September is a funny month for me, back to work after the summer holidays and a new school year make it feel a very long and a very short month all at once. Added to which I never manage to read as much as I would like in September. Eight books this month – and some of them were comfort type reads – the final two very short books.
September began with me immersed in Nights at the Circus by Angela Carter I devoured it in the four days before starting back at work. It is a work of extraordinary imagination – introducing us to the colourful world of Fevvers – music hall aerialiste a part woman, part swan phenomenon, or is she?
I had deliberately set aside some escapist/cosy reads for September, and as I headed back to school after the holidays I chose Quick Curtain by Alan Melville as the first of those to read. I do love these BLCC books, though naturally as with big collection there can be some variety in quality. I enjoyed Quick Curtain, though it won’t be a favourite – I hadn’t expected the tongue in cheek, satirical tone, but once I got used to that, I was thoroughly entertained.
The Librarything Virago group had chosen to read Nina Bawden during September, and I chose to start with Family Money. It tells the story of Fanny Pye, and her adult children. Fanny owns a large, valuable property in London that her children think she should sell. When Fanny is involved in a violent altercation between two men one night, they increase their persuasive efforts.
It seemed far too long since I read anything by Mary Hocking, The Sparrow one of her earlier novels is possibly now one of my favourites. Ralph Kimberley is a London vicar whose dedication to the campaign for nuclear disarmament brings conflict into his relationship with his wife, and his parishioners. When ex offender Keith Wilson comes to stay with the couple and their orphaned ten-year-old niece he brings more conflict and tension with him.
The Brandons by Angela Thirkell was an absolutely delicious cosy read, witty, 1930s middlebrow novel. My favourite Thirkell to date, and the one which has really convinced me to go on reading her – I just have to be in the right mood.
My final three reads of September I have still to review. When copies of The Fourteenth Letter by Claire Evans were being offered on Twitter I snapped up a copy – aware that it would be great September reading. Probably not my usual kind of thing – as I generally don’t like heavily plot driven novels, but this is very readable, superbly plotted, and set in Victorian London it has a wonderful setting too.
The Prince’s Boy by Paul Bailey was one of the books I bought in Paris at Shakespeare and Company – so reading it during a tiring, wet working week, brought back lovely memories of my little trip. The novel itself I found to be a bit of a slow burn – the story of the great love between two Romanian men who first meet in Paris in 1927. Overall, I really enjoyed it, my first Paul Bailey novel. though I do have another tbr.
I tried to finish Familiar Passions last night, – well I do like to finish the month tidily – by completing my final book of the month on the final day of the month – but haven’t quite managed that. My second Nina Bawden novel of the month. It tells the story of Bridie whose much older husband tells her he wants to end their marriage on their thirteenth anniversary, Bridie must find a new life amidst the ruins of the old one – what was a most unsatisfactory marriage. I shall save the rest for my review.
Don’t have many plans for October, but my book group is reading Strong Poison by Dorothy L Sayers – I read it about five years ago – and I can’t decide whether I have time to re-read it. I do remember some of it – so I will see what other distractions come along. Sayers never disappoints. The LT Virago group will be reading Margaret Kennedy novels, and I have ordered an old copy of The Oracles from ebay to read, which I am looking forward to. Towards the end of October Simon and Karen will be celebrating the #1968club – I have Eva Trout by Elizabeth Bowen and By the Pricking of my Thumbs by Agatha Christie – and may find more when I investigate further.
Oh, and has anyone seen this – the new hardback edition of The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood – a thing of beauty, I couldn’t help myself.
I also bought a second copy as a gift. You will see I also bought Oryx and Crake – which I always said I didn’t want to read – but I seem to have changed my mind.
A copy of Autumn by Ali Smith arrived yesterday morning from The Big Green Bookshop (if you don’t follow them on Twitter do so) – I haven’t read any Ali Smith properly before. I tried The Accidental years ago and didn’t finish it – but can’t remember why. Autumn has been chosen by my very small book group for our November read – so time to give her another try.
There it is, autumn is here and the nights are drawing in. So, what are you reading in October and what was wonderful in September?
What a striking jacket for The Handmaids Tale. I’m not surprised you couldn’t resist it!
It’s beautiful, and whenever I want to read The Handmaid’s Tale for the third time I have a gorgeous edition waiting.😀
Love that copy of The Handmaid’s Tale – gorgeous!
I know, I had to buy it.
