Happy weekend one and all. I will be spending some of my Saturday at Charlbury Old Shed, which I heartily recommend to anybody visiting Oxfordshire. There’s cake AND donkeys (and other things, but those are two of my favourite things in the world).
I hope you have good plans – and, to accompany you on them, here’s a book, a blog post, and a link.
1.) The link – I loved this Guardian article about indie publishing – how indie publishers are often publishing the most interesting and innovative literature, getting prizes etc, and what motivates the people running these small presses.
2.) The book – On the latest episode of Good Reads (by BBC’s Radio 4), I was totally sold by what they said about The English Understand Wool by Helen DeWitt. I’m umming and ahhing over buying it, since it’s £12.99 for a book of 64 pages, but I’ll keep an eye out.
3.) The blog post – The first reviews of Angela Milne’s One Year’s Time (the latest addition to the British Library Women Writers series) are coming out, and I love this one over at Books and Wine Gums.
Thanks very much for sharing the link to my post. Enjoy The Old Shed – fab place!
I can’t get enough of the Old Shed!
I loved it, I have a copy, it’s a present. I’m lucky, it’s such a beautiful book and well written story.
Good to know!
I highly recommend this little gem of a book by DeWitt. The thought behind this line of books with this publisher is that they can be read in an afternoon. You will be thinking about this one long after you have finished it!
Thanks Emily – it does seem to be getting universal approval.
I agree – donkeys and cakes – what not to like? I see the Shed shows films too, so you could take in one of those too. (Not sure which of the current offerings would appeal to you? ) All it needs is a second hand book shop (not advertised on the website but it probably has one!)
Thanks for the link and the book recommendation. The piece about indie publishing is very interesting. I’ve just borrowed a recent publication by Fitzcarraldo (The Long Form by Kate Briggs) and have seen others too in the distinctive bright navy jackets that look tempting.
As for the Angela Milne, I enjoyed the review and I’ve been looking forward to reading this ever since I found out it could be published after all.
Yes, I didn’t know they did films until I was there yesterday – and for free! The ones they have coming up in August aren’t ones I’d necessarily race to see, but it could be a fun experience. I’ll be very interested to hear your thoughts on the Kate Briggs – I absolutely loved her non-fic on translation (This Little Art) and would be keen to know what her novel is like. So far I don’t own any of their blue books, but a lot of their white ones.
I’ve just finished Kate Briggs’ The Long Form. It’s not like any novel I have read before. It is long and at times it felt it but I did read it in 4 days because the sections that were harder going (some of the longer essay style digressions on what a novel is) were then followed by utterly absorbing narrative.
As a novel, it tells the story of Helen’s early days as a new single mother to 5 week old Rose. Helen is also reading Tom Jones. I really liked the way her reading experience was described p46-47: ‘Her new-old novel had arrived.
It meant a different place to put her attention.’
She had capacities. She did.’
The word that for me sums up my experience of reading this book is ‘intense’ I felt as if I was not just there in the room with Helen and Rose but inhabiting their bodies, thinking their thoughts and feeling their feelings. I really admired and enjoyed the way Briggs did this with her descriptions of the minutiae, almost at times a minute at a time of their activities and interactions with each other.
I had my copy of Tom Jones with me to find the quoted passages as they were commented upon. I liked being reminded of the story and the style and structure of the novel but it has not made me rush to reread it.
I would be interested to read your review and know what you think of this if and when you get to it.
Oo thanks for feeding back on this one – it does sound fascinating, and very appealing. I haven’t read Tom Jones, but hopefully that wouldn’t be too much of an obstacle.
No. I don’t think it would matter so you wouldn’t have to read 800 odd pages of Tom Jones before starting it!
That book cover makes me think of the Wayne Thiebaud exhibition I happened to see in Basel — I’d never heard of him before but now his style is unmistakable! I am curious about the book too, since Silvia’s review.
Oh interesting!
I just finished reading “The English Understand Wool.” It was recommended on the Backlisted podcast. I absolutely loved it and want to read more by this author now! I’m struggling to get through the Angela Milne book though. I am just finding it so boring. I know I am well in the minority on this one!
Good to know on the DeWitt! Sorry you’re not enjoying the Milne – I loved the characters/dialogue, but if those don’t appeal then I recognise that not much happens fast.