The global situation and news of recent events make the usual new year greeting sound rather hollow. We live in troubling times.
It is all the more reason, perhaps, that we should turn to books as an opportunity for escape and enlightenment, entertainment and education.
I hope you'll join me in the coming months as we unpack what we're reading through book group discussions and on BBC Radio Suffolk book club.
I'll be bringing various authors and publishers to the area and we'll be able to ask them for their insight, understanding and perspective on numerous topics and themes.
And I also plan to make a recommendation each week (or perhaps one a month, I'll see how we go!) for an inspirational and informative non-fiction title which has certainly set me thinking and I hope will prove helpful to you too. This week it's 'Hello World' by Hannah Fry revealing the increasing impact of algorithms on all our lives.