First, a quick aside – I’m going to take a little break from blogging, I think, because I’ve had an ongoing and mysterious illness for a couple of months that has many and various symptoms, but most recently has affected my eyes – making it quite difficult to read (argh!!) and I’m limiting my screentime. Hopefully will get diagnosis or cure soon, or it’ll just go away! (Yes, have had covid test, but it was negative…) Praying folk, would welcome your prayers.
BUT before I slip away, I had to share that the next four British Library Women Writers books have been announced!
The first batch were partly my choices and partly the British Library’s (though all great!) – this time, they’re all mine! Here’s a quick guide to them…
Dangerous Ages by Rose Macaulay
Macaulay is perhaps best remembered for her final novels, The Towers of Trebizond and The World My Wilderness, but I prefer her prolific period in the 1920s. Her novels then are funnier, lighter, but equally penetrating into the contemporary world. In Dangerous Ages, she considers various different generations of women, and covers things like Freudianism, free love, employment for older women etc. It’s all there.
Father by Elizabeth von Arnim
An unjustly neglected E von A novel, about Jennifer – an unmarried woman trying to escape her father’s dominance. It’s got a lot to say about being a single woman in the 1930s, but it’s also extremely funny.
Tea Is So Intoxicating by Mary Essex
This is the one to get if you just want a laugh. It follows the ups and downs of opening a tea garden in post-WW2 rural England.
O, The Brave Music by Dorothy Evelyn Smith
The book I am MOST excited to see back in print! It’s a coming-of-age novel about Ruan, a young girl living on the edge of the Yorkshire moors, dealing with family tragedy and emotional turmoil, and finding solace with a make-shift family of other people. But I can’t do it justice. It’s an all-enveloping, glorious novel that should be the next I Capture the Castle, if there’s any justice in the world.
When are they coming out? Dangerous Ages is next month in the UK, and the others will follow in the autumn. I’ll keep you posted as they appear – not sure about dates in the US, though think they’ll be there at some point.
And aren’t they GORGEOUS?
They are beautiful and all sounds absolutely wonderful. I want to read them all! I hope you find a cure for your illness soon and are back to enjoying your books and your life.
I am so upset to hear this news. I’ll be hoping and praying for quick diagnosis and recovery xxx
Ha, I have to read Tea Is So Intoxicating just for the title! Sorry to hear about your medical struggle — I hope you get answers soon and that the time away is restorative. Congratulations on these new releases.
These all sound wonderful. Sorry to hear about your health problems. You will be I my thoughts and prayers.
DebW
These look good. I hope they get to Australia quickly once released. Our local library has quite a few of the British Library books so these would be a good addition. All the best in your eye treatment. I’m going through eye treatment this month too. My left eye just doesn’t want to work and isn’t seeing properly . A real nuisance so will think of you. cheers
Hugs, Simon. Will miss your posts. Praying you get a diagnosis v soon.
So sorry to hear about the eyes Simon – that’s just awful and I’ll cross everything and hope for a speedy recovery…. :(
As for the BL books, they’re just lovely and I can’t wait – such good choices!
Take care of yourself! x
So sorry to hear about your health problems, really hope that gets sorted out soon.
Those all look gorgeous and sound wonderfully enticing. I shall naturally be buying them all.
I hope the break is restorative, Simon, and that you find some answers soon and most importantly, a way back to full health. Take good care of yourself. The new titles sound wonderful!
Father sounds worth a go!
So sorry to hear about your eye problems Simon – how horrible. These viruses (and even before the advent of you-know-what there were just so many of them) sometimes seem to drag on for ages – I hope your one goes very soon.
These books look wonderful. Tea is So Intoxicating is such a great title, I’ll definitely e wanting that one (and the others, obviously…)
Best wishes, and looking forward to seeing you back blogging asap.
Oh no, Simon, for any book lover the thought of having eye problems is the most worrying one! I do hope it gets better without any major interventions required.
And these titles look wonderful – can’t wait to see and hear more about them!
Everything crossed for a full recovery and thank you for these beautiful books!
Get well soon, Simon. You’ll be in my thoughts and prayers.
