Weekend Miscellany

A very happy weekend to you all – I will be enjoying it by running a stall at the village fete. I’m fully immersed in village life now, donchaknow. If you can’t make it along to my stand (bowling, at the time of writing) then perhaps this book, blog post, and link(s!) will do instead…

1.) The book – I loved Edward Carey’s strange and fascinating novel Alva & Irva, and also enjoyed Observatory Mansions, so I’m pleased to see he has another novel out soon – Little, about the life of Madame Tussaud. Find out more…

2.) The link – there are two this week, because they’re both interesting in different ways. The first – has Instagram changed how book covers are designed? And the second – oddly mesmeric photographs of abandoned mansions across Europe.

3.) The blog post – fans of D.E. Stevenson, you’ll be pleased to hear about the new reprints coming from Furrowed Middlebrow and Dean Street Press. Discover which titles in Scott’s announcement post.

This feels like the first day in ages where I’ve had nothing to do, and I fully intend to spend it sleeping, reading, and lying about. I’ve seldom been more excited about a weekend’s activity. And, before I go, here’s a book, a link, and a blog post…

1.) The book – was sent as a review copy by Michael Walmer. You might know the novelist F Tennyson Jesse, but did you know her sister Stella wrote Eve in Egypt? I’m hoping to read it before too long – but find out more here.

2.) The blog post – thinking about Michael Walmer made me wish more of his Stella Benson reprints were available. I’m sure they’ll be coming, but in the meantime reading more about Stella Benson led me to this amazing and thorough (ten-year-old) blog post about Benson. The blogger compares her to Robin Hyde, whom I haven’t read but who has been republished by Persephone.

3.) The link – I used to link to my OxfordWords article quite regularly. What I write for Oxford Policy Management might be of more niche interest – but, anyway, here’s a piece I wrote on the status of development in Malawi.

Another very busy weekend for me, off to Bristol and then playing the organ in our local church again on Sunday (despite, yes, not really knowing how to play the organ properly) – but I can leave you with a book, a link, and a blog post.

1.) The link – is not an easy read, but as the first anniversary of the fascist rally and murder in Charlottesville comes around, this oral history from the BBC is worth reading.

2.) The blog post – Darlene has written about the letters of Virginia Woolf and Vita Sackville-West so winningly that I *really* hope I have them somewhere, as I suspect I do. I would hardly be me if I did not.

3.) The book – did you know that a novelisation of Shirley Jackson’s life existed? Or, rather, a made-up event using her real life as the surrounding, I think… It’s soon to be turned into a film, but the original 2014 book is Shirley by Susan Scarf Merrell and I’m very intrigued… anybody read it?

I’m going to be spending the weekend with family, which is the nicest way to spend a weekend. Apparently it’s going to rain for much of it – which has been very welcome, but isn’t ideal for a BBQ. But I’m certainly not going to complain, after the heatwave we’ve been having. I hope you have a wonderful weekend, and here’s a book, a blog post, and a link to help you do so…

1.) The link – this oral history of The Parent Trap (1990s remake) is the article you didn’t know you needed, but also sort of did know you needed.

2.) The book – I love Daunt Books choices of books, and their designs. How lovely does this edition of Cassandra at the Wedding by Dorothy Baker look? If I didn’t already have an (unread) Virago Modern Classic then I’d be snapping it up. Anybody read it? (You can find out more at their website.)

3.) The blog post – my friend Tom (who runs the Indie Fic Lit blog) has written really interestingly about the benefits to publishers and authors of buying directly from their websites – something I hadn’t really thought of before, and which I will from now on!

This week has been long. And sometimes a bit wearying. It started off with a nasty cold and feeling very sorry for myself. It ended with Trump coming to the UK with his hideous rhetoric about immigrants and general terribleness – I went to Blenheim Palace to protest. He truly is a terrible, terrible human being, and I’m ashamed that the leaders of my country were so sycophantic to him – though proud of the protests that the British people have put on in response.

Anyway. Ugh. Here’s a book, a link, and a blog post to distract ourselves…

1.) The blog post – is on Medium, which feels very millennial of me (is Medium still a thing?) It’s about the buy-out of Capitol Hill Books by the employees and friends of the eccentric owner Jim Toole. I’ve been a couple times, and love it, and the post is quite amusing. I’m so pleased this bookstore is sticking around, so close to the political heart of the US.

2.) The book – where did I hear about Avid Reader by Robert Gottlieb? Can’t remember, but it’s another book about reading (and an autobiography) that I will inevitably buy at some point. With his heritage working at Simon and Schuster, Alfred Knopf, and The New Yorker, how could this not be good?

3.) The link – with Trump on the mind, here’s a link for the best places to donate to help migrant and refugee families at the US/Mexico border. It’s from a few weeks ago, when the situation was a little different, but they could still do with all the compassion and help that we can give.

