Six months rolls around quickly, doesn’t it? The #1965club has arrived! This week, Karen and I are asking everybody to read and review books published in 1965. Put your reviews on your blogs, GoodReads, LibraryThing, YouTube, in the comments here, or wherever you like! Pop the link in the comments, and I’ll do a round-up. Together, we can put together a picture of the year.
To whet the appetite, you can hear me talking about the club years on The Book Club Review Podcast – it was lovely to be invited along. Listen here, or via your podcast app of choice.
The Drought by J.G. Ballard
A Season in the Life of Emmanuel by Marie-Claire Blais
I. Compton-Burnett by Charles Burkhart
At Bertram’s Hotel by Agatha Christie
Sofia Petrovna by Lydia Chukovskaya
ANZ LitLovers LitBlog
Kaggsy’s Bookish Ramblings
Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper
Staircase Wit
She Reads Novels
Helen Keller’s Teacher by Margaret Davidson
The Millstone by Margaret Drabble
The Flight of the Falcon by Daphne du Maurier
Georgy Girl by Margaret Forster
The Magus by John Fowles
Hotel by Arthur Hailey
Dune by Frank Herbert
Frederica by Georgette Heyer
The Young Spaniard by Mary Hocking
After Julius by Elizabeth Jane Howard
Closely Watched Trains by Bohumil Hrabal
A Fiction Habit
Shoshi’s Book Blog
Trixie Belden and the Mystery of the Mississippi by Kathryn Kenny
Garden, Ashes by Danilo Kiš
The Looking-Glass War by John le Carre
The Lady and the Little Fox Fur by Violette Leduc
A Spaniard in the Works by John Lennon
Briefer than Literal Statement
Acts of Worship by Yukio Mishima
The Lie by Albert Moravio
Accident by Nicholas Mosley
The River Between by James Ngugi
Modesty Blaise by Peter O’Donnell
Lost Empires by J.B. Priestley
The Blue Flowers by Raymond Queneau
Astragal by Albertine Sarrazin
God Bless You, Mr Rosewater by Kurt Vonnegut
Roseanna by Maj Sjowall and Per Walloo
Harriet Devine
Lizzy’s Literary Life
The Town in Bloom by Dodie Smith
The Mandelbaum Gate by Muriel Spark
Airs Above the Ground by Mary Stewart
Monday Starts on Saturday by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky
The Mark of the Horse Lord by Rosemary Sutcliff
She Reads Novels
Pining for the West
The Belting Inheritance by Julian Symons
The Lunatics by Ion Vinea
Stoner by John Williams
Reading Matters
Stuck in a Book
The Doors of His Face, the Lamps of His Mouth by Roger Zelazny
My review of Ballard’s The Drought is up on my blog http://annabookbel.net/the-1965-club
I read Dune. https://blbooks.blogspot.com/2019/04/dune.html
Six months comes around so quickly, doesn’t it? :DDDD
Wish I could join in this time because I’ve loved the previous ‘years’. But I couldn’t find a single book in the library system nor my own TBR. And I daren’t buy yet another book…..
Wish I could join in this time because I’ve loved the previous ‘years’. But I couldn’t find a single book in the library system nor my own TBR. And I daren’t buy yet another book…..
Here’s my review from today for Frederica:
https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2019/04/22/review-1341-the-1965-club-frederica/
Also, here are some previous reviews I did of books published in 1965:
At Bertram’s Hotel: https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2012/12/20/day-227-at-bertrams-hotel/
Over Sea, Under Stone: https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2013/05/30/day-325-over-sea-under-stone/
Roseanna: https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2012/11/28/day-212-roseanna/
Stoner: https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2014/07/21/day-556-stoner/
I have just started Dodie Smith’s The Town in Bloom, and so far I am enjoying it very much. Years ago I read her biography (by Valerie Grove) – she had an interesting life, though I’m not sure how much I would have liked her in person.
When sorting out my children’s books I cam across William Mayne’s No More School, also published in 1965, so I’m going to try to fit that in as well. The back says: ‘Miss Oldroyd was ill so her sixteen pupils were told to go to another school. But they decided differently.’ I suppose in 1965 that might have been possible!
Just listened to you on The Book Club podcast Simon – what an excellent chat. I’m a devoted fan of Barbara Pym but I don’t actually like Quartet in Autumn – too depressing. I’d like to read that Beryl Bainbridge though.
I’m sorry if I’m double posting, but I put in my comment and it didn’t show up. Here’s my 1965 Club review of Frederica:
https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2019/04/22/review-1341-the-1965-club-frederica/
Also, here are some other reviews of books published in 1965:
At Bertram’s Hotel: https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2012/12/20/day-227-at-bertrams-hotel/
Over Sea, Under Stone: https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2013/05/30/day-325-over-sea-under-stone/
Roseanna: https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2012/11/28/day-212-roseanna/
Stoner: https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2014/07/21/day-556-stoner/
Sorry – if there are a few links it goes into the moderation queue, apparently! Thanks for sharing them :)
Thanks for co-hosting this, Simon, It’s always a pleasure to participate and to see the range of books reviewed across the week. All being well, my post with be up in the next day or two.
Thanks Jacqui :D
Thanks for the podcast link! That was a lot of fun to listen to.
I’ve posted my review of The Magus by John Fowles: https://ruthiellareads.blogspot.com/2019/04/the-1965-club-magus-by-john-fowles.html .
I also read At Bertram’s Hotel by Agatha Christie and God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater by Kurt Vonnegut and hope to post about those later this week.
Thanks. Here’s my contribution:
https://harrietdevine.typepad.com/harriet_devines_blog/2019/04/roseanna-by-maj-sjowall-and-per-walloo-1965-club.html
My first 1965 read this Spring (I’m easing into it with a girl detective book): Trixie Belden & the Mystery on the Mississippi by Kathryn Kenny
I do plan on finishing at least one more this week.
