Take a dip into factual books with Sidmouth Herald’s Bookshelf

FACT or fiction? If novels aren’t for you, try taking a dip into factual books. They don’t have to be stuffy! Here’s a selection of some titles that might wet your appetite this month!

Sidmouth Scribbles by Neil Pockett. Published by Enarpe. �9.99.

This is possibly the most charming collection of pictures I have ever seen! The artist has captured a combination of favourite spots, such as Jacob’s Ladder, as well as local shops and beaches. The pastel colours are a delight. Stockists include Waterstones and Paragon Books, Sidmouth.

The Time Traveller’s Guide to Elizabethan England. Ian Mortimer. Bodley Head �20.

What was life like under Queen Elizabeth 1st? If you could go back in time to the sixteenth century, where would you stay? What would you eat? What would you wear?

The author, who lives in Devon, is a world-famous author. He also wrote the best-selling Time Traveller’s Guide to Medieval England.

Eden. The Whole Inspiring Story of the Eden Project by Tim Smit. Eden Project Books. �16.99.

The Eden Project is world-famous. And it’s right on our doorstep! This book takes us through all the various stages from conception to the birth.

Read about the amazing Tropical Rainforest and the Mediterranean garden. Ideal for anyone who cares about our world.

Leonardo Da Vinci. Painter at the Court of Milan by Luke Syson. Yale University Press �40.

If you missed the famous Da Vinci exhibition at The National Gallery, this is a treasure book which will make you feel as though you were there. Packed with beautiful pictures, there is also a wealth of information about the painter and the stories behind his work. A perfect book to keep for ever.

A Shed of One’s Own by Marcus Berkmann. Little,Brown �12.99.

Every marriage should have a hut at the back of the house! If you know someone going through a male mid-life crisis, give him this before it gets out of hand….

Sophie King runs regular writing courses at Kennaway House, Sidmouth. For details, email janebidder@btinternet.com or ring 07810 480995.