Caroline's reading in 2025 (chapter the second)

By Winifred Nicholson.

I'm trying to tempt Spring.

And some of my all time favourite writers



The poets:



Of course this barely scratches the surface.

****
I'm Caroline, and live in London (UK). I'm looking forward to retiring a bit early at the end of May, and crafting the life that extra time may offer. The aim is to avoid over commitment at the outset, but to introduce some new things, revisit some that slid off the side and continue with the things I already enjoy, with more time to do so.

I've failed miserably on my Shakespeare challenge last month and this (so far), maybe I'll get it under the wire this month.

Last years reads: https://www.librarything.com/topic/365327#8656174

Books Read in 2025

Fiction

The Western Wind (Samantha Harvey) (13/01/25) ***1/2
Tell Me Everything (Elizabeth Strout) (24/01/25) ****1/2
A Sabbatical in Leipzig (Adrian Duncan) (26/01/25) ****
Four Seasons in Japan (Nick Bradley) (30/01/25) ****
Hum (Helen Phillips) (03/02/25) ****
There are Rivers in the Sky (Elif Shafak) (10/02/25) ****1/2
The Artist (Lucy Steeds) (21/02/2025) *****
The Café With No Name (Robert Seethaler) (24/02/25) ****
Theory and Practice (Michelle de Kretser) (01/03/25) ****
My Friends (Hisham Matar) (30/03/25) ****1/2
On the Calculation of Volume (Vol 1) (Solvej Balle) (18/04/25) ****1/2
Audition (Katie Kitamura) (04/05/25) ***1/2
The New Dress (Virginia Woolf) (short stories) (16/05/25) *****
How to Read a Book (Monica Wood) (26/05/25) *****
Persuasion (Jane Austen) (03/06/25) ****
Practice (Rosalind Brown) (04/06/25) ****1/2
Giovanni's Room (James Baldwin) (06/06/25) (*) *****
The English Teacher (Lily King) (11/06/25) ****
The Strange Case of Jane O (Karen Thompson Walker) (14/06/25) ****
The Glassmaker (Tracy Chevalier) (19/06/25) ****
Marzahn, Mon Amour (Katja Oskamp) (20/06/25) ****
The Country Girls (Edna O'Brien) (*) (27/06/25) ****
When the Cranes Fly South (Lisa Ridzén) (01/07/25) ****
Non-Fiction>

The Abuse of Power (Theresa May) (05/01/25) ****1/2
A Flat Place (Noreen Masud) (20/01/25) *****
The Position of Spoons, and other Intimacies (Deborah Levy) (02/02/25) ****1/2
The Book You Want Everyone You Love* To Read:* And Maybe a Few You Don't (Philippa Perry) (17/02/25) *****
Great Britain? How we get our future back (Torsten Bell) (10/03/25) *****
Bookish: How Reading Shapes Our Lives (Lucy Mangan) (22/03/25) *****
The Return (Hisham Matar) (24/03/25) ****1/2
Agent Zo (Clare Mulley) (12/04/25) ****1/2
Maurice and Maralyn (Sophie Elmhirst) (19/04/2025) ****1/2
Jane Austen’s Bookshelf (Rebecca Romney) (28/04/25) ****1/2
Notes to John (Joan Didion) (06/05/25) *****
A Booklover's Companion (various/Illustrated) (12/11/25) ****
No Straight Road Takes You There (Rebecca Solnit) (24/05/25) *****
No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II (Doris Kearns Goodwin) (22/06/25) *****
Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder (Salman Rushdie) (24/06/25) ****1/2
James Baldwin: The Life Album (Magdalena J Zaborowska) (28/06/25) ****
The Butterfly Hours: Transforming Memories into Memoir (Patty Dann) (28/06/25) ****
Winifred Nicholson in Scotland (Alice Dewey) (30/06/25) *****

Poetry

An Arbitrary Light Bulb (Ian Duhig) (07/01/25) ****
Midden Witch (Fiona Benson) (11/06/25) ****1/2
Bright Travellers (Fiona Benson) (16/06/25) ****
Kathleen Raíne: Selected Poems (Kathleen Raíne) (01/07/25) ****

Shakespeare

As You Like It (07/01/25) ****

Rereads

Giovanni's Room (James Baldwin) *****
The Country Girls (Edna O'Brien) ****

DNF

The Death of the Heart (Elizabeth Bowen)

TOTAL READ: 48

Fiction: 22
Non-Fiction: 19
Poetry: 04
Shakespeare: 01
DNF: 01
Female: 30
Male: 11
Non-binary/trans:
Various: 01

UK: 22
UK/Libya/America: 03
UK/Turkish: 01
UK/US/Indian 01
US: 10
US/Dutch:
US/Japan 01
Canada:
UK/American:
UK/Palestinian
Sweden: 01
Israel:
Belgium:
Japan:
Syria:
NZ:
Malaysia:
France:
Ireland: 01
Morocco/France:
Dutch:
Trinidadian/UK:
Persia:
Australian/Sri Lanka: 01
Australian/Asian:
Austrian: 01
Danish: 01
Germany: 01

BOOKS ACQUIRED 2025

16 (2 were gifts)/16/24/12/24/21/02

****

I totally failed at exiting books last year, probably 20 went out, no one-in-one-out which happened in 2023. MUST DO BETTER in 2025, both much fewer acquired as well as one out for everyone in. It is exacerbated by the lack of ease at placing them, but I need to find new ways.

Acquired in previous years

2024 = 08/14/11/12/16/12/12/14/13/15/09 (1 gift)/11 (1 gift) = 142 (is there a pattern!)

2023 = 16/14/15/11/09/14/11/10/08/13/21(oops)/21 =142



BOOKS RELEASED: 2025

1 book out for everyone in: 39 (another 72 need to exit)

Plus others out

* (* weren't in my catalogue)

In 2023 520 books went out plus 1 out for every one in. I've been abysmal at updating my catalogue though.

18. Bookish (Lucy Mangan) (22/03/25) *****



Well I doubt there are many LTers who won't enjoy this book, read in two long sittings.

Writing about favourite reads from late teenhood to middle age, and about the experience of reading itself, it's like a warm hug. We share many favourites, and I pulled Anne Brontë's The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, which has long languished unread, from my selves to give it a go.

I amused myself at thinking that the chapter on 'bonkbusters' would have nothing for me, only to find in my late teens and twenties I had read a number of them (though thrown aside a number - looking at you Collins sisters, but not judging - after five pages of Jackie's The Stud I passed it on to my 'Nan', who could make a navey blush, who loved it and so I was sorted for her Christmas presents going forward).

Jacqueline Susann's The Valley of the Dolls provides an oft remembered sibling tale. My sister and I shared a small bedroom divided by my bookcase. She is 7 years younger than I. The family were on a train to the beach one day, she was about eight, and we shared the carriage with a couple of other people. My mother noticed the man sitting opposite my sister had a slight smirk on his faced, so she looked at my sister, who was deep into my copy of The Valley of the Dolls, so my mother said 'She probably thought it was about dolls' to the carriage at large, and my disgruntled sister said firmly 'I did not, I read the back and thought it would be interesting', she is yet to live the story down.

