October has been a fairly good reading month, finished off as it has been by a week’s half term holiday I spent in Devon with my family. I became frustrated during the month with the pressure I had put on myself to read books I felt I should be reading, and have pledged to do better at simply reading what I want (as much as possible). I didn’t manage to read my book group’s October choice, despite thinking it looked interesting, I knew I wouldn’t be at the meeting, and so the book got forgotten.
Here’s the list:
99 The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher (2014) Hilary Mantel (F)
100 The Constant Nymph (1924) Margaret Kennedy (F)
101 Books do Furnish a Room (1971) Anthony Powell (F)
102 The Ladies of Lyndon (1923) Margaret Kennedy (F)
103 Enter a Murderer (1935) Ngaio Marsh (F)
104 The Tortoise and the Hare (1954) Elizabeth Jenkins (F)
105 The Pierced Heart (2014) Lynn Shepherd (F)
106 Books (2013) Charlie Hill (F)
107 Operation Heartbreak (1950) Duff Cooper (F)
108 The Visioning (1911) Susan Glaspell (F)
109 Moriarty (2014) Anthony Horowitz (F)
As you can see – still not reading Non-fiction – my worst year ever for non-fiction – and I never read much. Reviews of those last two books I read will be along soon.
My stand out reads for October:
The Constant Nymph – the first read for Margaret Kennedy reading week and my first book by her ever – what joy to discover a new author.
The Tortoise and the Hare – Elizabeth Jenkins – a wonderful novel, really rather masterful it’s quite Elizabeth Taylor like, a novel of domestic disharmony.
Operation Heartbreak – Duff Cooper, a poignant little Persephone novel, with an unforgettable central character and an ending that was inspired by true events.
So then on to November, as the year draws nearer its end, the nights get darker and here in England we huddle by our fires or radiators looking for the kinds of books that always seem to suit long winter evenings. I may just crack open something of the sort.
On November 10th begins the group read of Elizabeth Bowen’s The Hotel, which I talked about here, this is a novel I am really looking forward to, and also looking forward to talking about it with fellow readers. My book group read for November is The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham, those of you who know my reading preferences, won’t be surprised to hear I’ve not read him before. I am looking forward to it though, it looks rather good. I will of course be reading my eleventh Anthony Powell novel; Temporary Kings. What else I read remains to be seen.
Please let me know what you will be reading, I always love to know.
heavenali 
I had a frustrating reading month in October too and didn’t get through nearly as much as I’d hoped . My stand out reads were Lila by Marylinne Robinson and Some Luck the new one by Jane Smiley which I will be reviewing soon . Next month I am planning to read ( at least one ) for GERMAN Lit month and so will finally be starting In Times of Fading Light by Eugen Ruge which has been languishing on my TBR for ages.
Annoyingly I STILL can’t find Ladies Of Lydon !!! I KNOW it’s here somewhere …and whenever it turns up I shall read it immediately !!
Happy and very HOT Halloween 🎃😳
Oh goodness how annoying. Maybe if you stop looking for Ladies of Lyndon it will turn up.
Enjoy your November reads they sound interesting.
A nice selection Ali! I have struggled a bit this month, I don’t know why, and am in the middle of a nearly 600 page chunkster at the moment (only at half term could I do this!) I do agree about reading what you want to – I’m coming to realise how essential that is. HHhH was a standout this month, and also Look Who’s Back, which I haven’t reviewed yet. As for next month – I don’t know yet, which is the joy of reading! 🙂
It certainly is 🙂
The best Bowen novel,in my opinion is TO THE NORTH–i believe it is out of print?
Is the Glaspell novel being read on your Kindle?
I have no Kindle so i cannot “come to many parties”–as i said to Fleur Fisher this week.
Have you bought loads of books yet?
Will look out for To the North. Yes the Glaspell was on kindle. Review in a couple of days.
Something about the days getting colder and the nights getting longer just cries out for appropriate books, doesn’t it?
I always read Wilkie Collins for Halloween (this year it’s Armadale) and I’m looking forward to rereading the amazing The Snow Child (Eowyn Ivey) with the first snowfall, and of course my annual Bronte around Christmastime (Wuthering Heights this year).
Oh some lovely reads there. I will certainly re-read The Snow Child one day.
I’ll be posting my TBR pics tomorrow, I had a decent reading month once I finished the great big book and made some progress on others, although I still note that I am reading several at a time! I’m about to curl up and finish a light novel on the sofa …
Enjoy. I’ll be doing the same in a little while.
Currently struggling through Wolf Hall. Never read Hilary Mantel before and I’m finding it tough going. Getting very frustrated with the writing style especially the confusing use of personal pronouns. However, I am sticking with it for now as I am so fascinating by the period of history and characters it deals with (although I am sorely tempted to give up and read one of the actual history books on the Tudor period that are sitting on the shelf waiting). Also had a skim re-read of Kathleen Dayus, as a refresher as she is one of the subjects of some talks I’m giving on Sunday.
Alot of people found Mantel’s use of pronouns frustrating. I have read three of Kathleen Dayus’s books really enjoyed them, and have the fourth tbr.
I am towards the end of Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. It’s one of the those books that you really want to rush through but it is so beautifully written that you also want to read it slowly and savour it. The subject is very difficult to cope with, though. This month I am planning to read Lost and Found by Brooke Davis, Deeper Water by Jessie Cole and The Unknown Bridesmaid by Margaret Foster. I also have Colm Toibin’s short story collection Mothers and Sons to dip into from time to time.
Wow some lovely fascinating reading there. Enjoy.
Just remember – you asked – as this will be a shameless plug about AusReading Month!
During Nov I will be reading nothing but Australian books. I have Sonya Hartnett’s latest book, Golden Boys started as well as this years Stella Award winner, Claire Wright.
i understand completely about reading stuff you ought to, rather than the stuff you want. I’ve just been through that & I’m now determined to only read books I really want to.
Thanks to your posts though, I have my first Kennedy in order & I plan to read my first Cather in Dec with you:-)
I hope your November is a more satisfying reading month for you.
🙂 enjoy Australian reading month. I don’t know yet if I will be joining in this yeae, but I may.
I’m impressed with the number of books you read and reviewed in October, Ali. I’m planning to read a few for German Lit Month (which started early for me with All Quiet on the Western Front for book group). Other than that, I’m not sure; I’ll have to see where the mood takes me!
Hope you enjoy German Lit month, you remind me I do have another Eric Maria Remarque novel tbr- hmm!
I read The Midwich Cuckoos last year and didn’t know what to expect, but I ended up really enjoying it. I hope you do too.
Thank you, I think I’m looking forward to it 🙂
That does look like a good month. I’m looking forward to the hotel, but otherwise I’m leaning towards Victorian women authors.
Ooh lovely looking forward to seeing what you will read.
September was actually good for me, even though I only read 4 novels, but that was a big improvement on the previous two months and reading a trilogy helps.
In November I want to couple of German Lit books, like All Quiet of the Western Front, The Visitation by Jenny Erpenbeck and maybe even The Raw Material which Stu recommended. Always open to be spontaneous though!
All Quiet on the Western Front is such a wonderful book.