Reading the 20th Century discussion

Every month we discuss a book on a specific era or a theme. This book will be the winner of a group poll.


Our January 2023 theme is...


The Workplace


Please nominate a 20th century book (either written in the 20th century or set in it) that is centred around the workplace, and that you would like to read and discuss. It could be fiction or non-fiction

Please supply the title, author, a brief synopsis, and anything else you'd like to mention about the book, and why you think it might make a good book to discuss.


Happy nominating.

My nomination...



Quartet in Autumn by Barbara Pym was shortlisted for the 1977 Booker Prize and is a very modest 194 pages, so easy to fit in


The blurb...

Set in 1970s London, it’s about Edwin, Norman, Letty and Marcia who work in the same office and suffer the same problem - loneliness. Lovingly and with delightful humour, Pym conducts us through their day-to-day existence: their preoccupations, their irritations, their judgements, and - perhaps most keenly felt - their worries about having somehow missed out on life as post-war Britain shifted around them.

Deliciously, blackly funny and full of obstinate optimism, Quartet in Autumn shows Barbara Pym's sensitive artistry at its most sparkling. A classic from one of Britain's most loved and highly acclaimed novelists, its world is both extraordinary and familiar, revealing the eccentricities of everyday life.



Inspired by Joy D’s five star review posted in this group on Sat 15 Oct 22...

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...




Rave reviews...

An exquisite, even magnificent work of art ― The Observer
Barbara Pym has a sharp eye for the exact nuances of social behaviour ― The Times
The wit and style of a twentieth century Jane Austen ― Harpers & Queen
Very funny and keenly observant of the ridiculous as well as the pathetic in humanity ― Financial Times
A spare masterpiece of loneliness in retirement ― Telegraph
Quartet in Autumn is immeasurably her finest work of fiction ― Evening Standard
An alert miniaturist ... her novels have a distinctive flavour, as instantly recognisable as lapsang tea ― Daily Telegraph
No novelist brings more telling observation or more gentle pleasure ― Jilly Cooper

Very interested in reading this Nigeyb

Thanks Ben

Some inspiration (not all written in/set in the 20th century mind)....


https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/7...

https://www.theguardian.com/books/201...

https://mirabiledictu.org/2013/06/26/...

https://carolinedeacon.com/top-ten-no...

https://bookstr.com/article/must-read...

I'm thinking about House of Cards set in Westminster, Downing Street and Fleet Street - seems very timely even though it was published in 1989. The author, Michael Dobbs, was Thatcher's Chief of Staff and also wrote for the Daily Mail {hiss, spit, boo!}

Also thinking about Presumed Innocent (1987) set in a DA's office and courtroom.

And Notes on a Scandal by Zoë Heller set, of course, in a school.

Thanks for those lists, Nigeyb - will peruse later.

The TV version of House Of Cards was superb


Book could be interesting 🙌🏻

Thanks RC 🤠

Nigeyb wrote: "The TV version of House Of Cards was superb

I didn't see it but have heard that the scriptwriters made a lot of changes to the book so they're complementary rather than a direct translation to screen.

Even better still

I've meant to read House of Cards forever, RC.

I will nominate:

Towards the End of the Morning by Michael Frayn an author I have been thinking of trying.

Michael Frayn's classic novel is set in the crossword and nature notes department of an obscure national newspaper during the declining years of Fleet Street, John Dyson, a mid-level editor, dreams wistfully of fame and the gentlemanly life -- until one day his great chance of glory arrives. But does he have what it takes to succeed in the exciting world of television?

Looks interesting Susan - thanks

There are some interesting books about the nature of work like Convenience Store Woman and Microserfs but not always within our period.

So I'm going for House of Cards which is more in tune with the 'workplace' theme, set as it is in Westminster, No 10 and Fleet Street, the first two possibly amongst the most toxic workplaces we could imagine:

A dark tale of greed, corruption, and unquenchable ambition, House of Cards reveals that no matter the country, politics, intrigue and passion reign in the corridors of power.

Francis Urquhart has his hand on every secret in politics—and is willing to betray them all to become prime minister. Mattie Storin is a tenacious young reporter who has a knack for finding the real stories hidden behind the spin. When she stumbles upon a scandalous web of intrigue and financial corruption at the very highest levels, she vows to reveal the truth. But to do so she must battle her own demons and risk everything, even her life.

