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issybird · 10-31-2018, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmw

Pleased to hear you sound enthusiastic, less pleased that it sounds like you've read/heard of a lot of them - always a high risk with this sort of nomination. I did wonder if Clovis might be best for a club discussion (if it gets that far) because the stories would have something in common to keep the discussion together a bit more, maybe.

I got reminded about wanting to try Saki while researching availability of a book by A.A. Milne: Not that it Matters. Published in 1920 it's public domain in the U.S. but not elsewhere. (Available on Project Gutenberg for any interested Americans.) It's a collection of newspaper articles he wrote, whimsical rather than funny, but I enjoyed it very much. It includes such topics as the joy of writing - actually using the pen; the best way to organise your library - when you find the time; the charm of golf - being a good game for a bad player; goldfish and how they came to have a diet of ant eggs; why daffodils are the best flowers and oranges the best fruit ... and lots more. It also includes an article about The Wind in the Willows that includes a favourite quote.

I'd have no objection to revisiting and I haven't checked The Chronicles of Clovis for the stories that made it into the anthology I heard in any case. I do know that one particularly powerful story, "Sredni Vashtar," is in Clovis and worth reading for that alone.

I'll note as an aside that the Lit Club read Saki its very first year exactly seven years ago and as a result I don't many of us are still around.

ETA: Oh, and thanks for the Milne mention, which I'm going to go ahead and download. I'll admit I'm not much of a Pooh fan (being more in the Dorothy Parker camp), but this sounds delightful.

stuartjmz · 10-31-2018, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmw

I got reminded about wanting to try Saki while researching availability of a book by A.A. Milne: Not that it Matters. Published in 1920 it's public domain in the U.S. but not elsewhere. (Available on Project Gutenberg for any interested Americans.)

Following Gutenberg's instructions, I checked NZ copyright law, and it said "50 years after the death of the author" so the book is public domain here too, it seems.

gmw · 10-31-2018, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by issybird

I'd have no objection to revisiting and I haven't checked The Chronicles of Clovis for the stories that made it into the anthology I heard in any case. I do know that one particularly powerful story, "Sredni Vashtar," is in Clovis and worth reading for that alone.

I'll note as an aside that the Lit Club read Saki its very first year exactly seven years ago and as a result I don't many of us are still around.

ETA: Oh, and thanks for the Milne mention, which I'm going to go ahead and download. I'll admit I'm not much of a Pooh fan (being more in the Dorothy Parker camp), but this sounds delightful.

I forgot to check the Lit Club. Including yourself, that makes three still active participants (fantasyfan and Bookworm_Girl), were around for that. So not an ideal choice, my Milne idea might turn out to be better after all. (I can still read Saki for myself.) I like Milne's voice, so I'm happy to read almost anything of his I can get my hands on.

Quote:

Originally Posted by stuartjmz

Following Gutenberg's instructions, I checked NZ copyright law, and it said "50 years after the death of the author" so the book is public domain here too, it seems.

Thanks. I didn't realise NZ was still using 50 years after death of the author.

issybird · 10-31-2018, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmw

I forgot to check the Lit Club. Including yourself, that makes three still active participants (fantasyfan and Bookworm_Girl), were around for that. So not an ideal choice,

I wasn't trying to be Debby Downer; just the opposite! I'd love to read Saki with this group.

Clearly I have to work on my enthusiastic voice.

Catlady · 10-31-2018, 10:08 AM

As an aside, since Milne has come up--any opinions on The Red House Mystery? For years I've been thinking, I must read that someday--but someday hasn't come yet.

gmw · 10-31-2018, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by issybird

I wasn't trying to be Debby Downer; just the opposite! I'd love to read Saki with this group.

Clearly I have to work on my enthusiastic voice.

It was clear you liked it enough to do it again, but I was a bit concerned whether fantasyfan and Bookworm_Girl would be equally happy ... I guess that's why we do the voting thing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catlady

As an aside, since Milne has come up--any opinions on The Red House Mystery? For years I've been thinking, I must read that someday--but someday hasn't come yet.

It's a long while since I last read it. My memory of it is: It's a perfectly good mystery (of it's time), but Milne's naturally lighter tone might make you think he isn't taking it seriously. He is, it's well constructed, it's just his writing always seems (to me) like he's enjoying himself as he writes.

Catlady · 10-31-2018, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmw

It's a long while since I last read it. My memory of it is: It's a perfectly good mystery (of it's time), but Milne's naturally lighter tone might make you think he isn't taking it seriously. He is, it's well constructed, it's just his writing always seems (to me) like he's enjoying himself as he writes.

Thanks. I'll keep it on my someday list!

issybird · 10-31-2018, 11:48 AM

As readers we all come across those synchronicities in the books we read, where similar references occur in unrelated books. However, I am overwhelmed in my current read of Kate Atkinson's Transcription. I noted a mention of Rembrandt's Night Watch, which also figured in Stargazing. But when literally a few pages later someone confused Halifax, Yorkshire with Halifax, Nova Scotia which was one of the issues in The Great Halifax Explosion, I lost it.

Carry on, but I had to share my amusement.

