As lockdown continues, boredom might be kicking in for some. Nothing whiles away the time like a good book. Here’s our roundup of books that are all either by North East authors or set in this part of world.
5. Catherine Cookson: you can't criticise books you haven't read
ANYTHING BY CATHERINE COOKSON. You might love it. You might not. But the North East’s most commercially successful author, by far, never received much critical praise. This includes many armchair critics who have never actually read one of her books. Those of us who have can at least make qualified comments. Photo: Sunderland Echo
6. Andy Capp - hilarious, but quite massively politically incorrect
Hartlepool's Reg Smythe, who died in 1998, created a character known around the world. Books are available from as far back as 1969 on Amazon and are surprisingly cheap. Andy doesn't portray the North East in the most flattering light and some of the jokes simply wouldn't be published today. That doesn't make Andy and Flo any less hilarious - or true. Photo: Sunderland Echo
7. An exciting new North East author
SALTWATER - by Jessica Andrews. This book was recently named as the winner of The Portico Prize for Literature. Jessica Andrews' debut novel, Saltwater, is a story of self-discovery by a girl from Sunderland who heads to university in London, taking her northern roots with her. It is a critical and commercial hit. Photo: Sunderland Echo
8. Political diaries enjoyed by all parties
DIARIES - by Chris Mullin. Chris Mullin was MP for Sunderland South for 23 years. His three volumes of diaries cover 1994 to 2010, when he stepped down. These and the following memoir, Hinterland, were praised by politicians of all persuasions and with good reason. No politician has written a better account of the times. Photo: Sunderland Echo