Karen and Simon’s 1944 club starts today – a week in which lots of you no doubt, will be reading books first published in 1944. I am afraid I have already failed this time around – I usually love to join in with these club events – but I haven’t quite got my act together this time. Unfortunately, I have already ticked off 1944 in my A Century of Books – and as I seem to be reading so slowly I was already wondering if I could squeeze in another duplicate. I had three to choose from Cluny Brown by Margery Sharp on my kindle, Liana by Martha Gelhorn a green VMC but the book which was calling to me loudest was Berlin Hotel by Vicki Baum. When I finally located my tiny little hardback in my tbr stacks, thinking it might not take long to read, I saw that the print was very tiny, and I was completely put off reading it (I may have to source another copy one day). So, I am bowing out this time, but looking forward to seeing what everyone else is reading.
However, I have read a few books published in 1944 before – and so here is a little taster of some of them.
The Bachelor by Stella Gibbons was the book I ticked off 1944 with in my A Century of Books earlier this year. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Set during the war, the Bachelor of the title – Kenneth Fielding, and his sister Constance own Sunglades; a large seven-bedroom house not far from London, though far enough to protect them from the worst of the bombing. An elderly cousin lives with them, and in the coming months they are obliged to take in various other house guests. One of these is Vartouhi Annamatta, a refugee from the fictional country of Bairamia, who comes to Sunglades as a kind of ‘mother’s help’. After her arrival, nothing is quite the same again.
Earth and High Heaven by Gwethalyn Graham re-issued by Persephone books is a wonderfully poignant love story. Gwethalyn Graham explores the divisions and deeply entrenched prejudices which existed in Canadian society, through the story of Erica Drake and Marc Reiser who meet and fall in love. Set in Montreal during World War Two – Graham shows us its very divided society.
Love on the Supertax by Marghanita Laski. This is a novel that Persephone books have (so far at least) decided not to publish, and while I enjoyed it, I can understand why they haven’t. Described as a comic novel, I saw it more as a satire. I thought there was a lot in the novel that is in fact quite clever, savagely witty. There were moments when it felt a little Mitfordesque. Characters and the society in which they live, examined with Laski’s critically observing eye. I can’t help but wonder whether some modern readers would entirely ‘get it.’ Although, since reading this I have read Tory Heaven (1948) and really this could be a kind of companion piece to it. Laski’s use of language is brilliant. In this novel the impoverished, struggling aristocracy are to be pitied and the valiant working classes are intelligent and worldly with plenty of opportunities.
Our Hearts were Young and Gay by Cornelia Otis Skinner. I have two more books by Cornelia Otis Skinner tbr and I really must get around to them, because this little volume was an absolute joy. Cornelia Otis Skinner, an American actress, writer and screenwriter co-wrote Our Hearts were Young and Gay with her good friend Emily Kimbrough, a memoir about their travels in Europe in the 1920’s. It is difficult to see where Kimbrough’s collaboration is exactly as the book is written in Skinner’s first-person narrative. None of that seems important however as the book is full of charm and humour, and both women come across quite hilariously full of adorably lovable quirks and eccentricities.
The Ballad and the Source by Rosamond Lehmann – A complex novel, but one that is beautifully written. I read it quite a long time ago, and my review is so short as to be practically non-existent. The story of Sibyl Jardine is told mainly in three long conversations, between Rebecca – who is ten at the start of the novel, and Tilly a sewing maid, Sibyl herself and later Maisie, Sibyl’s granddaughter. Sibyl; both saint and sinner is a fascinating figure, and one Lehmann was to revisit in her novel The Sea Grape Tree.
If you’re are still looking for inspiration for what to read this week – then here are a few more titles I have read before.
No More than Human by Maura Laverty
Yeoman’s Hospital by Helen Ashton
The Headmistress by Angela Thirkell
Death Comes toward the End and Towards Zero by Agatha Christie (two I read pre-blog and have no memory of at all).
So, are you joining in with the 1944 club? Tell me what will you be reading?
heavenali 
Great post Ali! I’ll be writing on The Ballad and the Source for the 1944 Club later in the week. I just posted on Laski yesterday (Little Boy Lost) and definitely want to read more of her – Love on the Supertax does appeal but I’ll bear in mind what you say. Cornelia Otis Skinner sounds a joy – I’ll definitely look out for her 🙂
I shall definitely look out for your post about The Ballad and the Source.
I’ve also decided to skip this one as I don’t have anything suitable in my TBR. A shame really as it’s definitely my kind of era. Oh, well – as you say, sometimes these things don’t quite work out in spite of our best intentions.
How are you doing with your century of books? Are you aiming to finish it by the end of this year?
Sometimes we just can’t fit everything in.
ACOB is going OK, I will have exactly 20 books left when I finish my current read, hopefully later tonight
Old books often have tiny print–i myself have a few books i wont ever read because of this.Shame really.I may buy a magnifying aid.
Yes that might be an idea.
I was going to do the ACOB in two years, but have been reading so much new stuff (2018) that I think even that generous time allowance is going to be a bit tight. I am impressed with anyone who succeeds! I must try and get round to reading The Bachelor – it looks just my sort of book!
I was going for two years too, until I began doing so well. Now I want to finish it this year. The Bachelor is a great read.
The World War II era is especially fascinating to me and I’ll be interested to see what books are reviewed for the 1944 Club. I’m focused on ACOB this month and have 14 books left to read and I want to finish before Christmas. I read Earth and High Heaven for ACOB this year and share your enthusiasm for it and also really liked the Gibbon, and Skinner titles. I have the Laski and Thirkell TBR.
I love that era too, just such an evocative and historically important time. 14 left to read, you are doing brilliantly, well done.
It’s a shame you weren’t able to take part, but it sounds as though you’ve already read lots of great 1944 books. I have just finished reading Earth and High Heaven and loved it. 🙂
Oh yay, so glad you enjoyed Earth and High Heaven. Such a good book.
That’s the one I’m reading too, although I got off to a late start. As I mentioned in your original comments page for it, I have had it on my shelves for ages, and I really intended to get to it last year, so it was lucky to see 1944 come up (well, when I did see that, just last week) and know that – at last – it would be Gwethalyn’s turn!
Oh lovely that the right time has come around for you and the book. Really hope you enjoy it.
What a lovely list of books, Ali! So often when I start to look into the books from a particular reading year there don’t seem to be so many. But once you start digging there are a surprising number, and some of these sound great! 😀
Yes not everything shows up in those Wiki lists of ‘new literature’ for a particular year. Amazing how many women writers are missing from those lists. Also I had completely forgotten about Good Evening Mrs Craven which I read and reviewed before I began putting year published in the title of posts.
Great list of books as usual. I have unread The Shrimp and the Anemone L P Hartley for 1944 ACOB so I’ll give it a go! Small print unfortunately.Thanks for bringing 1944 Club to my attention.
Not going to finish ACOB in the year but not unduly worried as I have enjoyed what I have read.
You have still done well, and it’s so much more important that you enjoyed what you have read. Hope you get some 1944 reading squeezed in.
I didn’t manage to do it and I didn’t do a round-up from the archives even though I’ve read quite a few, too. In my defence, it was my first week back after my holiday (and a bit of hol got into it, too) and I just did not find the time!
I think you had a good excuse.
😉 Seriously though it is hard to take part in everything.