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This poem by Robert Frost is about autumn, from 1923.

Nothing Gold Can Stay

Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

Try reading it slowly two or three times. I hope you like it. I found out recently that Nidhi enjoys poetry & that gave me the idea to try including poems & learning more about them.

In October I suggest we read classic poems, short stories or books set in woodland or countryside, during autumn if possible.

Some might enjoy The Woodlanders by Thomas Hardy. But a warning - it is quite difficult to understand the dialect used, especially when you start reading. An audiobook may help you. I like the book, but have to read more slowly than usual at the beginning to get used to the language again.

If you know any books or poems that are suitable, do tell us about them, please. (No template needed this month.)

Under the Greenwood Tree by Hardy is light hearted entertaining read.
Thanks for this opportunity Trisha...soon year will be ending we must read what is close to our heart.

Here is a very Canadian poem by William Wilfred Campbell:

🍁🍂Indian Summer🍁🍂

Along the line of smoky hills
The crimson forest stands,
And all the day the blue-jay calls
Throughout the autumn lands.

Now by the brook the maple leans
With all his glory spread,
And all the sumachs on the hills
Have turned their green to red.

Now by great marshes wrapt in mist,
Or past some river's mouth,
Throughout the long, still autumn day
Wild birds are flying south.

The Country of the Pointed Firs and Other Stories by Sarah Orne Jewett is a lovely book set in New England.

I was going to suggest Sarah Jewett Rosemarie, I recently read The White Heron and other stories, they were very good. Two of them are centred around flowers and sea
I would suggest Walt Whitman's poems .., and a very short story by Steinbeck called Chrysanthemums.

Nidhi wrote: "Under the Greenwood Tree by Hardy is light hearted entertaining read.
Thanks for this opportunity Trisha...soon year will be ending we must read what is close to our heart."

That’s another of my favourites, Nidhi.

Rosemarie & Nidhi, thank you for your recommendations. I want to read all of them! I think October may be a very busy month…

I was browsing a local street fair and a craft jewelery vendor had an antique book as part of her display. It was THE FIRM OF GIRDLESTONE by Arthur Conan Doyle. I'd read all of Sherlock Holmes, the whole Professor Challenger series, Brigardier Gerard, Sir Nigel, and the White Company, a novel on bare-knuckle boxing in the 19th century entitled RODNEY STONE and a ton of his short stories on medicine, sailing, horror and fantasy. But I had never heard of THE FIRM OF GIRDLESTONE. I asked the vendor if I could buy the book ... nope, no such luck! So I went home and ordered it on Amazon.

Seriously looking forward to a brand new discovery in the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle canon that I had never even heard of. Wish me luck!

Leaves start falling, comedown is calling…

Willam Blake – To Autumn
“O Autumn, laden with fruit, and stain'd
With the blood of the grape, pass not, but sit
Beneath my shady roof; there thou may'st rest,
And tune thy jolly voice to my fresh pipe,
And all the daughters of the year shall dance!
Sing now the lusty song of fruits and flowers.”
William Blake – Songs of Innocence and of Experience 1794
Heimito von Doderer – The Waterfalls of Slunj 1963

Paul wrote: "I was browsing a local street fair and a craft jewelery vendor had an antique book as part of her display. It was THE FIRM OF GIRDLESTONE by Arthur Conan Doyle. I'd read all of Sherlock Holmes, the..."

Sounds intriguing! I've only read Sherlock Holmes, would you please suggest a few of his horror stories? I would be so grateful! ♡

I prefer short stories to poetry and so far for this month's challenge I've read
In the Abyss by H.G. Wells
The Brown Hand by Arthur Conan Doyle
Bortbytingen/The Changeling by Selma Lagerlöf
The Ring of Thoth by Arthur Conan Doyle

Read:






Books set in woodland or countryside, during autumn if possible:
Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D.H. Lawrence

Nike wrote: "I prefer short stories to poetry and so far for this month's challenge I've read In the Abyss by H.G. Wells.

