Up till now, this year has been truly awful.  I am so looking forward to a break, to re-charge my batteries and come back refreshed for the new term.

I hope to spend my time away from Parliament sitting in the sun, reading a book and listening to some fabulous music.

I have spent the year collecting books and waiting for this opportunity to indulge myself.

This year, I am reading history books.
 
For Christmas I was given “She-Wolves” by Helen Castor, the story of four women who sought to rule England before Mary Tudor.  I have dipped into it already and think I shall thoroughly enjoy it.

To continue my history theme, I am packing “The Plantagenets:  History of a Dynasty” by Jeffrey Hamilton and “Lady Jane Grey:  A Tudor Mystery” by Eric Ives.

All of this might be a bit heavy, but regular readers of this column will know that I am a big fan of crime fiction and sat for three, very happy years on the judging committee for the Golden Dagger Awards, the esteemed prize of the Crime Writers' Association.

Consequently, my summer reading always includes some crime novels.
This year I am taking Andrew Taylor’s “Anatomy of Ghosts” and “Sacred Treason” by James Forrester.  James Forrester is a new author of historical novels and he has received good reviews.  I expect him to be as good as C J Sansom, who writes the excellent “Shardlake” series.

In previous years, my summer reading list has provoked readers of this column to send me their own book recommendations.  They are always received with great pleasure.

I hope we all have a relaxing and fantastic summer.