It’s September already – well August always does fly by.
It’s been a lovely summer, but Monday sees a return to work, and a return to less reading time and blogging time. I always take a couple of weeks to settle back into the routine.
I have read a fair bit during August, the number of books is perhaps not much greater than usual, but I feel as if I have read a few fatter books. The Muriel Spark Complete stories of course was in last month’s photo too, I read almost half of it during July, and in August read the second half.
August is both Women in Translation month and All Virago all August, and so I was happily juggling books for both challenges.
Open the Door by Catherine Carswell was my first VMC of the month, I read while I was on a short break in Belgium. Open the Door! Is the story of a young woman’s awakening, her search for love, independence and happiness is brilliantly and compellingly told. Joanna is both trapped and in time released by her large capacity for love.
New Islands by Maria Luisa Bombal is a small collection of stories from the most creative period of the Chilean author. A couple of the stories are rather strange, but I still enjoyed them.
The Seventh Cross by Anna Seghers is a novel about a man who escapes from a concentration camp in Germany in the late 1930s. However, it is also about a lot more than that, showing us exactly what life in Germany was like for ordinary people. It seems timely indeed that this German classic has been reissued now.
Sisters by a River was Barbara Comyns first novel, one which gave me a lot to think about, as Comyns light, bright, breezy tone is very deceptive, behind the humour there is a lot that is really rather dark. Comyns wraps that darkness in witty anecdotes, that rather belie some of the content.
The Bridge of Beyond by Simone Schwarz-Bart is a novel about mothers and daughter and the legacy of slavery, set on the lush island of Guadeloupe. It was chosen by my book group (my suggestion) and we will meet to discuss the week after next.
Before Lunch by Angela Thirkell – is an enjoyable social comedy written in that last year of peace. It was a deliciously witty bit of escapism.
I found David Golder by Irène Némirovsky to be fascinating – it has been viewed as quite a controversial novel – which now having read it I understand. I enjoyed it though, and the novel gave me a lot to think about, Irène Némirovsky was an interesting and complex woman.
My kindle which is peeping out from among the real books above I took on a trip to the Isle of Wight, having been reminded of poor hotel lighting when I was in Belgium. I read The Night Watch by Sarah Waters – a novel of considerably more than 500 pages – it zips along art a cracking pace and is so well written with excellent period detail. I am reminded I must read more by her.
The Solitary Summer by Elizabeth von Arnim is the follow up to her first novel Elizabeth and her German Garden and is really every bit as wonderful and life affirming.
Love, Anger, Madness by Marie Vieux-Chauvet is a Haitian triptych. Three novellas, which I still have to review, which were powerful, disturbing and quite compelling.
I have started reading a book I bought ages ago from a charity shop (I think) called Summers Day by Mary Bell (1951) – a book published by Greyladies. I really could find virtually no information about either the novel or the author (the name being shared by a notorious British child killer). I came across this piece on Furrowed Middlebrow’s site about the author – which interested me.
September is the start of phase 5 of #ReadingMuriel2018 – and I have three Spark novels to read over the next two months. Apart from that I haven’t made any reading plans, although I need to concentrate on my ACOB – I have precisely thirty years to go. I may just do it! Though a couple of recent purchases might distract me from that, two beautiful looking new books that I really want to read.
I read some excellent things in August, and as always would love to hear what you read.
Happy September reading.
heavenali 
I’ve added several of your August reads to my To Read list. I only read five books this month but am getting ready to move house so my reading pace has slowed. For August, two titles were by favorite authors, The Rich House by Stella Gibbons, and Mariana by Monica Dickens, and I read three new-to-me authors: The Greengage Summer by Rumor Godden, Holiday by Stanley Middleton, and A Favourite of the Gods by Sybille Bedford. Most of my missing years for ACOB are from the 1950s, 1980s, and 1990s so I’ll include books from those decades in September
Well you have read some lovely books, the only one of those I haven’t read is The Rich House but I do have a kindle copy of it, so glad to hear it is so good. Good luck with ACOB.
I’m looking forward to reading Sisters by the River and Before Lunch in the future, and have actually just started The Night Watch. Glad to hear you enjoyed all three. Hope you have another wonderful reading month ahead!
Oh good, hope you’re enjoying The Night Watch, I really enjoyed the way the story was structured.
I’m not very far into it, but I am enjoying it so far. The backwards timeline is brilliant!
What a great month of reading Ali!
It was yes, thank you.
I just read Before Lunch and really enjoyed it. I thought it was one of her best.
Yes it was certainly one I really liked. I’m not quite finished with Angela Thirkell yet.
Hope you enjoy Summer’s Day, Ali. I liked it a lot and had fun tracking down the author, though I would still love to know more about her.
Thank you, I am enjoying it so far, I think it’s a slightly better novel than I had expected.
Some great reads there Ali. I have read a lot in August though I’m very behind now with the reviewing. A lot of Marina Tsvetaeva, which has been very intense. And as usual few plans for next month! 🤣🤣🤣
Are you back at work tomorrow too? If so hope it goes well.
No – Wednesday is a PD day then the little dears start back on Thursday. I’m hanging on to the last moments of freedom! Hope your start back goes ok…..
Thank you. We have a whole week for staff, no kids till week tomorrow. Would rather have kids in.
😀 Oh dear….
Great post!
Looks like you have some excellent book finds last month. The Seghers one and Night Watch stand out for me. Loved both of them.
So glad you enjoyed those too. I did have a good month.
I’m way behind in reading all your reviews Ali but you clearly had a good month.
I thank you yes. It is so hard to keep up, I have had the same issue particularly when I was away and not online quite as much.
I also object to paying extortionate fees for hotel internet connections….
Ali, I am thrilled to hear August was an excellent month of reading for you. Happy September reading to you too and I hope your first day back at work went well. 🙂
Thank you, first day back was fine. Feels like we’ve never been away.
😉
HAHA 😀
I read 10 books in August so keeping consistent. Really bad at keeping up with blog reading though, this month, as evidenced here! Hope you have lovely books to keep you going through September.
My first book of September was a complete joy, and my second was Muriel Spark so rather familiar territory. Now reading Rose Macaulay, so good so far thank you.
You had a great month. I would particularly like to read David Golder and anything by Angela Thirkell. I enjoyed Blood of Others Simone d Beauvoir and Fires of Autumn Nemirovsky. #WIT month has set me off on a new trail-more next month!Also enjoyed Welsh Girl and especially the end with its unresolved threads. Intended to dip into Tom’s Midnight Garden by Phillippa Pearce for its link to du Maurier’s House on the Strand but ended up reading it all. Clever and satisfying.Lastly Solitary Summer which edged into September. These count for ACOB but still making very slow progress. Not too worried really it’s the pleasure in reading that counts!
I did, and it sounds like you had a good month too.