January has felt very long – so long in fact that I feel I must surely have read more than nine and a half books – but there it is, nine and a half books and a month that sometimes felt more like three. Thankfully my reading during dreary January has been of a pretty high standard.
I started the year on a real high reading wise, beginning my year and my #Woolfalong project reading To the Lighthouse (1927). It was a wonderful reading experience, so different from my first experience of it twenty five years ago. Maurice (1971) by E M Forster – another member of the Bloomsbury set I suppose, was the only novel by E M Forster I had never read (not yet read his short stories either). Beautifully written, it paints an extremely honest picture of what life might be for a young man attracted to his own sex in the early twentieth century – no wonder really that Forster didn’t live to see it published. The Land of Green Ginger (1927) by Winifred Holtby I had been saving for a few years – it turned out to be good – although certainly not her best. I was a tad disappointed – only because I had saved it so long, however a lesser Holtby is still pretty good – and definitely still worth reading. I was particularly cheered to learn that The Land of Green Ginger is an actual street – how I would love little address card with that address on! Next I read a Netgalley review copy on my trusty kindle – Exposure (2016) by Helen Dunmore. I always like Helen Dunmore’s writing, and this one was among the best of those that I have read. Her sense of place is always so good, and the atmosphere and tension in this latest novel is pretty much perfect. Actually reading Exposure made me want to read those Dunmore I’ve yet to get around to. Next I found myself returning to Virginia Woolf, re-reading Mrs Dalloway (1925) – which I had originally not intended to do until February. Mrs Dalloway is a fascinating, complex novel – I enjoyed it far more this time too. I think (I hope) I may have finally found my Virginia Woolf mojo. I will probably wait until March to read more Woolf, although I have (or will have) my first round up post for the end of the first phase to post at the end of this month.
Cassandra at the Wedding (1962) by Dorothy Baker is a book I had only ever heard good reports of, a slim book it packs something of a punch in its brilliantly memorable narrative voice, I think I would have liked it to be a bit longer. Leading up to Margery Sharp day I read Britannia Mews (1946) – such a brilliant read, it’s easy to see why it was adapted for a film in the 1950’s. The Half-Crown House (1956) an old novel by Helen Ashton – I assume it to have been one of her later novels as she died in 1958. Set on one day in 1954 it explores the history and family of the house on that day and in flashback. I enjoyed it a lot – although not quite as much as the previous two novels of hers that I read.
Many of you will know I am involved in bookcrossing – although not as active as I once was, though I am currently involved in organising the UK convention, here in Birmingham for September. One of the authors I have arranged to speak is a local author Fiona Joseph – having not read either of Fiona’s books yet I started reading her most recent Comforts for the Troops (2015) – so I could pass it round a few readers who are likely to attend her talk in September. I will review it in the next few days – but I loved it. Set among the women who worked in the Cadbury factory during WW1 I found it very compelling, I particularly loved the local connection of course. I begin February a little more than half way through Cider with Rosie (1959); a book I have meant to read for years – and so when I spotted it at a bookcrossing meet on Saturday I picked it up and began reading it right away.
I do have some plans for February – two book group reads – The Cleft by Doris Lessing and a re-read of Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys. I also want to read at least one Mary Hocking novel and I have a couple of more recent novels on my kindle I have been trying to get round to for weeks. Though of course I do really just like picking up whatever takes my fancy at that moment.
So tell me what were your stand out reads for January and what are you planning to read in February?
I liked what you said about January feeling about 3 months long… You may have read ‘only’ nine and a half, but what good and varied books they were!
Yes they were quite varied. I suppose February will fly now I said that about January.
9 and a half books is a good month! Funnily enough I read a book in January which I’m pretty sure I read due to a review on your blog – The Evening Chorus – I particularly liked the sections set in the prisoner of war camp. Of the 7 books I read, the stand out for me was Elemental by a West Australian author Amanda Curtain. It has one if my most memorable characters I’ve come across – Fish Meggie, a girl/woman who grew up in a fishing village in Scotland and who moved to WA early in life.
