Reading the 20th Century discussion

Pam and I are interested in a Buddy Read of The Transit of Venus. Ant time from February on except April would work for me.

Any other takers?

WndyJW wrote: "I’m so pleased I tempted you, Brian. I hope I didn’t oversell it!"

Oh, don't worry about that. I wouldn't have bought Judith Hearne without doing my own research on it and Brian Moore. When I looked into it, Brian Moore seemed like an author I should try and this book seemed like a good one to read. It's only 223 pages so, even if it's not my cup of tea, I won't have to gulp down that much of it.
My expectation for the book is that it will be a solid 3 star, possibly 4 star, read but I will be very pleased if it is better than that and disappointed if it is worse than that.

Nigeyb, there is another reason I'd like to schedule this in MARCH. I generally read an Irish novel around St. Paddy's Day and this could fill that role.

Let's agree March then Brian - a great suggestion to read an Irish novel around St Paddy's Day

Ben wrote:


"Pam and I are interested in a Buddy Read of The Transit of Venus. Ant time from February on except April would work for me.

Any other takers?"

It looks good Ben but I'll have to see how the land lies when the time comes. I don't want to over commit

Feel free to set up a thread as you and Pam are going ahead with it anyway, or I am happy to do it for you

Thanks Nigeyb. I managed to do it myself! (There's a first time for everything.)

A couple more readers and an agreed time would be great, although I'll go ahead with Pam in any case.

I’m in for Transit of Venus.

I'd like to read Transit of Venus.

We don't seem to have many buddy reads yet for the new year so does anyone fancy some Elizabeth Bowen? Susan, I know you're a fan, too.

I'm keen read any of the following all of which look deliciously Bowen. I have them all so am ready to start whenever we want.

The House in Paris (1935)
To the North (1932)
The Little Girls (1963)
The Hotel (1927)

Have replied on the Elizabeth Bowen thread, RC, but yes. Any or all of them are good for me.

Just cross-posting on Susan's suggestion on the Bowen thread:

Susan wrote: "Possibly we could have all four, one every quarter?"

*Love* that idea, Susan! We could take them in chronological order so...:

January: The Hotel
April: To The North
August: The House in Paris
November: The Little Girls

We've had fascinating discussions about Bowen in the past and everyone is welcome to join us.

Thanks for that, RC.

As we are looking for buddy reads, could I suggest a new spy series? I have set up a thread for spy books generally, but was thinking of The Envoy?

Also, any non-fiction titles anyone is interested in? There were a few from the Baillie Gifford last year, for example, that were mentioned. I could happily suggest a few if anyone would care for some history...

Some non-fiction suggestions:

Super-Infinite: The Transformations of John Donne

The Restless Republic: Britain without a Crown

The House of Dudley: A New History of Tudor England

Deliberate Cruelty: Truman Capote, the Millionaire's Wife, and the Murder of the Century

Pamela is up for a buddy read of The Envoy. Anyone else interested?

The Envoy

The brilliant opening novel of the Catesby series, by a former special forces officer and 'the thinking person's John le Carre'

'Edward Wilson seems poised to inherit the mantle of John le Carré' Irish Independent

'More George Smiley than James Bond, Catesby will delight those readers looking for less blood and more intelligence in their spy thrillers' Publishers Weekly

London, 1956. The height of the Cold War.

On the face of it, Kit Fournier is a senior diplomat at the US embassy in Grosvenor Square. But that's not the full story. He is also CIA Chief of Station.

With the nuclear arms race looming large, Kit goes undercover to meet with his KGB counterpart to pass on secret information about British spies. In a world where truth means deception and love means honey trap, sexual blackmail and personal betrayal are essential skills.

As the H-bomb apocalypse hangs over London, Kit Fournier faces a crisis of the soul. The unveiling of his own dark personal secrets will prove more deadly than any of his coded dispatches.

'A glorious, seething broth of historical fact and old-fashioned spy story' The Times

'A sophisticated, convincing novel that shows governments and their secret services as cynically exploitative and utterly ruthless' Sunday Telegraph

Praise for Edward Wilson:

'Stylistically sophisticated . . . Wilson knows how to hold the reader's attention' W.G. Sebald

'A reader is really privileged to come across something like this' Alan Sillitoe

Susan wrote: "Some non-fiction suggestions..."

