It’s come around quickly, but the 1968 club isn’t far away! For those keeping tabs, Karen and I have shifted the week back a bit – but it’s happening 30 October to 5 November, and we have a badge all good to go. These are great fun to make, finding appropriate pictures, and I keep meaning to put all the past badges in the sidebar…
For those who haven’t seen previous clubs – the idea is that we all read and review books published in the same year, and – together, collaboratively – we can build up a really detailed picture of a year in books. I’ll host links to all new reviews (and feel free to do some reading in advance!) – novels, poetry, short stories, non-fiction, drama, everything is welcome. Books in translation also strongly encouraged, particularly if they were published in the original language in 1968 – but feel free to make up your own rules!
We’ve done 1924, 1938, 1947, and 1951, and I thought my enthusiasm might wane as we get nearer present day – but the line-up for 1968 is looking really great! If you’re feeling stuck, check out 1968 in literature on Wikipedia, or take a look at the (gasp!) 23 options that I’ve got waiting in my library. We love a wide range, so do have a hunt on your own shelves – and Karen and I will be back in late October to set everybody off!
Hurrah! Here’s to 1968! :)
Thanks Karen – a rummaging of shelves first of all is in order……….
Oops, sorry – thanks Simon, a rummaging of shelves first of all is in order!
Oops, sorry – thanks Simon, I should have said and also a rummaging of shelves first of all is in order!
I’ hope I can find something on my piles.
I love your badge.
23 books! All I can say is Happy Reading!! I’m looking forward to the 1968 Club!
I just started my book today! I’m reading Cousin Kate by Georgette Heyer. I haven’t read any Heyer in ages so I’m very happy about my choice.
how do the two of you decide what year to pick?
Usually it’s looking at Wiki pages for a decade’s literature and seeing what has the best range – but this time it was done by votes at the end of the last ‘club’ :)
Really looking forward to this. I am planning on reading Eva Trout by Elizabeth Bowen, and who knows maybe something else if I can find it.
The Military Philosophers is the last book of the ‘war trilogy’, part of Anthony Powells 12-novel sequence, Dance to the Music of Time. By the way, Hilary Spurling’s biography of AP is just out.
I’m checking definitely. My era.
Oh, my! 1968! From the links you gave I can see that I’ve only read Tom Stoppard’s “The Real Inspector Hound” and Christie’s “By the Pricking of my Thumbs.” The latter, by the way, was one of her Tommy and Tuppence mysteries, and I just adored these characters. Unlike her other recurring characters (Marple and Poirot), Tommy and Tuppence actually AGED in these novels, and unfortunately, there weren’t as many of them – four full-length novels and a collection of short stories with them.
OK – I’m in ;-)
http://fabulouscreative.blogspot.com.au/2017/10/the-1968-club-30-october-to-5-november.html
Mon dieu! I just did a search on my Books Read spreadsheet (700 books, back to 2010). Only 2. TWO, books published in 1968. One by DE Stevenson, one by Mary Stewart. I’ll see what I can do.
Granted, of course, back in my late teens, I’m sure I read loads of them. May have to do more research.
Okay, just searched my Catalogue of Books I own (1271) and found only 2 more (though plenty REpublished or printed in 1968)
Blandings the Blest, by Geoffrey Jaggard
The Past is Myself, by Christabel Bielenberg.
Now there’s an unlikely pair.
On to more author-by-author research on Goodreads:
Ammie Come Home, Barbara Michaels
The Jackal’s Head, Elizabeth Peters
okay, this may take a while
Hooray! It looks like I may read something beginning with C – Colonel Sun, Chocky and Couples are all on my shelves.
Thanks so much for organising these clubs, they’re great fun! Having co-hosted the Reading Rhys event last year, I have a feel for how much co-ordination is involved – it’s no mean feat to do this twice a year! Anyway, I’ll definitely be joining in. Looking forward to it already.
My LibraryThing catalogue yields few books that aren’t in series (I don’t have time to read millions of Swallows and Amazons books or 11 of Dance to the Music of Time!), I have read Under the Glacier by Laxness but found it v hard going. Hopefully I’ll manage to find something … hope it goes really well whatever, though!
Great idea. I think I have a copy of I AM MARY DUNNE by Brian Moore so will aim to do that one!
Corduroy by Don Freeman is THE BEST
Looking forward to it! There are more Canadian choices as the years pile on!
I’m hoping to go for Dance of the Happy Shades by Alice Munro if I can find a copy in my local library or second hand bookshop.
Wait, Yes! Dance of the Happy Shades IS 1968. Somehow, I input it as 1988 in my books catalogue. Good. One more. Looking forward to your review.
Wow – *such* a good idea! I’m going to dig out my old paperback Agatha Christie!