Catlady · 10-31-2018, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by issybird

As readers we all come across those synchronicities in the books we read, where similar references occur in unrelated books. However, I am overwhelmed in my current read of Kate Atkinson's Transcription. I noted a mention of Rembrandt's Night Watch, which also figured in Stargazing. But when literally a few pages later someone confused Halifax, Yorkshire with Halifax, Nova Scotia which was one of the issues in The Great Halifax Explosion, I lost it.

Carry on, but I had to share my amusement.

How is Transcription? I have it on hold. I haven't read Kate Atkinson but the WWII connection made me decide to try this one.

Bookworm_Girl · 10-31-2018, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmw

It was clear you liked it enough to do it again, but I was a bit concerned whether fantasyfan and Bookworm_Girl would be equally happy ... I guess that's why we do the voting thing.

It's a long while since I last read it. My memory of it is: It's a perfectly good mystery (of it's time), but Milne's naturally lighter tone might make you think he isn't taking it seriously. He is, it's well constructed, it's just his writing always seems (to me) like he's enjoying himself as he writes.

I read Beasts and Superbeasts for the Lit Club. I don’t remember much, but I gave it 4 stars on Goodreads so I must’ve enjoyed the stories. I would definitely be interested in Milne regardless of whether it is Winnie-the-Pooh or something else. I recently watched the movie Goodbye Christopher Robin about Winnie-the-Pooh’s creation, and I picked up an audiobook version of Pooh that I haven’t listened to yet. I have fond memories of Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends from childhood.

issybird · 10-31-2018, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catlady

How is Transcription? I have it on hold. I haven't read Kate Atkinson but the WWII connection made me decide to try this one.

It was a good read; I liked it; I didn't love it.

I'll spoiler tag what I wrote at Goodreads; there's nothing spoilery in it or any plot details at all for that matter, but for those who might not want to see anything I'll be discreet.

Spoiler:

Bookworm_Girl · 10-31-2018, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catlady

How is Transcription? I have it on hold. I haven't read Kate Atkinson but the WWII connection made me decide to try this one.

I totally want to read this book. It has espionage set in WW2 with a female character! I like Kate Atkinson.

Catlady · 10-31-2018, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

I totally want to read this book. It has espionage set in WW2 with a female character! I like Kate Atkinson.

I love WWII settings with female characters, espionage optional. I just listened to two books by Monica Hesse: Girl in the Blue Coat and The War Outside. I especially liked the latter, which is set in an internment camp in Texas. Now I'm starting The Dynamite Room by Jason Hewitt, about a German soldier and a British child evacuee.

Bookpossum · 10-31-2018, 05:46 PM

Coming late to the party: I too have read and love Saki and would be very happy to read him again. issybird mentioned Sredni Vashtar which I think has to be one of the great short stories of all time.

And I’m a Kate Atkinson fan too, and am looking forward to reading Transcription.

Oh, and I should put my hand up as a Pooh fan too. There was a wonderful recording of both books made some time back with Judi Dench, Michael Williams, Geoffrey Palmer, Sandi Toksvig and others, which is a delight. Geoffrey Palmer is perfect as Eeyore.

issybird · 10-31-2018, 06:08 PM

I started Alias Grace for the November discussion after I finished Transcription and the interior monologues of the narrators make for a very interesting juxtaposition, most especially in their commentary on what it means to be a woman in a man's world.

I don't want to preempt our discussion, but I couldn't resist making the observation.

10-31-2018, 11:48 AM	#293
issybird o saeclum infacetum Posts: 21,343 Karma: 234636059 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: New England Device: Mini, H2O, Glo HD, Aura One, PW4, PW5	The NLBC is everywhere As readers we all come across those synchronicities in the books we read, where similar references occur in unrelated books. However, I am overwhelmed in my current read of Kate Atkinson's Transcription. I noted a mention of Rembrandt's Night Watch, which also figured in Stargazing. But when literally a few pages later someone confused Halifax, Yorkshire with Halifax, Nova Scotia which was one of the issues in The Great Halifax Explosion, I lost it. Carry on, but I had to share my amusement.

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10-31-2018, 10:08 AM	#290
Catlady Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,419 Karma: 52613881 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: Kindle Fire, Kindle Paperwhite, AGPTek Bluetooth Clip	As an aside, since Milne has come up--any opinions on The Red House Mystery? For years I've been thinking, I must read that someday--but someday hasn't come yet.

10-31-2018, 05:46 PM	#299
Bookpossum Snoozing in the sun Posts: 10,146 Karma: 115423645 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Melbourne, Australia Device: iPad Mini, Kobo Touch	Coming late to the party: I too have read and love Saki and would be very happy to read him again. issybird mentioned Sredni Vashtar which I think has to be one of the great short stories of all time. And I’m a Kate Atkinson fan too, and am looking forward to reading Transcription. Oh, and I should put my hand up as a Pooh fan too. There was a wonderful recording of both books made some time back with Judi Dench, Michael Williams, Geoffrey Palmer, Sandi Toksvig and others, which is a delight. Geoffrey Palmer is perfect as Eeyore.

10-31-2018, 06:08 PM	#300
issybird o saeclum infacetum Posts: 21,343 Karma: 234636059 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: New England Device: Mini, H2O, Glo HD, Aura One, PW4, PW5	I started Alias Grace for the November discussion after I finished Transcription and the interior monologues of the narrators make for a very interesting juxtaposition, most especially in their commentary on what it means to be a woman in a man's world. I don't want to preempt our discussion, but I couldn't resist making the observation.