Books on Coventry

This may already have been mentioned here, but the revised version of this book is being sold off for £1 each at the Central Library ....alongside John Ashby's highly recommended Spon End & Spon Street book - which is £3.

Helen, have you come across "A Harvest of History" The life & work of J B Shelton M.B.E. by M Rylatt & A F Adams. There is a copy on Abebooks at the moment for £5 plus postage.

Ordered Anne. Thanks very much. Plus I got a copy of the White Friars dig book too for a decent price. Woo hoo! The last one I need to find is the Much Park Street dig. Copies are all too expensive at the moment.

Reasonably priced copy of the book with some of Troughton's sketches. Dr Troughton's sketches

I sympathise with your desire to keep the collection together, though I think that most of us have quite specific pursuits. Personally I'm just looking for old images and archaeology reports and am more of an Amazon bargain basement shopper than a collector. If there was a rare image or book with images not captured elsewhere I might be interested. Perhaps if it was ok with Rob, you could give more details or even a photo of your collection. If all else fails let us know where and when you're putting the stuff to auction. Sorry that your circumstances mean you have to sell it.

Hello Simone. I have just finished reading "The Blitzed City - The Destruction of Coventry, 1940", Karen Farrington, published by Aurum 2015 which I paid only a few pounds for a new copy from Postscript. As I was a mere fifteen months old at the time of the November raid, and all my family survived it has always been an interest, as has the history and traditions of pre-war Coventry with all its character and architecture. So I thought you may like to hear of it.

Of course, you could always read the two free books in Local Authors. (Just thought I would put a plug in)

I can highly recommend those to anyone!

Books on Coventry, Nah, don't need one, the book I have now will outstrip anything else on the market, not a thing it doesn''t know, covers everything, best book on Coventry I ever read, it'll see me out, it's called the Historic Coventry Forum.

That's just beautiful to hear Kaga - I'm sure the whole membership will feel proud to have contributed so much to "your favourite book"!!

I agree with Kaga, although there are great books out there. In some ways there is too much information in the many books but this place works on the principle of many hands making light work. I like the way something someone says or asks makes me think or rethink about that section of the city. And Kaga is a book all on his own, with memories and stories that nobody else can tell.

I have just bought (unseen) 'Coventry, A History & Celebration', and I am really pleased. It has the Francis Frith photos, and the text is by none other than David McGrory. There is 'Coventry from the Air 1958', (double spread); the chapter one page is a beautiful close up of the St. Michael's nave and chancel though the caption is so big that unfortunately it obscures the head of the St Paul statue, but if it had been raised half an inch that would not have interfered. It is beautifully produced, much in colour, and from the beginnings of Coventry through the centuries a swift take to now and the future, together with a chance of a free print from one of the illustrations. I am going for the St Michael's chancel sepia print for sure. Hope they leave off the chapter title but am sure they would.

I only found one inaccuracy in the David McGrory Coventry's Blitz. It states that Herman Goering was hung. It is true he was condemned to death by hanging, but he cheated by taking a cyanide pill that was smuggled into him in his cell. This is well established in TV documentaries e.g. The World at War.

Just received Dave McGrory's book "Coventry at War". It is great with a number of double page spreads. and a good companion to the Blitz book I already have. Of course some photos one has seen before, but it is nicely set out and I think a good buy for less than £5.00.

On a recent visit to Ludlow I found a very interesting and informative biography of George Eliot on a market stall which cost me £2. It is by author Ina Taylor "George Eliot, a woman of contradictions". There is, of course, mention of Bird Grove and Rosehill, as well as Griff, and the influence on Mary Ann by her friends Charles and Caroline Bray. Good b&w illustrations too. I can recommend to anyone interested in George Eliot.