Read:
"

A good choice, Nike.

Nike wrote: "Paul wrote: "I was browsing a local street fair and a craft jewelery vendor had an antique book as part of her display. It was THE FIRM OF GIRDLESTONE by Arthur Conan Doyle. I'd read all of Sherloc..."

I've got four anthologies on my shelf:

THE HORROR OF THE HEIGHTS & OTHER TALES OF SUSPENSE
ROUND THE FIRE STORIES
TALES OF TWILIGHT AND THE UNSEEN
TALES OF UNEASE

I honestly can't remember details of any of the stories - I read them all a long, long time ago - but if repetition of choice in the analogies is any reflection of quality then here's a few of the top choices:

THE BROWN HAND
LOT NO 249
THE GREAT BROWN-PERICORD MOTOR
THE TERROR OF BLUE JOHN GAP
THE BRAZILIAN CAT
THE RING OF THOTH

They seem to be available (in audiobook format, at least) on Librivox. Happy reading, or listening! If you check them out, try to circle back and send me a message to let me know what you thought of them.

Paul wrote: "Nike wrote: "Paul wrote: "I was browsing a local street fair and a craft jewelery vendor had an antique book as part of her display. It was THE FIRM OF GIRDLESTONE by Arthur Conan Doyle. I'd read a..."

Well, since I'm Swedish I have to look elsewhere but I've found The Brown Hand and The Ring of Thoth in a compilation titled "Arthur Conan Doyle's most boring stories"! Lol! I'll read them and I will come back to you.


EDIT: I've now read The Brown Hand and I can't understand why it have been labelled boring. Far from it, it was exactly my taste - well, maybe that means that I am very boring! 😉

It is written in the same evocative, low-intensive suspenseful style as other short stories by my favorites: Edgar Allan Poe, Charles Dickens, H.G. Wells, Selma Lagerlöf, and H.P. Lovecraft.

Nike wrote: "I've now read The Brown Hand and I can't understand why it have been labelled boring. Far from it, it was exactly my taste"

I've said on a zillion occasions that the book that is all things to all people and attracts the same opinion from every reader has never been written and it never will be. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Now let me know what you of THE RING OF THOTH.

I read Summer (127 pages) by Edith Wharton this weekend. It’s a lovely short story. If you have time, read it & see if you agree with me!

Paul wrote: "Nike wrote: "I've now read The Brown Hand and I can't understand why it have been labelled boring. Far from it, it was exactly my taste"

I've said on a zillion occasions that the book that is all ..."

I loved it! I gave it five stars. I love the evocative atmosphere.

Tr1sha wrote: "I read Summer (127 pages) by Edith Wharton this weekend. It’s a lovely short story. If you have time, read it & see if you agree with me!"

I believe it was you who said that you didn't like Lady Chatterley’s Lover a few months ago, when I intended to read it. Now I've read it at last and I agree with you - I didn't like it!

First I thought that the writer had some early feminist ideas about the right to free sexuality for women, than I understood that it's only for the benefit of men. I believe the sexual scenes and the "romantic" scenes were ignobel and tasteless. And the rest of the book is just a long litany of negativity and the same thoughts were on steady repeat.

There were beautiful depictions of nature and vivid descriptions of the industrial areas and the village that I like. I also appreciate that Lady Chatterley was brave and chose her own life but I can't find anything romantic or loving in their relationship, I don't even like the characters.

I’m glad you read it, Nike. It’s always good to get another person’s point of view whether we like a book or not. Sometimes it’s disappointing to see criticism of a favourite book, but often I see comments that make me try a book again to understand it better.

Thank you for your comments - you have obviously thought about the book & written an eloquent review. I will remember this one & probably read the book again at some time thanks to you. Next time I’ll be better informed & know some of the features to look for & consider more carefully than before.

Nike, this also reminded me that I wanted to try The Brown Hand. I read it today & agree it was excellent. I hardly ever read horror stories, but this one was very clever. Like you, I gave it 5 stars.