I took a look at all the books I’ve read for the club years since 2015, and it is *drum roll* exactly one hundred! Isn’t that extraordinarily pleasing? Who’d have thought it would work out so neatly.
Having made a list of them all, I decided to rank them. Since ranking 100 books would be unhinged, I’m ranking my favourite dozen from over that decade – all absolutely brilliant books. Many of them are books I wouldn’t have picked up if it weren’t for the club, so I’m very thankful.
12. Laughing Gas by P.G. Wodehouse – #1936Club
When my friend Malie told me that P.G. Wodehouse had written a body-swap comedy, I knew I had to ignore the piles of PGWs on my shelves and seek it out. A dentist mishap sees an Earl and a golden-haired Hollywood child swap bodies, and it is as silly and fun as you’d hope.
11. Love by Elizabeth von Arnim – #1925Club
My review only went up yesterday! A wry, funny, poignant look at an age-gap relationship where reality overtakes fantasy. One of Elizabeth von Arnim’s best, in my opinion, especially in the first half.
10. Darkness and Day by Ivy Compton-Burnett – #1951Club
For those who like this sort of thing, this is the sort of thing they like – nobody divides readers like Dame Ivy, but I loved this dark, twisty, extremely funny story in which, as always, the heightened way everyone speaks in circles is far more important than the plot.
9. The Bird in the Tree by Elizabeth Goudge – #1940Club
What makes this book so wonderful is the matriarch of the family – firm, loving, principled. It is so unusual today to have a novel that celebrates self-sacrifice, and Goudge does it in a beautiful way.
8. The Museum of Cheats by Sylvia Townsend-Warner – #1947Club
Not my favourite STW short story collection, but up there. She is at her best in Lolly Willowes and in her short stories, and these looks at ordinary lives capture the heartbreak, misunderstanding, and gentle hope that are the keynotes of most of our most memorable times.
7. Catherine Carter by Pamela Hansford Johnson – #1952Club
I was wary of this long, historical novel – but totally won over by this immersion in the world of Victorian theatre. It’s a page-turner, and the dynamic between Catherine and the man who is her manager, critic, and then husband is done with such nuance that you can’t look away from the page.
6. The Equations of Love by Ethel Wilson – #1952Club
Really here for the first of the two long stories – every word chosen perfectly, managing to be very funny while also deeply poignant about a couple living in near-poverty and near-distrust in mid-century Canada.
5. Tea at Four O’Clock by Janet O’Neill – #1956Club
I’d read a couple of O’Neill novels I was lukewarm about before picking up the extraordinarily good Tea at Four O’Clock. It opens with the funeral of Mildred, Laura’s sister – giving Laura agency and freedom for the first time in her life. And then the wastrel brother returns. It is such a complex, satisfying portrait of family dynamics.
4. Treasure Hunt by Molly Keane – #1952Club
As with O’Neill, I’d read a few Keane novels I liked but didn’t love – and then Treasure Hunt bowled me over with its humour. The younger generation are trying to save the ancestral home by taking in paying guests, and are obstructed at every turn by a trio of unhinged older relatives. So funny, and so engaging.
3. Tension by E.M. Delafeld – #1920Club
I read Tension in the early days of the pandemic, and it was in the British Library Women Writers series within a year. Delafield is so good at everyday monsters with no self-awareness – in this one, a respectable Lady does everything in her power to destroy a new teacher at the school, in the name of morality.
2. Miss Linsey and Pa by Stella Gibbons – #1936Club
Poor relatives move to be nearer their more well-to-do in-laws, and the clash is the source of the pain and humour in this novel. More humour provided by dead-on satire of the Bloomsbury Group. Much better than almost anything else Gibbons wrote (though sadly quite racist at times, which is why it’ll be unlikely to see the light of day again).
1. Merry Hall by Beverley Nichols – #1951Club
Gosh, what a journey this book kicked off! I absolutely fell for Beverley Nichols’ hilarious account of doing up a house and garden – and since then I’ve read many Nichols books and bought even more. His turn of phrase is endlessly funny, and the whole Merry Hall trilogy is a timeless delight.
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I also want to celebrate 10 years of this project more broadly. I am so thankful to everyone who has helped made it such a joy every six months. There are always far more reviews than I can keep up with, and such a range of authors, nationalities, genres, formats, languages. When I first emailed Karen about the idea, I hoped we would get some good take up. I couldn’t have imagined it would become such a fixture in our corner of the bookish internet, and I am grateful to Karen for always being an amazing co-host – and to all of you for joining in.
