Thursday, June 29, 2023

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"I can’t remember what it’s called
but I’m pretty sure it has a green cover.
What I do know is that the author’s name
starts with a P. Or possibly a K.
One of the consonants, definitely.
She was talking about it on Radio 4 last week –
although now I come to think of it,
it may have been Radio 2. On Monday.
It’s a novel. Set in Bridgend, if that helps.
No, hang on … Bridport. Or Brisbane?
She did sound Australian, in a Welsh kind of way.
At least, I think it’s a novel. It might be
an autobiography. Or a travel guide.
But I am certain it has a green cover
because I saw a picture of it
in the newspaper a few weeks ago,
although that could have been another book …”
are words that take a long time to type
into an online search box,
and lead to unsatisfactory results.
I ask my local bookseller instead,
who fetches the book from the shelf.
Turns out the cover was red.

--Brian Bilston



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