Yes, it’s that time of the year again! Those of you who’ve been following for a while will be aware that I co-host a biannual reading week with Simon at Stuck in a Book. He came up with the fun idea of focusing our reading on a particular year, and we’ve done six so far with people joining in on their blogs, social media etc. We got as far as the 1970s before deciding to go for a random year earlier in the 20th century, and 1944 came out of the hat!
It’s a year that has a lot of potential for interest; World War 2 was of course still underway, and so it might be thought that publishing would have been limited. Also there could be a tendency for books to focus very much on what was happening in the world, or conversely provide escapism. And works published in parts of the world away from Europe could be less affected by those world events.
A quick look at the big books from the year throws up some intriguing titles. There’s “The Razor’s Edge” by W. Somerset Maugham (which I’m sure I have somewhere); Christianna Brand‘s atmospheric “Green for Danger” was a classic crime novel which captured the tension of the times; Margery Sharp‘s “Cluny Brown” made her debut; and of course Agatha Christie was as prolific as ever with no less than three works (one of which was under her pen-name of Mary Westmacott). In fact, crime fiction features strongly on lists of books from 1944, and maybe the format, with a crime being committed and all being put to rights at the end, was something that appealed to readers in times of conflict.
In fact, there are a number of Persephones which were published in 1944 (which I found out thanks to Simon’s excellent post about them!) and I’ve read one and own another. I *would* like to read the Mollie Panter-Downes stories, as I loved her “One Fine Day”, but I don’t know if time will be on my side…
I have a few books in mind for this week, as well as a guest post, and it will be fascinating to see what works people choose to read and write about. As usual, I’ll have a dedicated page on the blog where I’ll gather up as many links to everyone’s 1944 posts as I can – so don’t forget to leave a comment so I know what you’ve said and where it is! Simon will no doubt be having a post that does the same and so between us we can hopefully make sure everyone is featured.
So do feel free to join in with the #1944Club – there are some interesting and varied books to be read from that year, and I’m looking forward to everyone’s thoughts!
Oct 15, 2018 @ 06:49:50
Hooray! I’m really looking forward to seeing what everyone posts. I’ll probably post on Wednesday. I’ve planned a post about Mollie Panter-Downes later in the month – I totally forgot she could be part of the 1944 Club! Her stories are wonderful so I hope you get to them. Thanks again to you and Simon for hosting 🙂
Oct 15, 2018 @ 19:54:43
Happy to co-host with Simon – these weeks are always such great fun! MPD is such a good writer (I loved One Fine Day) but I doubt I will get to her stories this week, which is a shame. Look forward to hearing what you think! 😀
Oct 15, 2018 @ 08:13:57
Much as I love the concept of these clubs, I’m afraid I’ll have to sit this one out as my shelves are devoid of anything from 1944. If only I’d kept hold of my Mollie Panter-Downes review from earlier this year, then I would have had something to contribute. Ah, well…I’m sure you’ll have a lot of fun with your reading. 🙂
Oct 15, 2018 @ 19:53:51
Never mind – there *will* be a next time! MPD is such a good writer, but I don’t know if I’ll get to her this week – but what I’m reading I’m loving!
Oct 15, 2018 @ 09:17:03
Hurrah, it’s here! I have more from 1944 than any of the previous years we’ve done, I think… choices, choices!
Oct 15, 2018 @ 19:53:10
The choosing is always the hardest, and I don’t usually stick to my initial selection. We shall see this time… ;D
#1944Club – starts today! – Stuck in a Book
Oct 15, 2018 @ 09:17:37
Oct 15, 2018 @ 14:53:54
Coincidentally, I am already reading Good Evening, Mrs Craven and expect to finish it this week, so guess I can participate in the 1944 Club. Not sure what I was expecting, maybe more overt war-related scenes, but these stories focus more on the domestic, human side of the war, often with a note of humor and always with delightfully acute prose.
Oct 15, 2018 @ 19:51:25
Excellent! The only book of hers I’ve read is “One Fine Day” which I thought was magnificent. It too focused on the domestic side of things, but was all the more powerful because of it. And she *does* write so well.
Oct 15, 2018 @ 18:31:26
I’m sorry to be bowing out of this one. Though I posted about some of my previous 1944 reads. I had forgotten about Good Evening Mrs Craven – such a good collection.
Oct 15, 2018 @ 19:48:37
Not to worry – at least you’ve already read some wonderful books from that year! 😀
Oct 15, 2018 @ 19:16:32
Oct 15, 2018 @ 20:57:34
I’ll not be joining in this time round, but looking forward to reading all the posts!
Oct 15, 2018 @ 20:59:35
Not to worry – next time maybe! And there should be some good reading from everyone – there appear to be some very interesting books from 1944!
