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

[MotherofPearl]

Welcome to the Mumsnet 'Rather Dated' Book Group, where we read and discuss 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.

Previous posters 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 read one book a month. Our first book, that inspired the original thread, was The Road to Lichfield by Penelope Lively. We have been going for about 18 months now, and each new book gets its own discussion thread, started on the first of the month.

Our March 2024 book is Penelope Fitzgerald's The Bookshop. We will begin the discussion of this on 1 April.

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 hope Antarcticant, who started the last thread, won’t mind that I’ve started this new one.

I finished Jill. I have mixed feelings about it. Looking forward to our discussion!

I’ve also finished Jill.

I read your review of it on the 50 Bookers thread, Terpsichore. A very good review!* *

Has everyone finished Jill by now? :) * *

Nearly there! 85% on my Kindle. Don't wait for me though - if you want to start to discuss it I'll join you in a day or two.

There's no rush @MotherofPearl we can wait :)

Ready! Finished it last night. Are you okay to start a discussion thread for us Fuzzy?

I'll start one today MotherofPearl!

Thanks.

Just downloaded Lady Living Alone and will make a start this evening so that I'm not last to finish this one!

I haven’t started that one yet, @MotherofPearl !

Thread for Jill is up now! * *

Hello

I thought I'd peep around the door and see what's going on.

Has anyone read/ mentioned the Jalna novels by Mazo De La Roche?
They would fit nicely under the dated banner.

I have ordered the Norah Lofts book. I seem to remember my mum reading her books in the 70s and 80s. Along with Jean Plaidy.

i have just booked a city break in Bath! Planning to visit the Persephone bookshop. V excited.

Oh I'm jealous @StellaOlivetti. I considered going to Persephone Day in April (I enjoyed the Festival last year) but the timings just don't work for me this time.

I absolutely raced through LLL and finished it yesterday. For once I'm not behind!

That's brilliant Stella! Have a fantastic time. I would love to do that sometime.

Have a great time Stella, its a lovely bookshop. Also pop into Toppings while your in Bath its one of my favourite bookshops.

I have booked a couple of events on the Persephone day so thank you to the poster who put up that link.

See you there @BadSpellaSpellaSpella I worried I'd crashed the thread with my brutal intrusion. (I read Messalina of the suburbs here last year)

I was so over excited when they announced the day and no one to share it with in real life.

Can I join? (Blatant placemarking)

Yes! You are very welcome!
Next book is Lady Living Alone by Norah Lofts. We'll* *discuss it in March.

@MotherofPearl LLA's a pageturner isn't it?! I hope you enjoyed it. Much less literary than Jill, ofc.

Wishing anyone going to Persephone Day a wonderful time. I'm going to Bath for a few Austenny things this year so can't justify it but hopefully they'll put recordings up like last year. And if anyone's yet to read The Expendable Man, please do so, unspoiled! The reveal is excellent.

I've also just enjoyed another Persephone - Wilfred and Eileen by Jonathan Smith. Anyone else here read it? Not nominating it for a group read as it's technically historical fiction (written 1970s, set 1910s) but highly recommended for fellow RD lovers.

The Expendable Man is absolutely brilliant - agreed. And no spoilers!

That sounds intriguing! I’ll have a go at The Expendable Man after LLA, which I’ve nearly finished.

I looked for The Expendable Man but couldn't find it in the usual places. Where did everyone get their copies?

Fuzzy if you're after the Persephone ebook I hope these work: amazon and kobo ? My paper copy is actually American, NYRB classics if you're having trouble finding the Persephone.
There's a Penguin modern classics reprint of another by her, In A Lonely Place, which is also excellent, though much darker. I keep meaning to check out more of her books - my mum's a big fan - though they're so plotty it's hard to recommend in any detail.

Thank you for replying, Henry. I could buy the hardback on Amazon for 44 pounds (eek!) and the paperback isn't available. I'll look again!