The 1937 Club kicks off today! Until Sunday, we’d love to know your thoughts and reviews of any book published in 1937 – whatever genre, format, language etc. Together, we can put together a sense of what was going on in 1937 – on the cusp of a world war.
Karen and I have been running these clubs for nine years now, I think(!) and they’re always such fun. Pop a link to your review in the comments, whether on blog, insta, goodreads or wherever – if you don’t have somewhere to write a review, feel free to put yours in the comments.
Rose in Bloom by Louisa May Alcott
The Australian Legend
The Case of the Late Pig by Margery Allingham
Golden Age of Detective Fiction
Captains of the Sands by Jorge Amado
Finding Time to Write
Thieves Like Us by Edward Anderson
Somewhere Boy
Letters from Iceland by W.H. Auden and Louis MacNeice
Winston’s Dad
‘The Lottery’ by Marjorie Barnard
Whispering Gums
Mouchette by Georges Bernanos
Somewhere Boy
Out of Africa by Karen Blixen
Ripple Effect
The Face on the Cutting-room Floor by Ernst Bornemann/Cameron McCabe
1st Readings
What Every Girl Wants by Phyllis Bottome
Literary Potpourri
A Bullet in the Ballet by Caryl Brahms & S.J. Simon
Staircase Wit
Stuck in a Book
Baby Island by Carol Ryrie Brink
Staircase Wit
A Bluestocking Knits
Deep Summer by Gwen Bristow
Staircase Wit
Case Without A Corpse by Leo Bruce
A Hot Cup of Pleasure
The Cheltenham Square Murder by John Bude
Madame Bibi Lophile Recommends
Sarah Matthews (via StoryGraph)
Serenade by James M. Cain
A Hot Cup of Pleasure
More Joy in Heaven by Morley Callaghan
The Dusty Bookcase
Poison Ivy by Peter Cheyney
A Hot Cup of Pleasure
Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie
Finding Time to Write
Murder in the Mews by Agatha Christie
Kaggsy’s Bookish Ramblings
Just Reading a Book
Round the World Again in 80 Days by Jean Cocteau
Kaggsy’s Bookish Ramblings
Daughters and Sons by Ivy Compton-Burnett
Somewhere Boy
Swastika Night by Murray Constantine/Katharine Burdekin
Elle Reads
There are Four Seasons by Richmal Crompton
Old Book Dreamer
The Citadel by A.J. Cronin
HeavenAli
Mr Kaggsy
The Case of Alan Copeland by Moray Dalton
A Hot Cup of Pleasure
Death of Mr Dodsley by John Ferguson
Words and Peace
An Answer from the Silence by Max Frisch
Somewhere Boy
The Case of the Lame Canary by Erle Stanley Gardner
Golden Age of Detective Fiction
The Case of the Dangerous Dowager by Erle Stanley Gardner
Golden Age of Detective Fiction
The Family from One End Street by Eve Garnett
Book Word
Staircase Wit
Ferdydurke by Witold Gombrowicz
Finding Time to Write
The Pendleton Fortune by D.C.F. Harding
A Hot Cup of Pleasure
To Have and Have Not by Ernest Hemingway
Hopewell’s Library of Life
L’Oreille cassée by Herge
Somewhere Boy
The Black Island by Herge
Calmgrove
An Infamous Army by Georgette Heyer
Wicked Witch’s Blog
What Me Read
They Found Him Dead by Georgette Heyer
She Reads Novels
Desperate Reader
Letters to a Friend by Winifred Holtby
Kaggsy’s Bookish Ramblings
Garchooka, the Cockatoo by Rex Ingamells
Brona’s Books
Mystery in White by J. Jefferson Farjeon
Wicked Witch’s Blog
The Crimson Brier Bush by Frances K. Judd
Literary Potpourri
Snow Country by Yasunari Kawbata
Kaggsy’s Bookish Ramblings
The Rising Tide by Molly Keane
Madame Bibi Lophile Recommends
The Whispering Statue by Carolyn Keene
Literary Potpourri
After Midnight by Irmgard Keun
ANZ Litlover
Bats in the Belfry by E.C.R. Lorac
Scones and Chaises Longues
Fanda Classiclit
The Thing on the Doorstep by H P Lovecraft
Calmgrove
I Would Be Private by Rose Macaulay
Stuck in a Book
Vintage Murder by Ngaio Marsh
Finding Time to Write
Fanda Classiclit
