UK Book Club discussion

I haven't got to the point of checking out my book collection for this period yet... work is stopping my fun (as usual!)

I'll get back to this shortly but meanwhile, all suggestions welcome.

I'm trying to decide what to read... I was thinking of Parade's End by Ford Maddox Ford or The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand, but they're both very long! Another weighty tome: A Dance to the Music of Time: 1st Movement by Anthony Powell.

For the Edwardian period I could go for A Room with a View by EM Forster, and Life After Life by Kate Atkinson starts in 1910 and goes through the century....

I've never read Schindler's List or Sophie's Choice. Then there's Twenty Thousand Streets Under the Sky by Patrick Hamilton.

If I chose Out of Africa by Karen Blixen, I'd get Kenya for the round the world challenge too.

Decisions, decisions.....

From my Kindle Unlimited free trial I have Slaughterhouse-Five, Custard Tarts and Broken Hearts, and So Much Owed.

My next but one stop on my Highway 51 tour of the States is The Sky Buries All Sorrow. As my tour is going from West to East I will not read The Great Gatsby until 2015.

I've read a few relevant ones in 2014, but the only ones I would recommend would be Ulysses and Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.

I'm currently reading by Josephine Tey, the 1st Inspector Grant mystery, which conveniently was written in 1929 and set in that period so that should work for at least one book. I've got a few others in mind.

Ok, first decision made. I've started 'Life after Life' by Kate Atkinson, enjoying it so far...

So I've been thinking and it could be time for me to read a classic such as...
The Wings of the Dove by Henry James
The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton A Room with a View by E.M. Forster or perhaps Brighton Rock by Graham Greene

Em wrote: "So I've been thinking and it could be time for me to read a classic such as...
The Wings of the Dove by Henry James
[bookcover:Th..."

I've read all of those Em and all are good. A Room with a a View is quite gentle (if I remember rightly. Was a while back).

Just finished Life After Life by Kate Atkinson. I really enjoyed this one, I've given it four stars, but It's very close to a five star read for me.

It took me a while to go with the premise - Ursula relives her life again and again until she 'gets it right'....The story starts in 1910 and runs through both World Wars and ends, well, that would be telling.

In the first few chapters, I was too aware of the structure and kept feeling 'Here we go again, how's she going to die this time? What mistake is she going to make to warrant starting again from scratch?'. But the characters and their situations soon drew me in and I cared very much about where they were all heading.

I was particularly moved to read about Ursula's experiences as an ARP warden in WW2. Her boyfriend (for at least two of her lives), Ralph, was an architect, working with the fire crews to dig out people from buildings destroyed by bombs. My grandfather was also an architect and did the same job during the blitz (right down to the having an affair with an ARP warden!)

Anyway, coincidences aside, great book :)

Great review Liz, i loved it, still felt anxious when bad things happening e.g the abusive marriage, and rape, even though i knew she would be able to start again.

Just starting by H.P. Lovecraft. This collection was published by Ballantine Horror in 1965, but the stories were originally written in the 1920's and 30's.. Should be interesting.

Looks scary Bill!

I liked Life After Life too, think it also got 4 stars from me.

I am reading , which is a delightful understated comedy (with some laugh out loud moments). Jonas Jonasson's writing style (or is it the translator's style) is very close to Douglas Adams and even has a deeply depressed side character and drive towards improbability. The main story takes place in 2005 but is told alongside the story of the main character's highly improbable journey through twentieth century world history meeting Joseph Stalin, Winston Churchill, Henry Trueman, etc. I have read past the 60% mark at which the back story has reached 1953, so I have done the 1900-1950 part of the novel. Highly recommended even if highly improbable even for those whose brains are less than the size of a planet.

Brilliant! Dark Matter is set in 1937, so works for this challenge too :)

On are you allowed more than one go.

I'm currently speeding through before I end my trial month with Kindle Unlimited. So far I am not impressed, but I remembered the furore when the mini-series was broadcast in the mid-80s so wanted to read it. I do love the setting in the Irish community, but not much else. I'll probably persevere, but this might end up a Did Not Finish.

I read 'The Thorn Birds' way back and was also unimpressed. I know lots of people love it, but imho, I found it all a bit 'Mills & Boon' (sp?) - with the priest used to court controversy and thus aid marketing....

Reading group for nov is began in 1921 Ireland and majority of novel pre 1950, lovely book but v sad. P.s are we restarting this challenge, feel I neglected it after my early enthusiasm when I did Rome ??

Dorothy Parker - perfect for early 20thC. Just started today. So far, so good :)

Andrew, I think Em is keen to run it again once we complete our travels. (Though we still have late 20thC and... the future?) I'm very happy to go back in time again. There are so many books I couldn't squeeze in this time around....

Liz wrote: "Dorothy Parker - perfect for early 20thC. Just started today. So far, so good :)

Andrew, I think Em is keen to run it again once we complete our travels. (Though we still have late 20thC and... t..."

Thanks Liz, it seems again too many books and too little time. Enjoy dorothy Parker ,I have never read her so will be interested to see your comments.

I fancy starting over so yes, we'll definitely head back in time again... I like the pace of this challenge, I'm not the fastest reader but I always manage at least one book in the 3 months!

I think it's a great idea to run through the challenge again when we've finished. As you say, Em, it's a nice easily paced challenge.

I've really enjoyed this challenge and agree that the 3 month pace is perfect.
For 20th Century I have just started Enemy Coast Ahead

I finished and loved which stretches from 1900 to post second world war Britain. Funny and very readable Angel deverell ,perhaps one of the most self centred characters in a book I have ever read is wonderfully drawn and goes down as one of my favourites.

