Never too Late to Read Classics discussion

I'm reading a book of essays by Edwin Muir called Latitudes, published in 1924.

Half way through The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner I’m not even sure how to describe it. But I like it very much.

Rosemarie wrote: "I'm reading a book of essays by Edwin Muir called Latitudes, published in 1924."

I would love to have gone to the Muirs for dinner; both Edwin and Willa were brilliant novelists, poets, essayists and translators.

I have a set of Willa's books and hopefully will get a chance to read at least one.

I envy you that, Rosemarie; I've only read Belonging, about her life and relationship with Edwin. Like you, I hope to read another of her books this year.

The twentieth century produced a number of translators who were literary figures in their own right. Off the top of my head, I can think of Edwin and Willa Muir, Edwin Morgan, and C. K. Scott Moncrieff, and there are many more.

That might be a good Buddy Read for next year - authors/poets of all nationalities who were also translators. Perhaps pair one of their own books with one of their translations, so one of Willa Muir's books alongside one of her translations of Kafka?

That sounds good to me. Translation is an art in itself.

Chad wrote: "Half way through The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner I’m not even sure how to describe it. But I like it very much."

I'm delighted you are enjoying this, Chad. Hogg always tends to be a bit neglected in comparisons with his peers, Scott and Burns.

Wordsworth's opinion of him was - "He was undoubtedly a man of original genius, but of coarse manners and low and offensive opinions."

The Nobel Prize-winning Canadian short story writer Alice Munro is his direct descendent.

Perhaps of interest to those who are planning to read some of Burns poetry -

The Scottish Poetry Library commissioned four women – Janette Ayachi, Victoria McNulty, Susi Briggs and Morag Anderson – to respond to the poetry and life of Burns and wrestle with the questions: why Scotland continues to celebrate the bard, and how the writers felt about his legacy. They all address Burns and the Burns cult with a critical eye (and ear) and explore the issues of gender and misogyny in his work and how that is passed down unspoken in celebration.

There is a video of their discussion on You Tube at - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faSw5...

And you can read more about them, and the brief, at -
https://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org...

Anyone that might be interested
We will be reading a mystery in August of Josephine Tey
The Daughter of Time

I've never read anything by Josephine Tey, but I'll probably read this one, as it will be handy to cover two challenges with one book.

You're in for a treat, John. I've read all her books and enjoyed them.

Thanks Rosemarie, I might try one before August - any that you would particularly recommend?

I recently read a stand-alone mystery that was fun-Miss Pym Disposes. It's a fast read.

Rosemarie wrote: "I recently read a stand-alone mystery that was fun-Miss Pym Disposes. It's a fast read."

Thanks Rosemarie for the recommendation. I will put this one on my wish list!!

It's a fun read, and you will like Miss Pym.

I've read one book by Tey, The Franchise Affair, which I thought was well done.

My copy of Thomas Campbell poetry arrived! It’s an 1844 edition :) The print is small and it’s not short. It will take me some time to read!

Annette wrote: "My copy of Thomas Campbell poetry arrived! It’s an 1844 edition :) The print is small and it’s not short. It will take me some time to read!"

That’s exciting. I do love old books. Hope you enjoy it!

I picked up a small book of Scottish Poems. I’m jumping around in it and so far the stand out was To A Louse by Burns. Also very fun was The Tryst by William Soutar.

Speaking of Tey, I haven’t read all of hers but I loved The Singing Sands.

So did I, Melanie.

John wrote: "Chad wrote: "Half way through The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner I’m not even sure how to describe it. But I like it very much."

I'm delighted you are enjoying ..."

It’s very much the sort of thing that I really have to sit down and READ. I can’t be sitting next to my wife while she’s watching TV and read it as I can a mystery or something. I have to concentrate on it and the language. That makes it a fun and rewarding reading experience for me. I’ll be reading more from Hogg to be sure so thanks for mentioning him.

I will finish reading Hester by Mrs. Oliphant then my next read will be, Vittoria Cottage by D.E. Stevenson
And The Great Poets: Robert Burns

Tracey wrote: "I think my first read will be by another Stevenson, Vittoria Cottage
And The Great Poets: Robert Burns"

Tracey, I gave up reading Burns since I wasn't sure what to read of him. This short collection sounds interesting. Thank you. I found it on Scribd, so, all's well. Now I have to fit it into my reading scedule. :)

Piyangie wrote: "Tracey wrote: "I think my first read will be by another Stevenson, Vittoria Cottage
And The Great Poets: Robert Burns"

Tracey, I gave up reading Burns since I wasn't..."

You're welcome.

I've started Sunset Song and have enjoyed the language Gibbon uses - English and Scottish - and almost like rolling along while someone tells you the story, even though I am the one reading it.

Thanks, Tracey, for the recommendations of Mrs. Oliphant and D.E. Stevenson as Scottish authors. I have some ebooks of both their works.

Piyangie, I've also resisted starting Burns because of the same reason - where do I start?

For Robert Burns, I found something interesting today. Try a Google search for
robert burns to a mouse billy connelly
- I found an audio of Billy Connelly reading the poem “To a Mouse”. In addition to the poem (only just over 2 minutes) there’s interesting information about Burns being a farmer & why he wrote the poem.
A seasonal choice - tomorrow, 25 January, is Burns’ Night.

