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Thread 31 Starmer - September Rain

1000 replies

DuncinToffee · 01/09/2025 12:08

Pull up a chair for some friendly chit chat about politics and beyond BrewCakeBiscuit

Taxes optional but greatly appreciated.

Previous thread
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5399546-thread-30-starmer-magic-roundabouts?page=40&reply=146834602

OP posts:
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75
cardibach · 04/09/2025 17:03

BIWI · 04/09/2025 16:56

I loved all of Austen, the Brontës, George Elliot. I especially loved Middlemarch, even though we did it for A-level, which usually sucks the life out of any book!

But some years ago I went back to read Jane Eyre, and was really struck by how difficult the language is. Something I’d never noticed when I read it as a young adult. I think how we right/express ourselves has definitely changed over the years.

Middlemarch was my mum’s favourite book. When her eyesight started to fail she said her biggest regret was that she would never read Middlemarch again. I still have her battered and frequently re-read copy on my bedside table.

ilovesooty · 04/09/2025 17:05

I'm fonder of Hardy's poetry than I am of the novels.

placemats · 04/09/2025 17:12

Piggywaspushed · 04/09/2025 16:59

Anyone else a Gaskell fan?

Gaskell wrote a biography of Charlotte Brontë. Her own books are brilliant, especially North and South and Mary Barton.

placemats · 04/09/2025 17:15

My goddess but the guys have arrived a day early to put up the scaffolding and the music is great but the effing language would certainly effing create hurty effing feels on a few posters.

IthasYes · 04/09/2025 17:20

@SerendipityJane
Yes tenant of wildfell hall is excellent .

Strangely my DM read it and I think it gave her some solace that the issues she faced were age old issues .

BIWI · 04/09/2025 17:23

OMG - I definitely ‘write’ differently these days! Blush

IthasYes · 04/09/2025 17:24

@BIWI I'd go for a tale of two cities first (dickens )

SerendipityJane · 04/09/2025 17:27

IthasYes · 04/09/2025 17:24

@BIWI I'd go for a tale of two cities first (dickens )

Knickerless Nickelby ?

Ranerby Budge ?

placemats · 04/09/2025 17:38

Great Expectations for Dickens first and it's a great novel, no doubt about it. I also liked Hard Times.

SerendipityJane · 04/09/2025 17:41

placemats · 04/09/2025 17:38

Great Expectations for Dickens first and it's a great novel, no doubt about it. I also liked Hard Times.

Edited

Grate Expectations, by Charles Dikkens the well known Dutch author ?

Maybe I should try W.H. Smith ?

Piggywaspushed · 04/09/2025 17:42

What are you on about jane? Are you quite well?, as they say in old books...

placemats · 04/09/2025 17:48

Cheese ingratiatiions? Push the obvious mites away.

SerendipityJane · 04/09/2025 17:48

Piggywaspushed · 04/09/2025 17:42

What are you on about jane? Are you quite well?, as they say in old books...

- YouTube

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Evenstar · 04/09/2025 18:04

Joining in the literature love, my degree was joint honours in Politics and English Literature.

I love Hardy, Dickens, the Brontes, Tolkien and a huge variety of others, I used to read 15 books a week in the school/university holidays. Like you @Piggywaspushed I love Gaskell, @dontcallmelen my grandma had all Georgette Heyer’s books so I started reading them at a very young age and still love them.

I love poetry too.

BIossomtoes · 04/09/2025 18:05

cardibach · 04/09/2025 17:03

Middlemarch was my mum’s favourite book. When her eyesight started to fail she said her biggest regret was that she would never read Middlemarch again. I still have her battered and frequently re-read copy on my bedside table.

It’s my desert island book. I need to reread it, it’s been too long.

PandoraSocks · 04/09/2025 18:06

dontcallmelen · 04/09/2025 17:02

Just typed a whole bloody essay on books & lost the lot MN is driving me nuts at the moment, keeps freezing/crashing/re-loading & draining me iPad at an alarming rate.
anyway love Tenant of Wildhall, not keen on Dickens read some his books at school never revisited, always enjoyed Jane Austen especially Persuasion do really like Elizabeth Gaskell & George Elliot have a soft spot for Georgette Heyer absolutely adore Agatha Christie “Tess” I found a really difficult read & left me throughly depressed.

Have you read Jude the Obscure? I read it once, never again.

The weather is bananas here, sun, followed by torrential rain on a loop. But good weather for curling up and re-reading a classic or two.

Speaking of 'Nanas, I love Zola too.

PandoraSocks · 04/09/2025 18:06

BIossomtoes · 04/09/2025 18:05

It’s my desert island book. I need to reread it, it’s been too long.

I have never read that. Maybe I will pay it a visit.

BIossomtoes · 04/09/2025 18:07

Oh, the puppies in Jude. It must be the most depressing book in the English language.

Evenstar · 04/09/2025 18:10

@BIossomtoes it’s certainly not a feel good read!

Piggywaspushed · 04/09/2025 18:12

Oh. I'm too young for Monty Python. <ducks for cover>

LlynTegid · 04/09/2025 18:14

Piggywaspushed · 04/09/2025 18:12

Oh. I'm too young for Monty Python. <ducks for cover>

No point mentioning the Spanish Inquisition then.

pointythings · 04/09/2025 18:19

Not to ruin the English literature lovefest, but I have to say that out of all the things I read for my various A levels back home, what I enjoyed most was the study I made of Dutch language (included both Dutch and Belgian authors) magical realism. Second place goes to French classical drama and the analysis of form and function I did between the 17th century classic dramas Phedre and Le Cid and Jean Anouilh's Antigone. Hardy et al just didn't pique my interest in the same way.

DuncinToffee · 04/09/2025 18:19

I see we have moved on from my smelling salt comment Grin

I haven't read any of the authors mentioned <scuttles out of thread for now>

OP posts:
pointythings · 04/09/2025 18:20

DuncinToffee · 04/09/2025 18:19

I see we have moved on from my smelling salt comment Grin

I haven't read any of the authors mentioned <scuttles out of thread for now>

Bet you've read some of the Dutch stuff though. I really enjoyed Hugo Raes and Hubert Lampo, also Slauerhoff.

Piggywaspushed · 04/09/2025 18:23

LlynTegid · 04/09/2025 18:14

No point mentioning the Spanish Inquisition then.

I know that one and bits of Life of Brian. Something about dead parrots? Ministry of Silly Walks? That's it.

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