Stuck in a Book’s Weekend Miscellany

I hope you have lovely, socially distanced plans for this weekend – maybe the last of our sunny weather here in the UK? Well, there’s already an autumnal snap in the air (and a hole in my roof, leaking water into the living room… thankfully fixed now, and somehow it managed to leak in about the only place where books aren’t piled up. Phew!)

Whatever you have planned, here’s a book, a blog post, and a link. Oh, and make sure you’re registered to vote if you qualify for American elections! Please help protect the rest of us who can’t vote there. And yes, I’ll nail my colours to the mast, that means voting the Biden/Harris ticket. At this point I’ve stopped even pretending to have sympathy for people who would vote for somebody as cruel, narcissistic, ignorant, racist, sexist, and unpresidential as Trump.

Welp, that got more political than this blog has ever been, I suspect! Here’s the normal bookish stuff…

1.) The blog post – please check out Ali’s wonderful list of 10 Vintage Books of Joy. It’s not the usual sort of book list you see, because many of these are a little out-of-the-way – but they’re all brilliant. Well, the eight I’ve read are, and I’ve now bought Something Light to add to my sprawling Margery Sharp collection.

2.) The book – I have a review copy of this on the way, but thought I’d mention now: Felix Unbound by Cathy Gunn. What would happen if your cat turned into a human? I love animal metamorphosis stories (and wrote about them in my DPhil – Lady Into Fox is wonderful) and so I hope this lives up to its premise and its promise.

3.) The link – the British Library shop is doing 3-for-2 on fiction paperbacks and you KNOW that includes the British Library Women Writers series! And, indeed, preorders. So I heartily recommend you get your mitts on them soon – let me know if you want advice about which to choose…

26 thoughts on “Stuck in a Book’s Weekend Miscellany

  • September 26, 2020 at 9:03 am
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    Who can resist a bargain? Not me for sure…. so I’d love to get your recommendation for the three best books in the women writers collection.

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    • September 26, 2020 at 9:18 am
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      Happily! Well, I would include the preorder O, The Brave Music, and my other two would be Father and Dangerous Ages:)

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  • September 26, 2020 at 9:22 am
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    Thanks for linking to my post Simon. I have pre-ordered a couple of those new British Library women writers series.

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    • September 27, 2020 at 6:30 pm
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      Loved your post, Ali.

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    • September 29, 2020 at 2:42 pm
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      Excellent!

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    • September 29, 2020 at 2:43 pm
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      Definitely up my street!

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  • September 26, 2020 at 9:49 am
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    LOL Simon, I think we are all political when it comes to the US election.
    It seems so unfair that while The Rest of the World has to endure the results of their political system when we don’t get to vote for it, some of them are too lazy to get out and cast a vote.

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  • September 26, 2020 at 12:14 pm
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    I’m planning to preorder Tea is So Intoxicating and the new BL Crime Classic – any recommendations for which of the other women writers books I should pick? I loved My Husband Simon though it was somehow sadder than I was expecting, and haven’t read any of the others yet.

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    • September 29, 2020 at 2:44 pm
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      My favourite is the forthcoming O, The Brave Music by Dorothy Evelyn Smith!

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  • September 26, 2020 at 6:44 pm
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    Thanks for your good wishes on the American election, Simon. Listening to you and Rachel on Tea or Books? has certainly eased my state of high anxiety in these last few years. I just ordered My Husband Simon and Father!

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    • September 29, 2020 at 2:44 pm
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      Aw thank you very much, Susan! And hurray for BL orders :D

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  • September 26, 2020 at 7:05 pm
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    I have my absentee ballot ready to print and send, and I’ve donated to the Biden/Harris campaign (so now I get 5 e-mails a day from them, LOL). Apart from that, what else can I do?? This is what I keep asking myself. And you’re right, there is simply no justification for voting for him. Not on any grounds, religious or otherwise.

    It’s gone so chilly this week. We helped out on a community litter pick this morning and will meet up with friends in High Wycombe for lunch tomorrow. I do hope for a long and lovely autumn before winter sees us all hunkering inside.

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    • September 29, 2020 at 2:45 pm
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      Oh my gosh, political parties LOVE to email. I joined the Labour Party to vote in their leadership election, and I was inundated. And yes, I have been horrified to watch my evangelical church family (not actual family, but you know what I mean) stand behind Trump. Awful.

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  • September 27, 2020 at 1:13 am
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    We just got our US ballots and will be faxing them back this week. Biden of course. I must admit I am quite worried about what is going to happen. Glad I live in Tasmania and have done now for 32 yrs. I never plan on returning. Let’s hope for good. I always enjoy your blog with book and link. Thank you.

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    • September 29, 2020 at 2:46 pm
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      Thank you, Pam, on behalf of all of us who can’t vote!

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  • September 27, 2020 at 6:29 pm
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    VOTE BLUE!! Thanks for a lovely post.

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    • September 29, 2020 at 2:46 pm
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      Once I remembered which side that was, hear hear! (I always think it’s funny our red/blue swap right/left sides over here.)

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  • September 28, 2020 at 12:44 pm
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    I am very frightened about the election but I am compartmentalizing beautifully and just writing as many postcards and letters and text messages to voters as I can make time for. And I signed up to be a poll worker and of course I’ll early vote. Blech.

    British Library sale!! It is fortunate that I am not there in person to take advantage of this sale because I would surely buy loads of books I don’t need. I can’t resist a sale!

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    • September 28, 2020 at 5:06 pm
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      Jenny, you’re wonderful!

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    • September 29, 2020 at 2:47 pm
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      Well done, well done!!
      And this sale is available with overseas salllesssss

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  • September 28, 2020 at 6:42 pm
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    Thank you for your good wishes on the US election, Simon. I’ll be voting for Biden/Harris and am hoping for a landslide victory. I was delighted to see the 3-for-2 offer at the British Library and happily ordered three titles. Bliss!

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    • September 29, 2020 at 2:42 pm
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      Here’s hoping! I hardly dare let myself hope. But hurrah about BL!

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