Reading the 20th Century discussion

I think it's the wait. Kindle is instant, but it is exciting when you here the ping at midnight as a new, (pre-ordered) book is delivered.

Roman Clodia wrote: "Remind me, are you reading Zola in order? I haven't..."

No, I'm not reading Zola in any order except for my own. I hadn't planned to read the series but only the books about Gervaise Macquart's offspring and her two siblings.
But having just read The Fortune of the Rougons for series background and then reading The Belly of Paris about Gervaise's sister, I found I had read the first and third in publication order. Some mild form of OCD urged me to buy and read the second book The Kill to fill the gap.
I also like the The Kill's translator, Brian Nelson and that it is only 264 pages. I already have copies of the two left about Gervaise's sons Claude, The Masterpiece and Jacques La Bête humaine.

I use this Rougon-Macquart family tree to help me pick which Zola to read: https://shoshibookblog.wordpress.com/...

Ah, I'm wrong then if The Kill features the Macquart/Lanier side of the family, sorry - I thought it was one of the Rougons books.

I agree about Brian Nelson's translations apart from some rather awkward cockney supposedly to convey working class French! You've reminded me that I have The Belly of Paris and the book about the department store to read.

La Bete Humaine is one of my favourites - and one of the earliest Zolas I read: I must have been 16-17 and realising for the first time that 'literature' could be as thrilling as crime and horror fiction :)

Roman Clodia wrote: "Ah, I'm wrong then if The Kill features the Macquart/Lanier side of the family, sorry - I thought it was one of the Rougons books...."

No, you're right, it is a Rougon side book. I just wasn't clear. I meant to say that, even though I too had planned on only reading the Macquart side, I bought a Rougon book, The Kill, because of some OCD need to read #2 since I had read #1 and #3 in publication order.

The Ladies’ Paradise is a very good one, probably my favorite so far of the 6 I have read of the series.

Five books in one day! That is a banner day.

Brian wrote: "A real bonanza today as I received the following books in shipments from Amazon, Book Depository and Blackwells:
[bookcover:The Collected Stories of Stefan Zweig|17..."

I guess I watched Mister Roberts for you the other day. I think they showed it a couple of weeks ago. It is one of the movies I try to DVR whenever they show it.

Jan C wrote: "I guess I watched Mister Roberts for you the other day.,."

Thanks for that, Jan. I hope I enjoyed it as much as I normally do.

Back in May when I bought books with Mother’s Day money, I nearly picked up Make Way for Lucia (the collected first six Mapp and Lucia books) but didn’t. I’ve been thinking about it since (😂) but as it’s a used bookstore I figured I missed out.

Well, we went back today to get some books for my son and it was still there! I’m looking forward to finally reading some Mapp and Lucia. :)

I hope you enjoy them; I absolutely loved them, but a bit of a marmite series. I think.

Oh good to know. It was only $8 so not a big loss if they’re not for me. I hope I like them, though. :)

I really liked the Mapp and Lucia books too, a long time ago now - very funny!

The Mapp & Lucia series are one of my comfort reads - and they're still deliciously funny XXX times round.

I’m so glad to hear all this. :)

I picked it up once at the library when I was kind of picking blind. I found them quite humorous.

I bought my first Agatha Christie mystery today. I have heard a few times in the last week or so that And Then There We’re None is very good, so I thought it’s time I try her. Now to find space in my TBR…

That is a very good place to start; I the two of hers that really blew me away were Peril at End House and The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. I was in my early teens and just couldn't believe she'd done that to me; such trickery! Hope you enjoy it.

Yes, I read Roger Ackroyd when I was a young teenager and had the same reaction, Tania. I've not read any Christie for years; time to try again, I think.

On Friday I bought , , and from my favourite local second-hand bookshop. Then as I was leaving, the owner gifted me a 1911 edition of Wordsworth's Poetical Works. The latter is somewhat battered, but must have been a beautiful book when new with its leather binding, so I will hunt around for a restorer to add a few more years to its shelf life.

Sid wrote: "Yes, I read Roger Ackroyd when I was a young teenager and had the same reaction, Tania. I've not read any Christie for years; time to try again, I think."

While I adore Christie, Then There Were None has never been a favourite of mine. Roger Ackroyd is wonderful still. There are discussion threads for pretty much all the Christies in Reading the Detectives, our sister group.

Ooh, And Then There We’re None is en excellent intro to Christie! My firsts were some combo of ABC Murders, They Came to Baghdad, and The Man in the Brown Suit, lol. The thrillers aren’t my favorites, but ABC is still up there.

