Retro Reads discussion

Katy wrote: "I'll try again this coming year

1). Cosmos by Carl Sagan, 1980
2). Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson, 1977
3) [book:Love is Etern..."

Katy--hooray for some Sutcliffe! I'm a big fan.

Katy & Elinor you are #13 & 14 respectively.

Elinor, if you change your mind, you are more than welcome to add another 3 books, as long as you do so before the 31st of December. :)

Thanks for moving my post over to the correct thread! I will reiterate, please add me to the list and I would like to suggest Rilla of Ingleside and The Building Of Jalna.

Elinor wrote: "Thanks for moving my post over to the correct thread! I will reiterate, please add me to the list and I would like to suggest Rilla of Ingleside and The Building Of Jalna."

Already added! Your books currently the last two on this post. :)
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Barb in Maryland wrote: "...Katy--hooray for some Sutcliffe! I'm a big fan...."

Oh good, I've been wanting to read this one for a while now.

Lynnie wrote: "I'd like to join in! ...3. The Summer Book by..."

What a lovely book, I will be glad to reread this one.

Elinor wrote: "Thanks for moving my post over to the correct thread! I will reiterate, please add me to the list and I would like to suggest Rilla of Ingleside and The Building Of Jalna."

I love the Jalna books.

Here goes, Carol:

1. by Eudora Welty (1945)
2. by Barbara Pym (1961)
3. by F.M. Mayor (1924)
4. by Mary Renault (1947)
5. by Frances Faviell (1954)

Hmm, that’s one Mary Renault I’ve never heard of—good find, Carolien!

Added your books Carolien. Pretty sure The Dancing Bear is on my kindle.

I have some Renaults - just not that one. But her books do turn up in op shops all the time!

Carolien wrote: "Here goes, Carol:

1. by Eudora Welty (1945)
2. by Barbara Pym (1961).


The Rector's Daughter is one of my all time favourites; I could definitely be persuaded to re-read it. I'm also planning on re-reading all of Barbara Pym's novels, but in publication order this time, so who knows...
Great selection.

I've never read any of these and the only author I have previously read is Barbara Pym, so glad to see that some of these are on your lists and favorites!

Carolien wrote: "I've never read any of these and the only author I have previously read is Barbara Pym, so glad to see that some of these are on your lists and favorites!"

Well I would say, you're in for a treat with The Rectors Daughter; It's beautifully written, just make sure you're in an emotionally stable place when you do read it.

Hello! I would like to join for 2023. Here are my titles:
A dram of poison by Charlotte Armstrong
A coffin for Dimitrios by Eric Ambler
The Wolf and the Buffalo by Elmer Kelton
I married Adventure by Osa Johnson
Onions in the stew by Betty Macdonald

Kate wrote: "Hello! I would like to join for 2023. Here are my titles:
A dram of poison by Charlotte Armstrong
A coffin for Dimitrios by Eric Ambler
The Wolf and the Buffalo by Elmer Kelton
I married Adventure ..."

Welcome Kate!

I have added your book & you are #16. :)

Onions in the Stew as been on my list for awhile; I'll be interested to hear how you like it.

Posting my list, mostly so I will stop thinking about it and changing my mind! Am already looking forward to many of the books that others have chosen!

Penny Plain by O. Douglas
Miss Hargreaves by Frank Baker
The Blessing by Nancy Mitford
A Touch of Mistletoe by Barbara Comyns
Bilgewater by Jane Gardam

Jenn wrote: "Posting my list, mostly so I will stop thinking about it and changing my mind! Am already looking forward to many of the books that others have chosen!

Penny Plain by [author:O. Dou..."

Jenn--those look really interesting, especially Miss Hargreaves!

Added your books, Jenn.

I can recommend The Blessing.

& there is a free edition of Penny Plain on Amazon, so I have snapped that up.

I'll just mention that I will be away from the 22nd - 27th of December, so any changes of mind/new people wanting to be involved (the more the merrier!) will have to wait until I get back. :)

I've been meaning to read A Touch of Mistletoe for ages.

So glad I chose things people are interested in!

Kate wrote: "Hello! I would like to join for 2023. Here are my titles:
A dram of poison by Charlotte Armstrong
A coffin for Dimitrios by Eric Ambler
The Wolf and the Buffalo by Elmer Kelton
I married Adventure ..."

I love I Married Adventure and have my mom’s vintage copy. Might be time for a reread.

Jenn wrote: "Posting my list, mostly so I will stop thinking about it and changing my mind! Am already looking forward to many of the books that others have chosen!

Penny Plain by [author:O. Dou..."

I’ve had Penny Plain on my TBR list for ages.

I'm another one with Penny Plain on my TBR for years. Hopefully this will get me to read it, Jenn!

Oops... I need to catch up :O) Definitely want to be part of Book Pool 2023. Let me have a think on my titles.

So many great titles already, some I’ve read and loved, others waiting on my shelves :O)


I’ve read 4 of the 6 Agatha Christie Mary Westmacott’s novels, and intend on getting to those two next year. They are taut psychological dramas, in case you wonder. I absolutely loved A Daughter's a Daughter and Absent in the Spring, both 5* and not what you expect...


Sounded like a fun wartime adventure


Read my first Moray Dalton mystery a little while ago and loved it. Cannot wait to dive in this second case of Inspector Collier.


A comedy of errors set in the art world, by the sounds of it. Piqued my curiosity.


