📚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 it. I loved it. My dad’s borrowing it on Wednesday because he likes Nevil Shute and hasn’t read this one.

I’ve finished it too.

Fuzzy, are you okay to start the discussion thread for Pied Piper? I can do it if needed but currently interrailing in Europe so on my phone and in and out of WiFi.

Of course I can @MotherofPearl !
Have a wonderful time! 🚈
I'd love to do that sometime.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/what_were_reading/5559759-the-rather-dated-bookclub-nevil-shutes-pied-piper?utm_campaign=thread&utm_medium=share

This is the link to the discussion for 'Pied Piper'.

What shall we read next? I’m currently reading Winifred Holtby’s South Riding, but am keen to get our next book lined up. Any suggestions?

I've just read The Nutmeg Tree by Margery Sharp which is very funny. I don't think she's an author yet read by the group? Seems to fit well enough though, mid 1930s setting, came out in 1937. It's a light enough summer read :)

Oh and I had the book from the library, there's also a cheapish paperback available on Amazon, and it's on archive.org / OpenLibrary for people who do that...

Perhaps of Margery Sharp’s novels we could go for either The Foolish Gentlewoman (great title) or Something Light? I’ve not read any of her books before so I’d be happy to try either.

Yeah I've not read either of those, but they both sound great 😀

Edited to add: realised that's not massively helpful lol, so of those two I think I prefer the sound of Something Light 😀

I’ve never come across Margery Sharp before so happy to give her a go. Something Light sounds good and is also on kindle unlimited which is convenient as I’m in the middle of a free trial!

Hello! These are available in my library and both sound good! I'd be happy with either.

I'm happy with either too!

It sounds like everyone would be happy with Something Light. I’m looking forward to it.

My library only has Rhodedendron Pie (excellent title) and summer visits, so I’ll have to track down second hand.

I ordered a copy from Abebooks earlier today. I have Kindle Unlimited and it's on there, but I prefer a real book for fiction - especially older fiction (which is pretty much the only kind I read lol)

And the book arrived today 😀

Oh dear I can’t find a copy at a reasonable price!
I will have to ask the library to try and find it via internet library loan.

Finally got a copy as the Kindle version dropped to an affordable price today! I haven’t heard of Margery Sharp previously.

I'm going to get started on this tomorrow.
I got a very old edition from the library.

I had a gap between books so I’ve finished it. Great fun and very much a light read. No less enjoyable for that! Sharp was very prolific and lots of her books (though not this later one) have been republished by Furrowed Middlebrow/Dean St Press.

Right, my copy has arrived!
I have read Pastoral, as recommended on here and oh I loved it. Have lent it to my dad (ex W/C in R A F; the portrayal of life on a bomber command station in ww2 is just so real … my grandad flew Lancasters, dad will love it).
Currently halfway through The Hare and the Tortoise by Elizabeth Jenkins. Has anyone read it? As soon as I’ve finished with Evelyn and Imogen, I’ll start on Something Light.

I read Something Light as soon as it arrived. The title is appropriate lol, but it was a good read for the end of a heatwave :)

Yes, I've read the Elizabeth Jenkins, @StellaOlivetti - it’s a good Rather Dated book!

Oh we’re all at different stages with Something Light. I also struggled to find a reasonably priced copy so finally succumbed to a paperback on Amazon. It arrived yesterday but I’ve not made a start yet. Here’s my copy:

I’m so glad you enjoyed Pastoral too. After we read Pied Piper I had a bit of a Nevil Shute binge. I really love his writing; it sweeps you along.