Lucy and I differ however on our bookish needs when grieving, she turns to the new, and I bury myself in my favourite reads, not simply because they offer no surprises, because that isn't so, but because of their tone, and the friends they offer. Some to be seen on the bottom shelf in >2 Caroline_McElwee: above.

I've got, but yet to read her Bookworm: A Childhood Memoir, as yet unread because there are only a handful of childhood books I have revisited as an adult, but I'll be rummaging in the tbr mountain to nudge it up.

And if you are curious about her lovely library, here it is. I can only dream. I may have not quite, but nearly as many books, but they live in chaos.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/nov/06/lucy-mangan-creating-my-lib...

Happy new thread, Caroline.

>1 Caroline_McElwee: I love those montages of writers and poets. Glad to see Heaney and Hughes there.

Happy new thread!

Happy new one, Caroline. Love those toppers. I don't recognize many (any?) of the poets but I do recognize some of the authors.

You hit me with a BB in >4 Caroline_McElwee:. And that link! I could live in a library like that! And that story about your sister is hilarious!

>5 PaulCranswick: Thanks Paul, I know I posted those a couple of years back, but nice to have them there again.

>6 figsfromthistle: Good to see you stop by Anita.

>7 jessibud2: Even I can't remember who the bottom left is now Shelley. i'll have to find my posting from a few years back where I'm pretty sure I listed them.

My sister rolls her eyes when that story rears its head, as with another story. The problem with being the youngest sibling, your older one's have memories!

Happy new one Caroline.

>4 Caroline_McElwee: Oh, I love that article about her library. How amazing. One of the things that surprised me about her book on reading as a child was how many books I had forgotten- but came right back as she discussed them!

I was nosy about the bottom left - Google image search says its Rainer Maria Rilke, does that sound righ?t

The story about your sister is hilarious, Caro. We have a couple of funny family stories about our younger daughter Juila, which we've learned not to retell in her presence.

>9 charl08: Yay, thanks Charlotte, it is RMR, a long time favourite.

>10 lauralkeet: Those stories are priceless Laura.

Happy new thread. Looking forward to following your reading further.
>4 Caroline_McElwee: hmm, tempting. It's dangerous around here

Ah happy new thread. All of what you read is so tempting! And a gorgeous topper!

>12 Helenliz: >13 ffortsa: Hi Helen and Judy, do love setting out a little temptation. At least it is calorie free...

Happy new thread, Caroline. Mangan's shelves are the same color as mine! Bookish sounds like one I would love.

>15 BLBera: You undoubtedly will Beth.

I've just started reading Bookish, courtesy of Islington Libraries. I loved Bookworm and bought copies for both my sisters.

>17 elkiedee: It won't be long before I pick up Bookworm me thinks Luci. I love finding a book I want to buy for everyone. I bought 5 copies of The Book You Want Everyone You Love* To Read:* And Maybe a Few You Don't (Philippa Perry) for friends and family after reading it.

19. The Return (Hisham Matar) (24/03/25) ****1/2



In 1990 when Hisham was 19, his father Jaballa Matar was disappeared. For a while he was known to be in a particular prison with other family members, but since there has been little news, although a possibility he was murdered during a prison massacre of 1,200 inmates in that prison in 1996. Jaballa was an active anti-Qaddafi revolutionary. This is the story of being the son of a disappeared person, a campaigner for his release, and now simply for evidence of whether or not he is still alive, and if not, how his death came to pass and where. It was many years before Hisham was able to visit Libya. Some of the previously imprisoned family have been released.

Hisham Matar mostly lives between London and the US.

A very different volume from A Month in Siena, where an outline of the story also appeared.

Happy new thread, Caroline!

>20 drneutron: Thanks Jim.

>18 Caroline_McElwee: Looking at that picture I am so envious! I gave that one five stars too!

Happy new thread!!

>4 Caroline_McElwee: If that one is a 5-star read for you, I really must find a copy! Thanks for the recommendation, Caroline.

>19 Caroline_McElwee: I have Matar's My Friends in the BlackHole already. Looks like I need to add that one as well!

Happy new thread, Caroline!

>22 SandDune: Her library is just perfect Rhian.

>23 Berly: Thanks Beth.

>24 alcottacre: I started My Friends last night Stasia and enjoying it very much. This is my third Matar this year so far, and I have another in the tbr mountain.

2025 Women's Prize Shortlist for Non-Fiction

A Thousand Threads (Neneh Cherry)
Agent Zo: The Untold Story of Courageous WW2 Resistance Fighter Elzbieta Zawacka (Clare Mulley)
Private Revolutions: Coming of Age in a New China (Yuan Yang)
What the Wild Sea Can Be: The Future of the World's Ocean (Helen Scales)
Raising Hare (Chloe Dalton)
The Story of a Heart (Rachel Clarke)

The ones in bold already winging their way to me (I suspect the others will follow, but I've bought far too many books this month). I liked the first Non-Fiction list, last year (several acquired and some still to be read).

Caroline, have you seen or hard about the new book on Baldwin? I just saw this on LitHub:

https://books.google.ca/books?id=6xBEEQAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source...

>26 Caroline_McElwee: I haven't Shelley, thanks for the heads up. I see due here at the end of May.

I also discovered James Baldwin: A Voice for Justice and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own (Iman Harris), which I've just lobed into my basket too! (No touchstone yet, title looks wonky but thats what the cover says).

>25 Caroline_McElwee: And that's why Beth BLBera and I call each other twins. I'm Berly as in Kim. : ) Happy reading!

>26 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks for the list -- What the Wild Sea Can Be: The Future of the World's Ocean (Helen Scales) sounds worth reading. Hope we haven't totally screwed it up already!

>29 Berly: Oops Kim. Lovely to see u peak round the door.

Touchstone for the Iman Harris book here: James Baldwin: A Voice for Justice and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own - I should probably read some of my TBR by/about JB before investigating further....

>31 elkiedee: Thanks Luci, don't know why it wasn't offering a list for me.

Just rewatched 'Fiddler on the Roof' for the first time in many years (3 hours!). Topol had such a great voice. Brings Ukraine/Russia war to mind tho, Perchik (Paul Michael Glaser's character) coming from Kyiv.

>4 Caroline_McElwee: In a nice instance of serendipity, I went into my local Waterstones on Saturday looking for something else, and saw that Lucy Mangan would be signing her new book that afternoon. I decided it was meant to be, so did my shopping, had a bite of lunch, and came back in time to buy the book and get it signed. We had a little chat - I said how envious I was of her book room, and she said "I still can't believe it!" Whenever I read her work I feel like she's a kindred spirit, but I managed not to make a total fool of myself by saying so ...

>34 Sakerfalcon: I met her at book conference several years ago (several - it was about 15 years ago, how can it be that long?) and have followed her writing ever since and I think you're right about the kindred spirit.

>34 Sakerfalcon: >35 CDVicarage: I do love serendipity Claire, Kerry. What a treat.

Funny, she mentions Fried Green Tomato's at the Whistle Stop Cafe which I read and loved so many years ago, so I pulled it from the shelf to reread soon, and found that Fanny Flagg had signed it. I know I never heard her read, but it was probably left over from an earlier event as often happens.