This title keeps popping back on my radar. Probably time I finally read it.

Christmas Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "[bookcover:Angelique: The Marquise o..."

Oh my god! I didn’t know this was a book! I grew up watching the tv adaptations. They were from the 1960s but kept being playing throughout my childhood (70s and 80s).

Veronique wrote: "
Oh my god! I didn’t know this was a book! I grew up watching the tv adaptations. They were from the 1960s but kept..."

I didn't know there had been TV adaptions! Maybe they didn't show in NZ.

I've heard good things about Moray Dalton.

I've added your books Vero & you are #16.

Oooh, I have The Night of Fear on my tbr soon list. Think I will start with that one in January.

Thanks Carol for adding me :O)

The tv production was French and I’m not sure they would have dubbed it in English. I wonder how it would fare to a modern audience... As for Dalton, I’ve only read one of hers but was impressed by it.


Lynnie wrote: "Oooh, I have The Night of Fear on my tbr soon list. Think I will start with that one in January."

Good plan. Will try to do the same :O)

Ooh, Veronique, great idea to focus on the Mary Westmacott novels! Absent in the Spring is the only one I’ve read and it is brilliant! I’ll definitely be drawing from your list.

Veronique wrote: "Thanks Carol for adding me :O)

The tv production was French and I’m not sure they would have dubbed it in English. I wonder how it would fare to a modern audience.."

I'm wondering how the book will fare tbh. But I know I loved it when I was younger.

I love Christie so I should try her Westmacott novels for sure.

I came up with three more titles, if it’s not too late!

London Belongs to Me by Norman Collins

The Feast by Margaret Kennedy

Business as Usual by Jane Oliver

So many wonderful titles, thanks everyone, my TBR pile is teetering! Fellow Retro Reads pooler Barb wisely suggested I not get too attached to the titles each member is posting, as minds and lists may be changed, but there are so many wonderful new-to-me titles and authors coming in from all over the globe, so exciting! Well done, everyone! ;)

Elinor wrote: "I came up with three more titles, if it’s not too late!

London Belongs to Me by Norman Collins

The Feast by Margaret Kennedy

Business as Usual by Ja..."

Elinor--thank you for suggesting The Feast. I've had this in my TBR stack for a while. Now I have incentive to actually read it!

Elinor wrote: "I came up with three more titles, if it’s not too late!

London Belongs to Me by Norman Collins

The Feast by Margaret Kennedy

Business as Usual by Ja..."

No, not too late Elinor & I have added your books.

If anyone else wants to take part, there is still time to add your books.

Elinor wrote: "I came up with three more titles, if it’s not too late!

London Belongs to Me by Norman Collins

The Feast by Margaret Kennedy

Business as Usual by Ja..."

I loved The Feast; probably my favourite book this year. I've been meaning to read the other two for ages.

I thought I had Business as Usual as one of my picks and I did. It's been added twice,

Tania wrote: "I thought I had Business as Usual as one of my picks and I did. It's been added twice,"

Sorry, I should have checked.

Elinor could you please choose another book?

I'm sure it's very easily done, especially with so many books now in the pool. I didn't notice myself at first, and it was my book.

Tania wrote: "I'm sure it's very easily done, especially with so many books now in the pool. I didn't notice myself at first, and it was my book."

😊Although having so many books in the pool is a good thing! Jane Oliver sounds like an interesting woman (read her bio on GR)

is it too late to make a change? I would like to take out The Floating Admiral and put in Angela Thirkill's Cheerfulness Breaks In.
I already finished The Floating Admiral and didn't even like it!

Jackie wrote: "is it too late to make a change? I would like to take out The Floating Admiral and put in Angela Thirkill's Cheerfulness Breaks In.
I already finished The Floating Admiral and didn't even like it!"

Its fine to make a change Jackie (I didn't like The Floating Admiral much either) but Cheerfulness Breaks In is already on the list. Would you like to choose another book?

OK, I'll choose Jill the Reckless. I have read very little of Wodehouse besides the Bertie & Jeeves books and I'd like to change that.

thanks Christmas Carol. :-)

Jackie wrote: "OK, I'll choose Jill the Reckless. I have read very little of Wodehouse besides the Bertie & Jeeves books and I'd like to change that.

thanks Christmas Carol. :-)"

OK I've deleted The Floating Admiral & added Jill the Reckless

Any Wodehouse scholars here? Jill the Reckless & The Little Warrior are combined on Goodreads but they seem to be different books.

Christmas Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "Any Wodehouse scholars here? Jill the Reckless & The Little Warrior are combined on Goodreads but they seem to be different books."

According to Fantastic Fiction, The Little Warrior is an alternate title for Jill the Reckless.
Fantastic Fiction is always a good source for alternate titles and series.

Lesley wrote: "Christmas Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "Any Wodehouse scholars here? Jill the Reckless & The Little Warrior are combined on Goodreads but they seem to be different books."

According to Fantastic ..."

Thank you Lesley! The characters' names seem different on the blurbs but I won't touch it. :)

Jackie wrote: "I love Christie so I should try her Westmacott novels for sure."

Abigail wrote: "Ooh, Veronique, great idea to focus on the Mary Westmacott novels! Absent in the Spring is the only one I’ve read and it is brilliant! I’ll definitely be drawing from your list."

Abigail and Jackie - so pleased you’re interested. I’ve got a feeling that the new book and tv documentary by Lucy Worsley will incite more interest in the Westmacott novels too :O)