And so begins another year of reading. Last year I feel was somewhat lost to a litany of lazy reading and I am eager to get back to curling up with the kind of early to mid-twentieth century domestic fiction that really makes my heart sing.
One of the first projects I suggested on the Puttery Post for 2010 was inspired by National Book Blitz Month…
” It is National Book Blitz Month: the month an entire nation is urged to bury it’s head in a book or twenty nine, discover something new or get to know it’s favorite authors all over again… And so in honour of the occasion, might I suggest you set upon creating a list of must-read books for 2010? Choose a book for every month of the year: books you have always planned to read but have never found the time, books from one particular author or books that will teach you everything you need to know about a subject that makes your heart a little giddy…
Note the books down in your bookjournal (You do have one don’t you?), create an Amazon Wishlist to remind you of your book choices or put all twelve books on order at your local library.
While other books will no doubt tickle your fancy throughout the year, make a commitment to read your chosen books along the way and end the year a little more knowledgeable, familiar with an author who will feel like a life long friend or indeed throughly inspired by the kind of classic writing that will be written on your heart thereafter…
A Puttery Treat with the power to change your life methinks….”
And as she in charge of living the puttery dream I rather think it is my duty to commit out loud to my very own reading list for the next twelve months. So without further ado, here it is. Feel free to create your own list, put it on your blog, read my monthly reviews, or indeed read along with me and throw in your own twopenneth…
January. A Glass of Blessings. Having been gently thrilled with both Excellent Women and Jane and Prudence I found myself searching for my next journey into Barbara Pyms thoroughly charming, terribly British imagination and happened across “A Glass of Blessings”,described thus in a review on Amazon… “We are in 1950s London with an excellent cast of characters. The pathalogically domesticated Keith, forever washing down paintwork and boiling discloths in Tide; Father Thames, the gourmet priest with a penchant for Lapsang Souchong which can never be satisfied at parish get-togethers; and the kleptomaniac Wilf Bason, housekeeper at the clergy house, whose idea of a suitable meal for Lent is fried octopus; these are among the best.” I can’t wait. February Cheerful Weather For the Wedding. Cheerful Weather For the Wedding has been on my list of “must reads” for a long time and I was thrilled when Persephone published it with such a beautiful cover. Set during just one day, the book describes the tangled emotion and chaos leading up to and after a family wedding, and is described by The Guardian as “A brilliant, bittersweet upstairs-downstairs comedy”. March At Mrs Lippincote’s Elizabeth Taylors writing is an absolute joy so I’m looking forward to At Mrs Lippincote’s, the story of an Army wife struggling to meet her husbands high ideals, described in an Amazon review thus… “Billeted temporarily to the village and home of the eponymous Mrs. Lippincote to be near her husband, an officer in the RAF, Julia Davenant is expected to be a model officer’s wife, serving meals to her husband’s commanding officers, joining in the fun had by his fellows and their wives, and behaving so as not to attract attention or to embarrass him. Reminded of these obligations by the model of the domestic Lippincotes that surrounds her in her new home, she chooses instead to escape into an inner world of observation and intellectual reflection as she cares for her husband, her sickly son, and her husband’s censorious “odd woman” cousin Eleanor who serves as both company and as foil for the nonconformist Julia.” April The Scent of Water Having never heard of Elizabeth Goudge, (shame on me) this is the one book of all those I have chosen for the year that I am looking forward to because there is no greater joy than discovering an author others are raving about. The Scent of Water tells the tale of a woman leaving city life and adapting to the quirks and eccentricities of life in the countryside house she has inherited. Described as enchanting by more than one reviewer, April cannot come soon enough for me. May Young Hearts Crying It is my belief that one has to steel one’s emotions before attempting to read a Richard Yates novel, so devastating are they both in terms of storyline and powerful writing. Having adored Revolutionary Road, Eleven Kinds of Loneliness and the wonderful Easter Parade, this description of the decay of a marriage over thirty years looks set to break my heart all over again, which is why I am choosing May as the month to read it, being after all the Springiest, happiest month of the entire year. June The Girls of Slender Means Wanna hear a confession? I have avoided Muriel Spark all my life because her reputation as “funny” goes before her and that makes me think she is the vintage equivalent of Kathy Lette and there goes a woman who gives me tummy ache. However now that I am all growed up and know that funny can deftly disguise what is both bleak and harrowing, I am ready to give this much loved writer a chance to write her way into my heart. So avoiding the obvious and opting for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, I am instead going for The Girls of Slender Means, an apparent dictionary of a book described by one reader on Amazon as “the best novel ever”- an accolade I can hardly resist… July The Brimming Cup: -1921 The Home-Maker was my favorite read of 2008 and I’m really not sure why it has taken me so long to read another of Dorothy Canfield-Fishers books. As I know nothing about The Brimming Cup this book is going to be something of an unknown quantity on the list, but luckily I’m the kind of girl who really rather enjoys