Summer Reading to Help You Escape

July 2, 2024 by Doctor Vernon Coleman

This is not, let us be blunt, a particularly jolly time to be alive. We are besieged by conspirators who would jab us, confine us, control us and take away from us everything we hold dear. Television offers an unsatisfying diet of dross and propaganda.

But, as we gird our loins in preparation for the next battles in this continuing and endless war, we can use books to help us escape into other worlds.

Here are a few suggestions for light summer reading:

Fiction by Vernon Coleman

My Secret Years with Elvis (`Brilliantly researched and stunningly convincing story about what happened when Elvis Presley faked his death and moved to Paris. I found myself believing it.’)

The Man Who Inherited a Golf Course (`Wonderful story about a young man who inherits a golf course and has to learn to deal with an astonishing array of characters.’) Three film companies have optioned the story but no film has yet been made.

Village Cricket Tour (`Now widely recognised as a classic story about a cricket team on tour in the West Country.’)

Mr Henry Mulligan (`The most uplifting story I’ve ever read. It made me laugh and cry at the same time.’)

The Awakening of Dr Amelia Leighton. (`A young doctor working in a modern, city practice moves to a traditional country practice – and learns a great deal about medicine, people and herself. A beautiful parable.’)

The Young Country Doctor Book 1: Bilbury Chronicles (`The first of 15 books about a young doctor in an English village – set in a different world, back the 1970s. When I finished Book 15, I started again at Book 1. I want to live in Bilbury for ever.’)

Mrs Caldicot Omnibus Edition (`All four novels about the adventures of the glorious Mrs Caldicot in one bumper volume. Mrs Caldicot is a hero to us all.’)

Paris in my Springtime (`Is this autobiography or fiction? I still don’t know. But I enjoyed it greatly.’)

Second Chance (`Brilliant escapism: a beaten down man runs away from his dreary life and demanding family and starts again.’)

Cat Tales (`Wonderful stories about wonderful cats. Other than `Alice’s Diary’ and `Alice’s Adventures’ this is my favourite of Vernon Coleman’s many cat books.’)

Dr Bullock’s Annals (`Astonishingly realistic novel about a GP in Victorian times. I laughed out loud and kept reading bits out to my wife. She is now reading it herself – though she doesn’t usually read novels.’)

And for those who prefer non-fiction entertainment:

Vernon Coleman’s Dictionary of Old English Words and Phrases: An essential vocabulary of traditional English for language lovers

Cheese Rolling, Shin Kicking and Ugly Tattoos: Vernon Coleman tours England.

My Favourite Books: Over 100 non-fiction books I’ve read more than once and hope to read again.

There are dozens more books (fiction and non fiction) available in the bookshop on www.vernoncoleman.com