Association of Directors of Education in Scotland

I could wait till they all come out in paperback, but life’s too short, so here goes...

Before I sort out my holiday reading list, I must finish Quirkology by Richard Wiseman (a Father’s Day present). It’s packed with interesting findings, such as how to spot a liar (it’s easier if you can’t see the speaker); and why it’s better to be born near the start of the season of the sport you want to follow.

I want to read Alan Spence’s eloquent and lyrical “history as narrative” The Pure Land the real Madam Butterfly story, about Thomas Glover and the awakening of modern, industrial Japan.

Then, of course, there’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows a must for all believers in the power of the imagination.

We have some great Scottish authors, so John Burnside’s A Lie about My Father will be in my suitcase, as will Michel Faber’s The Crimson Petal and the White. If you have not read these authors, you must The Dumb House and Under the Skin are novels that still haunt me.

Sadly, I’ll have to leave the latest from Iain Banks and Ian McEwan behind can’t afford the excess baggage charge. Perhaps I should wait for the paperbacks after all.