he was a kindly and well-liked man. His dad kept it on top of a wardrobe with other items of great worth – wedding photographs and Mark’s National Cycling Proficiency certificate.