I’m glad you read The Evening Chorus. Amanda Curtain is new to me, that character does sound memorable.
Lovely selection of reading Ali, though I agree January has been a bit of a month. I’ve been intending to re-read Cider With Rosie for ages (I studied it for O level) but so many books keep getting in the way!
I’m slightly amazed I’ve not read Cider with Rosie before.
Wow – nine and a half books in a month should merit a medal or at lest stickers! i’m hoping to join in the Woolfalong but as I only reread Mrs D and To the Lighthouse recently I’m skipping those in favour of making some inroads into my tottering TBR pile. I finished off the second volume of Proust, loved Anne Tyler’s ‘Spool of Blue Thread’ and Marilynne Robinson’s ‘Lila’, and finally got round to Bulgakov’s ‘The Master and Margarita’. Oh, and I’ve started my pilgrimage with Dorothy Richardson. ‘Pointed Roofs’ was wonderful, and I’m really looking forward to ‘Backwater’.
I have A Spool of Blue Thread on my kindle glad to hear you loved it. I am considering Pilgrimage for next year.
Wow 9 books and two of them Woolf I’d say thats quite a bit of reading . I’ve read 5 books this month my favorite of them being Vain Shadow, which I learned about from your blog :). The other two worth mentioning were both published in 2016 When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi (non fiction) and My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout, both good but not great IMHO. I did try to re-read To the Lighthouse this month, but I found that my reading skills are not what they once were and I could not sustain the concentration to successfully read it. I guess it’s just not the right time for me to be re-reading Woolf.
As for February– on top of my TBR is the new Bill Bryson book The Road to Little Dribbling. As a long confirmed Anglophile living in the USA I’m pretty sure I’ll enjoy it, but we shall see. . . Have a great February!!
I think Woolf needs to be read when one is in the right place – which I wasn’t myself for a long time.
wow, that’s a good reading month! Book of the month for me was Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes – http://bit.ly/20BN41A
Flowers for Algernon is a wonderful book – I’ve read it twice.
My mother had a theory that we always subconsciously dated January from the day after Boxing Day and that was why it seemed so long. Still, as you say, at least it is now over. I have ‘Exposure’ waiting for me at the library. Now I just have to find time to read it !
I think your mother might have been right. I will be interested in what you think of Exposure.
You’re January seems to have been the opposite to me – I blinked and missed the month! Although I agree I thought I would have finished more books considering how much I seemed to be reading. My top pick of the month has to be Named of the Dragon by Susanna Kearsley 🙂
I don’t think I have heard of Susanna Kearsley. Hope February is good for you too.
Ali, you always find rare and interesting books! I shall search out Comfort for the Troops. Thank you. January seemed even longer for me because I listened to all 42 hours of the self indulgent and disappointing Shantaram!
42 hours you’ll never get back. I spent a week marooned in a cottage on a farm in Essex about nine years ago actually reading it.
That’s a lovely pile of books, though! I really enjoyed my Margery Sharp, “The Foolish Gentlewoman” and Dorothy Richardson continues to be compelling reading. I got through 13 books in total but the TBR seems as full as ever. The thing I’m most looking forward to is seeking out some more Iris Murdoch first editions thanks to everyone clubbing together to help me with that project!
It’s wonderful you will be able to buy something else special for your collection. 13 books is marvellous.
9 and 1/2 is a lot of reading for 1 month Ali. I also read Mrs Dalloway recently. You reminded me to try another Woolf.
I hope you do try another Woolf, I’m very much looking forward to reading more.
Nine and half books in a month is impressive! I only got through six but have been reading Wilkie Collins’ Armadale off and on since mid-January and it’s pretty slow for a Victorian sensation novel. I think my favorite read in January was an audiobook of The Code of the Woosters — you can’t go wrong with P. G. Wodehouse for a fun read! I also finally got around to reading Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis which turned out to be much better than I hoped, it’s really been hyped as a hilarious novel so was worried that my expectations were too high.
Years since I read any Wodehouse I must do so again. He is great fun.