Joanna Bogle - A Breath of Fresh British Country Air

Joanna Bogle, the British Catholic journalist and author (and fellow blogger), is in town. Yesterday she opened the Freedom Publish Bookshop for the Thomas More Society and launched her new book (A Yearbook of Seasons & Celebrations) at the Caroline Chisholm Library.

This afternoon she will be at Fidelity Books and Pieties (John XXIII Fellowship Coop, 443 North Road Ormond) at 2pm and tonight she will be at the Central Catholic Bookshop next to St Francis' Church in the City between 6pm and 8pm (A big hullo to Mary, the manager of the bookshop and a regular at Anima Education: I am sure it will be a success tonight, Mary!).

Joanna has an absolutely infectious enthusiasm for the Catholic faith, the sort of British "brisk country air" enthusiasm that one associates with stiff upper lips and good common sense washed down with a splash of whisky. (I don't know if Joanna drinks whisky, but you get what I mean). It is a uniquely British way of approaching the faith which I find very encouraging.

But we are, apparently, sharing Joanna with those who live north of the border, so if you live in Sydney, you can meet her at her Sydney book launch this Wednesday, 19thAugust 2009, at 7.30 pm at The Catholic Centre (3 Keating Street, Lidcombe), or at Portico Books (1 Jamison Street, Sydney) Thursday, 20thAugust 2009, 7-9 pm where Joanna will be speaking on the topic "Faith, Family and the Future".

Queenslanders can catch her Launching her book once again on Friday, 21stAugust 2009, at 7.30 pm at the Pineapple Hotel, 706 Main St., Kangaroo Point aat 6:30pm.

Pip, pip!