Category Archives: Arts & Culture

Positive reads: 8 books that teach readers to fall in love with life

MANILA, Philippines — There is no room for negativity. If you want to be happy in life, you should never entertain negative thoughts and dwell on the bad, the sad, and the unpleasant things that have happened to you in the past.

Instead, it would do you well to focus on happy thoughts and beautiful milestones in your life. This way, you face life armed with a positive attitude and, as a result, attract positive energy to come in.

To help reinforce positivity within you, why not dive into books that fill your heart and teach you to love life? Fill your heart and mind with stories that celebrate life, spark joy, and inspire you to find beauty, love and meaning in your everyday life.

Fully Booked recommends eight heartwarming books to fall in love with and keep you burning with positivity. 

‘The Midnight Library’ by Matt Haig

You, like everyone else, have your what-ifs and what-could-have-beens, moments when you feel lost or wonder if you are living the live you are meant to live.

“The Midnight Library” by Matt Haig thinks about these ideas deeply through a library filled with collections of lives the main character, Nora Seed, could have lived. But would any of them truly be better? Can she possibly live them all? Most importantly, what makes life worth living?

‘Into the Uncut Grass’ by Trevor Noah

In this modern fable by comedian and former “The Daily Show” host Trevor Noah, a petulant little boy runs away and ventures beyond the garden gate together with his waffle-loving teddy bear. Along the way, they meet a pair of snails, a garden gnome, and a gang of animated coins, who teach them valuable life lessons.

Filled with gorgeous illustrations, “Into the Uncut Grass” offers sprinkles of wisdom about the unexpected things you can learn when you see the world from another point of view.

‘All Along You Were Blooming’ by Morgan Harper Nichols

For days when your spark gets a little dim, “All Along You Were Blooming” is the perfect read to pick up.

Feel the love and beauty pour forth every page filled with Nichols’ vibrant illustrations and words that wrap you in kindness and understanding. Even on your busiest, most stressful days, invite the Universe’s message to embrace you by simply opening a page.

‘Tiny Beautiful Things’ by Cheryl Strayed

Prepare your highlighter and sticky notes — you’ll need them for this book brimming with quotes that strike a deep chord.

“Tiny Beautiful Things” is a collection of The Rumpus’ Dear Sugar advice columns. Anonymous letters reveal the writers’ deepest pains, and Sugar (later revealed as Cheryl Strayed) offers raw, unfiltered advice. But this isn’t your typical advice column.

Strayed pours herself into each letter with fierce empathy, as though “pulling out her heart with her bare hands.” She approaches each problem from every angle, pulling out truths from deep within her soul to offer wisdom that is at once devastating, moving, powerful, and brutally honest. It is a book you’ll return to time and time again.

‘Everything I Know About Love’ by Dolly Alderton

“Everything I Know About Love” by Dolly Alderton is a witty, laugh-out-loud, and profoundly relatable memoir that captures the messy, yet magical journey of adulthood.

With sparkling humor and heartfelt wisdom, Alderton shares candid stories about falling in love, navigating the job market, battling self-sabotage, surviving heartbreak, and hosting chaotic house parties. Beneath the self-deprecating charm lies an empowering message young adults need to hear: you are, and always will be, enough.

‘This Dog Will Change Your Life’ By Elias Weiss Friedman

“In This Dog Will Change Your Life,” Elias Weiss Friedman explores the ways dogs generate boundless love and teach you to be a better version of yourself.

In the years he has documented dogs and talked to dog parents, Friedman has seen firsthand how dogs can make you improve, save you, and give your life greater fulfillment and meaning. Watch for this heartwarming book, which is coming in June 2025. It just might change your life.

‘The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse’ by Charlie Mackesy

Both adults and children will find warmth and comfort in this elegant picture book by Charlie Mackesy.

Filled with heartfelt truths, it will remind you that suffering, loneliness, struggles and uncertainty are part of life, but that even when you feel lost and hurt, there is always a way back to love.

‘Everything Beautiful’ by Ella Frances Sanders

If you’ve been straining to find beauty in the everyday, you are not alone. It has become increasingly harder to do so in a world full of filters, follows, pings and likes.