House of Cards is a classic political thriller reinvented for a new generation.

"This blood and thunder tale, lifelike and thoroughly cynical, certainly carries the ring of authenticity....a great triumph." — The Independent

Like the look of all the choices so far and I really do want to read House of Cards, so I am pretty torn already.

Susan wrote: "Like the look of all the choices so far and I really do want to read House of Cards, so I am pretty torn already."

Me too, but House of Cards has been on my radar forever and it feels like a book about political backstabbing, Westminster shenanigans and the fight for No 10 could hardly be more current 😉

Yay 🤠


A tricky choice as always

With the promise of more to come

Who else is nominating? Or considering it? 🤔

It's such a good theme. I love reading books set in the workplace as we do spend such a lot of time working and yet it doesn't crop up in novels as much as you would think.

Perhaps because there aren't many writers who have much experience in the workplace? Other than in the academic workplace.

I'm prepared to be shouted down on this, but at least when it comes to the white collar job, and noting the rare exceptions like Wallace Stevens at his insurance company and a few ex-lawyers, it isn't a life that attracts many writers.

I'm happy with the current nominations myself.

Susan wrote:


"I love reading books set in the workplace as we do spend such a lot of time working and yet it doesn't crop up in novels as much as you would think."

Yes, me too Susan

And you're right, it's not as prevalent as I would expect

Ben wrote:


"I'm happy with the current nominations myself"

Thanks Ben


And to recap...


Nominations...

Quartet in Autumn by Barbara Pym (Nigeyb)
House of Cards by Michael Dobbs (Roman Clodia)
Towards the End of the Morning by Michael Frayn (Susan)


Who else is nominating? Or considering it? 🤔

I was thinking quite broadly about what 'workplace' might mean and wondered about The Godfather!

I think there are quite a lot of contemporary book about women and office/work politics but they're outside our period.

A great book but one which I wouldn't be ready to reread yet is The Radium Girls, NF about women working in radium factories around WW2 with no health & safety regs and the horrific outcomes for them.

I like the idea of The Godfather as a workplace. I was also thinking of All the King's Men about the political workplace and William Maxwell's Time Will Darken It which is more broadly about a town but also covers the workplace of a small law firm. Both would be very good candidates, but I've read them already.

I read an excellent book about the Amazon workplace, but as you would expect it's 21st century. Seasonal Associate

Three that sprung to my mind are...



Something Happened by Joseph Heller

Something Happened is Joseph Heller's wonderfully inventive and controversial second novel satirising business life and American culture


And two outside 20th century...

Lightning Rods by Helen DeWitt

Joe fails to sell a single set of the Encyclopedia Britannica in six months. Then fails to sell a single Electrolux and must eat 126 pieces of homemade pie, served up by his would-be customers who feel sorry for him. Holed up in his trailer, Joe finds an outlet for his frustrations in a series of ingenious sexual fantasies, and at last strikes gold


London and the South-East by David Szalay

David Szalay's debut novel is set in the alcohol-sodden, materialistic, insecure and increasingly sham world of a telephone salesman. The salesman in question is Paul Rainey, a 40-year-old functioning alcoholic on anti-anxiety medication who commutes into London every day from Hove.

I'd be happy with any of the three nominees so far and I'm struggling to think of others. If one considers a ship - especially a warship - to be a workplace, there are plenty of possibilities, but that doesn't feel quite right to me.

A newspaper setting might work, but beyond Scoop I'm can't bring anything to mind that I'd really want to read/re-read.

I'll keep trying, but don't hold your collective breath.

By the way, I tried to read Something Happened once. I found it dull and turgid and gave up pretty soon. Just saying...

Oh! I'd just posted that when I thought of The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin by David Nobbs. It's a wonderful comic portrait of office life in Britain in the 70s. The TV series was a gem and the books are just as good, if not better. Hilarious and rather poignant, too.

That's an official nomination, please, Nigeyb.

I was thinking of a hospital - something like Doctor in the House, or of course Sue Barton, Student Nurse - but neither is available in Kindle, or recently republished.

Rosina wrote: "I was thinking of a hospital - something like Doctor in the House, or of course Sue Barton, Student Nurse - but neither is available in Kindle, or recently republished."

Actually, the Sue Barton books are available as Kindles ...

