Thanks for all the wonderful contributions to the 1977 Club – I’m always surprised and delighted by how many people join in, and what a wide variety of authors we get. This time, I knew very few of them – out of my comfort zone – but have come away with the usual list of books to look out for.
Initially, Karen and I had thought we’d go back to the 1920s, and continue on back through the decades. But then we thought perhaps it would be fun to do things a bit differently now – and let random.org decide what year we’ll be doing. And, based on that – we’re going back to 1944 in October!
This will be our first club that looks at a wartime year – which will be a new and interesting perspective. We’ve got six months to go, but I hope you’ll pencil it in your diaries!
Hurrah! Here’s to 1944! :)
The people who love me think that 1944 was a great year. I think it will be an interesting challenge given what was going on in the world at the time.
Yay! I have a copy of Bellow’s The Dangling Man which was published in 1944….I ironically was just looking at it this morning, wondering where it came from and if I should get read it rid of it…
I’m going to start looking. I’m sure I’ll be able to find something good.
Brilliant! Really looking forward to taking part!
I love wartime era books so 1944 is a brilliant choice. I think I may have one or two.
I’m really looking forward to this one. It’s right up my street.
That sounds fun. I’m glad you’re doing an earlier year. I remember the 1980’s all too well.
I love books set in this era so it sounds like a wonderful choice to me.
I only have one book on my shelves published in 1944, a collection of Earle Stanley Gardner mysteries. But the list of books I found online through Wikipedia, google and Good Reads has a variety of interesting sounding books. Very happy you have gone back in time and not beyond 1980. Looking forward to it.
Thanks so much for co-hosting another excellent club. I’m so glad I was able to participate.
1944 sounds like a great choice for the next outing – as others have said, a very interesting year from a social/political perspective.
L P Hartley’s ‘The Shrimp and the Anemone’ is languishing on the shelves, Simon. Excellent choice of year!
Coincidentally, I am in the middle of a 1944 novel right now. The Friendly Young Ladies by Mary Renault.
And just in case anyone needs more ideas, these are the 1944 novels on my shelves:
Liana – Martha Gellhorn
Green Dolphin Street – Elizabeth Goudge
Rest and Be Thankful – Helen MacInnes
The Friendly Young Ladies – Mary Renault
The Signpost – E. Arnot Robertson
Chedworth – R.C. Sherriff
Listening Valley – D.E. Stevenson
Growing Up – Angela Thirkell
I thought this would be a tough one but then of course as I started digging I have at least three unread published in 1944, plus some I really want to read (and I’ll have to restrain my self from buying at least three more *cough* 1946 club *cough*). Right now my top choices are The Green Years by A. J. Cronin; The Portable Dorothy Parker; and The Headmistress by Angela Thirkell — that would be my top choice but it’s #13 in Thirkell’s Barset series, and I’ve only just finished #5! Either I’d have to skip ahead in the series, or finish SEVEN in the next six months! I might have to put that one off until next year. But I’m sure I’ll find something — or several somethings! I’m looking forward to it.
I also have The Portable Dorothy Parker sitting on my TBR! (among a whole slew of others)
1944 will be a great year for me–I am partial to vintage mysteries, so I should have lots to choose from. AND I’m going to stick this on a reminder in my calendar so I don’t miss out on the October Club.
I was right–27 books from 1944 waiting on the TBR pile…including a few non-mysteries. I’m spoiled for choices come October.
27!! Wow :)
Fantastic; what a wonderful wealth of books to choose from! I’m determined to participate properly this time, and have already made myself an enormous list…
An excellent idea! I am going to do “The Razor’s edge” and “Gigi.”