Oh, yes, it’s a beauty ! Who publishes it ?
It’s published by Vintage books, a must for lots of fans of the novel I’m sure.
Some nice reading this month, Ali, and also lovely new arrivals. I’ve struggled during September too with a lack of focus and just I think the tiredness of the new school year – although what I *have* read I’ve enjoyed. Maybe October will be better! 🙂
I’m just exhausted at the moment but I do hope I can pick my reading up a bit during October. Looking forward to the 1968 club at least.
I’m having some time off and a nice read, with a couple of reviews coming but unfortunately was untidy with my end of month reading! and for some reason I read about a million books last month, although 6 of them were pony books!
Lucky you getting through so many, Have a lovely rest, I hope my reading rate can increase this month.
September feels very much the same for me, as you know I work in a school too. Like September, in October I am looking forward to comforting, easy reads hopefully with a mysterious tone for the R.I.P event 🙂 Happy reading!
Thank you, to you too.
I’m currently (in between other more start-to-finish reads) on a ‘buddy read’ with my small book group – some of us have been picking a title in certain categories and then those of us joining in read quite slowly – something like a chapter a day, and then post whatever you like about the slow read at that point. To my great shame, I have never read any Anne Bronte – accepting without pursuing the ‘received’ information that she was really ‘lesser’ than Charlotte and Emily. Then I read the wonderful Samantha Ellis’s book about Anne, Take Courage : Anne Bronte and the Art of Life, and discovered she had very much been ‘rediscovered’ as a feminist writer, far in advance of her times. So, as our current theme was ‘Classics’ I picked The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, which I needed a bit of a encouragement to start. All I can say, to myself is ‘never accept received unwisdom about an author’s status, without exploring for yourself’ She is astonishing, and I am so glad to be reading this very slowly, and savouringly, at a chapter a day, and then being left to think about that before I can go on the next day
Oh lovely, The Tennant of Wildfell Hall is a brilliant novel a true feminist classic. Heard mixed reports of that Samantha Ellis book so haven’t read that. Glad to hear you liked it though.
I am a big Samantha Ellis fan, based on her two books about books, both reviewed on my site. And part of that fandom lies in her taking hold of me firmly by the hand (metaphorically) and giving me a sharp shove in the direction of Anne Bronte. I am still shaking my head in angry disbelief that I just never bothered with Anne, accepting all those ‘lesser’ labels from all sorts of people at the time, and later, about her.. She seems (unfortunately) far less dated, far more modern than her sisters. I am constantly finding myself travelling backwards in time to the subversive ways she looks at earlier novelists and influences (I keep seeing all sorts of Austen references, but gone darker, far darker) and then, forwards, to later writers and how they might have embraced Anne. I want to apologise, profusely, to her shade for my ignorance
I read Ellis’s How to be a Heroine and loved it, so may get around to the other one, one day.
What a lovely round up. I burned myself out a bit reading to many books by one author one after another but I revived myself with a comfort re-read of Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day so hopefully I will be more productive this month.
Miss Pettigrew is such a gorgeous book, I have read it twice. (Thanks for the follow.)
I think I actually enjoyed it even more the second time.
What a great combo of styles and themes: no wonder you had such a satisfying September, between reading and collecting. That’s a lovely copy of the Atwood and how lucky the recipient of your second copy. Have you been watching the series or considering doing so?
Yes I did watch the series, having re-read The Handmaid’s Tale for the second time. Looking forward to seeing Alias Grace on Netflix when it airs in the UK. I think Netflix over your way already has it.
Please can you lead a campaign to reprint RHODODENDRON PIE?MARGERY SHARP.I saw a copy for £70 on Amazon 2 weeks ago was not tempted to buy it.I do not know why this book is out of print.
Well I don’t know what influence my voice would have when Jane has been doing such a great job of raising the profile of Margery Sharp. Though I agree it would be great to have it back in print.
Could you ask all your blogger pals to help?Jane bought the copy for £70 i suspect.
I don’t think it’s very nice to speculate on what someone paid for a book in public. And while Ali did really well helping getting the Mary Hocking books in print that was mainly because the publisher realised she had all the copies available that they could use.
Well my point is i spotted it and still did not buy it.Normally £200 plus.I always think the price of books is relevant.
And i mailed Ali a copy of Hocking’s novel THE CLIMBING FRAME 1971.So i am not all bad.
Fab post – and so many fab books I now need to look up. And yes, that cover is ace!