Oh Simon – poor you. I hope you find out what’s causing the problems so they can be alleviated and sorted soon. You should talk to Victoria who has had similar sounding problems… Sending hugs.
Wishing you a speedy recovery Simon.
You are in my prayers for a speedy recovery! Take care!
Oh no, so sorry to hear that. I hope doctors figure it out quickly and help you fully recover quickly. Time to listen to audiobooks!
The novels LOOK beautiful, and I am looking forward to getting my hands on them. I’m not sure they are available in the U.S. yet . . . Prayers sent up for your quick and complete recovery. I have thyroid eye disease and know how hard it is for a voracious reader to slow down!
I hope you get well soon — and very glad it’s not Covid.
And how exciting about the new novels! I’ve read and loved both Father and O, The Brave Music, so excellent choices! And I’m really intrigued by Tea is So Intoxicating — how could I resist that title?
My thoughts and prayers are with you and hope for a speedy recovery.
The new books look so enticing so I am hoping they reach our (NZ) shores as soon as they can.
Yes, they do look great. Dean Street Press actually sent me ARCs to two more of their books. A House in the Country (1957) by Ruth Adam, and Miss Mole (1930) by E.H. Young! They’re due out on August 3!
How devastating to have to cut down on reading! Hopefully you will still be able to continue with the podcast? I love listening to you and Rachel natter on. It feels like you’re my friends!
I hope you feel much better soon, Simon.
So excited about the books – can’t wait to get my hands on them. But so sorry you are unwell. Hope they find out what it is and cure you quickly.
The new Brittish Library titles all sound wonderful, I’ll look out for them in accessible formats. I’m sorry to hear you have been ill, but I hope things improve, and I will certainly keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
I’m sorry to hear you have been unwell, Simon, and I hope you’re soon feeling a lot better.
Thanks for the early notification of these books – some have been on my to-be-read list for ages. I also hope the British Library advertises them more effectively – at the moment only three of the last four published are shown on its site, without any explanation or introduction to the series. They need wide publicity and good sales so the series can continue!
You’ll be in my prayers. The books look wonderful.
So sorry you are unwell. Taking a break sounds like a good plan – take care!
These books all sound wonderful but I’m particularly excited about Tea is So Intoxicating and, of course, O, the Brave Music.
I’m so sorry to hear of your health problems. My best wishes for your speedy recovery; I will miss your blog very much.
Many thanks for these BL recommendations. It looks like a wonderful series; I have two (Chatterton Square & My Husband Simon) already waiting on my TBR pile, based on your very interesting reviews.
These books look wonderful and I will await them with interest and add them to my wish list of course.
Also very sorry about the health issues and hope you will keep in touch / us updated in some way or another. Take care of yourself. I’m not a pray-er but will send good thoughts.
I am so sorry to hear about your illness, I have had compromised eyesight for a while since cataract surgery and it is awful not to be able to read for ages and ages like I used to. Good luck with it.
I hope that you get back to your normal self soon – whatever that may be. I’ll miss your posts. I’ve been wanting to get my hands on a copy of Father for a while now as I think it’s the only one I haven’t read, so I’m very happy it’s being re-published.
Oh Simon, I was just thinking the other day, please please please let him do some of the Ursula Bloom/Mary Essex books he’s made sound so enticing but which are completely impossible for me to get hold of, and voila! Can’t wait to read that one especially, though of course I want them all.
So sorry to hear about your mystery illness. Particularly frustrating and worrying when you don’t know what something is. I trust and hope it will be resolved soon and you’ll be back to full speed ahead!
Be well, dear Simon!
Oh, dear, Simon, I hope you are well soon.
Only just seen this, Simon, so apologies for delayed comment. Hope you get answers to your health problems soon; it’s always awful not knowing what’s wrong. I’ve just read Elizabeth Von Arnim’s Elizabeth and her German Garden so I shall look out for the one you mention here; it sounds fab!
That is miserable health news, Simon. Anything that interferes with your reading is the worst
i count myself among the praying folk and will be keeping your intentions close while I do. Saw a recommendation from Nancy Pearl for Carola Oman’s Nothing to Report and think of you all the time as I read it What would Simon think of this? Excellent for Covid19 days of poor attention span. Sending prayers across the world.