I've been reading Georgette Heyer. Needed cheering up after so long in lockdown. Partly prompted by this glowing tribute from Stephen Fry in this piece in The Guardian. I disagree with him about her early covers, which I think, like Georgette did, enchanting. But maybe he has a point, that they discourage male readers. He praises her assiduous … [Read more...] about Regency Romances
Books
Sylvia
I've found myself buried in the world of Sylvia Plath over the last few weeks. I was aware of the controversy surrounding her legacy - all the feminist fury at Ted Hughes etc. But I thought I'd never studied her poetry in any sort of depth. Since reading the latest (in what's been a long line of them) biography I found a copy of her poem Daddy … [Read more...] about Sylvia
Latest Reading – September 2021
Girl, Woman, Other Bernadine Evaristo I promised to read books recommended by Eleanor, and this is the second one. I actually find myself put off by any requirement to read a book - why I don't like book clubs - so took me a while to get around to it. I enjoyed it quite a lot but wouldn't rave about it - as others have done. It reminded my of … [Read more...] about Latest Reading – September 2021
August Reading
Only four books read before MIFF started. A short but quite diverse list. Elizabeth and her German Garden, Elizabeth Von Arnim. Jane told me about this book so when I saw it in the Readings catalogue I ordered it. It's quite famous as is the author. This is her first book; written in 1898 and never out of print. She also wrote novels - … [Read more...] about August Reading
July 2021 Reading
After my very satisfactory reacquaintance with Seamus Heaney I've continued reading poetry this month. Thanks to a review in the Times Literary Supplement I've re-engaged with John Keats. Who, as some may know, provided the impetus for the name of this blog via his poem On The Sea which I have always loved. It opens with: It keeps eternal … [Read more...] about July 2021 Reading
Seamus Heaney
Having read the Foster book on Seamus Heaney (see here) I went back to the poetry books themselves. I've been buying his volumes since university days in the nineteen seventies and thereafter as soon as they were published. To start with they were small paperbacks with quite lovely, artfully designed covers. The last two are beautifully … [Read more...] about Seamus Heaney