Retro Reads discussion

Your moderators have had a chat & we are thinking of having discussions about including biographies/autobiographies of our authors, even if they are written after our time period.

After reading The Scapegoat I'm fascinated by the workings of Daphne du Maurier's mind, so we are likely to start with one about her.Probably Daphne du Maurieras I can get hold of this one.

Reading dates to be advised.

I think I still have this one lurking in a very small auto/biography shelf. I remember it as well worth reading.

I hardly ever read anything but fiction these days -- but I would love to know more about Daphne du Maurier so I'll definitely be on board with this one.

I really enjoyed Manderley Forever, which I was able to borrow as an ebook from Overdrive.

That sounds very interesting- I agree, Daphne intrigues the heck out of me, after reading her for the first time this year! If I can get the book, I’d enjoy taking part.

Just read this and thought it might add to the DdM interest

https://murder-mayhem.com/rebecca-dap...

I am scratching my head at the notion du Maurier would be considered a romance writer. I cannot imagine anyone reading her books and wanting that relationship in their lives.

Kavan wrote: "Just read this and thought it might add to the DdM interest

https://murder-mayhem.com/rebecca-dap...

I am scratching my head at the notion du Maurier would be considered a romance writ..."
Ha, true - healthy, well-balanced romantic relationships don’t seem in her wheelhouse, do they?

People categorizing people, without having a clue. .

I'm sorry to have dropped the ball on this one - after getting sick in October it took me a long time to come right - & then I had a lot of reading to catch up on.

I can get hold of two Daphne DuMaurier biographies & would like to read this one.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

I am worried about the age of the book - although this book is at another branch that doesn't have the same brisk deletion policy that my branch does.

Would a 15th of January start date suit everyone?

That date works for me.

Carol ꧁꧂ wrote: "I'm sorry to have dropped the ball on this one - after getting sick in October it took me a long time to come right - & then I had a lot of reading to catch up on.

I can get hold of two Daphne DuM..."

I think that's the bio I have; I'll check when I get home!

The date would work, but my library doesn’t have the book. I’d have to see if I could get it.

Susan in NC wrote: "The date would work, but my library doesn’t have the book. I’d have to see if I could get it."

How about through inter-library loan? I process ILLs at work, and I know I have requested books from Greensboro before. I don't know whether they have any restrictions or charge any fees for the service (we charge $3 to help offset shipping costs, and limit the number of requests to 3 at a time per patron).

The funny thing is, we have that book in our collection, and how cool would it be if you requested it and it came from us!

* the $3 is charged to our patron requesting the item, not to the library system borrowing the item through ILL.

Critterbee❇ wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "The date would work, but my library doesn’t have the book. I’d have to see if I could get it."

How about through inter-library loan? I process ILLs at work, and I know I have r..."

Hah, that would be cool!

Or, Critterbee, you could just deliver the copy in person... Through the rain and the snow and the sleet, just like the mailmen!

By the way, has Goodreads started sending anybody else their own comments? I mean, seriously, today they're sending comments by Karlyne to Karlyne. And that's weird...

Karlyne wrote: "By the way, has Goodreads started sending anybody else their own comments? I mean, seriously, today they're sending comments by Karlyne to Karlyne. And that's weird..."

I saw a complaint about this in Feedback, but hasn't happened to me yet.

It's showing my actual comment, too, instead of just a notification like when the rest of you comment. Maybe I'm supposed to be extra proud of myself...

And this time it sent it to me twice. I'm thinking I'm special.

Karlyne wrote: "And this time it sent it to me twice. I'm thinking I'm special."

Or you are your own evil twin? Better keep a close eye on yourself!

Oooooh, I might be Olivia de Haviland or Joan Fontaine! Dark Mirror, anyone? (now I have to go check if that's really the name of the scary sister one)

Karlyne wrote: "By the way, has Goodreads started sending anybody else their own comments? I mean, seriously, today they're sending comments by Karlyne to Karlyne. And that's weird..."

Yes, I admit I can be forgetful, but I’m not THAT bad - yet...🤣

Karlyne wrote: "And this time it sent it to me twice. I'm thinking I'm special."

Me, too!

Oh, wait, now it’s stopped sending me my own comments, I guess the feedback got through to the proper ghost in the machine!

Well, good! It's not that I don't think I'm entertaining, just that I already know my own thoughts...

Karlyne wrote: "Oooooh, I might be Olivia de Haviland or Joan Fontaine! Dark Mirror, anyone? (now I have to go check if that's really the name of the scary sister one)"

'Dark Mirror' it is! W/ Olivia de Haviland playing twins--one a murderer and one not. But which is which? It has been a long time since I've seen that one!

I watched it way back when my now-elderly daughters (haha, good thing they're not on here) were young teens. We were all severely traumatized!

