It’s that time of year again. With school breaking up for the long summer holidays, come thoughts of summer reading. I am taking part in #20booksofsummer – my progress is slower than I would have liked. I am in to the last 120 pages of book #13 – it should have been 14 but #12 was a dnf – so I had to do book #12 twice. July has been a very slow reading month – but now the holidays have started I can hopefully make up a little bit of lost time. The other reading event of my summer is All Virago/All August (although it certainly doesn’t have to be *all* August). This is a challenge to read Virago (VMCs) which started life a few years ago over on the Librarything Virago readers group. Persephone books have honorary status and so count, as do other editions of books which have been previously published by Virago as VMCs.
I did think ahead when putting together my #20booksofsummer pile. I chose thirty books – pledging to read twenty off the pile – I am usually bad at sticking to lists. Although by the time August actually starts I may only have five or six books to go for that summer challenge – but I have several VMC and Persephone books on my #20booksofsummer pile and have selected a few others as possible August reads. I won’t read all of these, but these are some of the books I am considering – I would hope to read about six or seven. There are many other Viragos on my shelves that I could have chosen, or may opt for instead – these are what appeal most at the time of writing.
I will definitely be reading Challenge by Vita Sackville West as it has been chosen by my very small book group as our August read, and I have been looking forward to The Godwits Fly since I bought it so I shall probably read that too. I am also leaning very heavily towards Love by the wonderful Elizabeth von Arnim.
I will be spending a week in Devon during August and I know it makes more sense to take my kindle with me – but I am rather enjoying reading physical books and getting them off the bookshelves.
So to recap – you don’t need to be a member of the LT Virago group to join in – just grab a VMC (original edition, new edition, ebook or another edition entirely as long as it has been published as a VMC or Persephone book at some point) and enjoy.
For those doing #WITmonth – last August I managed to find a VMC that also counted towards that too The Quest for Christa T by Christa Wolf. I will certainly not be reading all virago in August as I have two books I would like to read for #WITmonth: The Murder of Halland and Iza’s Ballad. I am going to have to read up a storm during August, at this rate.
Will you be reading Virgo during August? or are you planning for #WITmonth? What will you be reading?
Oh, my goodness, if you think you are behind with your #20booksofsummer challenge, what should I say? I’ve only just finished No. 9 and probably won’t get to review any others until end of August. (Hopefully I’ll get to read them, though).
Well I think I had hoped to at about #18 as July ended. I am behind where I hoped to be but more or less have stuck to the list. I only read one book not on my pile – a review copy. So at least I am doing okay with that part of the challenge.
Nice plans, Ali, especially given all the various reading events taking place over summer. I’ll be participating in #WITMonth again, going down a distinctly European route this year. 🙂
Yes both of mine are European ( it does seem fitting) and if I can squeeze in another I will. So many interesting works in translation out there.
I’ll be continuing with 20BooksOfSummer: I’ve just finished Book 10 at the moment but am part-way through Books 11 and 12 and just have a review to write and my reviewing-for-others commitments are done with. I’m doing Some Virago / Some of August as I’m away for a few days here and there and all my Viragoes are massive this year (see pic on my blog). I’ll also hopefully be re-reading Orlando for Woolfalong … I’ve realised I do have a book by an Icelandic woman that I’m planning to read in August, so that will do for #WIT – who’s coordinating that one?
#WITmonth is hosted by biblibio I believe http://biblibio.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/witmonth-third.html?m=1.
The Icelandic book sounds perfect.
LOVE by Von Arnim is very entertaining.
That’s good to hear, I’m looking forward to it.
I absolutely LOVE the idea of an All Virago August. What a lovely plan. I also have Love by von Armin sitting on my shelf waiting to be read. Maybe I’ll bump it up my to read pile. Haven’t read Vita Sackville West, though I’ve been very interested in her since reading Woolf. Maybe I’ll see if I can find one. Pretty sure I have Frost in May hanging around too. Fab idea.
Frost in May is excellent the first in a wonderful quartet of novels. Would be lovely if you joined me in reading Love.
It definitely feels like time I got around to it. Count me in!
I’ve a short summer holiday, though I have plans for several books – and one is a Persephone print, The Village, by Marghanita Laski …But I don’t think I could sign up for 20. I’ll be keeping an envious eye on yours and other people’s readings.