>34 Sakerfalcon: How lovely! We don't ever have any well-known authors at our Waterstones!

20. My Friends (Hisham Matar) (30/03/25) ****1/2



My third Hisham book this year, first novel, and a fine one it is. I've always had a soft spot for novels about friendship. This is certainly one of those.

Khalid comes to the UK to study English literature in Edinburgh. He and a friend visit London and decide to join a protest outside the Libyan Embassy. Things take an unexpected turn that change their lives forever.

Well rounded characters, and always interesting to see one's city through the eyes of others.

>26 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks for posting the shortlist, Caroline. I had not yet seen it. I am actively looking for the books on the longlist too :)

>38 Caroline_McElwee: I just received a copy of that one this week along with the other Matar book you mentioned recently. I hope to get to them both soon-ish.

Have a wonderful weekend, Caroline!

>39 alcottacre: I am currently half way through Agent Zo which is fascinating Stasia.

>40 Caroline_McElwee: Yes, such a great read!

I'm reading The Story of a Heart now, also brilliant NF. Such clear writing about such a complex subject.

Happy Saturday, Caroline. Still slowly making the rounds after our epic trip. I am really enjoying There Are Rivers in the Sky. She is such a good writer. I just watched No Other Land. It won best documentary and it was excellent. Also completely heart-breaking. I hope you can track it down. It has had a hard time finding a distributor, which is very sad.

>38 Caroline_McElwee: I must get to that one soon. I have read both The Return and In the Country of Men and really rate him as an author. I don't think it impossible that My Friends will win the Pulitzer.

>41 charl08: I'm enjoying Zo a lot Charlotte, and The Story of a Heart will be consumed soon. I think this new prize is going to be a favourite.

>42 msf59: Good to see another Shafak fan Mark. Thanks for the docu recommendation, I have found it on a platform I subscribe to.

>43 PaulCranswick: I don't think you will be disappointed in My Friends Paul. I have his other two novels in the pile, and am going to see an 'In Conversation...' with him in mid May.

>44 Caroline_McElwee: For some reason the print in my version is oversized which I adore too, Caroline!

>45 PaulCranswick: Yes, not so much oversized, as the font size that used to be common Paul, which made reading easier. So many books are now in .9 rather than the .11/12 that they used to be.

>46 Caroline_McElwee: Well it makes books much more attractive to me these day, Caroline, and that is for sure.

Not so many blooms out at Chelsea Phys, but it was a glorious Spring Day for our first visit of the year.




We were clearly on the territory of this crow, who kept us company.


Buttercup family I think, at the edge and on the pond by our favourite bench.

Lovely! It's freezing here again and perhaps even some snow overnight but it won't last. So why bother, I ask the weather gods? Just leave and let spring in!

>40 Caroline_McElwee: Nice! That is one that particularly piqued my interest.

>48 Caroline_McElwee: Beautiful!

Beautiful flowers, Caroline. Thanks for sharing. I have been getting those supermarket bunches of daffodils. So cheering: I am on my third lot!

>49 jessibud2: That made me smile Shelley.

>50 alcottacre: Thanks Stasia.

>51 charl08: Daffodils and tulips are a real lift at this time of year Charlotte.

I do so love blossom time, and it even lights up the urban jungle I live in on the edge of London.

Hair appointment day, which is an excuse for a little book therapy too:



A loafing day tomorrow, brunch with a friend at a local café on Sunday, her birthday, then on Monday to see 'Goya to the Impressionists' at the Courtauld Gallery with my cousin.

>38 Caroline_McElwee: I really have to see if my library has anything by this author. Sounds like just the perfect read.

Hi Caroline!

Wow, you’re really into the blooming season now, and how gorgeous everything looks!
We’ve only just started to see the first spring flowers blooming here (blue anemones, coltsfoots and scillas) and it makes me feel just as giddy as every year.

I’m super jealous of your planned visit to the Goya-Impressionists exhibition.

>54 figsfromthistle: I'm sure you will enjoy it Anita.

>55 PawsforThought: It is so long since I was able to get anemones here Paws, I miss them. The first bursts of spring are so uplifting.

Lovely visit to the Courtauld with my cousin today. Their exhibitions are small, but what treasures. From the Oskar Reinhart Collection, first time out of Switzerland. Here is just a taster:



Top: Cezanne/Monet/Courbet. Bottom: Picasso/Toulouse-Lautrec/ Van Gogh.


Van Gogh


Courbet (shocking in its time).

And one not part of the exhibition but in the main collection.


David Bomberg, Zahara.

Lovely, all of them. Thanks for the images.

>57 Caroline_McElwee: Wow - I don't ever remember seeing those Van Goghs.

Your photos make me happy, Caroline. Thanks.

>57 Caroline_McElwee: Beautiful pictures Caroline. It always feels special when the pictures aren't usually allowed to travel.

Was there time to linger or was it very busy?

>58 ffortsa: Pleasure Judy.

>59 m.belljackson: Marianne I had seen them in the recent VVG exhibition for the first time, as they were here they were allowed to appear twice.

>60 BLBera: Glad you enjoyed them Beth.

>61 charl08: Although it was quite busy Charlotte, there was time to savour. The Courtauld control the numbers as their main exhibition space is just two rooms. We went round several times. There wasn't a dud.

I'm enjoying reading about the Swiss collector now. We have the loan as they are renovating the gallery they live in, I'm tempted to visit it next year when complete to see what else they have.

I saw in today's edition of The Philadelphia Inquirer that a local artist, Mickalene Thomas, who was chosen as one of Time Magazine's Most Influential People of 2025, is having her work displayed at the Heyward Gallery from now until May 5th. According to the gallery's website, "Mickalene Thomas’ vibrant, large-scale portraits of Black women at rest reclaim space and representation in art history, celebrating love and radical repose." If you see it please let me know what you think; I'll plan to see it when it comes to the Philadelphia Museum of Art later this year.

https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/mickalene-thomas-all-about-love/

>63 kidzdoc: Not sure I will have time to get there Darryl, but thanks for the link. She is a new to me artist and like her vibrant work. Thanks for posting.

>53 Caroline_McElwee: Book therapy is always good!

>57 Caroline_McElwee: 'Treasures' is an understatement! Thank you for sharing the beautiful works of art with us, Caroline.

I hope you are having a wonderful Wednesday!

21. Agent Zo (Clare Mulley) (12/04/25) ****1/2



The story of WW2 Polish Resistance Fighter Elzbieta Zawacka, Zo. The first woman to be parachuted into Poland from a British plane.

Her determination not only to work for her country in these dangerous times, but to see that the war work of women was recognised and valued, the latter took longer than the former, and continued on into her old age. A valuable seat edge volume, about many women who risked their lives on a daily basis.

Shortlisted for the Women's Non-Fiction Prize 2025 (second year of prize), I have 4 of the shortlist.

>65 alcottacre: Glad you enjoyed the paintings Stasia.

