50 Books Challenge 2025 Part Four

[Southeastdweller]

Welcome to the fourth thread of the 50 Book Challenge for this year.

The challenge is to read fifty books (or more!) in 2025, though reading fifty isn't mandatory. Any type of book can count, and please try to let us all know your thoughts on what you've read.

If possible, please can you embolden your titles and maybe authors as well of books you've read or going to read? It makes it much easier to keep track, especially when the threads move quickly at this time of the year.

The first thread of the year is here, the second thread here and the third thread here.

Seconding this @Castlerigg Especially TWIW.

I love Scoop and all Waugh's satires - Vile Bodies is another favourite. Very much of their time of course.

The Woman in White has the best villain of ALL time.

@IKnowAPlace I have read James but not Nesting but I do have it on TBR so I might get on with it, thanks

Vile Bodies and Scoop both hilarious. My favourite is A Handful of Dust. And what’s the absolutely hilarious one with scenes in a school where one of the characters is called Mrs Barrington Ape or some such? And strange little boys? Or am I mixing a couple of different ones together?

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie

I don't remember the other character names but Decline and Fall is about Paul Pennyfeather who has had to leave Oxford and takes up a job as a teacher at a rather grim boys' school.

IIRC Mrs Melrose Ape is the thinly-disguised Christian Scientist Aimee Semple McPherson in (?) Vile Bodies - the school one you’re thinking of may be Decline and Fall, @RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie ? Set at the terrible Llanabba School…

My current reading pile is even more out of hand than normal because I couldn't resist starting some of the very new books that have come through as library reservations. It includes The Art of Dying (Ambrose Parry #2 - loved The Way of All Flesh) and Nesting, also Dream Count and Bookish.

Ah, A Handful of Dust. One of my most favourite books ever.

Fans of "Rather Dated" books might like to know that a* dramatisation of Miss Buncle's Book* is on Radio 4 (this afternoon, but will presumably be available for a few days/weeks)

Yep. I’m mixing up Vile Bodies and Decline and Fall. Thank you!

Have also posted on the meet up thread. I know this is very short notice, but in addition to more organised meet up plans, @highlandcoo and I are planning a mini-meetup near Finsbury Park tomorrow (Tuesday 1 April). Anyone who can make plans to join us is very welcome to PM me and/or @highlandcoo for details and to let us know you're coming - I think our plans include a snacky lunch, a shop offering lots of tempting new books (including Women's Prize and other award related displays, and several charity shops including a charity bookshop).

I'm not in town tomorrow but have a brilliant day @highlandcoo and @elkiedee

A mini meet up sounds lovely. Have a good day!

@Castlerigg if you decide to go for The Woman In White, you may find this thread helpful/interesting - some of us did a readalong of it a couple of years ago.

www.mumsnet.com/talk/what_were_reading/4562778-womaninwhitealong-readalong-20223?page=1

I will come next time. It's my dad's funeral next Monday and I'm not socialising atm.

So sorry to hear that @Arran2024 sending love and hope you are doing as well as you can be under the circumstances. x

Sorry to hear your news @Arran2024💐

Sorry for your loss @Arran2024 .

@Arran, so sorry that you've lost your dad.

My condolences on your loss @Arran2024

So sorry to hear of your loss @Arran2024

Really sorry to hear that, @Arran2024

I’m sorry @Arran2024,

Another duff
A Million Dreams by Dani Atkins
I also have quite a few others that I have given up on that I have tried to listen to but too many a number to mention. I find voices really grate so much prefer a book I can just read. Anyways this book just ain’t doing it for me. Got past 50 pages before calling it quits. I need to find my reading mojo