surprises. Wish me luck…though if the writing is as good as that in The Home-Maker, I just won’t need it. August Few Eggs and No Oranges: Vere Hodgson’s Diary, 1940-45 The second on my list of books from Persephone is Few Eggs and No Oranges, a title I find curiously inviting speaking as it does of shopping lists and rations. As I am over-fond of the kind of wartime historical nonsense novels it really doesn’t do to speak of in these circles, I am looking forward to a book that pulls no punches about the realities of war-time London and a diary I can dip in and out of seemed the obvious choice for a month likely to be busy with so much to see and do beyond the reading chair. September A House and Its Head And with a new season, a complete change of pace designed to have me dipping into a murder most gruesome and a witty novel stuffed with Edwardian family politics from the much celebrated Ivy Comptom- Burnett. October Nightingale Wood Everybody adores Cold Comfort Farm and I have heard good things about Stella Gibbons’ further comedy of manners Nightingale Wood, not least that Sophie Dahl (who I totally heart) has described it as a “fairytale”. Taking a similar format of stranding a girl with a head full of frippery in the dourest circumstances peopled by a range of eccentric characters, rumour has it that this will be the kind of giddy romp just right for curling up with as the nights draw in. November The Fountain Overflows While I have never really taken to magic realism as a genre in it’s own right, of all the books on the list this is perhaps the one I am most excited about, if only because of this review: “I have been reading, reading, reading for fifty plus years. Oddly I don’t dream about books, but this one was an exception. The character Cordelia came to haunt my sleep, lively and unforgettable. A vivid, surprising, unpredictable, eccentric, and thoroughly original work. Seek it out.” And another that declares that Rebecca West’s novel about a gifted family perpetually down on it’s luck is her favorite book in the world. Perhaps it will be mine. December Wild Strawberries Finally we come to the last book of the year, Wild Strawberries, a light-hearted “witty romp through English Country-house life at its most delightfully absurd”,deliberately chosen, first because a comedy of manners will not to be at odds with the joy of the festive season, and secondly because it is the first of a series of books featuring the Leslie family, that will I hope take me sailing into 2011 possessed by the need to live in their world that little bit longer…
Create your own Brocante Life Book, plan Christmas, set up routines and rituals or live life the BrocanteHome way with my guided workbooks and planners.
Add two cups of very strong black coffee to your rinse water to bring faded black garments back to life. Other Things To Do At BrocanteHome Browse the Bookstore Discover a curated list of books to enhance and support life the BrocanteHome…
Oh I like this woman! Is she on American television regularly? There are lot’s more of her video shorts on her site, which is itself a virtual bundle of both decorative and personal inspiration. Hop on over and go help yourself to…
Image courtesy of FoxTongue on Flickr Though it is always a pleasure to have Valerie from A Bohemian Season here at Brocante I am particularly thrilled to share her latest gorgeous thoughts on dreams on this the day the very first Muse…
Happy Friday Housekeepers. I do hope you have all had a lovely Thanksgiving and are ready to get on the train to the madness that is Christmas! While I remain incarcerated in sick babba hell I haven’t got much time to stay…
There is a television in my bedroom. Yep. A television. In my room. Me. Who is forever reminding you that the geopathic stress caused by TV’s and computers in the bedroom are likely to have you blowing a brain gasket. Or something……
{"id":null,"mode":"form","open_style":"in_place","currency_code":"USD","currency_symbol":"$","currency_type":"decimal","blank_flag_url":"https:\/\/brocantehome.net\/wp-content\/plugins\/tip-jar-wp\/\/assets\/images\/flags\/blank.gif","flag_sprite_url":"https:\/\/brocantehome.net\/wp-content\/plugins\/tip-jar-wp\/\/assets\/images\/flags\/flags.png","default_amount":300,"top_media_type":"featured_image","featured_image_url":"http:\/\/brocantehome.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/tipjar-2.png","featured_embed":"","header_media":null,"file_download_attachment_data":null,"recurring_options_enabled":true,"recurring_options":{"never":{"selected":true,"after_output":"One time only"},"weekly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every week"},"monthly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every month"},"yearly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every year"}},"strings":{"current_user_email":"","current_user_name":"","link_text":"Leave a tip","complete_payment_button_error_text":"Check info and try again","payment_verb":"Pay","payment_request_label":"BrocanteHome","form_has_an_error":"Please check and fix the errors above","general_server_error":"Something isn't working right at the moment. Please try again.","form_title":"BrocanteHome","form_subtitle":"Help Me to Keep BrocanteHome Online","currency_search_text":"Country or Currency here","other_payment_option":"Other payment option","manage_payments_button_text":"Manage your payments","thank_you_message":"Thank you so much: helping me keep Brocantehome online really means the world to me.","payment_confirmation_title":"BrocanteHome","receipt_title":"Your Receipt","print_receipt":"Print Receipt","email_receipt":"Email Receipt","email_receipt_sending":"Sending receipt...","email_receipt_success":"Email receipt successfully sent","email_receipt_failed":"Email receipt failed to send. Please try again.","receipt_payee":"Paid to","receipt_statement_descriptor":"This will show up on your statement as","receipt_date":"Date","receipt_transaction_id":"Transaction ID","receipt_transaction_amount":"Amount","refund_payer":"Refund