But there is a way out of this: Sanders’ beautifully illustrated non-fiction book explores everyday beauty, teaching you to remember how and where to look.

RELATED: 17 books, poems by National Artists to read

Nick Hornby’s top 10 books ranked – Fever Pitch is only No. 6

Nick Hornby is also an Academy Award-winning screenwriter (Image: Getty)A legend of both fiction and non-fiction literature and an award-winning screenwriter, Nick Hornby became a household name after the release of his second book, 1992 autobiographical story Fever Pitch – which details his fanatical support of Arsenal Football Club.His other titles were also major successes, often leading to cinema and TV adaptations or becoming cultural talking points due to their generally relevant and realistic themes of maturity, mental health, obsessions and friendship.Here, we list Nick Hornby’s most popular books, ranked by which of the titles have been recommended by readers the most on literary reviewing platform Goodreads.10. 31 Songs (released in the U.S. as Songbook)14,111 ratings31 Songs is a collection of 26 essays by Nick Hornby exploring the emotional impact of music, delving into what makes each song catchy, what classifies tracks as classics and how the pieces resonate with individuals. The music featured in it includes classic rock icons, independent artists, chart-topping pop stars and more. Don’t miss… Rachel Reeves panic as Donald Trump tariffs risk torpedoing bid to balance books [LATEST] 9. Just Like You 24,100 ratingsJust Like You follows Lucy, a middle-aged white teacher recovering from a relationship breakdown, and Joseph, a young black aspiring DJ, who meet in a butcher shop. A relationship is then born, despite their differences, against the backdrop of North London around the time of the 2016 Brexit referendum – which adds an extra layer of social commentary to the book.8. Slam 26,628 ratings18-year-old Sam recounts his experiences from age 16 in Slam, focusing on the unexpected pregnancy of his girlfriend Alicia. In a fantastical twist, Sam experiences recurring dreams where he is projected into the future, seeing glimpses of his life and the challenges he faces. Slam was adapted into an Italian-language movie in 2017, then released worldwide by Netflix.7. Funny Girl31,670 ratingsFunny Girl tells the story of Barbara Parker, who is crowned Miss Blackpool in 1964. Later, she abandons the idea of becoming a beauty queen, moves to London hoping to become a television comedian – finally landing a leading role in a sitcom. The novel was praised by critics, who cited its consistently lighthearted tone as a fitting element, resembling the style seen on British television in the ‘60s.Colin Firth and Mark Strong in Fever Pitch (1997) (Image: Publicity Still)6. Fever Pitch42,593 ratingsFever Pitch is a memoir that chronicles Nick Hornby’s lifelong obsession with Arsenal Football Club, exploring, in chronological order, his journey from a young fan to an adult, and how football shaped his life and identity. A film adaptation was released in 1997, with a screenplay adapted by the author and a fictional romantic twist. Another one was made in 2005, starring Jimmy Fallon and Drew Barrymore – switching football for baseball, and London for Boston.5. Juliet, Naked 46,212 ratingsJuliet, Naked follows Annie, who grows tired of her relationship with partner Duncan, a “Crowologist” (a fan of singer Tucker Crowe, who mysteriously disappeared in 1986). She then decides to move on and find her own happiness in a small, uninspiring town. That is when she herself becomes drawn to Tucker Crowe, who surprisingly emails her, offering advice and sparking a new connection. A film adaptation of Juliet, Naked was released in 2016, starring Ethan Hawkie, Rose Byrne and Chris O’Dowd.4. How to Be Good 57,172 ratingsDavid, known for his fiery temper to the point of being nicknamed “The Angriest Man In Holloway”, becomes involved with DJ GoodNews, a spiritual healer. That leads him to abruptly becoming a more compassionate and kind individual, much to the surprise of everyone around him – especially his wife Katie, a doctor, who is initially skeptical of the sudden change.Juliet, Naked film poster (Image: Daily Record)A Long Way Down film poster (Image: Daily Record)3. A Long Way Down 90,075 ratingsA Long Way Down is a multi-perspective story of four suicidal individuals – devout Catholic single mother of a disabled child Maureen, melancholic Doris, widower and father Nick, and addict Toby – who meet on a London rooftop and form an unlikely friendship. The novel explores various themes related to their lives and motivations, over the period of three months. It was loosely adapted into a dark comedy film in 2014, with Pierce Brosnan, Toni Collette, Imogen Poots and Aaron Paul in the main roles.2. About a Boy139,175 ratingsAbout a Boy follows the journeys of Will, a carefree bachelor, and Marcus, an awkward 12-year-old who lives with his depressed mother, as they unexpectedly find friendship and learn about maturity and responsibility. The book was made into an ABC networks TV series in 2014, and a 2002 film starring Nicholas Hoult and Hugh Grant as the main duo, and Toni Collette as the boy’s mother.1. High Fidelity209,515 ratingsLeading the list of Nick Hornby’s most popular books is classic High Fidelity, a novel about Rob Fleming, a 35-year-old owner of a record shop called Championship Vinyl, who is music-obsessed and keeps a list of his “top five most memorable split-ups”. He goes through a crisis when his girlfriend, Laura, a lawyer, leaves him, and reflects on his past relationships and his own insecurities, all while trying to navigate his current situation. It was later adapted into a feature film in 2000, a Broadway musical in 2006 and a TV series in 2020.