I had started another book, but decided to spend Sunday reading Agatha since even a true mystery is a new experience to me.

I just realized that I lied, I have read mysteries before. My first mystery was the first mystery, Wilkie Collin’s The Woman in White and The Moonstone, both of which I enjoyed, especially The Moonstone. I would read that again.

Judy wrote: "I really liked the Mapp and Lucia books too, a long time ago now - very funny!"

They're utterly brilliant, particularly the ones with Mapp and Lucia, the table floating out to sea episode is imprinted on my brain.

WndyJW wrote: "I just realized that I lied, I have read mysteries before. My first mystery was the first mystery, Wilkie Collin’s The Woman in White and The Moonstone, both of which I enjo..."

If you like that kind of Victorian sensation novel Wyndy you should try things like Lady Audley's Secret which is wonderful.

Lady Audrey’s Secret does sound good, I just ordered a copy. Thanks!

I have ordered in a book which is completely outside of my normal reading; Road Racer: It's in My Blood by Michael Dunlop. The Isle of Man TT races finished last week, with 5 people having died; I found I couldn't stop thinking about the father and son team that died in the sidecar race on the last day. There has only been one year in living memory with no fatalities. What makes them do it? Michael Dunlop has lost his uncle, his father and his brother to it and yet he was back racing last week. I am really interested to see what he has to say about it.

Sounds like it might be as a book about a passion as much as it is about racing, Tania.

It does, reviews say it is very readable and you don't need to know anything about motorbikes or racing to appreciate it. Just as well : ) Curious about the mindset it takes to enter "the deadliest race in the world".

Edit. It's not for the money, I believe the prize money is deliberatly kept low so that no one enters for that; even the top prize wouldn't cover a competitors costs.

Was given Karate as the Art of Killing and borrowed The Best Alternative Medicine from an online library a few days ago.

Happy Reading all! I leave one of my reading playlists -- Enjoy.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3yE...

Alwynne wrote: "Judy wrote: "I really liked the Mapp and Lucia books too, a long time ago now - very funny!"

They're utterly brilliant, particularly the ones with Mapp and Lucia, the table floating out to sea epi..."

I love the Mapp and Lucia books as well; I think Riseholme some very interesting residents and they certainly got up to more innovative antics than Tillingites but they're all good fun.

WndyJW wrote: "I bought my first Agatha Christie mystery today. I have heard a few times in the last week or so that And Then There We’re None is very good, so I thought it’s time I try her. Now to find space in ..."

I have And Then There Were None in my summer reading pile too.

I could resist the local AAUW sale no longer. Found a lot of books that I donated. Picked up 6 - very restrained. Plus, I waited so long that most of the good stuff was gone. Half price day!

The 50s: The Story of a Decade by The New Yorker

W.C. Fields by Himself by W.C. Fields with commentary by Ronald J. Fields. Has hitherto unpublished letters, note, scripts and articles.

Midnight Rising: John Brown and the Raid That Sparked the Civil War by Tony Horwitz.

Circling the Sun by Paula McLain.

The Ballad of Frankie Silver by Sharyn McCrumb.

Treasures of Tutankhamun by Katherine Stoddert Gilbert. A trip down memory lane, not sure if I had this years ago or not, but a reminder of the exhibit that I saw in Chicago at the Field Museum beaucoup years ago.

Oh I always meant to get The 50s. I have The 40s and enjoyed it.

Good picks!

The Tutankhamun book sounds really interesting, and great timing too. This year marks a hundred years since the discovery of his tomb if I remember right

Went a little crazy this past week...but is it wrong?!?!

Six Plays - Mickle Maher
The Old Woman with the Knife - Gu Byeong-Mo
Beasts of a Little Land - Ju He Kim
Companion Piece - Ali Smith
The So Blue Marble (Penzler Press) - Dorothy B. Hughes
Eight Faces at Three (Penzler Press) - Craig Rice
Kingdoms of Elfin (Handheld Press) - Sylvia Townsend Warner
The Vanished Collection (New Vessel Press) - Pauline Baer de Perignon
Camera Obscura (Angry Robot Press) - Lavi Tidhar
The Lunatic (Charles Simic)

Also three British Library titles:
Sally on the Rocks - Winifred Boggs
Strange Journey - Maud Cairnes
Tea Is So Intoxicating - Mary Essex

and one more, maybe?, but I may have blacked out...

Tina wrote: "Went a little crazy this past week...but is it wrong?!?! "

Certainly not. HTH. 😊

If it feels right...


