📚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 )

I'm also enjoying The Road to Lichfield, though I'm not sure I'd describe it as fluffy. Seems to deal with some quite hard-hitting emotions.

Thanks Seneca for those recommendations. I'd be interested to branch out to some US equivalents of our "dated" novels.

Ooh brilliant!

I love working my way through Penelope Lively novels. Heat Wave and Moon Tiger are my faves and DH and I both read The Road the Lichfield a few years ago.

Thanks for the list above @tobee

I also just discovered William Trevor on holiday. Mid-century Ireland.

I read my first Morse earlier this year too. Shockingly dated.

Always love finding a Anne Tyler book in the library or holiday house too.

Agreed @MotherofPearl now I'm further in!

If we're roaming outside the UK, i second Anne Tyler, and add Carol Shields, both are old favourites of mine.

I finished the book and look forward to discussing it. I enjoyed it very much.

More content like this please 😁

I’m intrigued by Don’s little gadget for measuring distances on maps, but I fear it may be meant to symbolise a lack of passion/romance.

Great idea- will there be a specific day for discussion?

Yes to the wonderful Anne Tyler if we're reading outside of the UK. She's marvellous.

Great idea and would love to join the Rather Dated Readers.

I've just come across the Mantlemass series of novels by Barbara Willard - though originally intended for children / young adults, I would say they work perfectly well for adults to read. The Lark and the Laurel was one I read as a child, overly excited to find there are about 7 more in the series.

@SomethingNastyInTheBallPool
Your username made me laugh. Just saying.

@AllAboutMargot Thank you! It’s born of horrible, horrible experience.

Ooooooh! This is just what I needed.
Have emerged from months of lurkdom and dusted off my mumsnet account to join you all, if I may?
Book ordered and very excited to start reading.

Yes - full discussion with spoilers from 25th of the month onwards (to allow time for sourcing as well as reading since books might be out of print). Spoiler-free comments fine at any time

Can I join please ? I think this is an absolutely brilliant idea and will appeal to loads of MNers. I suspect lots of these books could be found in charity shops, so I intend to start looking !

I have found my reading people! This is a great idea.
@MsInterpret "Moon Tiger" is my favourite novel of all, sadly forgotten by most people I think. Also loved almost all of Penelope Lively's other works, especially City of the Mind, A House Unlocked and Making It Up.

Just bought a copy of Road to Lichfield - I know I read it years ago but have forgotten most of it. Moon Tiger is definitely my favourite, hello to pp @Philandbill and @MsInterpret as other Moon Tiger fans. Getting excited about this !

Me too. Pre-sat nav, that's for sure.

I did actually drive past the turn-off to Lichfield yesterday, which seemed very timely.

Excellent 😁

Alison Lurie's books are also rather dated. It's 25-30 years since I've read 'The War Between the Tates' 'Foreign Affairs' and 'The Last Resort' but seem to remember they are satirical and focus on relationships.

Inspired by this thread I've just looked up the Amazon reviews for Foreign Affairs' and am delighted report the initial review states:
'A rather silly book full of unlikeable characters, except for Chuck Mumpson, with no real plot. It appears to be set in the 1970s or 1980s so seems dated.'

Lurking here. Just got my copy of the new Robert Galbraith which will have to be my next read but I love the idea of this thread, feeling more and more outdated myself.

What an excellent idea for a thread, haven't read all the way through yet but has Barbara Pym been mentioned? Also yy to Daphne du Maurier, beyond the obvious choices Rebecca etc

Been steadily reading my way through the Persephone catalogue so count me in! Fallen in love with Dorothy Whipple and Barbara Pym this year. Would also add RC Sheriff to the list. Fortnight in September and Greengates are magical.

Greengates is next on my tbr pile!

These are all the authors I remember my Mum reading in my 80s childhood. She was always a huge reader of contemporary fiction. Wouldn’t touch the classics again once she was able to afford her own books and was no longer limited by what was in the local library.

A name from that era that I haven’t seen mentioned yet that is Ruth Rendell.