50 Books Challenge 2023 Part Eight

[Southeastdweller]

Welcome to the seventh thread of the 50 Books Challenge for this year.

The challenge is to read fifty books (or more!) in 2023, though reading fifty isn't mandatory. Any type of book can count, it’s not too late to join, and please try to let us all know your thoughts on what you've read.

The first thread of the year is here, the second one here, the third one here here, the fourth one here, the fifth one here, the sixth one here and the seventh one here

Good morning online book friends!

@EineReiseDurchDieZeit my favourite memoir in the past year is Sarah Polley's Run Towards the Danger. I thought it was excellent.

@EineReiseDurchDieZeit I assume you’ve read The Worst Journey in the World?

@Cassandre I love hearing people's personal experience, and how they affect them as a reader, thank you.

Still not really reading. Will have to put on a big effort even to get to 26 this time round. 14. Old Filth by Jane Gardam Sir Edwards Feathers is a colonially born, public school and Cambridge educated retired Judge. The novel moves back and forth in time, taking in his reflections on being sent away to school, his wartime experiences, the Far East bar, and the death of his wife amongst others.

I thought this was decent. The different life stages are evoked brilliantly and Filth's nearest and dearest are fascinating and well drawn. The narrative skipped about a bit too much for me, and was patchy as a result, but it was both funny and wistful.

@EineReiseDurchDieZeit I'd recommend both Don't Let's Go to The Dogs Tonight by Alexandar Fuller (enjoyed by another poster earlier on this thread) and Rainbows End by Lauren St John. Both are coming of age memoirs situated during the move to independence in Zimbabwe. Both explore parent child relationships in a time of violence and a growing understanding that the world you've happily accepted is racist and oppressive. Not light reading, but I found them both interesting and well written.

Eine, I think you will enjoy (not entirely sure that is the right word - maybe "be gripped by") The Escape Artist. Have you read East West Street? I thought that struck a good balance between personal memoir and political/historical narrative. And Deep Sea and Foreign Going is indeed a corker; I love that kind of detailed examination of a single topic (here, container ships) and George is a great story teller.

I’m not getting much reading done, sadly, as I’m on holiday and currently in The Hague, but just had to report back that I’m sitting in the most glorious 100-year-old bookshop having breakfast of coffee, croissant and freshly-squeezed orange juice, amidst hundreds of books and peaceful silence. It’s heaven here 🤩

(I’ve also been to the Mauritshaus and seen The Goldfinch, which is one of my favourite paintings of all time and is just superb)

@Terpsichore, that looks like a very fine place indeed!

Wow @Terpsichore that looks amazing!
A most wonderful establishment indeed.
Enjoy your time there 📚☕️🥐

@Terpsichore Swooning at your holiday snaps. I bet it has wonderful light at this time of year.

@EineReiseDurchDieZeit I've just started Attack Code Red! by Julie McDowall, which is about how Britain prepared for a potential nuclear war in the Cold War years. I'm only a chapter in but it is fascinating and written in a very readable style. 99p on Kindle, in case that's of interest.

Wow @Terpsichore that looks amazing.

@MaudOfTheMarches I’ve just bought Attack Warning Red on kindle. Thanks for the recommendation as it sounds fascinating.

@TattiePants You're right, it's Attack Warning Red, not what I said - the edit button seems to have disappeared.

@TheTurn0fTheScrew I felt very similarly about Old Filth. The main character's emotions were portrayed in an understated way; it was quite gentle and touching really.

I went on to read the other two books in the trilogy; the second recounted by his wife and the third by his nemesis Veneering. The marriage between OF and Betty is sensitively explored from three different angles and it's cleverly done, but I have to say I was glad there wasn't a fourth volume..

@Terpsichore that bookshop looks idyllic!

I''d never considered The Hague as a holiday destination but a friend who works there occasionally has been urging me to visit as she loves it. Will try to get there one day (and look for your bookshop!)

@Terpsichore that looks amazing! And thanks @cassandre for sharing your story. You must have been very strong to break away.

The thread has galloped away since I last wrote! I have been busy but also slow in updating.

51 Judgement Day by Penelope Lively

A short, spare novel about tumultuous events in the small, prosperous village of Laddenham. We start and end with the village vicar, who after years of pootling along seems to have come to something of a crisis of faith, provoked in particular by the arrival in the village of Clare Paling. Clare challenges the small parish committee, but comes up against her own challenges as her neighbours' relationship hits the rocks and a tragedy turns everyone's lives upside down. I found this rather abrupt when I finished reading it, but Simon the vicar, Sydney the churchwarden, the child characters and Clare have continued to pop into my head. Beautifully and economically written and thought-provoking, but very sad.

Sorry, the vicar was George not Simon. I was convinced it was Simon! No idea why.

Wow, my peeps, you have come through for me! I need to go through slowly and search them all. Thanks

So @Sadik did you mean Stephanie Shirley?

I've now got or Wishlisted all titles mentioned

Remus !

I think I could kiss you. I'm 90% sure that the Worst Journey book is the one that featured an excerpt in my mid 90s GCSE English Anthology and I always wanted to read the whole thing and didn't know what it was called, it's the I'm Going Out Now And I May Be Some Time book isn't it? Say yes!

@Terpsichore that looks amazing. I’m currently in Amsterdam for a few days, a day trip to The Hague is a possibility.

Yes - well, in part. It’s stunning and if you don’t love it, I will eat all of my hats and my boots too.

I’ll consider myself firmly kissed.

That bookshop looks dreamy. I spent a day in The Hague and liked it more than Amsterdam. Hope to get a chance to return.

Glad everyone liked the bookshop. It’s just called Bookstor, on Noordeinde, near the royal palace. Best, you should definitely pop over for a day in The Hague and drop into the shop for coffee and cake (they do lovely ones). They don’t accept any cards but Maestro so it’s cash all the way. And they very sweetly told a dismayed American in front of me the other day, who’d already ordered then found his Amex didn’t work, that it was fine to have his breakfast and ‘come back later’ with the cash 😅

(Plus, I’ve just discovered you can even stay in their charming little hotel a few yards up the street…)

@Terpsichore that bookstore looks wonderful. Many years ago I had a holiday job in an independent bookstore and when it was just me in the shop I'd fantasise about my ideal bookshop if I ever ran one. It looked a lot like that and had a cafe (this was long before such things were a reality in my dull Midlands town). I still think fondly of running a bookshop even though I know the reality is far from a dream and I'd have to deal with the public which isn't something that fills me with delight.

I made up for it today by going a little wild in Waterstones. It was my birthday yesterday and as not one person bought me a book I thought it high time I bought some for myself.