I did a little hunt, and I found the original email I sent to Karen in September 2015! And here it is…
I didn’t have a 1925 book to join in the year bit this year, but over the ten years I’ve read some great books I wouldn’t have read otherwise, probably apart from the thrillers when I could fit them in. It’s interesting to see that your top 12 are all from 1952 or earlier. Mine would probably be mostly from the later years!
Yes, I was surprised by how much the 1950s figured!
I’ve posted my top 10 club reads today and The Bird in the Tree is on my list as well! I’m looking forward to reading the other two in the trilogy. Thank you for coming up with the club idea – I’m glad it’s been such a great success!
I love that we both have that one on our lists, Helen!
What a lovely selection of books, Simon, and it just shows how great the clubs are because they encourage us all to read so widely! Happy to see Merry Hall in your top spot, too, and that reminds me that I’ve not read any Bev for a while.
And how nice to see your original email! The Clubs were such a wonderful idea of yours and I love co-hosting, so thanks for approaching me in the first place. Here’s to another ten years!!!
Absolutely, at least another 10! What a lovely journey it has been so far.
I had laughing gas for the club year but didn’t get to it have one for this year thou from Wodehouse
Excellent! He is always reliable.
Very much so
What a lovely piece of bogging history, love it, and for this list because the only one I’ve read is Tension (which was excellent, of course!) so I have a list to read through, thanks!
Thank you! And yes, lots to enjoy here if you like Tension – that same incisive wit in quite a few.
Sorry, not Anonymous – Jane at Just Reading A Book!
I saw a similar topic on Karen’s site today, so I sent her this list of my favorites from some of the clubs. I haven’t read most of yours, but at least I read two of them!
I didn’t know about this ahead of time, but I just took a quick look back and came up with We Have Always Lived in the Castle for the 1962 Club, A High Wind in Jamaica for the 1929 Club, The Towers of Trebizond for the 1956 Club, Cakes and Ale for the 1930 Club, and Beginning with a Bash for the 1937 Club.
Oo lovely – I haven’t read A High Wind but have had it for many years.
That is great you still have the original email to Karen! It should be framed.
I don’t remember that Elizabeth Goudge (will have to check if I own it) but I do love The Little White Horse and Linnets and Valerians, and did a pilgrimage to Wells a few years ago in her honor. I would like to read Merry Hall – I always prefer reading about gardening to doing it.
I will have to think about my top ten Club reads. It might be funnier to come up with a Bottom Ten but I don’t think I’ve read that many duds (there have been a few, however!).
I did not think I’d be able to unearth the email, but there it was! And I’m definitely with you – love visiting gardens and reading about making a garden, but my own is a disaster.
I’ve definitely had some duds along the way, but thankfully not TOO many!
What a fun idea for a ranking. I haven’t been involved for all ten years but I’ve definitely read some great ones because of your & Karen’s idea. Thanks for hosting and for even thinking of it!
Thank you, Reese! When I came up with the idea, and when Karen got on board, we could never have dreamt we’d have some enthusiastic uptake, and for so many years.
Congratulations on your 100, and thanks for this ranking.
Thanks so much for hosting this event. It’s great fun every time
thanks so much, Emma! I love seeing how loyal you are – reading for the club every time.
A lovely post to celebrate an amazing achievement! I so enjoy the Clubs and I’m very sorry not to be joining in on this one. However, I still have my 1925 reads lined up and I will get to them this year!
No worries! I’ll look out for your 1925 reviews.
I always enjoy reading everyone’s posts for the Clubs, even though I have only been organised enough to join in once! Maybe I will actually manage something for the next club. As for your ranking, I have not actually read any of these, though I have several on my list for the future – Tea at Four O’Clock, Laughing Gas, Merry Hall, and Catherine Carter are all waiting for me to pick them up. And I’m delighted to see The Bird in the Tree on your list, because I loved my first Elizabeth Goudge novel but was then quite disappointed with the second. Clearly I need to try this one next!
Thank you to you both for hosting this – I don’t always manage to join in but I’ve read some smashing books for it and I always enjoy seeing the posts spread across the blogs I read and of course further. Here’s to another ten years!