Reading the 20th Century discussion

In about 10 days I’ll post a nominations thread to choose our June 2026 group read. Next up is the 1940s, so books published in the 1940s, or set in the 1940s


Here’s the forthcoming schedule…

April 2026
THEME FOR GROUP READ NOMINATIONS (for June 2026) - 1940s

May 2026
THEME FOR GROUP READ NOMINATIONS (for July 2026) - Twentieth Century Classic

June 2026
THEME FOR GROUP READ NOMINATIONS (for August 2026) - Wild card month (anything goes)

July 2026
THEME FOR GROUP READ NOMINATIONS (for September 2026) - 1950s

August 2026
THEME FOR GROUP READ NOMINATIONS (for October 2026) - Wild card month (anything goes)

My post got me musing about some of the less celebrated books from the 1940s.


This is what an online search came back with when I asked for more surreal, gritty, or overlooked titles of the era

• Titus Groan by Mervyn Peake (1946): Often overshadowed by The Lord of the Rings, this is "Gothic Fantasy" at its most grotesque and brilliant. It's not about magic, but about a crumbling, ritual-obsessed castle the size of a city.

• Asylum Piece by Anna Kavan (1940): A haunting collection of short stories that blur the line between reality and the hallucinations of a mind struggling with mental illness. It’s clinical, cold, and incredibly ahead of its time.

• The Invention of Morel by Adolfo Bioy Casares (1940): A slim, mind-bending novella from Argentina. It’s part sci-fi, part psychological thriller about a fugitive on a deserted island who discovers a machine that can project "real" ghosts.

• The Tartar Steppe by Dino Buzzati (1940): A surrealist masterpiece about a soldier stationed at a remote outpost waiting for an enemy that never comes. It’s a profound look at how we waste our lives waiting for "greatness."

• The Bride Wore Black by Cornell Woolrich (1940): While Chandler and Hammett get the noir glory, Woolrich was the poet of pure dread. This is a cold-blooded revenge thriller that reads like a nightmare in slow motion.

Of those I only know the Mervyn Peake which was not to my taste. Although I am conscious that I didn’t give it much of a chance.

Those other suggestions all look really interesting. Something to ponder. Anyone read any of them?

I loved Asylum Piece which I read after we did the group read of Kavan's Ice - I find her writing extraordinary.

And I've had the Invention of Morel on my tbr for ages. I've also tried Peake and it wasn't to my taste either - but that was when I was a teenager.

Thanks RC. Ice was remarkable so no surprise the stories worked for you

Both The Bride Wore Black and The Black Angel were solid 3-star reads for me. I liked the very noir stories in Rear Window better.

Thanks Rose


I've had a look at all the titles and conclude that The Invention of Morel by Adolfo Bioy Casares sounds extraordinary & so is quite possibly going to be my nomination when the time comes



Set on a mysterious island, Bioy’s novella is a story of suspense and exploration, as well as a wonderfully unlikely romance, in which every detail is at once crystal clear and deeply mysterious.

Inspired by Bioy Casares’s fascination with the movie star Louise Brooks, The Invention of Morel has gone on to live a secret life of its own. Greatly admired by Julio Cortázar, Gabriel García Márquez, and Octavio Paz, the novella helped to usher in Latin American fiction’s now famous postwar boom. As the model for Alain Resnais and Alain Robbe-Grillet’s Last Year at Marienbad, it also changed the history of film.

Roman Clodia wrote: "I loved Asylum Piece which I read after we did the group read of Kavan's Ice - I find her writing extraordinary....."

I've been eyeing 'Ice' for one of my 20th century reads for a while. It was the penguin book cover that first inspired me to move it up my tbr, and now your comment has given it another boost :D

(view spoiler)[

(hide spoiler)]

Nigeyb wrote: "I've had a look at all the titles and conclude that The Invention of Morel by Adolfo Bioy Casares sounds extraordinary & so is quite possibly going to be..."

I've already picked my nomination and I can already tell, looking at reviews of our two contenders, it's going to be a tough poll. Get ready everyone, hahaha 😅

I've been meaning to read The Invention of Morel since a friend introduced me to Silvina Ocampo who married Bioy and was part of the same literary coterie. Her Forgotten Journey is fantastic, in both senses of the word.