On a Sunday evening a few years ago, my husband and I were planning on eating dinner in a pub we'd go to when we're downtown, and it was packed, but they did manage to squeeze us in upstairs, in the extra room. It was Robbie Burns Night, and they had a piper leading the haggis to the dining room downstairs. Then he came back upstairs and had a beer. He was from the Toronto Police Pipe Band, only he wasn't Scottish.
A lot of Scots settled in Canada, and there are Highland and Scottish festivals in some towns in Ontario.
My husband grew up in Kincardine, Ontario, which has a large cottage community during the summer. The local pipe band marches down the street on Saturday evening, complete with the big bass drum. It's fun!

Rosemarie wrote: "On a Sunday evening a few years ago, my husband and I were planning on eating dinner in a pub we'd go to when we're downtown, and it was packed, but they did manage to squeeze us in upstairs, in th..."

One of the saddest books I have ever read is No Great Mischief by Alistair MacLeod which is about the settlement of Highlanders in Nova Scotia. Wonderful story well worth the read. Unfortunately written in 2000 so does not qualify for our challenges.

I've read No Great Mischief, and agree with you, Penny.

Rosemarie wrote: "On a Sunday evening a few years ago, my husband and I were planning on eating dinner in a pub we'd go to when we're downtown, and it was packed, but they did manage to squeeze us in upstairs, in th..."

There is a Kincardine which is a small town on the Firth of Forth, in the Kingdom of Fife in Scotland. But there is also a Kincardine in Ross-shire in the Scottish Highlands, which was an area impacted by the Highland clearances - which were still taking place around the time that Kincardine, Ontario was first settled. Maybe your husband had some Highland ancestors among the thousands of Highlanders who emigrated to Canada and America at that time!

My husband is really into genealogy, and he does have ancestors from Scotland, but also England, Ireland and Germany, which makes him 100% Canadian.
There is a city called Galt, Ontario which is named after John Galt, an author as well as owner of a large land grant in southern Ontario.
I've read a couple of his books and really enjoyed them.

Rosemarie wrote: "My husband is really into genealogy, and he does have ancestors from Scotland, but also England, Ireland and Germany, which makes him 100% Canadian.
There is a city called Galt, Ontario which is na..."

Galt is one on my favourite Scottish authors - I tend to turn to Annals of the Parish: or The Chronicle of Dalmailing During the Ministry of the Rev. Micah Balwhidder as a comfort read.

I read that last year-it was a treat!

Exactly, Kathy. Where to start Burns is the question. I'm just going to listen to Tracey's recommendation just to get a taste. :) It's a short collection with less than 2 hours of listening time.

That's what I'm going to do too, Piyangie. Today is Burns' birthday!

Happy birthday to Robert Burns!

That's great, Kathy! I just checked it out and like the Scottish accent of the narrator.

Happy Robbie Burns Day!

I listened to The Great Poets: Robert Burns. It was lovely to listen to the narrator Forbes Masson read Burns' poems and stories. It's 2 hours and 19 minutes long.

Poems/stories I liked:
A Man's a Man for a' That'
A Red, Red Rose
Address to a Haggis
Man Was Made to Mourn
My Bonnie Mary
Tam O'Shanter
To a Louse
To a Mouse

Happy to see you've enjoyed it, Kathy. I'll be listening to it as soon as I can clear up some space. :)

Sunset Song just isn't my cup of tea right now, if ever. I find that I really don't like his style, and that really affects my enjoyment of a book.
I think I'll read something by George MacDonald instead.

Sunset Song is very depressing to me. Many of the men in the story so far are just mean and brutish. I like Chris and hope she can find a good life for herself but I’m not hopeful. I’ll be reading this just a little at a time, in between more uplifting books.

At my age, I don't feel guilty about abandoning books, especially when I look at my bookshelves!

Nan Shepherd wrote The Grampian Quartet, the first book being The Quarry Wood, written in 1928. I've read it before and will reread it later this year, plus the sequels. It's not dreary at all!

I’ll have to look into that one, Rosemarie.

I had been planning to make Sunset Song my March choice, but after seeing Rosmarie and Kathy's comments, I'm not so sure now.

I found the language really difficult, and I've read a lot of Walter Scott.

I listened to the The Great Poets: Robert Burns and enjoyed most of it. I really liked the reader's Scottish accent and how he narrated the poems/songs. It made a big difference rather than me reading it.

The poems/songs I really liked out to the collection are:
A Man's a Man for a' that
A red, red Rose
Man was made to Mourn
My Bonnie Mary
Such a Parcel of Rogues in a Nation
To a Louse
To a Mouse
To Mary in Heaven

Piyangie wrote: "I listened to the The Great Poets: Robert Burns and enjoyed most of it. I really liked the reader's Scottish accent and how he narrated the poems/songs. It made a big difference rath..."


I enjoyed the reader's Scottish accent too, Piyangie. I don't think I'd have gotten much out of the poems without it. He provided the rhythm which I wouldn't have had if I'd read the poems.