April in nonfiction: Six new books about the complexities of the ever-evolving Indian experience

All information sourced from publishers.Wanderers, Adventurers, Missionaries: Early Americans in India, Anuradha Kumar In 1833, Frederic Tudor, an American businessman, made history when he shipped 180 pounds of ice harvested from Walden Pond in Boston to Calcutta – this luxury item being much in demand amongst the elites of British India. Tudor was deservedly christened the “Ice King” and soon built a flourishing trade, exporting American ice to India.Others were drawn to the country by less materialistic goals. Like the “medical missionaries” who were deeply concerned with the “women’s condition” in India. Ida Scudder’s efforts in the 1900s resulted in the setting up of the Christian Medical College in Vellore, which continues to save lives till this day; in 1873, “Doctor Miss Sahiba” Clara Swain set up the first hospital for women and children in Asia, in Bareilly, on land donated by the Nawab of Rampur.There were also those who came to stay. 22-year-old Samuel Evans Stokes came to Kotgarh in the Himalayan foothills in 1904, embraced Hinduism and became Satyanand Stokes. He revolutionised apple cultivation in the area, now in Himachal Pradesh, by introducing the “Red Delicious” apples of Missouri; today, his descendants still live and work in the region. Likewise, the Alter family. Martha and David Emmet Alter arrived in Mussoorie in 1917, to spend the summer studying at the Landour Language School; in 1941, Emmet became principal of Woodstock School, just around the hillside. Twenty-five years later, his son Robert occupied the same position. Robert’s son Stephen continues to live in Mussoorie, pursuing a successful writing career; his cousin Tom Alter was a much-loved actor in Indian films until he passed away in 2017.These are just some of the “first Americans in India” who came here, beginning in the 1700s, with different motives and dreams – as adventurers, traders, reformers, writers and artists. All of them, without exception, were fascinated, astonished, moved and, in the end, profoundly changed by their “Indian experience”.My Truth: Autobiography of Narmadashankar Dave, translated from the Gujarati by Abhijit Kothari Originally titled Mari Hakikat, this is the autobiography of one of the foremost figures in Gujarati literature: Narmadashankar Dave (1833–1886), popularly known as Narmad. The book is a fascinating assemblage of different forms of writing – diary, reflection, poetry – that document the early period of Narmad’s life. It is an example of a new awakening and new genres that enabled the self to be expressed within the framework of traditional thought. The Undying Light: A Personal History of Independent India, Gopalkrishna Gandhi This is a memoir and history of India after Independence by one of India’s most distinguished public intellectuals. It begins with his memories, at the age of three, of the assassination of his paternal grandfather, Mahatma Gandhi. From this poignant opening note, the book expands into numerous encounters with personalities both Indian and foreign, “eminent” as well as little known, and original insights into key events and turning points of modern Indian history, many of which he was an eyewitness to as secretary to presidents R Venkataraman and KR Narayanan, and as governor of West Bengal and Bihar.The Hyderabadis: From 1947 to the Present Day, Daneesh Majid From the annexation of the princely state of Hyderabad in September 1948 to the formation of Andhra Pradesh in 1956 and the eventual creation of Telangana in 2014 – these broad brushstrokes of Hyderabad’s history are well-documented. What has long been missing, however, is the perspective of the people, the different communities who lived through these upheavals – the communal violence of Independence and Partition, the push for a linguistic re-imagination of the state and its bifurcation, the long-drawn-out struggle for statehood – and those who were forced to adapt to a rapidly changing India.Drawing from generational interviews, oral histories, literature in Urdu and English and his own personal experiences, Majid drafts a modern history of Hyderabad.Farewell Karachi: A Partition Memoir, Bhawana Somaaya Farewell Karachi is the story of a family planting its roots anew in a country at the cusp of a violent Partition. Spanning over a hundred years and five generations, the narrative draws on an intimate portrait of a large family that grew up under the unspoken spectre of Partition. This is the saga of a displaced Gujarati family from Karachi that moved to Kutch and subsequently to erstwhile Bombay in India to rebuild a life for themselves.The book also seeks to make sense of and heal from the foundational wound of two South Asian infant nation-states, exploring how that wound shaped the imminent futures of the peoples partitioned along the Radcliffe Line. In here are dreams, some shattered, some salvaged; in here are customs, heartbreaks and carefully preserved recipes. All Our Loves: Journeys with Polyamory in India, Arundhati Ghosh All Our Loves: Journeys with Polyamory in India is a book on polyamory – the practice of being in love with or without sexual intimacies with more than one person simultaneously, with the consent of all – in India. For anyone who has ever dreamed of love, sex, and companionship beyond the limits of traditional monogamy, this guide navigates the infinite possibilities that open relationships can offer. As a practising polyamorist, Arundhati Ghosh dispels myths and throws light on the skills necessary to maintain a fulfilling and responsible polyamorous lifestyle – how to honour boundaries; how to resolve conflicts, and define relationships on their own terms; how to divide time among partners; how to foster honest intimacy; how to find community and navigate break-ups, jealousy, and living arrangements; how to practise safe sex, raise a family; and much, much more.

