📚The Mumsnet 'Rather Dated' Book Group - All welcome to join📚

[Antarcticant]

Welcome to the Mumsnet 'Rather Dated' Book Group, where we will be reading and discussing fiction from the 1930s to the 1990s that would have been described as 'contemporary' in its day.

The best introduction to the 'rather dated' concept would be to read the wonderful thread which inspired this group:

www.mumsnet.com/talk/what_were_reading/4596284-rather-dated?reply=119670989

To summarise, a number of posters expressed disappointment that literature of the 20th Century is often dismissed as 'rather dated' because society has moved on from many of the values and lifestyles described.

We decided to create a reading group where the literary merits of such fiction can be appreciated, with any 'rather dated' elements being a point of interest rather than a reason to dismiss a novel.

We will be reading one book a month. Our first book, for September, will be the book that inspired the original thread:

The Road to Lichfield by Penelope Lively

Please do join the thread whether you want to take part in the discussion or just place mark to follow it.

Fellow Rather Dated people, please add anything important I might have missed!

(With huge thanks to ImJustMadAboutSaffron for the original thread and idea )

Watching with interest, I've got this on my shelf. I read Moon Tiger and Heatwave earlier this year and loved her children's books when I was young, particularly A Stitch in Time.

What do people think of someone putting the front cover of their copy on the thread?

I like this idea, @tobee.

@SenecaFallsRedux 😁 But are we referencing Alexander McCall Smith's literary cliches or does he just write middle class middle age women very well?

Up for this... will order it on Kindle if the Oxfam bookshop doesn't oblige.

I suspect I'm dated too, yet I can't get my head around the notion.

@tobee I like the cover photo idea though in the end I've ordered it on my Kindle so can't show the cover.

As a rather dated reader I'd love this.
I'm in the middle of an epic read (Brigandshaw) so won't be able to read along but I'll follow.

I have downloaded the book on Kindle and will start it later! I really like the idea of seeing the front cover too.

Eek, how do I join.? Is it by clicking the watch this thread?

Oh, yes please!

This sounds great! I've bought a kindle copy so will get reading that.

Ooh this is such an interesting idea!

Lurking / possibly joining (I need to read a rather hefty book for my IRL book club on 13th Sep so need to do that first)

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@Antarcticant how do you want us to post/chat? As we're reading or after we're reading? (Thinking about potential spoilers!)

Sounds right up my street, I've got a few Virago and persephone paperbacks (love Rosamund Lehman) but must admit that I got through lockdown by binging on Georgette Heyer.

Just ordered from eBay.

This is my (DM’s copy): the 1983 Penguin paperback.

Me too! But I like the sound of this one better!

I’m in. Especially excited to see mention of so many women authors. I love Penelope Lively.

I’m in! I’m sure we have a copy somewhere but if not I’ll buy one. (I’ve just finished A View of the Harbour by Elizabeth Taylor …. It was just wonderful.)

@BIWI Really good point, thank you for raising.

As these are older books that might be out of print, we need to give time for people to source them as well as read them, so perhaps if we were to say no spoilers before 25th of the month?

We can then continue the discussion through to the following month. We'll try to make sure the next book is agreed before month-end so people have plenty of time to source it.

Do people think that would work - please feel free to suggest anything different, I have never been in an online book group before so all suggestions very welcome.

I’m in, this is a fantastic idea and I’m a big fan of 20C fiction but don’t read enough of it .off to source the Penelope Lively

@JaninaDuszejko Possibly both.

I do think that readers who like "dated fiction" would like McCall Smith. My favorites are the Isabel Dalhousie books. He does write women very well.

Wonderful idea. I recently read Family Album and A Stitch in Time by PL. I love ‘dated’ books. I’ll see if I can find a copy.

@Antarcticant

I think that sounds like a sensible approach.

I'm in. Thank you for starting this.

I'll be a rather dated lurker.