Chelsea author wins award to talk about

A novel by a west London author has been named the best book to talk about in a public poll.

Natasha Mostert's story about the detrimental effect of modern technology on people's memories was voted as the most "discussion-worthy" in a World Book Day survey.

The Chelsea author was handed her £5,000 prize at Waterstone's in Piccadilly.The Season Of The Witch contrasts people today who can barely remember their own mobile phone numbers with our ancestors, who she says had much better memories.

Speaking to the Standard, Mrs Mostert said: "We search the internet obsessively but we don't retain or internalise the information we find, which is absolutely to our deficit.

"It scares me sometimes to see schoolchildren texting so much on their mobile phones."

The poll was carried out to find the hidden gems among the thousands of books that are published each year. Mrs Mostert, 45, will donate her £5,000 prize to Cpau, an Afghan charity.