Entering the Enchanted Castle
The Drum by A.E.W. Mason
A Hot Cup of Pleasure
Theatre by W. Somerset Maugham
Somewhere Boy
Stuck in a Book
Literary Potpourri
746 Books
Ripple Effects
The Face on the Cutting-Room Floor by Cameron McCabe
1st Readings
Jane of Lantern Hill by L.M. Montgomery
Literary Potpourri
Goodness, How Sad! by Robert Morley
The Captive Reader
The Bachelor of Arts by R.K. Narayan
Book Around the Corner
Golden Boy by Clifford Odets
Somewhere Boy
The Curious Casebook of Inspector Hanshichi: Detective Stories of Old Edo by Kido Okamoto
Words and Peace
The Road to Wigan Pier by George Orwell
Ynott59
The Puzzle of the Blue Banderilla by Stuart Palmer
My Reader’s Block
The Return by Audrey Platonov
Kaggsy’s Bookish Ramblings
The Door Between by Ellery Queen
Stuck in a Book
Mary Plain on Holiday by Gwynedd Rae
Scones and Chaises Longues
The Education of H*Y*M*A*N K*A*P*L*A*N by Leo Rosten
Somewhere Boy
Weights and Measures by Joseph Roth
Winston’s Dad
Ali and Nino by Kurban Said
Winston’s Dad
Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass by Bruno Schulz
1st Readings
The Nutmeg Tree by Margery Sharp
Madame Bibi lophile Recommends
Old Book Dreamer
Maigret’s Pipe by Georges Simenon
Kaggsy’s Bookish Ramblings
Cold Cookery by Helen Simpson
Scones and Chaises Longues
A Good Time Was Had By All by Stevie Smith
Somewhere Boy
Catherine Helen Spence: An Autobiography
Australian Woman Writers
Remembering Laughter by Wallace Stegner
Rhode Read
JacquiWine’s Journal
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Wicked Witch’s Blog
Bookish Beck
The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck
Just Reading a Book
Rosabelle Shaw by D.E. Stevenson
She Reads Novels
Tennis Shoes by Noel Streatfeild
Mslizreads
Caroline England by Noel Streatfeild
She Reads Novels
Journey by Moonlight by Antal Szerb
Finding Time to Write
Winston’s Dad
Madame Bibi Lophile Recommends
Calmgrove
Literary Potpourri
Words and Peace
Summer Half by Angela Thirkell
Madame Bibi Lophile Recommends
O make me a mask by Dylan Thomas
This Reading Life
The Milliners’ Hat Mystery by Basil Thomson
Adventures in Reading, Running and Working from Home
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Thurston
10 Million Hardbacks
Beginning with a Bash by Alice Tilton
What Me Read
No Peace for the Wicked by Ursula Torday
Stuck in a Book
The Case is Closed by Patricia Wentworth
Staircase Wit
A Hot Cup of Pleasure
The Elephant Never Forgets by Ethel Lina White
A Hot Cup of Pleasure
The Years by Virginia Woolf
Kaggsy’s Bookish Ramblings
Finding Time to Write
Madame Bibi Lophile Recommends
Worth Wile by P.C. Wren
The Australian Legend
How Do You Live? by Genzaburo Yoshino
Fanda Classiclit
Driekiesbookshelf
Celia by E.H. Young
Madame Bibi Lophile Recommends
Misc recommendations
Wafer-Thin Books
Neglected Books
Reading, In Company
Buried in Print
I’m reading largely 1937 books all month and have already posted 2 reviews last week. Shall I link those as well? And the ones I’ll be reviewing after this week?
Go for it! I tend to stop updating once the week is over, but people will be able to find the links in the comments.
OK, so here are the reviews I’ve got so far:
Witold Gombrowicz: Ferdydurke
https://findingtimetowrite.wordpress.com/2024/04/15/1937club-witold-gombrowicz-irreverent-witty-wild/
Ngaio Marsh: Vintage Murder and Agatha Christie: Dumb Witness
https://findingtimetowrite.wordpress.com/2024/04/10/1937club-two-golden-age-crime-novels/
Jorge Amado: Captains of the Sands
https://findingtimetowrite.wordpress.com/2024/04/01/1937club-captains-of-the-sands/
To follow: Antal Szerb and Virginia Woolf.