Previous 1965 reviews:
At Bertram’s Hotel by Agatha Christie
Some Beasts No More by Kenneth Giles
No Patent on Murder by Akimitsu Takagi (read this year!)
Great True Stories of Crime, Mystery, & Detection from Reader’s Digest
Ellery Queen’s 20th Anniversary Annual edited by Ellery Queen
Roseanna by Maj Sjöwall & Per Wahlöö
A Corpse for Christmas by Carter Brown
A Treasury of Great Recipes by Mary & Vincent Price [also read this year]
Now there’s a duplicate! I also read Fowles’ The Magus. Here’s the link:
https://ruthiellareads.blogspot.com/2019/04/the-1965-club-magus-by-john-fowles.html
I kind of knew Ruthiella had it in mind as well…thanks for hosting!
Here’s my review of Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper:
https://shereadsnovels.com/2019/04/24/over-sea-under-stone-by-susan-cooper/
I also have posted reviews of At Bertram’s Hotel and God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater:
http://ruthiellareads.blogspot.com/2019/04/the-1965-club-at-betrams-hotel-and-god.html
Here’s mine for good measure!
https://wp.me/p1yoK9-TV
I’ve just posted my review of The Town in Bloom by Dodie Smith — I’m sure there will be a duplicate review.
https://karensbooksandchocolate.blogspot.com/2019/04/the-1965-club-town-in-bloom-by-dodie.html
And I’m hoping to read at least one more book this week, I still have Frederica by Georgette Heyer and The Flight of the Falcon by Daphne du Maurier. Thanks again for hosting!
I just finished Stoner…..by John Williams, for the second time. It was difficult this time around because I found myself wanting to shake him and say, “Wake up! Respect yourself! Fight back!” Maybe because of the political climate in the US and the U.K. or maybe because it’s Spring and the story felt so depressing. The writing is beautiful and the last chapter mesmerizing. Still gave it a 5 stars.
I’ve finally uploaded my 1965 Club post. This time I have gone for The Millstone by Margaret Drabble: https://bookjotter.com/2019/04/26/1965-club-the-millstone-by-margaret-drabble/
Here’s my second review for 1965 Club – The Mark of the Horse Lord by Rosemary Sutcliff:
https://shereadsnovels.com/2019/04/26/the-mark-of-the-horse-lord-by-rosemary-sutcliff/
Just posted my review of Modesty Blaise by Peter O’Donnell – such fun! http://annabookbel.net/the-1965-club-modesty-blaise-peter-odonnell
I meant to read Avalon by Anya Seton but have not got to it yet. But it was fun to look at 1965! Thanks to you and Karen. I wonder what’s next?
Please add from Staircase Wit:
Helen Keller’s Teacher
https://perfectretort.blogspot.com/2019/04/helen-kellers-teacher-by-margaret.html
The Winds of March
https://perfectretort.blogspot.com/2019/03/the-winds-of-march-by-lenora-mattingly.htmlirs Above the Ground
https://perfectretort.blogspot.com/2019/04/airs-above-ground-by-mary-stewart.html
There was also one I read last year:
Campion Towers
https://perfectretort.blogspot.com/2018/09/campion-towers-book-review.html
Here’s my second book for the 1965 club: The River Between by Ngugi wa Thiong’o.
http://reesewarner.blogspot.com/2019/04/ngugi-wa-thiongos-river-between-1965club.html
Hi Simon,
I’ve reviewed A Spaniard in the Works by John Lennon here: https://brieferthanliteralstatement.blogspot.com/2019/04/a-spaniard-in-works-john-lennon-for.html
thanks,
Victoria
Hi Simon.
I reviewed The Lady and the fox fur on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/p/BwzhuYehlnF/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=17owvna95xxl3
Arpita @ Bagfullofbooks
Simon, I hope this isn’t too late.
I reviewed ‘No More School’ on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2801671646
Rosemary (@RosemaryKaye1)
And here’s my second one – Dodie Smith ‘The Town in Bloom’: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2802241010
Sneaking in with just half an hour to go: Cotton Comes to Harlem, by Chester Himes.
https://brieferthanliteralstatement.blogspot.com/2019/04/cotton-comes-to-harlem-chester-himes.html
I reviewed God Bless You, Mr. Vonnegut https://booktapestry.blogspot.com/2019/04/god-bless-you-mr.html and Roseanna https://booktapestry.blogspot.com/2019/04/roseanna.html . Thanks for hosting this fun event!
Squeezing in one last entry…Agatha Christie’s At Bertram’s Hotel
http://reesewarner.blogspot.com/2019/04/agatha-christies-at-bertrams-hotel.html
I have just discovered you .What joy! Checking your list and my bookshelves I find that I’ve read and own the following (one or two in the year published):Over Sea Under Stone (S.Cooper).The Millstone (M Drabble)Dune (Frank Herbert).The Looking Glass War(John Le Carre). Airs Above The Ground (Mary Stewart).The Mark of the Horse Lord (Rosemary Sutcliff )AND Modesty Blaise ,in comic strip form , in the old Evening Standard (on The Tube,on my way home from Chelsea School of Art 60’s/70,s). I totally adored them all ,save Cooper and Drabble who ,to my mind were respectively average and smug.Saved Cooper for my children and MD because it was a hardback and I’m mean. Mary Stewart was read at my Nans house…Def a Nanny type of book ,very comforting. I spend my life rereading Rosemary Sutcliff novels. Her voice echoes the hills and valleys where I live…the old straight tracks and roman roads. I’ve a folio Dune ,with spectacular illustrations .
Welcome, Penny!