‘A Walk From the Wild Edge’ by Jake Tyler

Really enjoyed this book. It follows Jake’s story from being on the brink of suicide to him walking/running around Britain.

Funny and heart-breaking.

Definitely worth a read.

‘Waiting for Murder’ by Fleur Hitchcock

This book is one of a few that the lovely librarian at school gave me to read over the holidays. Teenage fiction.

This book is probably aimed at an 11 or 12 year old. It’s good, very exciting and fast-paced. Would definitely recommend it to any year 7 students.

It is a long, hot summer when something strange is revealed at the bottom of the drained reservoir…

It follows two kids, Dan and Florence, as they try to solve a mystery in the village they are staying in.

‘Walks Come Tumbling Down’ by Daniel Rachel

This has been on my reading list a long time. I remember going to a Red Wedge gig and with a lot of commentary from Billy Bragg along the way it was always going to be an interesting read. And it was.

The book itself begins in 1976 when Eric Clapton made a speech in support of Enoch Powell, then explores the late 70s and 80s with the Rock Against Racism, the Specials, Red Wedge, ending in the early 90s and the Anti-Apartheid movement.

The book tells the story through conversations with over one hundred contributors, including Billy Bragg, Paul Weller, Paul Heaton, Richard Coles, Rhoda Dakar, Neil Kinnock, Phill Jupitus, Joe Strummer, Tracey Thorn, and Elvis Costello.

A fantastic oral history of a time when music fought against fascists.

‘Lessons in Chemistry’ by Bonnie Garmus

A bit late to the party with this one. People were raving about it about six months ago.

I quite liked it.

Elizabeth Zott is not your average 1960s woman. She’s a chemist, a single-mother and knows what she wants. Her daughter, Mad, is equally strong and independent, and when you throw in her dog, Six-thirty, you get a really interesting read.

‘The Daves Next Door’ by Will Carver

I love Will Carver!

This book didn’t disappoint. It was dark, funny and very original.

A suicide bomber, riding the Circle Line, waiting for the right moment to detonate his bomb. Parallel to this, the lives of seemingly unconnected characters about to collide.

Definitely worth a read.

Here is the annual facts and stats blog post following this year’s Juneathon.

In the past I’ve done the run every day and I’ve done the activity every day. So this year it was attempting to do a different activity every day. There was some success.

• Day 1 – run – 3 miles
• Day 2 – coastal walk – 7 miles
• Day 3 – Holkham Parkrun
• Day 4 – bike ride – 5 miles
• Day 5 – school track run – 3 miles
• Day 6 – treadmill run – 3 miles
• Day 7 – park exercise machines
• Day 8 – garden weights session – 30mins
• Day 9 – exercise bike – 30mins
• Day 10 – Gorleston Cliffs Parkrun
• Day 11 – garden circuits – 30mins
• Day 12 – a fast mile – 6.35
• Day 13 – arms and abs video workout – 30mins
• Day 14 – early morning run – 3 miles
• Day 15 – plogging – 4 miles
• Day 16 – indoor exercise bike in front of the TV – 30mins
• Day 17 – early morning 80th birthday celebration run – 3 miles
• Day 18 – football kick-about with my nephews
• Day 19 – woods run – 2.5 miles
• Day 20 – evening run – 3.3 miles
• Day 21 – sports day javelin afternoon
• Day 22 – grass mowing and press-ups
• Day 23 – run – 3.6 miles
• Day 24 – longer bike ride – 12 miles
• Day 25 – run – 5 miles
• Day 26 – yoga
• Day 27 – run – 3.3 miles
• Day 28 – legs video workout – 30mins
• Day 29 – hill reps
• Day 30 – pilates