Barb in Maryland wrote: "Karlyne wrote: "Oooooh, I might be Olivia de Haviland or Joan Fontaine! Dark Mirror, anyone? (now I have to go check if that's really the name of the scary sister one)"

'Dark Mirror' it is! W/ Oli..."
Ooh that sounds good! Onto the queue it goes...

Hi Peggy is the only only who has says she definitely wants to read the Forster biography of DuMaurier.

I have just acquired - for the princely sum of 20 cents- Daphne: A Portrait of Daphne Du Maurier Would anyone object to changing the read to this biography. If anyone does, (& don't be shy about saying so!)we will still read the Forster book.

My copy of the first Daphne Du Maurier has arrived at the library and my library does not have Daphne: A Portrait....perhaps we can all read whichever we can get hold of and share our insights.

Sorry, I couldn’t get either through my library or Scribd, but I’ll be interested to see the insights from the group on Du Maurier’s writing.

I’m fine with any Du Maurier bio. I like both Hana’s idea of reading different ones and comparing, and Susan’s idea of learning the group’s insights, even if we don’t have the specific book. 😊

Carol ꧁꧂ wrote: "Hi Peggy is the only only who has says she definitely wants to read the Forster biography of DuMaurier.

I have just acquired - for the princely sum of 20 cents- [book:Daphne: A Portrait of Daphne ..."

Peggy wrote: "I’m fine with any Du Maurier bio. I like both Hana’s idea of reading different ones and comparing, and Susan’s idea of learning the group’s insights, even if we don’t have the specific book. 😊

Car..."

Thanks everyone for your understanding!

I'm actually intrigues as to why there are so many biographies of DuMaurier. I'm hoping it means she had an interesting life.

Wonderful photographs in Margaret Forster's bio!

Her whole family and friends circle would be perfect for any Downton Abbey type period drama.

OK, I have added the Judith Cook biography as well. Unfortunately the most popular edition on GR doesn't have a cover.
Could be interesting. My copy says Judith Cook knew Du Maurier in the 60s.

There is also Daphne du Maurier and her Sisters: The Hidden Lives of Piffy, Bird and Bing if anyone is interested in reading that one.

Are we still going to start on the 15th, then? I do have the Forster one, so I'll be reading that along with Peggy, too.

"Piffy, Bird and Bing"! LOL those nicknames! Sounds like a trio right out of P.G. Wodehouse.

I also own “Piffy, Bird, and Bing” and wouldn’t mind having an excuse to read that one. In fact, I can see myself dipping in and out of both. :)

Karlyne wrote: "Are we still going to start on the 15th, then? I do have the Forster one, so I'll be reading that along with Peggy, too."

Piffy, Bird, and Bing. Wow, just wow!

Karlyne wrote: "Piffy, Bird, and Bing. Wow, just wow!"

Really, we had five kids in our family, one boy, four girls including my twin and I, so when our parents called us, it was just “Kathy, Bob, Twins, Reen!” Seems quite dull and staid compared to Piffy, Bird and Bing...

Ok, I'll add Puffy, Bird and Bing to this group's to read list. I'd love to read it & the Forster but I have really overloaded myself this month.

Just to give my title bit of a hard sell - Ms Cook knew D du M in the 60s. :)

This is an interesting article on Du Maurier (and makes me want to move The King's General up my TBR list):

https://fivebooks.com/best-books/daph...

Peggy wrote: "This is an interesting article on Du Maurier (and makes me want to move The King's General up my TBR list):

https://fivebooks.com/best-books/daph..."

I read that a million years ago, and I remember it as disturbing, not sure why!

Debbie wrote: "Hi all - Du Maurier was one of my favorite authors when I first read her decades ago. It's been years since I've read anything by her. I do enjoy biographies so I'll get the one by Margaret Forster..."

Glad to have you join us, Debbie. :)

I will try & read all of them, I know I have the Margaret Forster one, bought it my village bookshop in England when we lived there, we took a family trip across Dartmoor, stopped at Jamaica Inn, & spent Easter Break in Cornwall. I, of course, reread DuMaurier before, during, & after the trip. My daughter read it for a HS report & Rebecca, as well.

When you decide, can you put titles & dates up? Trying to plan ahead.

Peggy wrote: "This is an interesting article on Du Maurier (and makes me want to move The King's General up my TBR list):

https://fivebooks.com/best-books/daph..."


I'm reading the King's General right now because of that article and it is fantastic! I have no idea how anyone could read TKG or Rebecca and think DdM was a romance writer.

Hi

I'll put threads up tomorrow. I like to put up reads I'm leading on or just before the start date - just so I'm actually ready to lead. It hasn't been an issue in this group, but I've been in other groups with spoiler happy members. Not that is a problem with this read since it is non fiction - just explaining my point of view. :)

I've had a think & thought I will do one thread for each Du Maurier biography & a final shared thread where we can all share our opinions about the books we have read & Du Maurier's life.

How does that sound?