22. On the Calculation of Volume (Vol 1) (Solvej Balle) (18/04/25) ****1/2



Tara and Thomas Selter are booksellers. Tara goes to Paris in search of books for their clients, and finds herself caught in a time-slip, stuck in the 18 November, seemingly never to get to the 19th. Although the repeating 18ths seem sometimes to tolerate differences, many things revert back to their original places sometime before Tara wakes again in the new 18th. She returns home to Thomas, who is surprised by her early return, and tries to make him understand what is happening to her, but each morning he, in progressive time, forgets what she has told him, and she has to begin again.

If not an original concept, well written and thoughtful, if, not unexpectedly, relentless. This is the first of 5 volumes. I'll take a break before picking up vol 2 (vols 3&4 will be published in English in November.

Shortlisted for the International Booker Prize.

Went to see 'Mr Burton' the story of Philip Burton, the man without whom Elizabeth Taylor said there would have been no Richard Burton. PB was young Richard Jenkins' mentor, and you can see the growth in the latter as the film progresses. Wonderful performances from Toby Jones and Harry Lawtry.

>66 Caroline_McElwee: Ooh, what a fascinating woman she seems to have been. I was in Poland last summer and there were quite a few women’s achievements highlighted in the museums related to WW2, though I don’t remember reading about Elzbieta Zawacka.

>70 PawsforThought: Good for you re the holiday Anita.

The Zo book was fascinating.

23. Maurice and Maralyn (Sophie Elmhirst) (19/04/2025) ****1/2



A fascinating survival story of a couple, Maurice and Maralyn Bailey, whose boat is sunk by a whale, and their 118 day survival in a raft before rescue. An eccentric duo. A page turner.

Beautiful artwork and spring foliage and I am intrigued by Agent Zo and Maurice and Maralyn! have a great week. : )

>73 Berly: I think you would find both books interesting Beth.

24. Jane Austen's Bookshelf (Rebecca Romney) (28/04/25) ****1/2

Lucky you having a copy of the Dale Spender. It is on my wishlist!

>76 charl08: As with many women my age, I mostly worked with men, at that time at a Polytechnic, of my team of 32 I was one of three full time and two part time women. One of the full-timers was quite a bit older and a feminist, hence the book gift. I was lucky in having some strong, independent women in my life, they definitely shaped me.

What a lot of great reading you've been doing, Caroline. Agent Zo sounds like one I would like. But On the Calculation of Volume, Jane Austen's Bookshelf also sound good. I do love books about books.

Also Maurice and Maralyn. Luckily except for the later, they were already on my WL. :)

>78 BLBera: It has been a good reading year so far Beth.

I went with my bro to the V&A to see The Great Mughals: Art, Architecture and Opulence exhibition. Exquisite artefacts:




The beautiful cafe. The first museum cafe in the UK I think.


The inner courtyard.

This is one of my favourite places, but I haven't been here for a while as there are more steps in transit than I can manage now, but that will change, as I found a step-free route today, yay.

>72 Caroline_McElwee: Oh this really looks like a great read! On my list it goes.

>80 Caroline_McElwee: Quite stunning. Glad you were able to find a more manageable route to get you there!

Hi Caroline. I'm glad you are getting some spring weather at last!

I had not heard of Maurice and Maralyn but I'm putting it on my wish list. I can tell I'm going to be buying a few books next time I go to my local bookshop. I really must wait until after the move!

>82 EBT1002: Well a new residence needs christening with a few new books Ellen, no matter how many you have.

>80 Caroline_McElwee: Beautiful images Caroline. So great that you found a route that works for you (and hopefully others too, if it's because of new accessibility improvements?)

>84 charl08: It was just finding another route Charlotte, rather than the one I used for years when I was fitter (which had more stairs). I now have to research the accessibility in tube stations more. Older stations often don't have escalators or lifts unless very deep. I'm adjusting, so I can continue enjoying favourite places.

25. Audition (Katie Kitamura) (04/04/25) ***1/2

Hi, Caroline. You got me with Maurice and Maralyn. Onto the obese TBR it goes.

>87 msf59: I think you will enjoy that Mark.

Finally caught up with the Bob Dylan biopic which I thought good (Disney+).

Came to Dylan in mid teens I guess. Nothing of his on Vinyl tho. I do have Johnny Cash on vinyl, and saw Joan Baez at the Festival Hall abt 12 years ago.

26. Notes to John (Joan Didion) (06/05/25) *****

>90 Caroline_McElwee: Fascinating review Caroline. That sounds like a heartbreaking situation for the whole family.

I haven't watched many films lately, but being away gave me the chance to watch I'm still here, the Brazillian Oscar winner. Amazing performance by the lead actor. Another bit of world history that was all but new to me.

>91 charl08: Putting that film on my list Charlotte. Thanks.

... we must keep democracy and must make it mean a reality to more people... we should constantly be reminded of what we owe in return for what we have (Eleanor Roosevelt). Acceptance speech after being honoured by 'The Nation'. No Ordinary Time p19.

Lovely picture of the V&A Caroline. I haven't been there for years. When Jacob was younger we spent so much time in the Natural History Museum, (he was obsessed with dinosaurs for quite a long period of time) that I got out of the habit of going to the V&A.

>94 SandDune: Something to add to your list when you next come to London Rhian. I will definitely be visiting more when I retire.

>80 Caroline_McElwee: Lovely photos, Caroline. I love the cafe ceiling!

27. A Booklover's Companion (various/Illustrated) (12/11/25) ****



Woman Reading by Pieter Janssens Elinga
Long a favourite.

>96 BLBera: It is stunning Beth.

Short Oxford trip (Weds/Thurs)



My visit was to see the Early Anselm (Kiefer) exhibition, I have long been a fan, even getting my dad into his work, he came to several exhibitions with me over the years. Of course Kiefer's more monumental work can't travel from his studio's in France. We will be lucky to have another exhibition at the Royal Academy at the end of June, with some VVG work, an artist he has long been inspired by.



As you can see, yesterday was a glorious day. Shame a fall put pay to much time at the botanic garden (knee/elbow and wrist ouched).



I read about the conversion of the old Oxford store Boswells into a luxury hotel, a couple of years ago, and promised myself a treat (before I had an early retirement to celebrate).

Here's a bit about its history.

https://thestoreoxford.com/a-store-through-time/

It is certainly the first time I've spent so much on a night's accommodation, but I'm worth it, as one cosmetic ad says!

I arrived and left my bag, before heading to the Ashmolean for the exhibition. My bag awaited me in my room, and I discovered they had gifted me an upgrade.

Dinner in their restaurant was very nice: spinach and gruyere cigar with smoked figs/fish & chips with spiced peas/rhubarb compot with Greek yogurt and crumble (cold), all delicious, with a glass of French organic Rosé.

I loved the unusual touch of finding a portable record player and a Jazz Diva's vinyl album in the room, which I enjoyed on my return from dinner. It is so long since I heard anything on vinyl.

So cronky knee aside, a very pleasant treat.

Oh dear, hope the fall is nothing worse than bruises. Still no fun but still. The exhibition sounds wonderful and so does your treat to yourself! I LOVE the record player and vinyl record. What a creative bit of fun! And yes, you deserve it!

>100 jessibud2: Thanks Shelley. I enjoyed myself despite the knee, elbow, wrist. Hopefully after a quiet day tomorrow they will have improved.

