Member: charlottestar

Perpetual Curate arrived yesterday - many many thanks!

Rosa

posted by ladycassilis at 5:45 am (EST) on Sep 29, 2009

Sad news: Waterfield's is closing soon.

posted by brunellus at 4:09 am (EST) on Aug 14, 2009

Charlotte - I received the book yesterday. It was sitting on the doormat when I got in from work and what a lovely thing to come home to.

Thank you SO much, it's so nice to have the Virago issue of Peking Picnic to match my Illyrian Spring, and as soon as I have finished Illyrian Spring I'm going to get started on it.

Thank you again, I really appreciate your kindness!

Rachel
x

posted by bigpinkmarshmallow at 4:08 am (EST) on Jul 30, 2009

Hi Charlotte,

I'm glad 84 Charing Cross Road arrived quickly. I'm sure you'll enjoy it, it is a wonderful read!

Dee

posted by Soupdragon at 2:37 am (EST) on Apr 23, 2009

Charlotte, I've just started The Matriarch, and I'm finding it highly entertaining. Apparently, she's not an author that many Virgoites read?
Peggy

posted by LizzieD at 11:35 am (EST) on Apr 17, 2009

Dear Charlotte again,
I just found an unknown bookplate propped beside the pile of books where I opened my one from you. I think it must have fallen out. Thank you for it (I love that quotation from Cicero) and for your very nice card too.
Peggy

posted by LizzieD at 3:20 pm (EST) on Apr 9, 2009

Dear Charlotte,
You are my shining star! My book arrived today, and I'm Tickled and Grateful! I appreciate your willingness to wrap and send a book to a complete stranger. This corner of LT is a rare and lovely place! I'll return the favor as I can, and I look forward to enjoying my book.
Thank you!
Peggy

P.S. I'm near the end of "Squire's" with much enjoyment. I must say that Ron is the only character (or indeed real human) that I can think of who actually took an older person's advice in the matter of love. So is the big question of the book going to be, "Is it better to have a short, intense love which damages a fair number of lives? OR to forego one true love in order to live and let live in relative peace?" Certainly, I don't see many of our contemporaries making the second choice.

posted by LizzieD at 4:42 pm (EST) on Apr 6, 2009

Ah well. I figured that if you wanted them, you would probably already have them.
I haven't moved in 38+ years, D.G.! My favorite T.V. show is "House Hunters," and they skip the moving part completely - just show the family settled into the place 3 months later or something like that. Wish this were a time that your life could imitate art. (Art?)
Peace again,
Peggy

posted by LizzieD at 4:44 pm (EST) on Mar 29, 2009

Oh my goodness! That would be a great kindness if it should turn out to be so! I do wish you an easy move - if such a thing is possible.
Peggy

posted by LizzieD at 5:06 pm (EST) on Mar 25, 2009

Well, of course, Rector's Daughter is the one I don't have (yet!). When I get to Fayetteville's used book store, I always look for Viragos, but in that military community they are few and far between. When I have some to trade though, I hope to become a more active group member.
Hope you're having a good morning! - uh - afternoon? I truly have to leave this friendly place and do something to justify my existence.
(I must say that it's fun to exchange comments in close-to-real-time.)
Peggy

posted by LizzieD at 10:54 am (EST) on Mar 25, 2009

Charlotte, thank you for the encouragement. I am finding Squire's Daughter a little scattered, but it's quite enjoyable. It's just like me to choose the less good of the two that I have. Oh well.
Peggy

posted by LizzieD at 10:39 am (EST) on Mar 25, 2009

Dear Char,

It ARRIVED! The Professsor's House ARRIVED and in excellent
condition. Thank you ever so much - and I love the cover art!
A.S. Byatt is a favourite of mine as well, and it was delightful
to see that she wrote the intro.

Whew, for awhile there I thought it had gone 'missing".

Thank you again, Miss Char.

Kind regards,
Cate

posted by bleuroses at 7:52 pm (EST) on Mar 20, 2009

Hi Char,

Not yet!! I have a few books (duplicates) that I sent out as well -
to Canada and Australia last month and they're still missing in action.

I'll be sure to let you know as soon as she arrives.

Have a great weekend!
Cate

posted by bleuroses at 12:58 pm (EST) on Mar 6, 2009

Hi there, Charlotte.

Forgive my delay in replying. I've been busy at another website.

Mrs. Henry Wood is my favourite C19th author, though I do have a few other books from that era in my library here. I don't really know Mrs. Oliphant or M. E. Braddon but have downloaded one book by each from Project Gutenberg for reading when I find the time.

You'll enjoy "The Channings", set in the C19th cathedral town of Worcester, called 'Helstonleigh' in the book. As you may already know, it has a sequel called "Roland Yorke".

Regards,
‘Aurélien Arkadiusz’

posted by AurelArkad at 7:30 pm (EST) on Nov 9, 2008

Hi there again, Charlotte.

Thanks for your prompt reply, with your perceptive insights into Mrs. Henry Wood's writing.

Yes, Ellen Wood could certainly grip her readers when telling her tales. And elements of melodrama can be found in nearly all of them. 'East Lynne' was undoubtedly her most melodramatic novel, which is probably why it made such a succesful Victorian stage melodrama. Have you ever seen it acted? While NZ is not a cultural desert, in a country of less than 4 million people the range of dramatic offerings is limited, and so the opportunity to watch it has never come my way.

Especially when she is writing of her own social class, the C19th British commercial middle class, Ellen Wood is indeed 100% authentic. I agree that modern writers mostly cannot manage this satisfactorily.

Three other areas where her authenticity shines through are:
(a) her Worcester ['Helstonleigh'] and Worcestershire settings, lovingly recalled from her childhood days;
(b) the French settings of several of her short stories, and parts of some of her novels, based on her memories of early married life in France;
(c) her (surprising) ability to describe schoolboys, and even their dialogue, shown in works like 'The Channings' and all throughout her 'Johnny Ludlow' series.

Happy reading.

Regards from (the elderly) ‘Aurélien Arkadiusz’ in Kiwiland.

posted by AurelArkad at 6:12 pm (EST) on Oct 1, 2008

Hello there, charlottestar.

May I ask what you particularly enjoy about Mrs. Henry Wood's tales?

Regards,

‘Aurélien Arkadiusz’ in New Zealand

posted by AurelArkad at 7:54 am (EST) on Oct 1, 2008

I see you said you are currently reading Gardener's Nightcap. Please let me know what you think of it when you finish it! Every time I order from Persephone I consider getting that book but always pass it over just because it has the potential to be really wonderful or quite disappointing (and I don't know which!).

Christina

posted by christiguc at 8:40 pm (EST) on Mar 28, 2008

As the only two librarythingers with Margaret Oliphant as a favourite, can I reccomend "cuckoo in the nest" if you haven't already read it?

posted by fish_city_boy at 6:59 pm (EST) on Aug 2, 2007