Retro Reads discussion

Jackie wrote: "I have liked some Norah Lofts but don't find her anything like Heyer. I'd be interested in why others think that."

Me too! For some reason I thought she wrote in earlier time periods than the one I chose (Victorian I think)

Jackie wrote: "I have liked some Norah Lofts but don't find her anything like Heyer. I'd be interested in why others think that."

I have to agree with Jackie. Lofts wrote some really good historical fiction in her day, but I don't remember any of them having the wit that I associate with Heyer.

Jackie wrote: "I have liked some Norah Lofts but don't find her anything like Heyer. I'd be interested in why others think that."

I agree with Jackie. Lofts did some really good historical fiction, but I recall those books being a lot grittier and over the top dramatic than GH's.

I would like to take part again. I will have a think about my five books.

Tania wrote: "I would like to take part again. I will have a think about my five books."

Hi Tania you are #11 🙂

Here are my choices:

The Unbearable Bassington by Saki
High Wages by Dorothy Whipple
The Gulls Fly Inland by Sylvia Thompson
Sisters by a River by Barbara Comyns
The Fly on the Wheel by Katherine Cecil Thurston

The Gulls Fly Inland is listed here on Goodreads as being published in 2024 - the date it was re-published, but it was first published in 1941. Please let me know if you would like me to change it for another title.

Tania wrote: "The Gulls Fly Inland is listed here on Goodreads as being published in 2024 - the date it was re-published, but it was first published in 1941. Please let me know if you would like..."

Hi Tania - I saw that! Thanks for doing the research! I am a Goodreads librarian, so I will edit this ASAP. I'm just writing a review now & then I will get everything fixed up for you. :)

Carol She's So Novel ꧁꧂ wrote:"& then I will get everything fixed up for you. :)"

Ok done. The original date of publication hadn't been filled in, so I have added that. :)

I'm going for a walk now before it becomes too unbearably hot & will add your selections when I get back. :)

I'm in!
1) Crimson Sails by Alexander Grin (28-Sep-2013) Paperback by Alexander Grin
2) The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
3) The Forty Days of Musa Dagh by Franz Werfel
4) Independent People by Halldór Laxness
5) Nicholas and Alexandra: The Classic Account of the Fall of the Romanov Dynasty by Robert K. Massie

Added your books Tania & Katy!
Katy you are #12 :)

Thank you

Thanks. Glad I get to add that book.

Count me in! I'm still working on my list but will post it when I can.

Jenn wrote: "Count me in! I'm still working on my list but will post it when I can."
Woo hoo Jenn!

You're Number 13!

& just giving this a bump!

Even though the list of links is easier to read, the collage of covers is pretty. Both are a lot of work, so kudos to Carol!

CindySR wrote: "Even though the list of links is easier to read, the collage of covers is pretty. Both are a lot of work, so kudos to Carol!"

It's my pleasure!

& just another week if anyone wants to change their selections. & we still have room for more participants. :)

Thank you for the reminder! Here is my list, finally!

Call for the Dead by John Le Carré
Eva Trout by Elizabeth Bowen
Grass in Piccadilly by Noel Streatfeild
The Mountain Lion by Jean Stafford
Mystery of the White Knight by Charlotte MacLeod

Jenn wrote: "Thank you for the reminder! Here is my list, finally!
..."
Those sound good! I hope I can find a few.

Jenn wrote: "Thank you for the reminder! Here is my list, finally!

Call for the Dead by John Le Carré
Eva Trout by Elizabeth Bowen
[book:Grass in Picc..."

All entered for you, Jenn!

Here’s my list:

The Cheerleader by Ruth Doan MacDougall
The Plague and I by Betty MacDonald
Lady Rose and Mrs. Memmary by Ruby Ferguson
Water Weed: A Golden Age Mystery by Alice Campbell
A Pink Front Door by Stella Gibbons

Peggy wrote: "Here’s my list:

The Cheerleader by Ruth Doan MacDougall
The Plague and I by Betty MacDonald
Lady Rose and Mrs. Memmary by..."

Added for you Peggy. You are #14. :)

An absolute fail for 2024 Book Poo for me, but I promise to do better for 2025! So, here are my picks to add to the Pool.

1. South Riding / Winifred Holtby (1936) I remember my Mother got this book from Foyles Book Club, but don't know if I read it or not. Soon find out!
2. Kate Hannigan: A Novel / Catherine Cookson (1950) –the one that began it all but will it measure up to memory?
3. After the Funeral / Agatha Christie (1953) – Got to have an AC mystery. I don’t recall this title yet felt I’d read all of the Poirot series!
4. A Song Begins / Mary Burchell (1965) – another English Women’s Weekly seriaised author. I remember really liking the Warrender series.
5. Rest You Merry / Charlotte MacLeod (1978) - #1 in her Peter Shandy series, considered to be the American Hercule Poirot. I remember spending a lot of time at the library shelving her. A well borrowed author at the time.

@Lesley - I'm another who grew up reading the serialised books in the English Women's Weekly!!!

Loved, loved, loved.

