Between the Wars discussion

If you wish to do a group read in the new year, let's choose a book before Christmas so that you can put it on your list for Santa.

Wise woman! I am sure Santa will support the group read! haha

While I was ordering some books online for family members, I just couldn't resist adding a few for myself! They will magically appear in my stocking.

Great idea.

I'm going to say Sunflower by Rebecca West because I know I'm getting it already.

Sounds really interesting, Lauren! I'll get it anyway, just in case. : )

One of our members has nominated Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons. Sounds good, too!

Lauren wrote: "Great idea.

I'm going to say Sunflower by Rebecca West because I know I'm getting it already."

I haven't been able to find it. Any suggestions?

Gabriele wrote: "Lauren wrote: "Great idea.

I'm going to say Sunflower by Rebecca West because I know I'm getting it already."

I haven't been able to find it. Any sugg..."

I found this on Amazon Canada: http://www.amazon.ca/Sunflower-Rebecc...

I don't think it's that well known. Maybe I should nom a book that's easier to get hold of.

Will wonders never cease? My library has Sunflower.

Lauren wrote: "Gabriele wrote: "Lauren wrote: "Great idea.

I'm going to say Sunflower by Rebecca West because I know I'm getting it already."

I haven't been able..."

Thanks, Lauren. I had tried Indigo/Chapters in Canada and Amazon.com with no luck. Haven't tried my library yet, Jeannette! : ) But I do like to buy books that are relevant to my work, or that I might want to keep. Bad habit, I know!

Hi, there are a lot of copies of the Sunflower book on Alibris.com, which is a reliable place I shop. (Used)

We need some more nominations :)

Sunflower was unfinished.

Okay, I nominate The Invisible Bridge: A Novel. It is right on the border, because it starts in 1937 and then progresses through WWII.

Gabriele wrote: "While I was ordering some books online for family members, I just couldn't resist adding a few for myself! They will magically appear in my stocking."

Must be a very wide stocking.

Very, Rochelle!

Your nomination sounds intriguing, Jeannette, especially as my parents were Hungarian and in the thick of things during WWII, although in their teens.

I bought A Note in Music by Rosamond Lehmann after our last nominations, so we could add that one to the list again.

Rochelle wrote: "Sunflower was unfinished."

Was it? I read that it was published posthumously, but I didn't know that.




Gabriele wrote: "Very, Rochelle!

Your nomination sounds intriguing, Jeannette, especially as my parents were Hungarian and in the thick of things during WWII, although in their teens.

I bought A Note in Mus..."</i>

I'd love to read a Rosamond Lehmann book. Have you read [book:The Echoing Grove?

Jeannette wrote: "Okay, I nominate The Invisible Bridge: A Novel. It is right on the border, because it starts in 1937 and then progresses through WWII."

Looks interesting, and the GR ratings are mostly positive.

I haven't read anything by Rosamond Lehmann yet. Once again we have some great books to choose from!

Are we still doing nominations, Gabriell? I should have checked to see if a poll was up yet first --- not rushing, just making sure I wasn't out of the loop.

I found it of course!

Great, Sarah!

I know the group voted to mix modern novels with period works, but a modern novel taking place between the wars does not give you a feel for the way the arts were transformed early in the century, when Modernism had recently evolved, art was transformed, and the world had been turned upside-down by WWI. Where are the books that reflect the Jazz Age, the Lost Generation, the sense of displacement after the war, the Great Depression, the growth of the film industry, the growth of organized crime in the '20's?

We also miss the chance to read some of the great writers of that period. I missed the opportunity to nominate, but I'm disappointed that this group chose 2 modern novels, a lesser, unfinished work of West and the one novel of Stella Gibbon, and ignores Faulkner, Hemingway, Cather, Fitzgerald, Sinclair Lewis, Galsworthy, Thornton Wilder, Steinbeck, Woolf, and Wharton. And no, these writers are not sufficiently covered in any other GR group. I've checked through literally dozens of groups.

Rochelle wrote: "I know the group voted to mix modern novels with period works, but a modern novel taking place between the wars does not give you a feel for the way the arts were transformed early in the century, ..."

I agree that it is important to read the works of the period, which we seem to have done so far in our group reads, and I certainly need to do for my research.

