Having worked in education for the greater part of my working life it seems a natural progression in retirement to attempt to interest, and possibly enthuse, others to join with me in an exploration of the rich literature that that exists beyond the bestsellers of today. That is not to say that I don’t read some of these myself – but I am sure you will find my choices surprising, and in truth I find many older works more intriguing and challenging. I will give you an early hint – I do not accept that there is a valid reason to distinguish, or rather categorize, books according to the age of the reader. Rather, the only distinguishing feature is the age at which they become accessible – an outcome of education and reading experience. For example, I would enjoy reading “The Wind in the Willows” every bit today as when I was about 9. School children are expected to read classics such as Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales” – while many adults would find them far too challenging a read. So lets explore together – and enjoy!