I just finished Regeneration by Pat Barker which I wasn't planning to read but the mood took me and once I started, I loved it. A really interesting perspective on the 1st World War as it looks at the psychological treatment of those whose injuries were more than simply physical.

I've since picked up another book which suits this challenge The Auschwitz Violin by Maria Àngels Anglada which is looking to be a short read judging by the percentage reader on the kindle.

I loved Regeneration. Just finished by Helen Dunmore which at 1952, falls just outside.....but it's made me want to re-read which is set in 1942.

Starting a mindless fun read to finish off another challenge and conveniently, this book was written in 1944 by cartoonist Chic Young, featuring his characters Dagwood and Blondie in Blondie and Dagwood: Adventure in Magic.

I've just finished Enemy Coast Ahead which was excellent. I've given it 4 stars. I did find that it is very much written for an audience who lived through the war. Whether later editions have additional notes or a timeline I have no idea but either would have been beneficial to me!

The Winter Ghosts is set between 1914 & 1933, so also fits into this time frame :) Looking forward to moving into the second half of the 20thC in a few days time....

This is still running?
I spent Christmas at a friend's house and read her copy of , which ends in 1945. It was a bit too action-packed for my liking.

I'm still on the last century but have some hols at Easter so think I'll have some time then to finish it.... I'm already set on my early 20th century read though. I'm planning to read The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters - I've never read a Sarah Waters book that I haven't liked so feeling confident I'll like this one too.

Luckily the next book I have lined up for my local bookclub: Rules of Civility is set in the 30's so that will be a good start.

I need to check through my books for the US challenge and see which ones will also qualify....

I have a reading group challenge for myself coming up and I plan to read a number of books written and set in this period. Looking forward to it.

What about the diary of Anne Frank?

My daughter's been reading The Diary of Anne Frank for school - she asked for my opinion for a piece of homework on how far Anne Frank is a "hero" which I was delighted to discuss but then I was quickly told to pipe down as she did not agree with me and I must therefore be wrong. Huh.

Aw, I've just started a book that's set in the wrong half of the century. But at least it will give me Jamaica for Around the World!

Hm... not long ago I picked up at a sale. (Why is it sometimes called Ark and other times List?)
And I could perhaps actually read since I've had that as a potential for how many challenges now? lol
Although I am actually about to read which I believe is set during WW1. And by Du Maurier. It was published in 1938, but I'm not sure when it is set.

Em wrote: "My daughter's been reading The Diary of Anne Frank for school - she asked for my opinion for a piece of homework on how far Anne Frank is a "hero" which I was delighted to discuss but then I was qu..."

LOL! At least she's self-assured! What year is she in, if you don't mind me asking? I've been wondering if and when my kids will read Anne Frank in school.

Leni, As far as I know, the book was called Schindler's Ark when it first came out. The film used the title 'Schindler's List'. The book then switched to tie in with the film... (A similar thing happened to 'The Price of Salt when 'Carol', the film version, came out last year).

Liz wrote: "Leni, As far as I know, the book was called 'Schindler's Ark' when it first came out. The film used the title 'Schindler's List'. The book then switched to tie in with the film... (A similar thing ..."
Yep. The book is Schindler's Ark.
I remember when the book first came out and it was a must read for all my mother's friends. She spent a Saturday closested in the bedroom sniffing loudly and using up copious quantities of tissues.

Come to think of it, I should probably save Schindler's Ark for when I need a good cry. Or at least for when I'm alone and won't unduly distress anyone! lol

I've now read my first book for this challenge. A novella by D. H. Lawrence, set in 1918 called The Fox. It's on the 1001-list, and it's also a load of sexist tosh. Fortunately it was short and also gave me a county for the UK County Challenge.

Leni wrote: I've been wondering if and when my kids will read Anne Frank in school. ."

My children went to a school named after Anne Frank but I am not sure if it is one of the set books. For their Holocaust studies they read Man's Search for Meaning.

Esther wrote: "My children went to a school named after Anne Frank but I am not sure if it is one of the set books. For their Holocaust studies they read Man's Search for Meaning. "

Ooh, there's another book for my own TBR! Thanks.

Leni wrote: "Em wrote: "My daughter's been reading The Diary of Anne Frank for school - she asked for my opinion for a piece of homework on how far Anne Frank is a "hero" which I was delighted to discuss but th..."

My daughters are in Year 8 - I'm not sure if it came up in History rather than English though... in English they're doing The Tempest!

Im afraid I've neglected this thread but I've just finished which was set in 1939 as war breaks out- very dark but interesting psychological story.

I just completed Providence 1-4 by Alan Moore. It is set in the US in the early 1900's

Today I read which is set just before the outbreak of WW1. I thought it might give me a Scottish county for the UK County Challenge, but the main character is on the run through most of southern Scotland and half of England, so I can't really use it for anywhere. :-/ But at least it fit this challenge!

Reading crime fiction and murder mysteries (or watching them on the telly) is a modern Norwegian Easter tradition that I am clinging to. So today I read
I had read it before, but it must be 20-25 years ago, so I didn't remember who the killer was or how it was done. Very enjoyable, and definitely set sometime between world wars. (And this one nets me a county too. Yay!)

Currently reading Night Walk, a Henry Gamadge mystery, by Elizabeth Daly, set in 1946.

I won't be picking my library reservation up until tomorrow, so I thought I'd check my Kindle, to see if there's anything slim I could squeeze in, for the time traveller challenge....

Excellent! A Room with a View was first published in 1908. I had meant to read it last time around for the challenge - better late than never!

I've just started reading Larkswood which is mainly set in 1939 with a backstory in 1896. Not far into it but enjoying it so far.

I just got in under the wire: I thought The Big Eye was published in 1951 but it turns out:1949.

Starting Death and Letters by Elizabeth Daly, published in 1950, Henry Gamadge #15.