>99 Caroline_McElwee: Nice coincidence - the book I'm reading, AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 Pots, features All 80 from the Ashmolean collection!

>102 m.belljackson: The Ashmolean is stuffed with exquisite pots Marianne, it's one of the reasons I love it, along with its great exhibitions.


Some Chinese pots.

28. The New Dress (Virginia Woolf) (short stories) (16/05/25) *****

>103 Caroline_McElwee: Thank you for the pottery photo from China.

China has not come up so far in Around the World in 80 Pots - yet, there's a Camel peeking up!

>105 m.belljackson: You might like potter Edmund de Waal's The White Road: A Pilgrimage of Sorts about the history of Chinese pottery Marianne. I was lucky enough to hear him speak about the book several years ago at the V&A, and he passed around shards of ancient pottery (much to the panic of the staff!).

>106 Caroline_McElwee: De Waal sounds like a very intriguing potter and man!

>99 Caroline_McElwee: Oh, you trip looks wonderful! I’m considering a trip to Oxford this summer - I haven’t fully decided yet but it’s been ages since I was in the UK and I’ve never been to Oxford before. Obviously lots of literary and scholarly things to see and do, but as evidenced by your post, other great things to (art! plants!) If you have any tips, I’m all ears!

>108 PawsforThought: I'll have a think and post you some possibilities in a few days Paws.

Hi Caroline. I am over for a very pleasant visit of news, books, photos, book covers , flowers, book ideas and more. That is fabulous news that you will be retiring soon. I know you will love it! I recently read The Story of a Heart and I loved it and it so impressed me!

>99 Caroline_McElwee: This sounds wonderful (apart from the knee). I always got distracted by all the different branches of Blackwells when I visited.

Hope your knee is feeling better.

Happy Friday, Caroline. I hope you give yourself a refresher course on Bob Dyan. All those 60s albums are worth listening to, including Highway 61 & Blonde on Blonde. But Blood on the Tracks from 1975 might be favorite of his stellar work. I really enjoyed the bio-pic.

>97 Caroline_McElwee: That painting is gorgeous.

>99 Caroline_McElwee: Love all the Oxford photos.

Good morning/afternoon, Caroline. You probably saw that Darryl and Claire just got to see each other in Philadelphia. Oh, I miss those days when we’d all gather in London.

I hope you’re doing well. Your end of May retirement is nearly upon us, yes? I can certainly recommend retirement. I love it.

>110 mdoris: Thanks Mary. I had a 'gap year' off work in 2014, so I absolutely know I will have no problem filling time.

>111 charl08: Didn't do Blackwells this time, its been dangerous in the past Charlotte. I bought two Anselm books including the catalogue, plus Maggie Nelson's latest, which I hadn't heard was out.

>112 msf59: There is an exhibition of some of Dylan's paintings here which I will go and see next month Mark.

Oxford is a favourite place.

>113 jnwelch: I too miss the LT get togethers Joe, glad some are still happening.

I am soooo looking forward to my slightly early retirement. 3.75 working days left, not that I'm counting you understand.

29. No Straight Road Takes You There (Rebecca Solnit) (24/05/25) *****

Just thumbed your review and put the book on hold at the library. It sounds very good!

>116 mdoris: Sure you will love it Mary.

Fascinating to learn Freddie Mercury had a daughter, had a loving relationship with her while he was alive, and managed to keep it out of the media!

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/may/23/freddie-mercury-had-secret-daughte...

30. How To Read a Book (Monica Wood) (26/05/25) ****

I am officially no longer an employee as of 3pm today, yay.

Huge congrats! Welcome to the club of formally employed. Prepare to be busier than expected!

>120 Caroline_McElwee: Congratulations, Caroline, I have found retirement to be very pleasant! I was made redundant about eight years before my official retirement age and I was furious, but within a fortnight I wouldn't have taken back my job (which I had enjoyed) if it had been offered.

>122 CDVicarage: That's exactly how I felt about my early "retirement", Kerry. It hurt to be shown the door before I thought I was ready, but I got over it in a flash.

>120 Caroline_McElwee: Oh, that's lovely. I hope you have great adventures and peaceful days, and of course lots of books.

>121 jessibud2: Yup, everyone says the same. I have promised myself not to over commit in the first year-18 months Shelley, but there will be lots of gallery visits and reading.

>122 CDVicarage: >123 laytonwoman3rd: I am glad that was the case Kerry and Linda.

>124 ffortsa: Thanks Judy. I plan to revel.

I enjoyed this slow, observational movie of Rayner Winn's memoir of the same name. Perfectly pitched performances from Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs (certainly puts my cranky mobility in perspective).

The film manages to show how the wondrous landscape can't always be appreciated in extremis, and then there are moments of joy and revelation within it. I thought it did the book justice, and it is wonderful to know Moth is still going a decade later. I read the two subsequent volumes, good, but not as good as the first, hard to avoid too much repetition.

Congratulations, Caroline!

>126 Caroline_McElwee: - Oh, is this a new film? I own the first 2 books but have not yet read them. It is good to know the film does justice to the books, rare enough indeed.

Hallelujah!

Happy Weekend, Caroline. I will take credit for How to Read a Book. I sure warbled about that one. LOL.

I want to see The Salt Path. Sounds like a winner.

Congrats and best wishes Caroline. You are going to love it!

>127 kidzdoc: Thanks Darryl. I am definitely ready for it after 47.5 years as a full time employee.

>128 jessibud2: I hope you enjoy the movie when you see it Shelley.

>129 tiffin: That's gorgeous Tui. Thank you.

>130 msf59: It may well have been you Mark, it's great to see it so well received, and I know I will reread it.

Enjoy the movie when you get to it.

>131 mdoris: Thanks Mary. I'm taking it slow, but have a couple of lunches and gallery dates in the diary for June. And I'm so glad my local cinema reopened last year.

I was way behind in your posts, Caroline, but goodness - so much to take in and enjoy in catching up. You've read some belters recently, and I've thoroughly enjoyed your artistic jaunts.

How good did day 1 of retirement feel? I'm getting so weary of work and long for the day I can say goodbye to it for good (or at least move it to being more on my terms).

On Joan Didion, have you got Netflix? I watched a very interesting documentary on it about her just last week. It was by her nephew and featured lots of interviews with her back in 2017 plus lots of snippets from interview oldies. Such an interesting brain that woman had. Anyway, if you've not seen it I think you'd enjoy it. It's called 'The Center Will Not Hold' (such a JD title).

>99 Caroline_McElwee: Your trip sounds wonderful, Caroline.

Congratulations on retirement. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

The Woolf stories sound great; I don't think I've read any short stories by her. I love the idea of saving work.

I also enjoy Solnit's essays.

Congratulations on your retirement.

>133 AlisonY: I think I might have seen that documentary Alison, but I will double check.

Yes, definitely ready to wave goodbye to being an employee, though suspect for a few weeks it will just feel like leave.

>134 BLBera: VW didn't write a lot of short stories Beth, but she certainly wrote a few good ones.

I don't doubt I will very much enjoy retirement.

>135 elkiedee: Thank you Luci.