Sid wrote:


"The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin by David Nobbs - a wonderful comic portrait of office life in Britain in the 70s"

I reread it quite recently Sid, and the second one, with the third one awaiting the right moment

Still utterly wonderful


Nominations...

Quartet in Autumn by Barbara Pym (Nigeyb)
House of Cards by Michael Dobbs (Roman Clodia)
Towards the End of the Morning by Michael Frayn (Susan)
The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin by David Nobbs (Sid)

My nomination is set in a newspaper, Sid, in the last hurrah of Fleet Street, before they all shuffled off to Canary Wharf, or wherever it is.

Isn't there some factory stuff in Saturday Night and Sunday Morning? And some mid-century US writers have tackled work... who's the guy that I mentally file alongside Steinbeck? Ah, Upton Sinclair, The Jungle.

Or GB84 about the miner's strike (must read this!).

I'd also thought of hospitals but all the books seem to be doctor/nurse romances!

I see book:Then We Came to the End|97782] by Joshua Ferris features at the top of one or two workplace book lists. I was very impressed by this one, set in an ad agency in the 1990s, and am slightly startled to see I only gave it 4 stars - I remember it as a 5-star read. I imagine a lot of people have read it though so I won't nominate it.

RC, as I recall, The Jungle is powerful but (or because) it is very long and emotionally devastating.

Roman Clodia wrote: "Isn't there some factory stuff in Saturday Night and Sunday Morning? "

There is, and it's very well done. I considered it, too - especially because it is set in Nottingham, where my family settled when I was a young teenager. I'm not sure it qualifies as being *set* in the workplace, though.

I haven't read Then We Came to the End, Judy. Looks good. When She Was Bad was a good thriller, set in an office. I love Tammy Cohen's books.

Last call for nominations


You have 24 hours

I'll get the poll up tomorrow morning



Nominations...

Quartet in Autumn by Barbara Pym (Nigeyb)
House of Cards by Michael Dobbs (Roman Clodia)
Towards the End of the Morning by Michael Frayn (Susan)
The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin by David Nobbs (Sid)

Nigeyb wrote: "I'll get the poll up tomorrow morning"

I think you may be over-sharing there, Nigeyb. 😉

Sid, a perfect workplace joke. Are you going for realism or atmosphere?

I was going for Deliberate Misunderstanding For Comic Effect.

🤪

Sid wrote: "Nigeyb wrote: "I'll get the poll up tomorrow morning"

I think you may be over-sharing there, Nigeyb. 😉"

{groan} while smirking!

Vote now...


https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...



Nominations...

Quartet in Autumn by Barbara Pym (Nigeyb)
House of Cards by Michael Dobbs (Roman Clodia)
Towards the End of the Morning by Michael Frayn (Susan)
The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin by David Nobbs (Sid)

Pollwatch...


Quartet in Autumn by Barbara Pym - 4 votes, 50.0%
Towards the End of the Morning by Michael Frayn - 2 votes, 25.0%
House of Cards by Michael Dobbs - 1 vote, 12.5%
The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin by David Nobbs - 1 vote, 12.5%

I was saying on the nomination thread, Nigeyb, that I've never read Barbara Pym before. Looking like the winner, so this may be my first and I have just downloaded it in a fit of enthusiasm :)

Still want to buddy read House of Cards if anyone is interested.

Thanks Susan


It will be my first Pym too, if it does prevail. Exciting times

Less than 24 hours to go


Pollwatch...


Quartet in Autumn by Barbara Pym - 5 votes, 55.6%
Towards the End of the Morning by Michael Frayn - 2 votes, 22.0%
House of Cards by Michael Dobbs - 1 vote, 11.1%
The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin by David Nobbs - 1 vote, 11.1%


https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...

Not many votes, surprisingly. I'd like to read all of them.

Susan wrote:


"Not many votes, surprisingly. I'd like to read all of them."

Yes me too.

I would have voted for Reggie Perrin if I hadn't reread it recently

I also nominated it last year when it also didn't win the poll...

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Sid, if you do read it soon then please comment in our new David Nobbs thread where I'll post a few comments that I'd previously posted on What Are You Reading?....

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

If anyone wants to read any of the other 3 books, I'd happily join in a buddy read.

We agreed a buddy read for House of Cards, didn't we? Sad to see it languishing there on the poll with only my one sole vote ;)

Well it certainly looks like a Pyms No1 (Sorry)