Reading the 20th Century discussion

It's that time again RTTC'ers....


For our November 2025 group read we invite you to nominate anything written in the twentieth century century


Yes, it's *wild card month* and so once again so the choice is yours


Please supply the title, author, a brief synopsis, and anything else you'd like to mention about the book, and why you think it might make a good book to discuss


Happy nominating

I read A Prayer for Owen Meany (1989) by John Irving around the time it came out.

As I recall it’s a well constructed novel and a gripping story with a cast of memorable characters & it contains themes like faith, friendship, and destiny.

I’d love to revisit it and discuss it with you lovely lot.

It’s my nomination

I'll nominate a book that's been on my TBR for a while now:

Ex-Wife by Ursula Parrott

It's 1924, and Peter and Patricia have what looks to be a very modern marriage. Both drink. Both smoke. Both work, Patricia as a head copywriter at a major department store. When it comes to sex with other people, both believe in “the honesty policy.” Until they don‘t. Or, at least, until Peter doesn‘t—and a shell-shocked, lovesick Patricia finds herself starting out all over again, but this time around as a different kind of single the ex-wife.

An instant bestseller when it was published anonymously in 1929, Ex-Wife captures the speakeasies, night clubs, and parties that defined Jazz Age New York—alongside the morning-after aspirin and calisthenics, the lunch-hour visits to the gym, the girl-talk, and the freedoms and anguish of solitude. It also casts a cool eye on the bedrooms and the doctor’s offices where, despite rising hemlines, the men still call the shots. The result is a unique view of what its author Ursula Parrott called “the era of the one-night stand”: an era very much like our own.


This is one of those books recently republished by McNally Editions and Faber Finds - I haven't read it but a dip inside grabbed me immediately. It's rated over 4-stars both here and on Amazon.

I have been wanting to read James Baldwin. I nominate Go Tell It on the Mountain.

I will nominate Green Ink by Stephen May which I picked up for 99p a while ago. It is a modern book but set in our period.

David Lloyd George is at Chequers for the weekend with his mistress Frances Stevenson, fretting about the fact that his involvement in selling public honours is about to be revealed by one Victor Grayson. Victor is a bisexual hedonist and former firebrand socialist MP turned secret-service informant. Intent on rebuilding his profile as the leader of the revolutionary Left, he doesn't know exactly how much of a hornet's nest he's stirred up. Doesn't know that this is, in fact, his last day.

No one really knows what happened to Victor Grayson – he vanished one night in late September 1920, having threatened to reveal all he knew about the prime minister's involvement in selling honours. Was he murdered by the British government? By enemies in the socialist movement (who he had betrayed in the war)? Did he fall in the Thames drunk? Did he vanish to save his own life, and become an antiques dealer in Kent?

Whatever the truth, Green Ink imagines what might have been with brio, humour and humanity; and is a reminder that the past was once as alive as we are today.

Thanks all


I’m away at the moment

I’ll get the poll up on Friday so plenty of time for more juicy nominations

Have fun, Nigeyb.

Cynda wrote: "I have been wanting to read James Baldwin. I nominate Go Tell It on the Mountain.
"

That's also on my TBR - don't forget we're reading Baldwin's Another Country in October

Forgive me for putting this in this thread, but I am assuming it is one that Nigeyb will look at and I think he might be interested in this:
https://www.regentstreetcinema.com/mo...

And as Nigeyb is away (hopefully having fun) I will recap the nominations so far:

A Prayer for Owen Meany (Nigeyb)
Ex-Wife (RC) (also on my TBR list)
Go Tell It on the Mountain (Cynda)
Green Ink (Susan)

Poll is going up Friday so a whole week in which to nominate.

ooh Susan . Green Ink ....Victor Grayson is a bit of a folk hero in my valley , won his seat in a by election and helped by the pioneer political organization on the ground set up by Colne Valley Labour League in the previous fifteen years. Several of the socialist clubs they bulit are still standing in Huddersfield but not always in use for the same purpose .

I was an active member of The Red and Green Club in Milnsbridge which was a hub of activism this century . We squatted in the old Socialist Club which had been abandoned after a dispute about ownership . Another impressive Arts and Crafts Socialist Club in Slaithwaite was nicknamed the Kremlin for years and was still goingwith it's original purpose when a gang of us used it for gigs and dance nightsin the naughties .As a condition of use we had to call the bingo on other nights .... it's now a gym and a rugby league social club .

