The second half of my Penguin collection of favourites. Somehow I get onto the idea of meeting authors as being like going round a safari park. Who are the literary lions?
Listening to you reminisce about books and stories that moved you, revisiting old notes, and generally reminding me of the joys of reading has been thoroughly enjoyable.
I’m reading the Collected Stories of Elizabeth Bowen at the moment and so far loving every one of them. She was a brilliant writer and an intriguing personality, I’m also reading her biography by Victoria Glendinning.
Favourite Puffin books - Fighting Fantasy hands down. Penguin used to be the go to publisher when I was at school, I'm sure there's loads more I would mention, if only I could remember them! We had a Puffin Book Club, so lots to choose from.
Amazing how we listen to music went through convulsive changes, record, cassette, cd, digital. There was a moment when it was thought books would disappear, Amazon destroying independent book shops, kindles. For books the tide turned and 'progress' was reversed. Best wishes.
I felt like that about Of Mice and Men and Sunset Song( High School ) and in my much younger years Lord of the Flies and The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner . Books are gifts ; some stay all your life . Every boy friend I had gave me a book sooner or later . The men I kept gave me The Prophet (only 2) ; very much a determining factor along with Burroughs etc . Never heard of Jean Rhys ; will look her up. Hello Jeremy (haha) . Trumans letters sound interesting . At least another five added to the list. Do take the safari park image and run with it ; that would make great reading.
Another lovely, thoughtful video that sent me into a reverie of books I've read, of books I still want to read, and the happy envy I have of your first-hand experiences with giants. Thank you Paul. I am intrigued by Herbs and Spices based on the snippet you shared. That seemed like, hm, a lyrical but puzzling outlier that had me going to eBay to find a copy. I just read Aspects of a Novel this year and it blew me away with things I somehow never thought of before, like the "problem" (in 1927) of how to end a novel -- choices seemed to be only marriage or death per Forster, which made me think back to pre 1927 novels I've read. I'm still trying to think of one that doesn't end in marriage or death! Now I'm reading Woods' How Fiction Works which is also so edifying. When I think of Faye Weldon, I ignore Life and Loves because all I can think of is the icky film even though I had previously read the book and thought I enjoyed it. Instead I think of The Rules of Life first and think of it remarkably often. I would like to read that one again. I also read Letters to Alice on first reading Jane Austen. All I can remember of that one is that she was annoyed how Americans will make verbs out of nouns. (Party=partying, etc.) ha. Quite possibly one of the least irritating thing we Americans do these days. Bet that one deserves a re-read too.
i love the idea of sending my viewers off to find copies of very obscure books about herbs...! And i love chatty comments like this - it's like getting postcards from people!
I think i've only ever dipped into his letters. The last time i dipped in i found a startling mention of the fact that he'd turned down the part of John Steed in 'The Avengers'. Surely i imagined (or he imagined?) that...?
@@paulmagrs2474 There was a companion piece to the letters book....a book publishing parts of his journal. (I write copious letters and keep a journal myself.) So after seeing a show about his life on BBC, I bought both books. I saw a kindred spirit in him.
I struggle with Jane Austin. Years ago I read Northanger Abbey and recently listened to Sense and Sensibility. Sadly, I don't understand the appeal, although I do get the humour in it. Laurie Lee, on the other hand... if I could write, I would like to write like him. Village Christmas fell out of my bookcase the other day but I don't remember reading it. Maybe I should do that this weekend.
