I’m looking after my friend’s cat this weekend – yes, you’re right, I do live the high life – and trying to make sure I’m not actually heading into reader’s block. And I’m doing that by sneakily pretending I don’t even want to read, and thus fooling reading into being available later. That works, doesn’t it?
Rather than exploring the inner workings of my mind, let’s look at a book, a blog post, and a link.
1.) The link – my National Trust magazine arrived yesterday (again, yes, I do live the high life – you can stop asking) and I was excited about the Rex Whistler exhibition at Mottisfont. Lord only knows where Mottisfont is, but I’ll find out and get there before April 23rd. (And do seek out the excellent book about Edith Olivier and Rex Whistler by Anna Thomasson btw.)
2.) The blog post – I meant to join in with Margery Sharp Day and didn’t manage it, but you can read Jane’s round-up of the reviews that were posted, and get tempted to read more. She’s fab.
3.) The book – I looked through the NYRB Classics bookcase in Blackwell’s today (quite excited that they have one), and Notes on a Cinematograph by Robert Bresson caught my eye. I think it might go wildly over my head – it’s all about cinema theory and whatnot – but I was tempted nonetheless. More details here. But let’s face it, Project 24 is making most books look tempting. I’m still on zero – almost bought one last weekend, but then my friend kindly gave me the book I was umming and ahhing over. THAT DOESN’T COUNT.
Thank you for sharing the Rex Whistler exhibition. It looks very good. Would love to see it. Looks like Mottisfont is northwest of South Hampton, a bit far from Tasmania but you might get there. Lovely.
The Margery Sharp day was quite fun. I had not done an ‘author read as a group’ before and I enjoyed it. Looking forward to another if I come across it. With my Penguin collection gone I think this year I will work on my Century of Books challenge as I am enjoying these older books much more than the modern ones I come across. Hope your slump picks up (not the slump itself, but you know what I mean.)
Margery Sharp Day flew past without my noticing so thanks for the link to Jane’s round-up post – looks like I have some great posts to catch up on this weekend.
Mottisfont (Abbey) is on the river Test and just north of Romsey. Not only does it have a dining room decorated by Rex Whistler but it holds the National Collection of Roses, so best to go in June and see both.
NYRB books are always so tempting – I try not to get into the mindset that I need to collect them….
Mottisfont Abbey is near Romsey, not sure if you could get there without driving?
I went last year to see the Beatrix Potter exhibition.
Thank you for sharing my Margery Sharp Day round up. I’m sorry that it passed a few people by, but I didn’t want to be too pushy and there’s a fine line.
Mottisfont sounds lovely, and I need to wither find my way there or hope that the exhibition might tour.
Mottisfont is lovely! There are trains to Mottisfont and Dunbridge station every hour from Salisbury or Southampton Central (every two hours on Sundays.) From there, it’s a walk of under a mile to the Abbey (which was a Priory before the dissolution!), over some public footpaths and some roads, which are reasonably quiet but lack pavements. Much of the surrounding countryside is maintained by the National Trust, and so is very attractive and very walkable.
(Salisbury Museum (about 20 minutes away by train) displays some paintings of Edith Olivier by Whistler, and a few of his notebooks from his military training. I’m not sure I’d recommend going out of your way for those, however.)
Oo, I’m storing all of this up in my mind for my visit – thank you!