Join me in wishing Our Vicar’s Wife a very happy birthday today – it’s a big one, though I won’t say which because I’m a GENTLEMAN. Since I last wrote here I’ve had a weekend trip to Brussels – very handily, my friend’s boyfriend is a tour guide, so we were shown around excellently. Yes, I gorged on chocs and waffles, and took a trip of mourning to the EU Parliament.
Hope you’re having a good weekend – here’s a book, a blog post, and a link to take you into it.
1.) The book – “Fifty Forgotten Books [by R.B. Russell] is a very special sort of book about books, by a great bibliophile and for book-lovers of all ages and levels of experience. Not quite literary criticism, not quite an autobiography, it is at once a guided tour through the dusty backrooms of long vanished used bookstores, a love letter to bookshops and bookselling, and a browser’s dream wish list of often overlooked and unloved novels, short story collections, poetry collections and works of nonfiction.” That’s the description from And Other Stories’ website. I preordered it as soon as I saw it included Miss Hargreaves…
2.) The link – is to my brother’s movie podcast, The C to Z of Movies – because I’m a guest in the most recent episode. Among other things, we discuss the portrayal of twins in movies. I’ve linked to the SoundCloud, but you can find it anywhere you download podcasts.
3.) The blog post – I enjoyed Rosemary’s round up of recent reading, even if I didn’t agree with all the results…
I have just ordered the 5Fifty Forgotten Books … I will no doubt find some (many) that I want … I hope I do not order any that are about the place here … just ordered by ‘oops’ my 2nd copy of Michael Arlen’s The Green Hat …
There will probably be a race to buy the books mentioned online!
Many happy returns to OVW! :D
Thank you!
Happy Birthday to your vicar’s wife!
The Fifty Forgotten Books looks wonderful. I also enjoyed reading the 20 books of summer posting. Christopher Fowler’s book of forgotten authors has gone on my tbr list. I agree with your comment on Gilead. I really liked the beautiful portrayal of faith in that book.
I’ve had a happy reading week. I finished and loved Christopher and Columbus from your 50 books you may not have heard of list (I had heard of it but not read it until now). I am now reading Guard your daughters, having enjoyed Mamma very recently. My local library has just bought a copy of More Women and Men which I am looking forward to and I have just collected It’s too late now.
I also listened to Rachel’s visit to your bookshelves (tea and books episode 100) whilst cooking. I too am jealous of your signed Dorothy Whipple!
btw I should say that Our Vicar’s Wife is my nickname for mum, stolen from Diary of a Provincial Lady!
So glad you loved Christopher and Columbus – isn’t it wonderful? And looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the ICB and AAM, do report back :)
I like the nickname for your Mum! I did think that might be the case from some of the other comments. I have ‘It’s too late now’ and ‘More Women than Men’ at the top of my pile now and will certainly report back. I have just finished Heat Wave by Penelope Lively which seemed to take ages to come from the library so obviously was in demand. I loved the style of writing, the descriptions of the countryside and the way those working on the land and those enjoying it differ. I thought the characters and their internal and external dialogue was excellent. I was rather shocked by the ending (won’t put in a spoiler) which left me feeling there was a bleakness and almost cynicism in the author’s outlook.
Yes, I had forgotten the ending somehow, even though I’ve recently read it – maybe because it didn’t quite feel like it matched the tone?
Thank. You…it was unforgettable!
Off to listen to the podcast now…
Your trip to Brussels looked lovely (I saw some of the photos you posted on Insta/Twitter – very relaxing indeed!) I’m also going to check out your brother’s film podcast – not something I was aware of before, so many thanks for the tip!
Oh enjoy! His taste definitely leans towards the superhero movie, so I end up skipping a lot, but still plenty to enjoy.
Happy birthday to your mum!
Fifty Forgotten Books is a must, despite the danger that it will inspire me to start looking for fifty forgotten books!
The film podcast sounds very enticing . . .
Many more happy birthdays to OVW!
I definitely found that in Martin Edwards’ book about detective novels – and then found out that some of them are basically impossible to find!
Thanks for sharing. Fifty Forgotten Books sounds like book I would enjoy.
Here’s what I’m up to, reading wise: https://wordsandpeace.com/2022/09/04/sunday-post-65-09-04-2022/
I think it’s going to send me off in lots of directions!