Hi - I have just read Lovereading's latest recommendations and shamelessly voted for Mary Renault for the 'Lost Booker' prize as I loved her books as a teenager. (I say shamelessly as I haven't read them - and there must be strong competition from Muriel Spark and Patrick White and the others - great reputations as writers.) 'The Bull from the Sea' was the Mary Renault book I remember - about Theseus and Ariadne from A's point of view.
Anyway, Katharine McMahon is guest editor this month, and has chosen her
favourite books . I think
'Stuck in a Book' will like these too!
I'm reading 'The Road Home' by Rose Tremain right now and enjoying it, though it is a bit close to home as I have some Polish friends - while their story is different, the 'no jobs' situation is the same as the hero of this book. Let's hope Poland does have jobs from joining the EEC...
I also enjoyed KM's The Rose of Sebastopol and The Alchemist's Daughter (you can find out about those through the link at 'favourite books' and read extracts).
And now the season is almost right for reading outside - have preempted summer by sitting against my apple tree with my book and tea and Hot Cross bun!
Thanks for thinking of me with this list - they are interesting, and anything topped by Sense and Sensibility is bound to be up my street! Plus you've reminded me that I must read more PF - I don't think I have the one McMahon mentions, but I have one or two waiting...
ReplyDeleteHi Simon - sorry I hadn't seen this earlier to reply to. I haven't read any Penelope Fitzgerald myself. The Road Home was very good. Have drafted a review of Dorothy Sayers' Murder Must Advertise which I think is a brilliant book - wonderful summing-up of the worth (or not) of advertising as she was a copywriter for 11 years. Also read the History Boys script in a day - very good too.
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