Violet Winspear,

Iris Bromige - (I've managed to collect quite a few of hers over the years)

and Mary Burchell.

in my picks this year I've gone for My Friend the Professor - this is one I read in serialised form as a teenager......many many years ago

Read a lot of Catherine Cookson over the years - my favourite being The Dwelling Place

Lesley wrote: "An absolute fail for 2024 Book Poo for me, but I promise to do better for 2025! So, here are my picks to add to the Pool.

1. South Riding / Winifred Holtby (1936) I ..."

All entered for you Lesley! You are #6.

Never worry how many or how few books you read in this challenge! It is meant to be no pressure. But if you have time I would recommend squeezing Blue Camellia in somewhere. One of my favourite reads of the year.

I can recommend South Riding as well.

I know I have read After the Funeral as I remember the plot hook very well! I may well have this one, but if not one of my local libraries has it.

Christmas Carol ꧁꧂ wrote: "Lesley wrote: "An absolute fail for 2024 Book Poo for me, but I promise to do better for 2025! So, here are my picks to add to the Pool.

1. South Riding / [author:Winifred Holtby|6..."

Blue Camelia was one I tried to read only to find at the time OL had been hacked. Since it has been back up there's ben too many interruptions! But I will get to it.
My reading this year has been slow and sporadic so I'm not even going to meet my challenge this year unless for some miracle over Christmas.

I'm finding my reading speed has slowed down considerably over the last couple of years. I'm going to reduce my challenge figure even further this year.

Cphe wrote: "@Lesley - I'm another who grew up reading the serialised books in the English Women's Weekly!!!

Loved, loved, loved.

Violet Winspear,

Iris Bromige - (I've managed to collect quite a few of hers..."

Yes, Cphe, I saw your Lucilla Andrews pick! And yes! Violet Winspear and Iris Bromige - been trying to think of some of the other regular EWW contributions. Those were happy reading days :)

I remember Lucy Walker being serialised.

That's where I first read Lucy Walker in that magazine - The Gone-Away Man

Lesley wrote: "Cphe wrote: "@Lesley - I'm another who grew up reading the serialised books in the English Women's Weekly!!!

Loved, loved, loved.

Violet Winspear,

Iris Bromige - (I've managed to collect quite ..."

@ Lesley,

I've been trying to think of other authors featured (it hurts my brain to think these days)

Perhaps Dorothy Eden and Betty Neels but I'm not sure.

Dorothy Eden was serialised for sure - also Georgette Heyer & Mary Stewart.

Essie Summers was also serialised I think.

Cphe wrote: "Essie Summers was also serialised I think."

You're right! And Betty Neels? She was hospital romances from memory.

Oh, I love Betty!

I looked at the time converter - & it is close to the deadline if anyone wants to change books.

New entrants close on the 31st December at midnight PST.

& members can still join the game on the first or afterwards - they just can't add books to the book pool.

Hey Carol, thanks for the reminder- I think I’ll need all the light reading I can get in 2025, so I’d like to take out A Fugue in Time by Rumer Godden and add in Susan Settles Down by Molly Clavering. I love her humor and characters, I’ve been charmed by all of her books I’ve read so far!

The publication date was 1936. Thanks!

I have to get off the computer but I promise I will change it for you when I next get on. :)

Great, thank you! Have a lovely weekend!

Susan
Keep the Rumer Godden handy for 2026--it sounds fascinating! However, I agree, it doesn't sound very light-hearted.

Barb in Maryland wrote: "Susan
Keep the Rumer Godden handy for 2026--it sounds fascinating! However, I agree, it doesn't sound very light-hearted."

That’s what I was thinking! ;o)

Susan in NC wrote: "Hey Carol, thanks for the reminder- I think I’ll need all the light reading I can get in 2025, so I’d like to take out A Fugue in Time by Rumer Godden and add in [book..."

Change done! Everyone note that No 18 has changed.

I'd like to join again this year, especially now that I can read again. Sight is such a wonderful thing!

My list:

1. Jane & Prudence, Barbara Pym
2. Touch Not the Nettle, Molly Clavering
3. Mama's Bank Account, Kathryn Forbes
4. The Art School Murders, Moray Dalton
5. For Whom the Cloche Tolls, Angus Wilson and Philippe Jullian

Sharon wrote: "I'd like to join again this year, especially now that I can read again. Sight is such a wonderful thing!

My list:

1. Jane & Prudence, Barbara Pym
2. Touch Not the Nettle, Molly Clavering
3. Mama'..."

Yes, I do indeed value my eyes! Sharon, you are #15. I've added the cover view of your books, I'll do the written later. :)

Sharon's selections now entered in the written format as well.

& no more changes can be made!

More entrants still welcome though!

Christmas Carol ꧁꧂ wrote: "Sharon's selections now entered in the written format as well.

Thank you, Carol! I was so excited about being able to read that I forgot to format. It couldn't possibly be that I am absent-minded. :)

Sharon wrote: "Christmas Carol ꧁꧂ wrote: "Sharon's selections now entered in the written format as well.

Thank you, Carol! I was so excited about being able to read that I forgot to format. It couldn't possibly ..."
Ha, I just meant we have book covers & a written list now. :)

& I'm away for a few days from tomorrow.

If we get any more entries I'll add them when I return.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Merry Christmas and safe travels to you🎄