The Village is a marvellous book, I have meant to re-read it for ages. Enjoy.
That’s a nice looking stack of books there! I’m keeping it simple with a couple of Viragos lined up and a few WIT books to choose from – plus something for the Woolfalong. Apart from that, I’ll read where the mood takes me!
Sounds like a sensible plan. Looking forward to your #Woolfalong contribution.
What a lovely pile of reading possibilities. I loved the Von Arnim and the O’Brien, and I have ‘The World My Wilderness’ in my pile of possibilities, alongside Pilgrimage and a few more VMCs and Virago travellers.
The World my wilderness looks very good. I remember your review of the O’Brien, I think I will enjoy that when I get to it.
I don’t think I’ve reviewed that O’Brien, but I remember loving it many years ago.
Oh it must have been another by her – or another blogger – I get so confused.
I like lots of your summer lists but alas am not organised enough to know what I’m reading tomorrow never mind for the summer!! Interested to hear what you think of Iza’s Ballad as I recently read Magda Szabo’s The Door and thought it was great.
Yes, looking forward to Iza’s Ballad.
I am working my way though my 10 Books of Summer list. While I am really enjoying it I am making slower progress than I hoped, however now the schools have broken up for the holidays I should have a lot more reading time 😀 I wish you all the best with your challenges and more importantly happy reading! 🙂
Thank you and the same to you.
I’m glad I’m not home right now because I couldn’t bear counting the green Viragos I lovingly collected then never read…. love that this could make a small dent, and that Persephones are included!
Ah but at least you have lots of lovely Viragos to choose from.
Just like Liz, it’s going to be Some Virago / Some of August for me since I am also doing WIT month and have yet to finish my books of summer list even though I am targeting just 10. I’m no superwoman reader like you Ali. So I am going to read a modest 2 Viragos but also have yet to write up some reviews of 2 other Viragos I read recently so my participation will look even greater (cunning plan there!)
😃 Sounds like a good cunning plan. I am looking forward to seeing what you read and what you review.
I must stop visiting your pages…they tempt me way too much! LOL! I think I will sign for the WIT challenge!
Look forward to seeing what you read.
[…] just found out at the lovely blog Heavenali that August is also a month dedicated to reading through our long most loved TBR list of […]
I was slightly put off by the chunkiness of Love by von Arnim but I really did enjoy it although it is quite a sad read as it’s quite autobiographical.
I think a number of her books have an autobiographical slant.
Good luck with the challenges. An All Virago August sounds good. I will look forward to your reviews.
Vita Sackwille is on my TBR since I recently read a lot of Woolf and got interested in her as well. The Enchanted April by Elizabeth is on the TBR as well. I have heard great things about the book. SO I will look forward to the other book by her as well. 🙂
The Enchanted April is a wonderful book I hope you enjoy it.
I’ve yet to start book 10 on my 20 books of Summer challenge so you are miles ahead of me. I’m not sure about any Virago or WiT novels but I’m going to scour my to read pile to see what I can unearth 🙂
There are so many challenges aren’t there. Whatever you read I hope you enjoy it.
I find both events tempting.
Any Virago is OK or do they have to be the old green ones? No, right?
Any Virago edition is fine. Or any other edition as long as it has previously published as a Virago.
[…] Bedford was chosen deliberately with one eye to the AllVirago/AllAugust challenge (hop over to heavenali’s blog to find out more about this) . Now if you are struggling with the arithmetic, let me help you out […]
After months of erratic reading and best made plans going pear shaped I’m just getting geared up sorting a pick-from-pile for #WITMonth reading & hopefully reviewing… certainly got a few VMC options on the TBR shelves too that would qualify for the Virago initiative but not sure I’ll fit it all in. Although… we’ve only two weeks left of the school hols so that bodes well for my reading time😄
Fitting everything in is always the problem. 😊 Enjoy the rest of your holidays.
[…] intimate portrait it is of a woman whom the author had known when he was a child. Thinking ahead to All Virago/All August which I posted about recently I picked up Love by Elizabeth von Arnim a book I have been itching to […]
[…] when I discovered All Virago/All August, hosted by the Librarything Virago Readers Group on Heavenali’s blog, I decided I would join as […]
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