Happy weekend! I suspect it’s a scorcher (if you’re in the northern hemisphere – well, much of it), but I’m not intending to leave the house very much. I’m busy taking “feed a cold” seriously, and catching up on the excellent sitcom Superstore. And maybe a bit of reading because (a) why not?, and (b) I have two enormous books to read for Tea or Books? and I’m behind. But here’s a book, a blog post, and a link…

1.) The book – I absolutely covet The Illustrated Dust Jacket 1920-1970 by Martin Salisbury, and not just for that frankly stunning cover. My friends Paul and Kirsty got a copy and I flicked through it and it is gorgeous AND educational. I will give in and buy it soon, I’m sure.

2.) The blog post – Check out Ali’s wonderful review of Four Day’s Wonder by my pal A.A. Milne. I can’t remember if I’ve already posted it here or just on Twitter, but you can get five A.A. Milne books for the absurdly cheap price of £7.99. Do it, and start with either this or the glorious Mr Pim Passes By, please.

3.) The link – It’s sort of another bunch of blog posts, but I’m sure we can all make our peace with that. Basically, go to Shiny New Books and look at the Man Booker retrospective – where different reviewers have been covering all the winners (including me on Penelope Fitzgerald’s Offshore).

The weekend may be more than half over, but why not have a miscellany nonetheless? I was up in London yesterday, enjoying the spectacular royal wedding from the Southbank. I particularly loved the wonderful sermon from the minister – telling the world about the wonder of God’s love. Such a beautiful day for it all, too!

And here’s the book, blog post, and link…

1.) The link – I still freelance for OxfordWords, and wrote a really fun post about words in book titles that have changed in meaning: ‘What’s brave about Brave New World?‘

2.) The book – I didn’t love the only Salley Vickers novel I read, but I am drawn to The Librarian – not least for this stunning cover. Though it is a rip-off of Joan Bodger’s brilliant How The Heather Looks (google it!). I’d rather hoped it would be non-fic about a particularly influential librarian in Vickers’ reading life – somebody write that book! – but it could still be great anyway.

3.) The blog post – Hayley’s celebration of Virago at 40 is fab. And gives me a good excuse to post a picture of the beautiful tea cosy she made me while listening to ‘Tea or Books?’! Thanks Hayley :)

It’s Eurovision weekend!! I’m off to Bristol to watch it with friends, though I can’t imagine it’ll do anything for the headaches I’ve been getting this week. Anyway, whatever happens here’s a blog post, a link, and a book to keep you going.

1.) The link – was sent to me by Farid on Instagram. Thanks Farid! It’s a jam roly-poly recipe inspired by The Diary of a Provincial Lady. What a fun idea – even if the original in Delafield’s novel doesn’t sound that appetising. Follow the link for more context.

2.) The blog post – you probably already listen to the Reading the End podcast – but I’ll give a heads up, nonetheless, that in their latest episode they did the topic I suggested. It’s about whether or not you take your personal morality into reading experiences.

3.) The book – Rex v Edith Thompson by Laura Thompson looks fascinating. It’s about the infamous murder case that inspired F Tennyson Jesse’s A Pin To See The Peepshow and E.M. Delafield’s Messalina of the Suburbs.

As I write this, a little in advance of the weekend, we are being promised heat and sun and all sorts. I intend to spend the weekend reading, but I might go as far as opening a window. MAYBE TWO WINDOWS. Crazy, huh?

I have more links than usual this weekend, so don’t let anybody tell you I don’t spoil you. In fact, I’ll focus just on links this weekend.

1.) In Praise of Margery Sharp – from the New York Times. I’ve read three Sharp novels over the past 15 or so years, and really must read some more from my shelf – as they’ve all been brilliant.

2.) Do we need more than 120 words? – I wrote a piece for OxfordWords about Toki Pona, a recently created language with only 120 phonemes. It was really interesting researching the piece, and you can read all about it by following the link above.

3.) A new Marilynne Robinson novel! – don’t get too excited yet; it’s been announced, but there’s not even a title yet. Actually, do get excited – cos it’s the fourth in the Gilead series!

4.) Copy editors chat – this isn’t a new link, but I found it this week. The style guide doyenne of the New Yorker chats about her career, and maybe even tries to justify some of the New Yorker‘s sillier aberrations. (Did you know they use teen-ager and coöperative?)

5.) Judi, Maggie, Eileen, Joan – did somebody somehow bottle my dreams and hopes? This documentary is already my favourite film and I haven’t even seen it yet.

I’m writing this a few days before the weekend, and I’m already feeling a little bit ropey… fingers crossed I don’t spend the actual weekend in bed, since I’m supposed to be visiting a friend of mine. Eek. But anyway, here’s a link, a blog post, and a book nonetheless…

1.) The link – is the most fascinating true story I’ve read in ages.

2.) The blog post – is Harriet’s review of Sylvia Townsend Warner’s brilliant collection of short stories, Swans on an Autumn River. I also loved this, but she writes about it way better.

3.) The book – I’ve still never read any Rose Tremain, though am intending to read The Gustav Sonata at some point (and have it waiting) – but I see her childhood memoir is coming out in April, and I feel sure some of you would want to know…