A possible reading project for 2024?

Hello fellow Viragoites,

I was chatting with a couple of group members about the possibility of a 2024 Virago reading project, and LyzzyBee came up with the suggestion of basing this on the number of books an author had had published by Virago i.e. starting with the author who had the most titles and working down.

I did a bit of research (and counting!) and by my reckoning if we take the most prolific names, the year would look like this:

January - Daphne du Maurier
February - Elizabeth Taylor
March - Patricia Highsmith
April - Rumer Godden
May - Edith Wharton
June - Nina Bawden
July - Molly Keane
August - Angela Thirkell
September - Mary Renault
October - Elizabeth von Arnim
November - Willa Cather
December - Barbara Pym

I found this to be quite an interesting list, as there were some authors I expected to be there, and others I didn't!

Anyway, the idea would be to spotlight the particular author during their month, and choose a book or books to read by them.

What do others think? Do comment below if you think this would be a good project!

Karen

I'm horrible at following through with participation, but I do love this idea! That list of authors has some old favorites, some I'd like to read more of, and some I haven't gotten to yet. I'd try to participate most months.

I think this is a great idea. I'd be interested in this project, with my own twist. In 2024 I'm going to concentrate on reading books on my shelves. With that in mind, I own books from 6 of the 12 authors listed, so I will definitely participate in the 6 months for Taylor, Wharton, Keane, von Arnim, Cather and Pym.

For the other 6 months, I plan to read other Virago books from my TBR and concentrate on the authors on my shelves for whom I have more than 1 title by that author. For example, I have at least 2 unread books on my shelves for each of these Virago authors: E. H. Young, Winifred Holtby, Kate O'Brien, Rose Macaulay, Mary Lavin, Mary Hocking and Pamela Frankau. So for the "off" months I'll pick a book from one of these authors. It'll be a win-win for me by getting books read from my Virago collection and still be able to participate.

>2 japaul22: I'm bad at keeping up too, but even if you can only dip in some months that would be great!

>3 kac522: That's a very sensible approach I think - we won't all necessarily have books for each month but it's a loose enough project that you could dip in and out as suits your TBR!

Looks good to me! There are some of my favourite authors in the list and no-one that I couldn't bear to read.

I am dreadful at keeping up although the intention is there but that sounds like an excellent plan. At the beginning of the year I set myself the goal of reading the complete works of Willa Cather and Edith Wharton commencing with their short stories.
I did manage to read most of the short stories of both authors but unfortunately other things got in the way and I am stalled at the early novels.
I will try and participate in the 2024 program.

That sounds like a good idea to me!

>6 CDVicarage: Thanks Kerry - should be fun I hope! :D

>7 mrspenny: I am a bit too, but I will definitely try to join in when I can next year - there are some interesting authors!

>8 Sakerfalcon: Thanks! Hopefully there will be plenty for people to choose from and join in, even if it's not every month!

I forgot I'd suggested that, it looks like it will work well!

>12 LyzzyBee: It was a great suggestion, Liz! :D

Very on board with this! I've also had a hard time following through on participation -- not because I don't want to or don't have time, I just forget. Maybe if I set up reminders on my calendar.

I've read 7 of these authors and have failed to finish any books by Edith Wharton, Willa Cather, or Elizabeth von Arnim.

I'm on board too--I have books by 9 of the 12 on my shelf waiting to be read. Not all Virago editions, sadly.

Will try and join in too.

What a great idea! I've enjoyed reading most of these authors in the past and would like to read more.

I've been rereading a couple of books by Barbara Pym: Some Tame Gazelle which I just finished and Excellent Women which I have just begun and I'm enjoying more than the former.

I'm looking forward to reading Daphne Du Maurier in January. I have a lot of her books that I've picked up second hand including a Virago boxed set but have only read Rebecca, My Cousin Rachel and Jamaica Inn.