Good to hear, Hester!

I've never heard of Victor Grayson but sounds like I should have. Also haven't heard of Green Ink but I like this period when the Liberals were the alternative to the Tories and Labour was the upstart.

I will nominate The Group by Mary McCarthy. 1963

We've been having success with our women authors, so why stop. Mary McCarthy is an American author and this is her most remembered book, a New York novel set in the 1930's, about a group of Vassar graduates. It is a bit salacious and gossipy but has managed to retain interest since publication.

Susan wrote: "Forgive me for putting this in this thread, but I am assuming it is one that Nigeyb will look at and I think he might be interested in this:
https://www.regentstreetcinema.com/mo......"

Thanks Susan 🫶🏻

Welcome, Nigeyb. Anything about Patrick Hamilton makes me think of you!

Nominations so far:

A Prayer for Owen Meany (Nigeyb)
Ex-Wife (RC) (also on my TBR list)
Go Tell It on the Mountain (Cynda)
Green Ink (Susan)
The Group (Sam)

Poll is going up Friday so a whole week in which to nominate.

Sam wrote: "I will nominate The Group by Mary McCarthy. 1963

I've been meaning to read that for years!

Me too.

And me

I read The Group this year and can recommend it , along with Go Tell it on the Mountain . I do feel spoiled for choice with the picks so far .

As there are 3 books on the list that interest me I won't nominate this month.

Poll's up....


https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/3...

Vote vote vote



Nominations

A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
Ex-Wife by Ursula Parrott
Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin
Green Ink by Stephen May
The Group by Mary McCarthy

Looking good for The Group


The Group
4 votes, 36.4%

Ex-Wife
3 votes, 27.3%

Green Ink
2 votes, 18.2%

A Prayer for Owen Meany
1 vote, 9.1%

Go Tell It to the Mountain
1 vote, 9.1%



A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
Ex-Wife by Ursula Parrott
Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin
Green Ink by Stephen May
The Group by Mary McCarthy

Two horse race....


The Group
5 votes, 38.5%

Ex-Wife
4 votes, 30.8%

Green Ink
2 votes, 15.4%

A Prayer for Owen Meany
1 vote, 7.7%

Go Tell It to the Mountain
1 vote, 7.7%


A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
Ex-Wife by Ursula Parrott
Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin
Green Ink by Stephen May
The Group by Mary McCarthy

Exciting, though we've had slow horses win the race at the last minute before...

Still a close run thing...


The Group
6 votes, 37.5%

Ex-Wife
5 votes, 31.3%

A Prayer for Owen Meany
2 votes, 12.5%

Green Ink
2 votes, 12.5%

Go Tell It to the Mountain
1 vote, 6.3%


https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/3...


A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
Ex-Wife by Ursula Parrott
Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin
Green Ink by Stephen May
The Group by Mary McCarthy


Probably got enough interest to do the second placed book as a buddy in November 2025 if that's what people would like

With 3 of the 5 in my sights to read I am not stressed. I just don’t often get all read during the specified month. The nominations are always enticing.

About 12 hours left...


The Group
6 votes, 35.3%

Ex-Wife
5 votes, 29.4%

A Prayer for Owen Meany
3 votes, 17.6%

Green Ink
2 votes, 11.8%

Go Tell It to the Mountain
1 vote, 5.9%


https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/3...


A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
Ex-Wife by Ursula Parrott
Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin
Green Ink by Stephen May
The Group by Mary McCarthy


Probably got enough interest to do the second placed book as a buddy in November 2025 if that's what people would like

I'll be in for Ex-Wife or The Group as a buddy read if the other wins. These both look very complementary.

They're on 6 votes each now so I agree about doing both, one as a buddy.

Consider it done

The outcome....


Ex-Wife
6 votes, 33.3%

The Group
6 votes, 33.3%

A Prayer for Owen Meany
3 votes, 16.7%

Green Ink
2 votes, 11.1%

Go Tell It to the Mountain
1 vote, 5.6%


We'll do The Group as our Group Read, and Ex-Wife as an accompanying Buddy Read


Thanks to everyone who got involved 👏🏼

Thanks Nigey!

Great!

Thanks, as usual, for keeping us organized, Nigeyb!