Really looking forward to the week Simon! Here’s my first post: https://madamebibilophilerecommends.co.uk/2024/04/15/in-the-humble-nutmeg-lies-the-power-to-change-destinies-giles-milton-nathaniels-nutmeg/
My review is up! Was just waiting for this post to link to. I enjoyed a Basil Thomson mystery! https://librofulltime.wordpress.com/2024/04/15/book-review-basil-thomson-the-milliners-hat-mystery/
Horrors! My review of novelette ‘The Thing on the Doorstep’ by H P Lovecraft for the #1937Club is up now.
https://wp.me/p2oNj1-7Dz
I’ve started with an Australian poem – Garchooka, the cockatoo. It’s a quick, easy poem, perfect for someone in the middle of packing up and moving house!
https://bronasbooks.com/2024/04/11/garchooka-the-cockatoo-rex-ingamells-poem/
I’m really looking forward to seeing what books people choose for this week. My first 1937 book is Of Mice and Men and my review is here https://witchyreading.wordpress.com/2024/04/15/of-mice-and-men-1937club/
I started with Theatre too: https://potpourri2015.wordpress.com/2024/04/15/book-review-theatre-1937-by-w-somerset-maugham-1937club/
Here’s my review of They Found Him Dead by Georgette Heyer:
https://shereadsnovels.com/2024/04/15/they-found-him-dead-by-georgette-heyer-1937club/
And here’s my review of The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck
https://justreadingabook.wordpress.com/2024/04/15/the-chrysanthemums/
I was only able to read two books this year. Here’s my review of Beginning with a Bash by Alice Tilton: https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2024/04/15/review-2341-1937club-beginning-with-a-bash/
A reading club crossover: Ten #WaferThinBooks from 1937.
https://waferthinbooks.com/2024/04/11/1937club/
Heavens above – yes, it is nine years!!!
Thanks for hosting. As usual, the event has impacted my reading choices (three books underway), but it remains to be seen whether/how I post about it.
I have enjoyed this very much — making a list of possible reads, finding them (public library, used-book stores online, free e-book … and one of my own!), reading them, and writing down my thoughts. I ended up with a rather wide-ranging selection. Thanks for hosting, Simon and Karen!
I’ve only just discovered this club, too late to read for it. But I discovered that I did blog about a 1937 book a while back. I hope it’s not stretching the rules too much to link to it: https://shawjonathan.com/2015/07/16/of-mice-and-men-and-the-book-group/
Here’s my second review for this week, An Infamous Army by Georgette Heyer. My review is here
https://witchyreading.wordpress.com/2024/04/16/an-infamous-army-book-review-1937club/
As Jeanne says, half the fun is checking out the books published that year and assembling copies. I’ve even enjoyed a couple duds over the years.
Here are two from me:
The Case is Closed by Patricia Wentworth
http://perfectretort.blogspot.com/2024/04/the-case-is-closed-by-patricia.html
and
The Family from One End Street by Eve Garnetthttp://perfectretort.blogspot.com/2024/04/the-family-from-one-end-street-by-eve.html
Here’s another round-up, this time of big, fat 1937 novels:
https://neglectedbooks.com/?p=10228
Thanks for hosting this interesting reading event. This is my second time participating. Just posted my review of Out of Africa by Karen Blixen, from book to screen.
https://winstonsdad.wordpress.com/2024/04/17/journey-by-moonlight-by-antal-szerb/
Of to Hungary for my seconbd review with Journey by Moonlight cheers Stu
Here’s my second review for the club: Caroline England by Noel Streatfeild
https://shereadsnovels.com/2024/04/17/caroline-england-by-noel-streatfeild-1937club/
Mine is up
https://hopewellslibraryoflife.wordpress.com/2024/04/17/1937-club-review-to-have-and-have-not-by-ernest-hemingway/
So many great reviews already!
I have three in my post:
https://wordsandpeace.com/2024/04/17/book-reviews-for-the-1937-club/
– The Curious Casebook of Inspector Hanshichi: Detective Stories of Old Edo,
by Kido Okamoto
– Journey by Moonlight, by Antal Szerb
– Death of Mr. Dodsley, by John Ferguson
Simon, I have a review a 1937 book, Georgette Heyer’s They Found Him Dead. Here is the link:
https://bitterteaandmystery.blogspot.com/2024/04/the-1937club-they-found-him-dead-by.html
Thanks for hosting yet again, Simon. My review is for a story from a book you recently posted on, The persimmon tree and other stories. Love that book, and this story is one of the great ones from it, I think: https://whisperinggums.com/2024/04/18/marjorie-barnard-the-lottery-review-1937-club/
I’m hoping to fit in a George Orwell essay this week as well, but for now another poem will have to suffice. This time by Dylan Thomas – O make me a mask
https://bronasbooks.com/2024/04/18/o-make-me-a-mask-dylan-thomas-poem/
HI didn’t think I could find the time, but here’s my review of Irmgard Keun’s short novel After Midnight, translated by Anthea Bell for #TranslationThurs and the #1937Club: https://anzlitlovers.com/2024/04/18/after-midnight-1937-by-irmgard-keun-translated-by-anthea-bell/
Apologies, catching up on adding these here! Thank you for adding my Molly Keane review already.