Beige wrote: "I've been eyeing 'Ice'"

When you're ready, Beige, feel free to revive our discussion: the thread is here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

And I agree, various of those covers were stunning.

Roman Clodia wrote: "I've been meaning to read The Invention of Morel since a friend introduced me to Silvina Ocampo who married Bioy and was part of the same literary coterie. Her [book:Forgotten Journ..."

I keep meaning to read it because so many novelists seem to reference it, happy to do a buddy read.

I've read the Peake trilogy but that was in my voracious teens when I read anything in reach, not sure I could face revisiting it. Agree with R. C. on the Kavan, marvellous piece of writing. Haven't read the Woolrich but enjoyed Truffaut's version. The Buzzati is yet another novel I've been meaning to get around to partly because of its influence on Coetzee's Waiting for the Barbarians

Alwynne wrote: "I keep meaning to read it because so many novelists seem to reference it, happy to do a buddy read"

If it doesn't get nominated and/or win the poll, I'd also be up for a buddy.

The 40s is such a great decade for books. I'll probably continue nominating from my American project: something like Carson McCullers or Steinbeck, perhaps, or Eudora Welty.

Roman Clodia wrote: "I've been meaning to read The Invention of Morel since a friend introduced me to Silvina Ocampo who married Bioy and was part of the same literary coterie. Her [book:Forgotten Journ..."

I have read The Invention of Morel - it's trippy! It's rumored to be part of the inspiration for Lost.

I'm currently reading a bio of Mexican author Elena Garro, who apparently was another lover of Bioy's (haven't gotten to that part yet, so don't know the details). They all knew each other, those writers! I have yet to read a Silvina Ocampo, though, and have been meaning to for a while! And speaking of which, in looking for which books of hers my library has, realized Mariana Enriquez has written a biography of Ocampo - that's also going on my TBR!

And speaking of the small world of artists, your post mentions Bioy's obsession with actress Louise Brooks; Kehlmann's The Director deals with the titular director's obsession with the same actress!

Alwynne wrote: "I've read the Peake trilogy but that was in my voracious teens when I read anything in reach, not sure I could face revisiting it. Agree with R. C. on the Kavan, marvellous piece of writing. Haven'..."

I'm currently doing a 'slow read' of the Peake trilogy online; halfway through the second book and admit to being bogged down and falling behind... but I own the trilogy, so will probably persevere and get there eventually...

I've been meaning to get to the Kavan for years, somehow ended up reading another (much thicker) book by the same title this winter instead...

Erin wrote:


"Kehlmann's The Director deals with the titular director's obsession with the same actress!"

We discussed that recently - a very interesting debate despite being quite a polarising read


"I have read The Invention of Morel - it's trippy! It's rumored to be part of the inspiration for Lost"

Interesting - thanks

Re: The Invention of Morel by Adolfo Bioy Casares


Alwynne wrote:

"I keep meaning to read it because so many novelists seem to reference it, happy to do a buddy read."


Roman Clodia wrote:

"If it doesn't get nominated and/or win the poll, I'd also be up for a buddy."


In which case let's just buddy read it. I'm in too

It's very short so probably the work of a day or two


April?
May?
June?

Any month works for me

Name it and claim it

Oh, go on then! We don't have much happening in April and I won't be rereading Tinker Tailor (though happy to join the discussion, of course) so could do it then? I'm easy, whatever suits you both.

I would join for Buzzatti, Bioy Casares, and Kavan if they end up scheduled for a group or buddy read.

If anyone is interested to read Tennessee Williams, a few of his plays came out in the 1940s: The Glass Menagerie (1944), A Streetcar Named Desire (1947), Summer and Smoke (1948). I plan to read them this year (plus some others from the 50s). But perhaps this would be more fitting for "a wild card" or buddy reads. Next week I'll be briefly in his beloved New Orleans (I always pass by his last house whenever there). Unfortunately I'll be too early for their TW annual festival, but maybe not for the traditional "Stella!!!!" shouting contest :-) that usually precedes it. He loved this city and the city has always loved him back.