I'd be interested in all of those, Susan! I already have Super-Infinite: The Transformations of John Donne and The Restless Republic: Britain without a Crown.

I know Joanne Paul who's written the Dudley history as we worked together a few years back so would love to read that.

When were you thinking?

Pamela and I have decided to do The Envoy in Feb. Anyone else interested is obviously welcome.

Which non-fiction would you like to start with, RC? How about Feb, May and September? I picked up the House of Dudley for 99p a while back and have the other two.

How about Donne in February, Restless Republic in May (I'm amused at the idea of reading it in the same month as the coronation!), and Dudley in September? (I've put Dudley on my Kindle watch-list, ready to grab when it comes down in price).

We could also do the Capote later in the year if you haven't read it by then.

Sounds great. I will set up the threads.

Spy-wise, not only do I have Pamela's company for The Envoy, but Rosina has suggested The Labyrinth Makers in January.

That makes it:
The Labyrinth Makers (Jan)
Super-Infinite: The Transformations of John Donne (Feb)
The Envoy (Feb)
The Restless Republic: Britain without a Crown (May)
Dudley (Sept) - shame you missed the price drop, but I will keep my eye out
Possibly the Capote later and I will also keep my eye on the price of that
We have lots of buddies now!

I've put them all on our bookshelves, Susan, so just the threads need to be set up.

I've realised that a bit of planning is helpful to not miss out on books we want to read!

Yes, will do the threads now )

Super-Infinite: The Transformations of John Donne future buddy read is currently £2.59

Thank you for the Donne offer, Susan, just grabbed that one :)

Excellent :)

After being introduced to Margaret Kennedy by Nigeyb, I am keen to read more by her. Does anyone fancy a buddy read later in the year?

I have Troy Chimneys
A Victorian gentleman is forced by illness to entertain himself with the family archive, and he uncovers the Regency-era correspondence and diaries of one Miles Lufton, MP - apparently a black sheep of the family, connected with a scandal long buried. But through the pieced-together artefacts from the past, a fuller picture emerges of a man torn between two personalities - Miles, serious, studious and penniless, and 'Pronto', flirt, political mover and eternal 'extra man'. Miles longs to dispose of his disreputable alter ego, but that way lies calamity...

and also Red Sky at Morning
William and Emily Crowne seem to have it all – they live a life of privilege and glamour in London, the children of a successful poet, attractive, happy, largely blind to the world around them. But life takes an unexpected turn when their mother dies, and their father is caught up in the most scandalous and notorious of criminal trials. Suddenly effectively orphans, their aunt takes them in, and they grow up alongside their cousins, Trevor and Charlotte. But tensions and jealousies are rife between the four, and soon the Crowne children find that their father’s notoriety will follow them into their adult lives, with devastating consequences.

I would happily consider any other titles though.

Also, more Fremlin? The next is Possession

'Britain's equivalent to Patricia Highsmith, Celia Fremlin wrote psychological thrillers that changed the landscape of crime fiction for ever: her novels are domestic, subtle, penetrating - and quite horribly chilling.' Andrew Taylor

Possession was Celia Fremlin's seventh novel, first published in 1969. Middle-class mother Clare Erskine initially thinks it a great stroke of luck when her 19 year-old daughter Sarah becomes engaged to a young man with a steady job. However Clare's betrothed, Mervyn Redmayne, has a notable black mark against him: a widowed mother with a petulant, inescapable grip on her son.

Brilliant... yet another of Miss Fremlin's triumphs.' Times

'Fremlin, masterly delineator of suburban sin and distiller of eerie tensions from commonplace events, achieves a formidable triumph in this new thriller... a must for addicts of the genre.' Scotsman

I’m terrible at buddy reads, but bought Troy Chimneys with Christmas money, so… I could try. :)

Susan wrote: "Also, more Fremlin? The next is Possession"

Yes, yes, yes! That's one of the ones I picked up a while ago so any time would suit me.

Not so sure about Margaret Kennedy, though I did like her The Constant Nymph.

Susan wrote: "After being introduced to Margaret Kennedy by Nigeyb, I am keen to read more by her. Does anyone fancy a buddy read later in the year?

I have Troy Chimneys
A Victorian gentleman is..."