47 years Caroline? Wow. You must have seen some changes. Congratulations on your freedom.

Hope you are having fun planning the cultural visits. Will there be any new gardens on your schedule? Lovely time of year to have a bit of free time.

Congratulations on your retirement, Caroline! I hope you enjoy it!!

>137 charl08: I have indeed seen much change in the working environment Charlotte, not least of which going from working with mostly men, and very few people of colour. None of the latter in my first two jobs. I went to a very diverse school, and wondered where all my colourful friends had disappeared to!

Then of course the technology!

Not over planning at the moment but I'm sure there will be some new gardens too.

>138 alcottacre: Thanks Stasia. I suspect it will feel a bit like I'm on annual leave initially, before the realisation kicks in.

The day started off with being felled in the middle of the road by a tall teenager running after his friend. Fortunately, again, kind passers by got me off the floor, and amazingly no damage done. I have literally only just recovered from the fall caused by a pothole in Oxford nearly three weeks ago - the knee is still tender when massaged, but the tendons/ligaments have recovered well.

However:



It was glorious at Chelsea Phys today. The little robin kept coming back to us, it was small, so we think one of the first brood of the year. Cake was consumed (sugar for shock).

Love the poppies in with the daisies. And the yellow roses, and the wee robin. Hope all this beauty soothed the shocked spirits. And the cake, of course.

>141 tiffin: It did indeed Tui. That little Robin amused us greatly with its attention too.

>140 Caroline_McElwee: Hi Caroline. What a riot of colour, so beautiful! And oh dear to being felled by a distracted teenager. Very glad you are okay!

>143 mdoris: Once over the shock of impact and landing I was ok Mary. Very grateful it hadn’t undone the recovery of the earlier fall.

Chelsea Physic garden is a tiny oasis in the centre of London, and I shall enjoy going there more often going forward. I currently meet an old friend there once a month March to October for our regular catchup.

31. Persuasion (Jane Austen) (03/06/25) ****

Your thread is so dangerous. Adding The New Dress: Virginia Woolf and No Straight Road Takes You There to the bookshop list.

A garden, what a wonderful place to catch up with a friend!

>146 EBT1002: You won’t be disappointed in either Ellen.

>147 mdoris: It is the perfect oasis in a manic city Mary.

>140 Caroline_McElwee: what wonderful and cheerful photos! Thanks for sharing they made me smile 😊

>149 figsfromthistle: Glad you enjoyed them Anita.

>140 Caroline_McElwee: Lovely flowers. Is that a European Robin? Looks like our eastern bluebird. Nice.

>151 msf59: It is a European robin Mark. I was surprised how different the US ones are when I saw a photo a few years back.

>152 Caroline_McElwee:: Your wee robin is a member of the flycatcher family, while our bigger North American chaps are members of the thrush family.

>153 tiffin: Thanks Tui, hadn't realised that.

32. Practice (Rosalind Brown) (04/06/25) ****1/2

Congratulations on your retirement, Caroline! It is well earned and I hope you have the time and energy to do lovely things. I have a few days leave to use by the end of July - perhaps we can meet up?

>99 Caroline_McElwee: I love your Oxford photos! The hotel sounds wonderful, I'm glad you were able to treat yourself.

>156 Sakerfalcon: It would be lovely to meet up Claire. At the moment I don't have a lot in July, aside from the odd Monday (as that was my non-working day it got filled first). Message me with a date and we can decide what we want to do.

It doesn't happen often (but as I don't read film reviews it happens occasionally), Wes Anderson's 'The Phoenician Scheme' meh. Give it a miss. Barely a titter (maybe 20 of us in cinema).

33. Giovanni's Room (James Baldwin) (06/06/25) *****





Illustrations by Lela Harris.

Her website: https://lelaharris.co.uk/

How lucky you were to be introduced to such a talent so early, Caroline.

>160 laytonwoman3rd: I was very lucky in that English teacher Linda, I suspect I would be a very different reader without her. Miss Knight, my thanks.

I first read James Baldwin at 14, but it was a sort of lucky mistake. I borrowed a hardback copy of Another Country from the library, with no dustjacket or information about what it was about. I think I thought it was something to do with a recent film featuring Rupert Everett (which I still haven't watched....). I suspect some of it went over my head - I had a very advanced reading age and could understand words but the content of a lot of books I read was entirely beyond my experience.... but I really loved it.

>162 elkiedee: I remember the play/film Luci. It had a young Colin Firth in too.

I was lucky that our local librarian would simply say ‘do you realise that is an adult book?’ and when you nodded the affirmative, she stamped it and handed it to you. I think there are more restrictions now. A few years back a 10 year old was prevented from taking a book about dragons out as he was too young. I discretely suggested he asked an older sibling to take it out. Honestly!

>163 Caroline_McElwee: I don't think Leeds City Libraries ever said anything, and of course this was before self service machines. My middle school had a 15 minute slot in all years where we were to read a book quietly, but it could be any book. A girl brought in 2 books by Jackie Collins and Harold Robbins off her parents' bookshelves which circulated around the class. Sadly I didn't get to read Chances by Jackie Collins. I was lent the Harold Robbins book about a man who builds up a very successful pornography business. I was 12. I had to borrow Chances and Lucky from the library. And Lace by Shirley Conran. I was never asked whether I should be borrowing such things.

One of my favourite Jane Gardam novels, A Long Way from Verona is about a girl who is working her way through the classics in a library, and reading Thomas Hardy. She's just got to the grimmest point in Jude the Obscure (and I think perhaps I would hesitate to recommend this novel to a 12 or 14 year old, though I went to see the film of Tess with my mum at 13 and read the book later) when she's found reading it and the librarian takes it off her and she's banned from reading books from the adult section of the library. A Long Way From Verona was published as a Puffin Book and described in the obituaries etc as a kids' book, but I just think it's a book about a character who happens to be very young.

>140 Caroline_McElwee: Gorgeous pictures. Rotten teenager.

>159 Caroline_McElwee: What a beautiful case for the Baldwin! It takes my breath away.

Wow. I slipped over the the Folio Society to see about limited editions. I have a set of such editions from "The Limited Editions Club", now defunct. But I can't quite justify the costs for those from the Folio Society. Maybe if I deaccession enough of the less necessary books, I'll treat myself to one. Are they illustrated in the text as well?

>165 ffortsa: I agree re the Baldwin case Judy. It is also a perfect size in the hand. Some of their books now can be unwealdy.

I have over 300 FS books, they were always expensive but not as much as now, it used to be a members bookclub, and some of the cost was covered from a kind of trust, and you got almost as many free as you paid for each year. It's aim was to put quality books in the hands of ordinary people back then. You were also able to pay in instalments when I was younger. It became a more commercial enterprise about 8 years ago. This is only the second volume I have bought since then. They are publishing a lot of stuff I have no interest in now.

Yes, generally there are 5+ illustrations in the text, and they run an annual competition to find a new illustrator for one of the following years books.

There is a Folio Society group on LT.

>165 ffortsa: The Folio Society has been my husband's "go-to" for my Christmas presents for several years now. There is always consultation over which titles I might like to own, but one of their books makes a lovely special gift, and there is usually something on offer that tickles me. Among my favorites are the works of Charles van Sandwyck; whimsical and beautiful, they are ALL about the illustrations. I think they often sell out, as they are not only special editions, but some are exclusive to FS.

