A book for my Grandmother - recommendations please.

The Yorkshire Shepherdess or one of her following books. Think Amanda Owen is the writer

Elegran that is interesting (and certainly a bit amusing!) It wouldn't surprise me ...

I meant to add - Anthony had a French wife, I think she is involved in a film that is being made and is based on the book.

He wrote an earlier book too, about rescuing zoo animals from Baghdad when the city fell. What an amazing man.

I see you’re fixed for now, but other ideas might be the Miss Read books, if your teacher-nan hasn’t already read them.

The Salt Path by Raynor Wyn is utterly uplifting, an account of a couple who decided to walk round the West Country when they were in dire circumstances. www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/dec/06/home-is-a-state-of-mind-you-dont-need-walls

"The Man Who Made Things From Trees" by Robert Penn,

www.waterstones.com/book/the-man-who-made-things-out-of-trees/robert-penn/9780141977515

Quote: "Robert Penn cut down an ash tree to see how many things could be made from it. After all, ash is the tree we have made the greatest and most varied use of over the course of human history. Journeying from Wales across Europe and Ireland to the USA, Robert finds that the ancient skills and knowledge of the properties of ash, developed over millennia making wheels and arrows, furniture and baseball bats, are far from dead. The book chronicles how the urge to understand and appreciate trees still runs through us all like grain through wood."

I recently read Jojo Moyes 'The Giver of Stars'.
It is set in the early 1930's and based on a true story.

I loved it and didn't want it to end. You say your gran is strong and resilient, so she should like the read.

Also second 'The Salt Path' by Raynor Wynn

I have been reading about" Secrets of a Devon wood" by Jo Brown . This is a nature journal with beautiful drawings of what the author found in the wood behind her home. It does look beautiful and may be something for a special present.

I second Jojo Moyes - any JoJo Moyes. The Ship of Brides is good too.

Fanny I second Monty Don. I have read several of his books and have no evidence that he supports fox hunting.

Have a look at his ‘Nigel: My family and other dogs’, which is a lovely mix of photographs and text. It’s about gardening and dogs, which might work for your grandmother, as you said she likes animals and nature.

My partner has a 90 year old aunt in a Care Home and we often send her ‘letterbox’ flowers from Bloom & Wild. They come flat packed in a box which would fit through a letter box. Then within a couple of days, they open out beautifully. Bloom & Wild now do lovely dried flower arrangements, too. It may be worth a look at their website. ?

'A street cat named Bob'. True story and inspirational.

I shall have a look for The Elephant Whisperer for myself as it sounds very good. Thanks for the idea.

Thank you to everyone for taking time to post your fabulous suggestions.
I've downloaded free samples from most of the ideas into my kindle.
I was thinking about the shepherdess one myself.
I love the Miss Read books, I listen to them on Audible.
My Nan has read the Bob book - she enjoyed it (me- not so much!)
I'll definitely look at the Jo Jo Moyes book, that looks right up her street.
I have to be careful as she has a very odd habit of reading books to the very end, even if she doesn't enjoy them
She has said to me before, " Oh I'm so glad that I've finished that. It was a complete load of rubbish".
I spoke to her yesterday and she was in much better spirits, thank goodness.
Thank you again everyone

A Street Cat Named Bob. True story (and more than one book). Not a heavy read, quite short. It was a film too.

My 84 year old mam loved Fifty Shades of Grey.

My aunty told my Nan that FSoG was very poorly written.

I wonder where you are living and where your gran is from. Both my mum and my aunt in later years loved old second hand books about the area they came from. They swapped them with each other. It gave them an opportunity to remember traditions and things they had experienced. You can google second hand books and the place she is from. There are some amazing old books about which might entertain her.

Thanks trisher. That's a good shout.
She is from the Black Country.
She is incredibly knowledgeable about the area and has written a bit herself.
But I will definitely have a look. I buy a lot of second hand books on Amazon, it's a really good resource.

Hope you find something FannyCornforth we are from Yorkshire and I've still got some of the books written in the 70s or so about traditions and the dialect. Mum and her sister would have big telephone discussions about things the books brought back to them. Your Nan is lucky to have such a thoughtful GD.

FannyC some of my family are in the Black Country and this book is set around Dudley, Birmingham, Bromsgrove and Worcester.
It’s a true story set in the time before and during the Second World War. (I enjoyed it immensely).
The main character, Gladys is an amazing, strong woman.
It’s just under £10 for paperback version from Amazon.

Oops forgot photo’s. It’s called The Dear Watson’s.

Back page info.

chelseababy

How about one of these? About a school inspector in Yorkshire dales. "Uproarious and touching in turns"

Hmmm....amusing at first but it’d only only recommend one book, I heard him twice do his speech and it wore a bit thin after a while !

FannyCornforth

My aunty told my Nan that FSoG was very poorly written.

It is. I managed one chapter out of sheer curiosity.

Agree. Jojo moyes Books are a good read.

For an easy, dip in, dip out read, have a look at Angela Kelly's: "The Other Side of the Coin."
Kelly is the Liverpool docker's daughter who became the Queen's dresser.

It was bought for me as tease last Christmas. A tease because I'm no monarchist, but it's an enjoyable read whether you are a monarchist or not.