Apologies for my absence, but I have been busy crossing the United States with Jack Kerouac.
I haven't actually left Oxfordshire, but On The Road, the legendary novel from the Beat Generation's finest writer, has transported me from New York to San Francisco and back again.
Kerouac typed the story of his travels with Neal Cassady on a giant scroll in the early 1950s and it was finally published in 1957, making him a literary star.
I'm about half way through and I'm pleased that something so readable was at the top of my self-imposed book list.
I have also been doing some background reading on the Beats, and Barry Miles's biography of Kerouac seems very thorough.
Before I embarked On The Road I spent 90 minutes — well probably a bit more — reading a proof copy of Jim White's You'll Win Nothing With Kids: Fathers, sons and football, which is being published by Little, Brown next month.
Mr White is an Oxford-based football writer with The Telegraph and this is a first-person piece about how he became the chairman of a local boys' football club.
Jim has been writing about football for years, but this is the first time he has written something so personal.
The book charts the ups and downs of his teenage son's team and includes one or two episodes of bad behaviour by the parents as well as the players.
As soon as I heard about this book I wanted to read it because I have been getting involved in my son's football team, St Edmunds in Abingdon.
I've picked up a few tips by reading White's excellent book and I shall bring them with me to the first training session of next season.
It has been a bit quiet on the events front lately but I understand that John Simpson, one of the BBC's biggest guns, is planning a visit to Borders Bookshop in Oxford, this Autumn. I'll let you know more when I have the details confirmed.