It is also interesting to read books that recreate this era with the hindsight of history. Anything that engages us and thereby gives us a deeper understanding of the period is worth considering.

So much to read and enjoy! Please do nominate your favourite for the next group read, Rochelle.

I would like to dive into some of the big names of the era, Rochelle & Gabriele. However, I am attracted to lesser known works because I haven't been exposed to them before. So maybe even if we do an author like you listed above, we could have kind of forum during nominating time to see who might be interested in Hemingway for example, but would like to choose one not usually so discussed in school or the reading groups. See what I mean? For example, I DO like Steinbeck, but I wouldn't plow back through Of Mice and Men for no amount of money. :P (high school AND college)

Rochelle, I like your mentioning something about growth of film. That would be a good subject to read in certainly.

I just think we have a small enough group that we can discuss things/authors we are interested in at any time, prior to the poll. You folks have talked a lot about film -- maybe just have some more free flowing talk in thread about authors and the types of books -- more popular and lesser known ones they have written? How they tie in to things? Whether they wrote more about Europe or America or other parts of the world? Maybe the informal discussions could help us at choosing time?

I am a bit confused. I thought Cold Comfort Farm was published in 1933. And the West novel, is set in the 1920's, and based on the author's affair with H. G. Wells, who died in 1946, so it is also written in the period.

I am not arguing against any of the other authors listed, just saying that I think those two mentioned were written in the period, and are not modern recreations of the period. Am I mistaken? I'm getting my information from the GR synopsis pages.

Jeannette, admittedly the West novel was written in the eighties, but it is West drawing back on her life in the 20s.

Rochelle, that's just the way it rolls. I don't think the group would be a very inviting place if we got all strict over the books we choose. You could always nominate a book yourself? I nominated the "lesser, unfinished" West book because it's one I personally want to read, but you're under no obligation to vote for it or read it. I'll get off the soapbox now :P

I agree that we could easily have informal discussions around the more famous authors that many of us have read, but may not wish to revisit when there is so much else to explore. I actually like the less well-known novels to which I've been introduced by members' suggestions - whether or not chosen for our group reads. For instance, I read Rebecca West's The Return of the Soldier a few years ago and am now looking forward to this intriguing unfinished one by her. Another book for Santa's list! So once we've both read it, perhaps we could discuss it, Lauren - along with anyone else who may have read it.

In any case, I encourage you all to share your thoughts on books from and of the era.

And the winner is... Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons. Hope you all get a copy from Santa!

I just ordered my copy and it will be here by Christmas! Along with some other "stocking stuffers" that Santa said I could have. : )

Good job, Santa! ;)

I'm excited. Two of my favourite movies are in the package as well - "Enchanted April" and " A Month by the Lake". Woohoo!

My husband just bought a 40" television, just for watching movies, and the occasional football game. He's putting the stand together right now.

Sounds great! MY husband it talking about getting one this Xmas. In fact, he thinks that 40" is too small! But I think we don't have room for anything bigger, nor do I want to spend more money. Let me know how it is, Jeannette.

I LOVE Cold Comfort Farm!!! I've been dying to reread the book. I probably won't be able to start rereading until February, though; I'm overly ambitious with my reading plans!

That's OK, Amanda. I've given us lots of time for discussion. Glad that you'll be able to join in whenever you have time.

Hi sorry Ive not been around but I have COLD COMFORT FARM so please count me in.
AS you may allremmber I`m having a year of reading from home this year and as such am delighted that I already have this years first book :-)

HAPPY NEW YEAR from Scotland.....

DJ wrote: "Hi sorry Ive not been around but I have COLD COMFORT FARM so please count me in.
AS you may allremmber I`m having a year of reading from home this year and as such am delighted that I already have..."

Glad you're going to join us, DJ. And Happy New Year from Canada!

Happy New Year from the USA! :)

I'll add England into the mix :-) Happy new year and hope you all had good christmases.

Looking forward to the group read.

Gabriele wrote: "DJ wrote: "Hi sorry Ive not been around but I have COLD COMFORT FARM so please count me in.
AS you may allremmber I`m having a year of reading from home this year and as such am delighted that I a..."

Thanks Gabriele....Just goingto check when its to be finished for.....

I thought I had a copy of "Cold Comfort Farm" but I cannot find it at the moment. Maybe the library will have a copy.