>165 ffortsa: Costly yes; >167 laytonwoman3rd: Worth it? Probably.

Hope you have had a lovely weekend, Caroline.

>164 elkiedee: Oops sorry read and forgot to return to Luci. I don't think I would stop any child from reading what they wanted to read, unless there was extreme violence in it. Reading ahead of ones age is good growth.

>158 Caroline_McElwee: My colleague, who sees a lot of films and largely likes them all, couldn't stand The Phoenician Scheme either. I thought, it must be bad if she doesn't like it! I will avoid.

>159 Caroline_McElwee: What a great teacher you had. Luckily I was already a voracious reader before studying literature properly, because I found most of our selections pretty uninspiring. Watership Down and Twelfth Night were the only books I can remember liking from my 5 years of secondary school English.

>170 Sakerfalcon: I will definitely be checking the reviews b4 the next Wes Anderson movie Claire.

I don't remember any of the books from school beyond the title of one: 'Sixteen'. As an early reader, was not enamoured of much that was on offer by the time I went to school. And my mature degree wasn't literature.

Managed to get the Munch portraits in under the wire.



My fave is top left.

I never understood why anyone would want to stop a child from reading a book, no matter what it was about. As far as I know, no library system in my vicinity (and I’ve worked at to so know for certain about those) has any restrictions about which books children can borrow. The wonderful thing about books (unlike TV and movies, etc.) is that we form our of idea of the things described, and we never create anything we can’t handle. My parents let me read whatever I pleased, which for a while was almost exclusively Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley Twins and the Famous Five. And then I picked out things from their bookshelves that I thought sounded interesting - which is how I ended up reading The World According to Garp at age 12.
I was also another one who thought most of the books we read at school (kids books and YA), or got to pick from, were uninteresting. I had switched to “grown up books” almost entirely by age 13.

Hi, Caroline.

Congrats on retirement! I used to daydream of taking my usual train to work, getting out at my usual stop, walking to my office building . . . Then walking right past it and going to a restaurant I like for breakfast.

Did I ever do it? No, but the daydream was awfully satisfying.

As you know, I’m a connoisseur of retirement - my favorite part of life so far. Hope you enjoy it.

I had a great time with How to Read a Book, too. Those three main characters - I loved the story weaving. The Spoon River Anthology discussion was so enticing, I had to dip back into it. It really is an amazing piece of work.

Persuasion has become my favorite Austen to re-read. For some reason , it feels like the most subtle of her novels, and it beckons me back in to appreciate the subtleties.

Hmmm, a reread of Giovanni's Room sounds appealing. It has been a long while.

>172 Caroline_McElwee: What a treat to see those!!

>173 PawsforThought: I hope kids who get resistance, resist Anita.

>174 jnwelch: Your daydream made me smile Joe. The universe is a joker I found yesterday. I met a friend for lunch, and on the way to the tube home, the bus went on diversion .... right past my old office!

I'm planning on retirement offering up some of the best bits too Joe.

>175 EBT1002: Glad you enjoyed the Munch Ellen. Oh yes, definitely reread Giovanni. I still have 2 late novels by Baldwin I haven't read yet, something to look forward to.

I would like to reread more Baldwin. Love the Munch artwork. I saw an exhibit of his work at the Chicago Art Institute years ago. Wonderful.

>177 msf59: Rereading Baldwin is never an indulgence Mark.

34. Ripeness (Sarah Moss) (10/06/25) ****1/2

>179 Caroline_McElwee: I think yours is the first review of Ripeness that I've seen, Caro. Looks like another good one from Sarah Moss.

>180 lauralkeet: While having some elements of her previous, shorter novels Laura, this one is a progression away from those tightly formed works. A slightly looser narrative I would say.

35. Midden Witch (Fiona Benson) (11/06/25) ****1/2



bellarmine an anthropomorphised stoneware jug, often used as a vessel for potions to deter witches, and buried at boundary lines etc.

Ooh, a new novel by Sarah Moss? That's great news, especially since you liked Ripeness. According to Amazon it will be released in the US on September 9.

I also need to read My Good Bright Wolf. I looked for it when Claire and I went to a bookshop local to me last month but it wasn't available there.

>183 kidzdoc: I liked it a lot Darryl.

I need to get back to her memoir (first one), which I got distracted from a few years back.

>183 kidzdoc: Thanks for sharing the release date, Darryl. For some reason I thought it was out already and was surprised my library didn't have it. I need to read the memoir, too.

>179 Caroline_McElwee: I'm really looking forward to Ripeness but I will wait until I've read My good bright wolf first.

>186 Sakerfalcon: Will look forward to your thoughts on the latter Claire.

>185 lauralkeet: You're welcome, Laura.

36. The English Teacher (Lily King) (12/06/25) ****

A other fine novel from Lily King.

I am so looking forward to the new Moss novel. It is released here in the fall, I think. The Benson poetry also sounds wonderful. What great reading you've been doing.

>172 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks for posting the artwork, Caroline. Your favorite is mine as well.

>182 Caroline_McElwee:: Wow, that looks like a good one! On to the wish list it goes.

>191 ffortsa: Glad you liked it Judy. We are so familiar with 'The Scream' it was good to see some of his lesser known work.

>192 tiffin: I think that one would work for you Tui.

>179 Caroline_McElwee: Is this a new novel by Sarah Moss??? How did I not know about this? (Not really asking you that, just planning to seek it out. I adore her work.)

Happy Weekend, Caroline. Ripeness sounds great. I remember really enjoying Ghost Wall. Sadly, my library system does not have Midden Witch. 😢

>194 EBT1002: I think Ripeness is due in the US in September Ellen.

>195 msf59: Shame they don't have the volume Mark, I am going to start one of her earlier volumes today.

>197 Caroline_McElwee: That one sounds interesting. I will have to see if I can get my hands on a copy. Thanks for the review and recommendation, Caroline.

Have a marvelous Monday!

38. Bright Travellers (Fiona Benson) (16/06/25) ****

>198 alcottacre: It was a page-turner for me Stasia.

I hope you have recovered from your travels. Such good memories made.

The Benson book, from the excerpts you've put here, intrigues.

>201 tiffin: It's my second of hers Tui, and I liked almost every poem in each.

A rare opportunity to see Victor Hugo's drawings, described as 'Astonishing things' by Vincent Van Gogh.

Middle left was inspired by his novel Toilers of the Sea, the only of his novels I have yet read, and loved.

Wow!

>204 tiffin: Indeed Tui. I loved them.

39. The Glassmaker (Tracy Chevalier) (19/06/25) ****

>206 Caroline_McElwee: - I have enjoyed almost everything I've read by Tracy Chevalier and this new one is on my radar. Good to see a good review from you, Caroline. I will see if my library has it.

>207 jessibud2: I'm sure you will enjoy Shelley.

I went to a Peirene Press event this evening at Hackney Library, to hear Swedish author Agnes Lidbeck talking about her novel Supporting Act. Peirene specialise in novels in translation, and have won a number of prizes.


