Virago Modern Classics discussion

Write here which book you would like to read in October. It would be nice if you could write a few words about why you are nominating a particular book. It is not necessary, but it may help others make a decision.
The full list of VMC books you can find on our to-read shelf.

For the sake of diversity, please don't nominate books from the previous poll, that is:
A Particular Place by Mary Hocking
Sunlight on a Broken Column by Attia Hosain
A Fugue in Time by Rumer Godden
Blaming by Elizabeth Taylor
You will be able to nominate them again after a month.

Take also a look at our buddy-reads in 2025. Please, do not nominate these books, too. You can read them with us as a buddy-read.

You can nominate 1 or 2 books. The rest of the rules you can find here.

Hi Mela - thank you for your superb administration. :)

I would like to nominate The Ante-Room by Kate O'Brien. We read The Land of Spices - in March for Irish author month. A writer completely new to me - as in not read and not heard of either !! I was really impressed with The Land of Spices - and I would like to read another of O'Brien's books.

A second nomination - is Hester Lilly by Elizabeth Taylor - I have it on my shelf.

Can I nominate The Friendly Young Ladies by Mary Renault and Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann

I read Valley of the Dolls 30 or so years ago! But I recently picked it up with the aim to re-read it at some point.

I would like to nominate Virginia by Ellen Glasgow.

So far we have:

The Ante-room by Kate O’Brien
Hester Lilly by Elizabeth Taylor
The Friendly Young Ladies by Mary Renault
Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann
Virginia by Ellen Glasgow

Five days left.

The nominations for October 2025 are as follows:



The Ante-room by Kate O’Brien
Hester Lilly by Elizabeth Taylor
The Friendly Young Ladies by Mary Renault
Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann
Virginia by Ellen Glasgow

The poll will appear soon.