....do it Tina

Tina wrote: "Went a little crazy this past week...but is it wrong?!?!

Six Plays - Mickle Maher
The Old Woman with the Knife - Gu Byeong-Mo
Beasts of a Little Land - Ju He Kim
Companion Piece - Ali Smith
The S..."

Never crazy to buy books; I've heard good things about Sally on the Rocks and Strange Journey. Hope you enjoy all your new books!

Sid wrote: "Tina wrote: "Went a little crazy this past week...but is it wrong?!?! "

Certainly not. HTH. 😊"

ha ha ha, yes!

Lady Clementina wrote: "Tina wrote: "Went a little crazy this past week...but is it wrong?!?!

Six Plays - Mickle Maher
The Old Woman with the Knife - Gu Byeong-Mo
Beasts of a Little Land - Ju He Kim
Companion Piece - Al..."

I knew you'd all be my worthy enablers! of course many of your new purchases are now added to my list. High-fives all round!

Ooh, what good picks. :)

Tina wrote: "Went a little crazy this past week...but is it wrong?!?!

Six Plays - Mickle Maher
The Old Woman with the Knife - Gu Byeong-Mo
Beasts of a Little Land - Ju He Kim
Companion Piece - Ali Smith
The S..."

A great list there; I've been really enjoying the British Library series.

Yesterday I received 3 titles from Handheld Press:
Business as Usual by Jane Oliver
There's No Story There: And Other Wartime WritingInez Holden &
Where Stands A Wingèd Sentry by Margaret Kennedy.

I've already read the last one which I got from the library and thought was brilliant, so really pleased to have my own copy.

Tania wrote: "Tina wrote: "Went a little crazy this past week...but is it wrong?!?!

Six Plays - Mickle Maher
The Old Woman with the Knife - Gu Byeong-Mo
Beasts of a Little Land - Ju He Kim
Companion Piece - Al..."

Hurrah, Handheld Press! I was thrilled to find a local bookstore that carries a few of their titles...saves a lot of postage! I really enjoyed Business As Usual. I will have to look into those others. And these are my first British Library purchases, so I'm stoked.

I've read them all except for Strange Journey, but some of them I had read before they came out in this imprint. Very good. Business as Usual is the one I'm particularly looking forward to.

It’s never a bad thing to buy books. If you buy older used books you don’t spend a lot and if you buy recent releases new you’re supporting author, publisher, book sellers, etc., which is also a good thing!

Tina wrote: "Went a little crazy this past week...but is it wrong?!?!

Six Plays - Mickle Maher
The Old Woman with the Knife - Gu Byeong-Mo
Beasts of a Little Land - Ju He Kim
Companion Piece - Ali Smith
The S..."

I enjoyed 8 Faces at 3. It takes me to neighborhoods I know in suburban Chicago.

WndyJW wrote: "It’s never a bad thing to buy books. If you buy older used books you don’t spend a lot and if you buy recent releases new you’re supporting author, publisher, book sellers, etc., which is also a go..."

100 percent!!!!

Jan C wrote: "Tina wrote: "Went a little crazy this past week...but is it wrong?!?!

Six Plays - Mickle Maher
The Old Woman with the Knife - Gu Byeong-Mo
Beasts of a Little Land - Ju He Kim
Companion Piece - Al..."

The bookstore where I bought it is at Madison and Racine, a recently developed trendy area--which would be unrecognizable to Craig Rice now, as I think it was Skid Row when the book was written!

Tina wrote: "Jan C wrote: "Tina wrote: "Went a little crazy this past week...but is it wrong?!?!

Six Plays - Mickle Maher
The Old Woman with the Knife - Gu Byeong-Mo
Beasts of a Little Land - Ju He Kim
Compan..."

I think my brother used to work around there years ago when he worked for the Wall St Journal.

I picked up a bunch of her other books after reading it and also got a biography of her. I got them mostly on Kindle when they were on sale.

Jan C wrote: "Tina wrote: "Jan C wrote: "Tina wrote: "Went a little crazy this past week...but is it wrong?!?!

Six Plays - Mickle Maher
The Old Woman with the Knife - Gu Byeong-Mo
Beasts of a Little Land - Ju ..."

I bought some of her books from the much-missed Rue Morgue Press. I liked Home Sweet Homicide, funny and odd--and there's a film version of it that's not too bad but not nearly as good. I just picked up that biography, too! And, er...now that you mention it, I wonder if I already own 8 Faces at 3 as an ebook??? I'm not even going to check. Paper is better and Penzler Press is doing good work, they are to be encouraged!