June in review

In some ways June has felt really long, and in other ways it has flown. I started the month in hospital – as some of you know. Eight days in hospital isn’t much fun, so I was grateful for my kindle – which really proved invaluable. I am a lot better than I was, still receiving treatment from district nurses and I won’t be back to work until September. Therefore, I have had a pretty good reading month. I didn’t get chance to do a round up post for May as I went into hospital on the 31^st when I would have usually been writing the post – and after I got out it seemed a bit redundant. In May though I only read seven books, a little below my average – but June I made up for it a little by reading twelve (and a bit). Needless to say, four of these books still need to be reviewed – all in good time.

Tension (1920) by E M Delafield was first, the last of that gorgeous women writers series from the British Library I had left to read. A brilliant exploration of the effects on someone’s reputation of persistent gossip. Delafield also gives us a brilliant monstrous character in the form of Lady Rossiter.

The Hottest Dishes of the Tartar Cuisine (2010) by Alina Bronsky translated by Tim Mohr was the first of four books in a row I read on my kindle. I find I read quicker on my kindle – also I was stuck in a hospital bed, so I did read quite quickly that week. I enjoyed Bronksy’s unique, quirky storytelling and her use of an unforgettable, unreliable narrator.

The Late Mrs Prioleau (1946) by Monica Tindall was another good read from Dean Street Press. Monica Tindall does an excellent job of very gradually building up a picture of the titular character – who we first encounter in her coffin on the day of her funeral – as does her new daughter-in-law Susan, our narrator.

Small Pleasures (2020) Clare Chambers – a book that has been pretty hyped but is probably deserving of the fuss. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Set in the 1950s a local newspaper reporter nearing middle age investigates a woman’s claim her daughter was the result of a virgin birth, and in the process becomes drawn to the family and in particular her new friend’s husband.

A Crime in the Neighborhood (1997) Suzanne Berne, won the Women’s Prize (orange prize as was) back in 1999. In this novel we see the world through the eyes of nine year old Marsha. The novel captures a time and place to absolute perfection – the stifling heat of a hot summer, the dizzying uncertainties of childhood. As an adult, Marsha can look back upon that summer of 1972 as a time when a terrible crime rocked the suburb where she lived, and how it seemed to be intertwined with the upheavals going on within her own family.

My next read was I Am Not Your Baby Mother (2020) by Candice Braithwaite for my book group. A fascinating examination of black motherhood and in particular the way it is perceived by both the media and by white people – especially I’m afraid those working in the medical industry. I found it hugely readable and quite an eye opener.

The Lamplighters (2021) by Emma Stonex was a lovely birthday gift from my friend Meg. She knows I love a lighthouse and the cover is a beauty. A really compelling read with some lovely descriptions of the sea and its incredible power, not to mention all those details of lighthouse living.

Gather Together in My Name (1974) by Maya Angelou – is the second volume in her autobiography. I am reading them alongside Liz and our friend Meg. A slimmer book than volume one, but every bit as engaging. The more I learn about this woman the more I love her.

Love in Winter (1935) by Storm Jameson is also a second instalment – in this case the second book in a trilogy. The Mirror in Darkness trilogy begins with Company Parade which I read seven years ago. This is a slower type of read, a more complex kind of novel, in which not a huge amount happens despite the 400 odd pages. I really enjoyed it and I hope I won’t wait seven years to read the third book – which I have had tbr for years.

The Winterlings (2014) by Cristina Sánchez-Andrade translated from Spanish by Samuel Rutter. July is Spanish lit month and I wanted to make sure I read at least a couple of things. Knowing that I usually review a week or two after I have read the book – I decided to get one in early. I have had this quirky novel tbr for a couple of years, it is rather unusual but I really enjoyed it.

English Climate: Wartime Stories (2020) by Sylvia Townsend Warner – I have already reviewed this, as it is Sylvia Townsend Warner reading week this week. A wonderful collection of wartime stories written between 1940 and 1946 by an author I find fascinating.

Birds in Tiny Cages (1964) by Barbara Comyns. I was so pleased to find this facsimile edition online several months ago and have been saving the pleasure of reading it. It may not be quite classic Comyns, but there is lots of little Comyns touches throughout and I really enjoyed it. Admittedly, I may not be very objective when it comes to Barbara Comyns. Also, queue excitement – I ordered a copy of Out of the Red into the Blue a couple of days ago – I had almost given up hope of finding a copy. I won’t really believe it’s the right book until it arrives. But that will complete my Comyns collection – not all the same edition though of course.

So, on to July, and as I mentioned above it is Spanish lit month – and I am currently reading Holiday Heart by Columbian author Margarita Garcia Robayo. My book group have chosen (at my suggestion) 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in this Strange World by Elif Shafak. Other than that, I shall probably wait to see where my mood takes me.