Author republishes book on Bury FC’s FA wins as he is set to team up with famous face

Journalist Mark Metcalf, 65, wrote “All Shook Up – Bury FC’s Amazing Cup Story” after becoming interested in the club’s early victories, which took place more than a century ago in 1900 and 1903.

He tells the story of how the team took on and beat the cream of Edwardian English football and triumphed twice at Crystal Palace, a venue where the finals were held before Wembley.

And this month marks the double anniversary of Bury’s FA Cup wins.

READ NEXT: Food club offers lifeline to households in Bury

READ NEXT: Work starts to build permanent secondary school in town left without one for 10 years

 

 

On April 21, 1900, against Southampton, the Shakers rattled home three goals in the opening half hour, two from McLuckie and another Billy Wood.

A late fourth goal by England international Jack Plant sealed a dominant 4-0 win.

Three years later First Division side Derby County were thrashed 6-0 by Bury, a scoreline yet to be beaten, on April 18, 1903.

Bury triumphed without conceding a goal during the competition.

Mark said: “I’ve written lots of books before about the First World War and other things.  

“Bury FC was the side that shined for me as they won the FA Cup before any of the great giants such as Manchester United and Manchester City.

“The story of Charlie Sagar (who starred for Bury in the years when the club won the cups) is fascinating and I’d like to see the town have some plaques put up for local players who took part in the FA Cup wins.”

Mark initially wrote the book “some years ago” but unfortunately, the publisher died soon afterward.

Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox by signing up to the Bury Times morning newsletter as well as our breaking news alerts.

The new edition is illustrated with contemporary photographs, newspaper cuttings and memorabilia.

Mark and former Shakers and Bolton Wanderers player Gordon Taylor OBE, who was chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association for 40 years, will be pre-match guest speaker at Starkies Bar inside Gigg Lane at 1.30pm on Saturday, April 19 before Bury play Burscough at 3pm.

“All Shook Up – Bury FC’s Amazing Cup Story” is on sale in Bury’s club shop and available online priced at £12.95.