Not to forget a couple of other novels from the 1940s that I'd also love to read:
W. Somerset Maugham: The Razor’s Edge (1944)
Vladimir Nabokov: The Real Life of Sebastian Knight (1941)

Thanks RC thanks Vesna


April it is then. Unless Alwynne would prefer to move it

I'll provisionally set it up for April 2026

I would definitely be interested in The Glass Menagerie. I loved reading Streetcar. I also loved The Razor's Edge.

My two ideas for 1940's so far are:
Delta Wedding by Eudora Welty
and The Snake Pit by Mary Jane Ward.

Great suggestions Kathleen. Keep them safe and have one ready for late March/early April

Beige wrote:



"I've already picked my nomination and I can already tell, looking at reviews of our two contenders, it's going to be a tough poll. Get ready everyone, hahaha 😅"

Perhaps made easier by our latest April 2026 buddy read, The Invention of Morel?

By the by, I thought I'd go and update the schedule on The Literary Collective but, because you'd authored the RTTC post, I couldn't. Would you mind doing the honours?


The discussion is here...

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Vesna wrote: "I would join for Buzzatti, Bioy Casares, and Kavan if they end up scheduled for a group or buddy read.

Forgot to add that I've also been meaning to read The Tartar Steppe for ages, so I'd be up for that - and also, it has a new translation put out by NYRB with the title The Stronghold.

Thanks Erin - very helpful

Nigeyb wrote: "By the by, I thought I'd go and update the schedule on The Literary Collective but, because you'd authored the RTTC post, I couldn't. Would you mind doing the honours?..."

On it. Thanks.

And I'll keep watching the schedule threads closely until we do the switchover :D

I read The Invention of Morel last year & would be in for a reread.

I'm another fan of The Razor's Edge. Love that book.

Erin wrote: "Roman Clodia wrote: "I've been meaning to read The Invention of Morel since a friend introduced me to Silvina Ocampo who married Bioy and was part of the same literary coterie. Her ..."

It's one of the books Sawyer's seen reading too!

Ocampo another one on my ridiculously long list...

Wasn't keen on Kehlmann but adore Louise Brooks have a postcard of her on my desk.

Nigeyb wrote: "Thanks RC thanks Vesna


April it is then. Unless Alwynne would prefer to move it

I'll provisionally set it up for April 2026"

April's fine Nigey, ta!

Erin wrote: "Alwynne wrote: "I've read the Peake trilogy but that was in my voracious teens when I read anything in reach, not sure I could face revisiting it. Agree with R. C. on the Kavan, marvellous piece of..."

I didn't dislike Peake at the time but did get a bit overwhelming in places. All I really remember now are the swirling, white cats. But not sorry I read these.

Vesna wrote: "I would join for Buzzatti, Bioy Casares, and Kavan if they end up scheduled for a group or buddy read.

If anyone is interested to read Tennessee Williams, a few of his plays came out in the 1940s:..."

He came up recently, R. C. was reading some. Think the posts are on the American history thread? I'm not usually that into southern writing but there's something quite hypnotic about his work.

Kathleen wrote: "I would definitely be interested in The Glass Menagerie. I loved reading Streetcar. I also loved The Razor's Edge.

My two ideas for 1940's so far are:
Delta Wedding by [author:Eudora ..."

The Snake Pit's one I've been meaning to read forever, like R. C. strangely drawn to stories about women and madness! Also saw the film version with Olivia de Haviland which was memorable - think it was on YouTube?

Stacia wrote: "I read The Invention of Morel last year & would be in for a reread.

I'm another fan of The Razor's Edge. Love that book."

I'll check it out. I've only read Of Human Bondage but found it completely gripping.

Has anyone here read Dawn Powell? She was active in the 40s and been lingering on my tbr for over a decade. All these years later I have a bigger circle of GR people I follow and I don't see any reviews for her work.

She seems to have had a somewhat similar experience to Pym, she was out of print until...

"Powell's work received renewed interest after Gore Vidal praised it in a 1987 editorial for The New York Review of Books. Since then, the Library of America has published two collections of her novels"

Alwynne wrote: "I didn't dislike Peake at the time but did get a bit overwhelming in places. All I really remember now are the swirling, white cats. But not sorry I read these.."

