Books set in the summer of 1976

[ImJustMadAboutSaffron]

Has anyone else noticed how many of these there are? A few I have read are:

Instructions for a Heatwave/Maggie O'Farrell
Time out of Time/Alex Marchant
Summer of '76/Isabel Ashdown
The Wayward Girls/Amanda Mason
A Fatal Inversion/Barbara Vine
The Ghost in the Electric Blue Suit or The Ladybird Summer/Graham Joyce
The Summer of '76/Ray Burston

It's as if the heatwave becomes a character in its own right, and also kicks off supernatural forces. Some of the above are based on supernatural The stifling heat, it seemed, opened a door, a portal to something unseen, forever altering the way many characters perceived that particular summer. Ghosts and hauntings abounded, but not all were about that. The heatwave became a metaphor.

It's not new, of course, there is The Go-Between, the Great Gatsby etc, but it feels as if 1976 was more focused on because of the heatwave. I'm sure there must be more!

Oooh I have read a couple of others I think, I will have to check my kindle. Place marking anyway as I love books set in the 70s.

Just remembered “The trouble with Goats and Sheep” Joanna Cannon. Such a good story!

I remember that sunmer, there was a certain kind of suspension about it if that makes sense?

And another “Cuckoo in the nest” Fran Hill - absolutely brilliant!

Heat Wave by Penelope Lively

Not 100% sure it is named as '76 but a great read.

I was born in the summer of 76 and my mum STILL moans about being heavily pregnant as if it is my fault!

Jilly Cooper's Octavia, her descriptions of the English countryside (and London) in the heatwave are beautiful.

Water Shall Refuse Them by Lucie McKnight Hardy too iirc.

Was coming on to say Octavia, but see I have been beaten to it! Wonderful, including when the storm breaks near the end.

8. Middle England by Jonathan Coe
Loved this!
Second in a trilogy (I think!) following the lives of a group of people through the riots of 2011, the London Olympics, Brexit...
Coe displays fantastic social and political commentary as well as the ability to draw us in to human relationships and all its fragilities.
Think there's another one in the series called Bournville but it may be a stand alone.

If you’re also interested in other heatwaves, try In The Place of Fallen Leaves by Tim Pears. It’s set in the summer of 1984 but sounds like the kind of book you’re after.

Yes I've noticed this! I suppose it was an event that stuck in people's minds.

I was 8 at the time. But my first dc was born in the summer of '95 @Justrolledmyeyesoutloud which was similarly sweltering. I remember dd spent her first days mostly in a nappy only; largely indoors to avoid the sun!

Close To Home by Deborah Moggach is set in the summer of 1976, I've just read it and really enjoyed it.

I was also 8 in summer of 76. Had a dc in 95 too! Yes that was a fantastic summer, thoroughly enjoyed being in maternity leave.

I was 17 in the summer of 1976. It was a carefree, happy time.

I went camping on the Isle of Wight with a load of friends and we had a blast.

I patted myself on the back that dd would have lovely, warm summer birthday parties @MissyB1! But no, it frequently rained and was cold!

Yes there's the bit towards the end (walking on Putney Common?) where the first rain falls!

tobee Jilly Cooper lived in Putney when she first began writing novels, I believe.

Yes she wrote a book about her 10 years living by the common "The Common Years" which someone recommended on here and I bought a copy of a couple of years ago and haven't yet got around to reading. Putney Common is not too far from me.

It's very near me, too. I love Lower Common South especially just near Barnes Common.

Thanks for this recommendation- I’ve just googled and ordered off eBay. Can’t wait for it to get here!

👋🏻 @blackcherryconserve !

What's funny is how we still refer back to '76 even though we've had several summers as hot over the last few years. Can't imagine people still talking about the heatwave of '22 in the same way in 2072.

Joining for recommendations!

It's possibly an age thing? As in people writing books now were young then and nostalgic? In cases where books were written recently?