Left: Agnes Lidbeck (author) and Right: Nichola Smalley (translator)

I've not yet read the book, but it is the first in a trilogy of themes (rather than characters). The author calls it a horror story for its unsympathetic characters. It explores the non-negotiable contracts of women. These may vary from nation to nation, but this novel is obviously set in Sweden, where 40 hours of free childcare a week is available for every child, but does this affect the social contract? How might it cause other traps or chains of social behaviours?

>209 Caroline_McElwee: I’ve never heard of Agnes Lidbeck - I can’t recall the book being talked about over here. But nice to see something other than murder stories being translated.

40 hours of free childcare isn’t true. If both parents are working you can have 40 hours of subsidised childcare (very subsidised, but you do have to pay, and the cost is based on your income). If one or both parents is out of work you’re only entitled to 15 hours.

One issue I know of is that there’s been a push for putting children in nursery schools (which have LOTS of kids in them), because the more you can centralise things, the cheaper it is, instead of home-based smaller places (“day mums” as they’re called), which are - in my experience - much calmer.

>210 PawsforThought: Thanks for the clarification Paws, I guess she didn’t have enough time for the detail. So many authors, so little time. I think this novel was originally published in 2017 (her debut) she is now working on her 6th.

I have loved the Pereine Press books that I have read, Caroline. I have a membership, and I have to admit, I do have quite a pile I haven't read.

>212 BLBera: Me too on the unread pile Beth though I'm reading one my sister loaned me at the minute, she has the current subscription.

I'm looking forward to the one mentioned in >209 Caroline_McElwee: which she will bring when she is in London in August (after she has read herself).

Another fan here. I love that they are (or used to be, they do some more substantial ones now) readable in a shorter period, and easy to carry around too. I think my most recent one was History: a mess from Iceland.

40. Marzahn, Mon Amour (Katja Oskamp) (20/06/25) ****

41. No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II (Doris Kearns Goodwin) (22/06/25) *****

>215 Caroline_McElwee: I think one of my favourite Peirene books. Something about the (unlikely) way feet give you an insight into the community.

>215 Caroline_McElwee: I think I have this one. I will have to dig it out.

No Ordinary Time sounds like one I would like. Eleanor Roosevelt was a remarkable woman.

>209 Caroline_McElwee: That is really cool. I have several of their books on the shelves by Maria Barbal, Hamid Ismailov, Pia Juul, Jan van Mersbergen and Asko Sahlberg

>215 Caroline_McElwee: I bought this for our fiction collection at work, and it was the most borrowed title of that batch (we use our leftover book budget to buy fiction in the summer each year). My colleagues and I all read and loved it.

>217 charl08: >218 BLBera: >220 Sakerfalcon: Glad it was such a hit with you all too.

>219 PaulCranswick: This is a good one to start with Paul. I think I’ve only had the odd one of the few I have so far read, that didn’t work for me.

>220 Sakerfalcon: That’s a great idea. Several of the places I have worked had little staff libraries or book exchanges Claire.

42. Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder (Salman Rushdie) (24/06/25) ****1/2

>222 Caroline_McElwee: That's a really interesting story about Salman Rushdie's appearance at that event, Caro. Did this come as a complete surprise to the audience, or did people have a clue once they were told they'd have to be locked in?

>223 lauralkeet: No we had no idea up until the announcement Laura. I think the two writers were friends.

>222 Caroline_McElwee: Great review of Knife, Caroline; I share your high praise of it.

I was also curious about the joint appearance of Rushdie and MVL. I've seen each of them in Atlanta, although not together. I did a Google search, and they did have a longstanding relationship with each other, and with Umberto Eco. This comes from Rushdie's Substack page:

When Umberto Eco’s second novel, Foucault’s Pendulum, was published in English, I reviewed it, and I must have been in an unusually bad mood, because I hated it, and said so. Not long after the review appeared I was at a literary gathering in a stunningly grand room in the Louvre, in Paris, and when I arrived the first person I saw coming towards me was Umberto Eco himself. We had never met before, and this was obviously not likely to be the happiest first encounter, or so I thought. But Eco, in a moment of expansive generosity, spread out his arms to embrace me, and cried out, in greeting, “Rushdie! I am the bullshit Eco!”

It was Umberto who suggested we should now call ourselves The Three Musketeers. (This, remember, was the time of the Three Tenors, Pavarotti, Domingo and Carreras.) I remember asking, “Why Musketeers? Why not, for example, The Three Stooges?”

“No,” Umberto insisted. “It has to be Musketeers, because first we were enemies and now we are friends.”

Over the years we performed together several times as a sort of literary triple-act, in Paris, in London, and in New York. I like to think we put on a good show.

When I last saw Mario, at a literary event in Peru, we spoke of Umberto, and made a toast in his memory. Now there are only Two Musketeers.

>225 kidzdoc: Thanks Darryl, and for the quotes too.

>225 kidzdoc: Thanks Darryl, and for the quotes too.

Hmm you make me wonder if Umberto was there too. Normally I wouldn't forget, but as it was an unexpected situation, and of course Rushdie was very much the focus of the second half, on this occasion I may have forgotten. Haven't found anything online that says who else was on stage, even on the FH website.

>227 Caroline_McElwee: That is a very cool story about Rushdie and Vargas Llosa, Caroline. I will read Knife at some point.

>225 kidzdoc: I love this anecdote! Thanks for sharing it, Darryl.

>225 kidzdoc: That’s a great story - thanks for finding and posting it!

My only question is whether any new Musketeers have joined Rushdie.

>231 kidzdoc: I hope he has Darryl.

43. The Country Girls (Edna O'Brien) (*) (27/06/25) ****


Edna O'Brien by Belfast Artist Colin Davidson

>225 kidzdoc: That is a lovely anecdote, Darryl.

>233 Caroline_McElwee: I don't think that O'Brien ever bettered that first one, Caroline.

>234 PaulCranswick: One of her later novels, The Little Red Chairs is excellent Paul.

I have A Pagan Place which I'd never heard of before until a short reading in a recent documentary. (70s), up next.

44. James Baldwin: The Life Album (Magdalena J Zaborowska) (28/06/25) ****


James Baldwin by Angelica Markén.

In 1986 Baldwin attended a conference in Russia, where with the other delegates agreed a contribution that was read in front of Gorbachov:

Went to see 'The Ballad of Wallis Island', an isolated super-fan who lives on an island decides to get his favourite folk duo back together. He invites them separately to give a concert on his island, but doesn't tell them it will be to an audience of 1. Quirky.

It also gave me a couple of hours in aircon, it's 33c here today.

46. Winifred Nicholson in Scotland (Alice Dewey) (30/06/25) *****

47. Kathleen Raíne: Selected Poems (Kathleen Raíne) (01/07/25) ****

48. When the Cranes Fly South (Lisa Ridzén) (01/07/25) ****

>238 Caroline_McElwee: At 33C who the heck cares what's on screen? Long as you're out of the heat, whatever! Glad it wasn't terrible, anyway.

Stay as cool as possible!

>242 richardderus: I'd have probably waited to stream this one if I hadn't needed the a/c RD.