LOL, I'm not disliking it, it just kind of meanders a lot and other things are more compelling. But I figure when I'm done I'll feel the same, that I'm glad I read them, so I persist. 😏 Just not going to stress completing in any strict timeframe...

Beige wrote: "Has anyone here read Dawn Powell? She was active in the 40s and been lingering on my tbr for over a decade. All these years later I have a bigger circle of GR people I follow and I d..."

She had a brief resurgence because she's on the Rory Gilmore reading list, actually have an ARC of a new edition of A Time to be Born on my pile.

Alwynne wrote: "She had a brief resurgence because she's on the Rory Gilmore reading list, actually have an ARC of a new edition of A Time to be Born on my pile...."

Good to know, thanks! I see it it now, from Pushkin Press. The recent ARC reviewers seem to like it. I love the blurb:

"Author Dawn Powell always denied Amanda Keeler was based upon the real-life Clare Boothe Luce until years later when she discovered a memo she’d written to herself in 1939 that said, “Why not do a novel on Clare Luce?” Which prompted Powell to write in her diary, “Who can I believe? Me or myself?”"

Beige wrote: "Alwynne wrote: "She had a brief resurgence because she's on the Rory Gilmore reading list, actually have an ARC of a new edition of A Time to be Born on my pile...."

Good to know, thanks! I see it..."

I really want to read her diaries, they're supposed to be fascinating. But also very expensive here.

Nigeyb wrote: "My post got me musing about some of the less celebrated books from the 1940s.


This is what an online search came back with when I asked for more surreal, gritty, or overlooked titles of the era

..."

I've only heard of and read The Bride Wore Black. It was some years ago. But that one blew me away. I found it at a used book sale and always heard about it. I've tried some of his other stuff and didn't like it as much as Bride. I gave it 5 stars.

Vesna wrote: "I would join for Buzzatti, Bioy Casares, and Kavan if they end up scheduled for a group or buddy read.

If anyone is interested to read Tennessee Williams, a few of his plays came out in the 1940s:..."

I've been wanting to get to The Razor’s Edge for some time.

I also like Tennessee Williams. I think I have a book three plays by him. If not, I would buy one.

“The Razor’s Edge” seems to have been a popular choice for a title in the 40’s. Somerset Maugham’s book of that title was published in 1944. I was toying with suggesting it, but there are already several titles here that I’d like to read and discuss.

Ah, I just realized that the GR app formatting led me to misread the comment just before mine. We ARE talking about the same book.

G wrote: "Ah, I just realized that the GR app formatting led me to misread the comment just before mine. We ARE talking about the same book."

My bad. I would have given Maugham's name in connection with Razor but it was a reply to a comment (belatedly) farther up.

G wrote: "Ah, I just realized that the GR app formatting led me to misread the comment just before mine. We ARE talking about the same book."

The app hasn't been optimized to work with groups. I've heard a bunch of issues reported by other members, such as: entire folders not appearing, spoiler tags not working, etc.

Have you tried using the desktop version on your phone? It works well for me, once you zoom to a readable size in a thread, it stays there :D

Vesna wrote: "If anyone is interested to read Tennessee Williams, a few of his plays came out"

Oh yes, I'd love to read The Glass Menagerie.

Beige wrote: "Has anyone here read Dawn Powell?"

A new name for me but she looks very interesting.

Beige wrote: "Has anyone here read Dawn Powell? She was active in the 40s and been lingering on my tbr for over a decade. All these years later I have a bigger circle of GR people I follow and I don't see any reviews for her work."

I hadn't heard of her but it looks like my library has a few different books of hers. I will have to check her out too.

If I counted correctly, there are three of us interested to read The Glass Menagerie - Kathleen, RC, and me (and of course anyone else who'd like to!). Is this good enough to set up a buddy read? Any month would work for me.

Vesna wrote: "If I counted correctly, there are three of us interested to read The Glass Menagerie - Kathleen, RC, and me (and of course anyone else who'd like to!)"

Yay, let's do it! Is April too soon? I'll definitely have time over the Easter break, otherwise we could do it in May?