Summer Half by Angela Thirkell: https://madamebibilophilerecommends.co.uk/2024/04/18/the-only-thing-that-interferes-with-my-learning-is-my-education-albert-einstein/
The Cheltenham Square Murder by John Bude: https://madamebibilophilerecommends.co.uk/2024/04/17/now-that-im-over-sixty-im-veering-toward-respectability-shelley-winters/
Here are two for Baby Island by Carol Ryrie Brink
Staircase Wit
http://perfectretort.blogspot.com/2024/04/baby-island-by-carol-ryrie-brink-for.html
A Bluestocking Knits
http://perfectretort.blogspot.com/2024/04/baby-island-by-carol-ryrie-brink-for.html
Here’s my review of a mystery by an author I’d never heard of before, J Jefferson Farjeon’s Mystery in White https://witchyreading.wordpress.com/2024/04/18/mystery-in-white-book-review-1937club/
Hi, Simon, Here is my review of An Infamous Army by Georgette Heyer: https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2024/04/18/review-2423-1937-club-an-infamous-army/
After getting Covid late last week and not being able to concentrate long enough to read a book, I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to get any 1937 books done. But here is my first one: The Puzzle of the Blue Banderilla by Stuart Palmer (https://myreadersblock.blogspot.com/2024/04/the-puzzle-of-blue-banderilla.html)
https://winstonsdad.wordpress.com/2024/04/20/weights-and-measures-by-joseph-roth/
I put my third review her Joseph Roth’s Weights and Measures
My final review for the club is Rosabelle Shaw by D.E. Stevenson:
https://shereadsnovels.com/2024/04/20/rosabelle-shaw-by-d-e-stevenson-1937club/
My final three Simon, thanks so much for hosting!
Journey by Moonlight by Antal Szerb https://madamebibilophilerecommends.co.uk/2024/04/19/life-was-not-an-art-form-or-rather-it-was-an-extremely-mixed-genre-antal-szerb/
Celia by EH Young https://madamebibilophilerecommends.co.uk/2024/04/20/domestic-life-in-the-past-was-smelly-cold-dirty-and-uncomfortable-but-we-have-much-to-learn-from-it-lucy-worsley/
The Years by Virginia Woolfhttps://madamebibilophilerecommends.co.uk/2024/04/21/it-was-an-uncertain-spring-virginia-woolf-the-years/
Here’s my first: The Pendleton Fortune by D.C.F. Harding
https://ahotcupofpleasureagain.wordpress.com/2024/04/21/1937-club-the-pendleton-fortune-by-d-c-f-harding-1937/
Squeaking in on the final day! https://bookishbeck.com/2024/04/21/rereading-of-mice-and-men-for-1937club/
Here are the final reviews from Staircase Wit:
A Bullet in the Ballet by Caryl Brahms & S.J. Simon
https://perfectretort.blogspot.com/2024/04/a-bullet-in-ballet-by-caryl-brahms-sj.html
and
Deep Summer by Gwen Bristow
https://perfectretort.blogspot.com/2024/04/deep-summer-by-gwen-bristow-for-1937club.html
After reading this, I felt I shouldn’t have to crank the heat but it is cold in Boston despite the daffodils being out!
https://winstonsdad.wordpress.com/2024/04/21/letters-from-iceland-by-w-h-auden-and-louis-macneice/
I managed to squeeze a fourth book a piece of prose travel writing and poetry by Auden and MacNeice there letters from Iceland
Just one review from me this week, for a play that seems extraordinarily up your alley (likely you’ve already read it?): https://thecaptivereader.com/2024/04/21/goodness-how-sad-robert-morley/
Here is a second one: Figure Away by Phoebe Atwood Taylor (https://myreadersblock.blogspot.com/2024/04/figure-away.html)
Here are seven more. All mysteries.
The Elephant Never Forgets by Ethel Lina White
The Case of Alan Copeland by Moray Dalton
Case Without a Corpse by Leo Bruce
Serenade by James M. Cain
The Case is Closed by Patricia Wentworth
Poison Ivy by Peter Cheyney
The Drum by A.E.W. Mason
All reviewed together, here: https://ahotcupofpleasureagain.wordpress.com/2024/04/22/1937-club-seven-mysteries/
Thanks for hosting.
Sorry for being late, but here is my first overview post. I intend to post another couple this evening or tomorrow. First up: https://marketgardenreader.wordpress.com/2024/04/22/1937-club-overview-from-my-tbr-and-beyond
Thanks for adding my link. Let’s see if I can comment without one.
My book was The Road to Wigan Pier.
Hi Simon,
I posted my review on Instagram on Saturday:
https://www.instagram.com/p/C5_V0l2ohp7/