Women Unbound
I'm joining at the Bluestocking level (read at least five books, including at least two nonfiction ones).
Fiction:
Consequences by E.M. Delafield
The Group by Mary McCarthy
All Passion Spent by Vita Sackville-West
In this House of Brede by Rumer Godden
Fugitive's Return by Susan Glaspell
Non-Fiction:
Portrait of a Marriage: Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson by Nigel Nicolson
Etty Hillensum: An Interrupted LIfe, Letters from Westerbork by Etty Hillensum
Have any of you read these? Would love to hear your thoughts. I'd also love to know if you are also participating in the challenge.
The group is about to be reissued by Virago - I'm very excited as have heard wonderful things about it. I loved Consequences, and I've loved Susan Glaspell from the books that Persephone have published but they haven't published that one.
ReplyDeleteWhat good choices!
Great choices! Consequences and The Group are on my wish list, too. Good luck with the challenge.
ReplyDeleteYou have some great choices here! I love Susan Glaspell and wish her books were more readily available. You will love Consequences.
ReplyDeleteI am going to join this challenge but have yet to choose my books; I have decided that I am only allowed to choose books I already have so need to browse the bookshelves and make my choices pronto!
@Verity, JoAnn and Rachel - Thanks! I'm so excited to read Consequences now since you all recommend it.
ReplyDeleteI've only read Susan Glaspell's Fidelity. Loved it so I ordered Fugitive's Return over the internet. It's an old hardbound copy and it's on the way.
The only book I don't have on the list is the Group. That's great that there's a Virago edition coming soon. I'll have to get that one if I can.
Mrs B! The B must stand for brilliant. The only thing that has kept me from this challenge has been the non-fiction requirement. I almost never read non-fiction. And I was hoping to pick my list from my TBR pile(s). Seeing your non-fiction choices I realize I can probably make a fine list with a few literary biographies. I feel a little dense for not figuring this out sooner. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteSo glad that you are joining in! The Group is one of the best books that I have read this year; the new Virago edition is being released early next month.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to hearing about the books above, especially the Persephones (neither of which I have read - Consequences is on my wishlist).
I'm going to be doing the challenge too! I haven't picked out my 8 books yet, but I have some in mind already. I love the ones on your list - great selection! Looking forward to reading your thoughts on these books and this challenge! Cheers!!
ReplyDeleteHi, Mrs. B! Oh my goodness, I saw a mint trade paperback edition of The Group at Booksale the other day and I completely ignored it! I never knew that it's one of those landmark novels about women.
ReplyDelete@Thomas - Ha, ha. I also almost never read non-fiction and I've had both on my pile for ages. I have Etty Hillsum in a non-Persephone edition and Portrait of Marriage seems to read like fiction. It was even made into a TV movie by the BBC.
ReplyDelete@Claire - I'm so looking forward to the Group. Have to find a copy first. It's the only one on my list that I don't own.
@Nadia - Nice to meet you! Thanks for dropping by. I look forward to seeing your list.
@Peter - Which Booksale? It's probably still there! Go get it or else I will!
So excited that you are joining the challenge and have selected such great choices! I loved Consequences and All Passion Spent. Can't wait to see what you think of them
ReplyDeleteSounds a very interesting list. I've only read All Passion Spent (but so long ago, I can't remember anything of it!). But E.M. Delafield's Diary of a Provincial Lady is brilliant and v. funny. And am just thinking about doing a post featuring another Rumer Godden (The Greengage Summer which I loved).
ReplyDeletePS I love your Shabby Blogs background.
Yes, would be glad to a do a linked post on TGS. I vaguely remember the film from seeing it as a child (Danielle Darrieux throwing champagne in someone's face perhaps? which I remember finding very shocking though I might have made this bit up!). I found one scene on the internet, which amazingly had a young Jane Asher in it as Hester. I thought there might be more under Loss of Innocence (its US title) but no luck.
ReplyDeleteI just ordered a copy of Consequences, my 16 year old daughter is also keen on reading it, very much looking forward to your review of that one and seeing the enthusiastic comments about that book I am even more keen to read it. Good luck with the challenge.
ReplyDeleteMay we both enjoy The Group! I haven't read any of those, but it seems that you have some great reading ahead of you.
ReplyDeleteI have not read any; the Vita Sackville-West look especially enticing.
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