from","login":"Log in to manage your payments","manage_payments":"Manage Payments","transactions_title":"Your Transactions","transaction_title":"Transaction Receipt","transaction_period":"Plan Period","arrangements_title":"Your Plans","arrangement_title":"Manage Plan","arrangement_details":"Plan Details","arrangement_id_title":"Plan ID","arrangement_payment_method_title":"Payment Method","arrangement_amount_title":"Plan Amount","arrangement_renewal_title":"Next renewal date","arrangement_action_cancel":"Cancel Plan","arrangement_action_cant_cancel":"Cancelling is currently not available.","arrangement_action_cancel_double":"Are you sure you'd like to cancel?","arrangement_cancelling":"Cancelling Plan...","arrangement_cancelled":"Plan Cancelled","arrangement_failed_to_cancel":"Failed to cancel plan","back_to_plans":"\u2190 Back to Plans","update_payment_method_verb":"Update","sca_auth_description":"Your have a pending renewal payment which requires authorization.","sca_auth_verb":"Authorize renewal payment","sca_authing_verb":"Authorizing payment","sca_authed_verb":"Payment successfully authorized!","sca_auth_failed":"Unable to authorize! Please try again.","login_button_text":"Log in","login_form_has_an_error":"Please check and fix the errors above","uppercase_search":"Search","lowercase_search":"search","uppercase_page":"Page","lowercase_page":"page","uppercase_items":"Items","lowercase_items":"items","uppercase_per":"Per","lowercase_per":"per","uppercase_of":"Of","lowercase_of":"of","back":"Back to plans","zip_code_placeholder":"Zip\/Postal Code","download_file_button_text":"Download File","input_field_instructions":{"tip_amount":{"placeholder_text":"How much would you like to tip?","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"How much would you like to tip? Choose any currency."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"How much would you like to tip? Choose any currency."},"invalid_curency":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please choose a valid currency."}},"recurring":{"placeholder_text":"Recurring","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"How often would you like to give this?"},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"How often would you like to give this?"},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"How often would you like to give this?"}},"name":{"placeholder_text":"Name on Credit Card","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter the name on your card."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter the name on your card."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please enter the name on your card."}},"privacy_policy":{"terms_title":"Terms and conditions","terms_body":null,"terms_show_text":"View Terms","terms_hide_text":"Hide Terms","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"I agree to the terms."},"unchecked":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please agree to the terms."},"checked":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"I agree to the terms."}},"email":{"placeholder_text":"Your email address","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"not_an_email_address":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Make sure you have entered a valid email address"}},"note_with_tip":{"placeholder_text":"Your note here...","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"empty":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"not_empty_initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"saving":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Saving note..."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Note successfully saved!"},"error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Unable to save note note at this time. Please try again."}},"email_for_login_code":{"placeholder_text":"Your email address","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."}},"login_code":{"initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."}},"stripe_all_in_one":{"initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"success":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"invalid_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is not a valid credit card number."},"invalid_expiry_month":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration month is invalid."},"invalid_expiry_year":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration year is invalid."},"invalid_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is invalid."},"incorrect_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is incorrect."},"incomplete_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is incomplete."},"incomplete_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is incomplete."},"incomplete_expiry":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration date is incomplete."},"incomplete_zip":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's zip code is incomplete."},"expired_card":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card has expired."},"incorrect_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is incorrect."},"incorrect_zip":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's zip code failed validation."},"invalid_expiry_year_past":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration year is in the past"},"card_declined":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card was declined."},"missing":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"There is no card on a customer that is being charged."},"processing_error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"An error occurred while processing the card."},"invalid_request_error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Unable to process this payment, please try again or use alternative method."},"invalid_sofort_country":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The billing country is not accepted by SOFORT. Please try another country."}}}},"fetched_oembed_html":false}