I'm in for Possession

I have Troy Chimneys as well so I'd like to get to that at some point.

I would like to join Troy Chimneys, depending when it is.

These are our forthcoming reads past Feb. How about Troy Chimneys in March and the Fremlin in May?

March 2023

The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne by Brian Moore (Buddy Read)
The Long Goodbye (Philip Marlowe #6) by Raymond Chandler (Buddy Read)


April 2023

London Rules by Mick Herron (Slough House #5) (Buddy Read)
To The North by Elizabeth Bowen (Buddy Read)
This Sweet Sickness (1960) by Patricia Highsmith (Buddy Read)


May 2023

Playback by Raymond Chandler (Philip Marlowe #7) (Buddy Read)
The Restless Republic: Britain without a Crown by Anna Keay (Buddy Read)


June 2023

The Drop (novella) by Mick Herron (Slough House #5.5) (Buddy Read)
Joe Country by Mick Herron (Slough House #6) (Buddy Read)


July 2023

Dolphin Junction: Stories (Slough House #6.4) by Mick Herron (Buddy Read)
The Catch (Slough House #6.5) by Mick Herron (Novella) (Buddy Read)
Slough House (Slough House #7) by Mick Herron (Buddy Read)


August 2023

Bad Actors (Slough House #8) by Mick Herron (Buddy Read)
The House in Paris by Elizabeth Bowen (Buddy Read)


September 2023

The House of Dudley: A New History of Tudor England by Joanne Paul (Buddy Read)


November 2023

The Little Girls by Elizabeth Bowen (Buddy Read)

Fremlin in May works for me - thanks, Susan.

Both added to the schedule - can amend timings if necessary

Sounds great. Thanks, Nigeyb. I will set up the threads.

I'll add them to our bookshelf now, Susan.

Thanks, RC. Sorry, life distracted me for a bit. Will do the threads now.

Having read The Labyrinth Makers some of us are planning to read the second book The Alamut Ambush (1971)
(The second book in the Dr David Audley series) by Anthony Price in April.

I will set up a thread.

Now that we know Cassandra at the Wedding has won the poll, would anyone like to do a buddy read of the Virginia and Vanessa book that Susan nominated: Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell: A Very Close Conspiracy?

Sure, as I nominated it, it would be churlish not to agree :)

I would also be interested in a buddy read of I, Claudius if anyone is interested.

I'm very tempted by I, Claudius as it was a teenage favourite of mine :)

Roman Clodia wrote: "I'm very tempted by I, Claudius as it was a teenage favourite of mine :)"

Mine too, read it at least three times!

I Claudius started me reading many of Robert Graves' historical novels in my 20's.

Ben wrote: "I Claudius started me reading many of Robert Graves' historical novels in my 20's."

I've only read this and the sequel, are the others good too? I think I have a copy of Count Belisaurius lurking somewhere, may dig it out.

I’m not sure how they will stand up 40 years after I first read them. I read a couple of his books in the last few years and liked (but didn’t love) Goodbye to All That and was not impressed by Watch the North Wind Rise.

Alwynne wrote: "Mine too, read it at least three times!"

I read it the first time then went straight back to the beginning and read it again!

I don't think Claudius the God is quite as good as it loses steam once Claudius is emperor... apart from Messalina!

I couldn't get through Count Belisarius, found it very dry.

Goodbye to All That: I loved the WW1 chapters but before and after was pretty dull for me.

I’ve been meaning to read I, Claudius and Claudius the God ever since I saw the miniseries, so I could be persuaded. :)

Roman Clodia wrote: "I'm very tempted by I, Claudius as it was a teenage favourite of mine :)"

Me too. I remember reading them on a beach in Cornwall in my teens, but I don't really remember the books, but I know I loved them. It would be interesting to revisit them.

Sorry; that's both I, Claudius and Claudius the God and His Wife Messalina.

I would like to revisit I Claudius too. I always find rereads tell me as much about how my perceptions have changed as about the books themselves.

Excellent. So that's me and Susan (so far) for Virginia and Vanessa, and a group of us for I, Claudius.

Does anyone have any pressing issues around dates? How about June or July for I, Claudius?

Susan, if you want to go earlier for Virginia, I'm fine - depends which other buddies you're reading.

June or July is fine for me