Oct 16, 2018 @ 09:32:29
Here’s a re-run of a review I posted 8 years ago – how time flies. It’s LP Hartley’s brilliant The Shrimp and the Anemone
http://harrietdevine.typepad.com/harriet_devines_blog/2018/10/1944-club-the-shrimp-and-the-anemone.html
Oct 16, 2018 @ 19:12:26
Thanks Harriet! I should read this, it seems so highly rated! 🙂
Oct 16, 2018 @ 10:18:14
Just had a look on Wiki at Books of 1944. The ones I’ve read from that list are “The Horse’s Mouth” by Joyce Cary; “The Razor’s Edge” by W. Somerset Maugham; “Ficciones” by Jorge Luis Borges; and two plays – “The Caucasian Chalk Circle” by Bertolt Brecht (which our enterprising English teacher at Bishopbriggs High School taught us in my final year at school), and “The Glass Menagerie” by Tennessee Williams.
I must admit I’m not a great fan of Tennessee Williams, but I’m in a minority here. “The Razor’s Edge” is hugely enjoyable, though possibly a bit dated now. And I have a big soft spot for “The Horse’s Mouth”, which I think is a tremendous novel. The Borges stories and the Brecht play hardly need my advocacy.
Oct 16, 2018 @ 19:11:50
Yes, some interesting titles from 1944! I’ve read some of Tennessee Williams’ poetry which attracts me more than his plays. As for Ficcionies – well, that’s proved to be a must-read for 1944 but I’m trembling a little at the thought of how to do it justice… 😉
Oct 16, 2018 @ 15:44:27
Oct 16, 2018 @ 15:55:10
I re-read Fair Stood the Wind For France by HE Bates – still loved it forty years on. http://annabookbel.net/bates-fair-stood-wind-france-1944-club
Oct 16, 2018 @ 19:08:28
It’s great when a book still connects with you after all that time! Great stuff! :)))
Oct 19, 2018 @ 15:10:39
Love that book! I was hoping to read it for the 1944 Club, but unbelievably I cannot find either of my copies. So I read a new-to-me Nevil Shute instead – Pastoral – and it was lovely. Still hoping to find the H.E. Bates, too. (Where the heck can it be?!)
Oct 19, 2018 @ 17:13:03
It’s so irritating when that happens, isn’t it!
Oct 19, 2018 @ 19:21:59
It’s always the book you really want that you can’t find in my experience…
Oct 19, 2018 @ 19:22:18
Isn’t it infuriating! At least you’ve found something! 😀
Oct 16, 2018 @ 18:56:37
Somehow I missed the chatter of this one coming up, so I have been late to start Gwethalyn Graham’s Earth and High Heaven, but I am quite enjoying it so far, so might just yet finish this week. It really is a great year for publication: I wouldn’t have had to look too hard for a Canadian option even!
Oct 16, 2018 @ 19:06:30
Well, even if you don’t finish it before the week is out, we can still link to your post. Look forward to your thoughts! 🙂
Oct 16, 2018 @ 20:43:03
I read Earth and High Heaven and loved it. Here’s my post:
https://shereadsnovels.com/2018/10/16/earth-and-high-heaven-by-gwethalyn-graham-1944club/
Oct 17, 2018 @ 10:03:19
Excellent – thank you! 🙂
Oct 18, 2018 @ 04:45:13
John Hersey’s A Bell For Adano. A very fun read. It’s a novel about an American Major as the military governor in Sicily immediately after the Allied invasion.
Oct 18, 2018 @ 06:36:58
Oooh, thank you! I’ve never read Hersey’s fiction so I’m intrigued!
Oct 18, 2018 @ 06:37:33
I have a book for the 1944 Club.
https://bitterteaandmystery.blogspot.com/2018/10/1944-club-book-of-dead-by-elizabeth-daly.html
The Book of the Dead, by Elizabeth Daly
Oct 18, 2018 @ 09:03:20
As much as I love the idea I’m going to have to skip this one. I have zero 1944 titles on my shelves and it will take too long to get library versions of the ones I’m interested in since they are scattered around the branches. Will look forward to reading everyone else’s contributions though
Oct 18, 2018 @ 11:11:39
Not to worry – there should be plenty of interesting posts to have a look at which may give you good ideas for future reading! 😀
The 1944 Club | Pining for the West
Oct 18, 2018 @ 23:20:28
Oct 19, 2018 @ 04:51:38
Here we go! Nevil Shute’s 1944 war novel Pastoral: https://leavesandpages.com/2018/10/18/primroses-and-trout-fishing-war-and-bombs-pastoral-by-nevil-shute/
Oct 19, 2018 @ 06:03:26
Lovely, thank you! I will link later!
Oct 19, 2018 @ 21:49:14
Here’s my second review for the 1944 Club – Young Bess by Margaret Irwin.
https://shereadsnovels.com/2018/10/19/young-bess-by-margaret-irwin-1944club/
Oct 20, 2018 @ 17:09:13
Brilliant, thank you! 😀
Oct 20, 2018 @ 03:08:18
A second review for the 1944 club: Not Quite Dead Enough by Rex Stout. Archie Goodwin joins the army.
Oct 20, 2018 @ 17:08:27
Excellent, thank you! I had considered this Nero Wolfe myself, but ran out of time!
Fair Stood the Wind for France by H.E. Bates | Bag Full Of Books
Oct 21, 2018 @ 14:03:38
Oct 21, 2018 @ 17:11:34
Here’s my review for this year. Loved the book. Thanks so much for hosting Karen.
https://bagfullofbooks.com/2018/10/21/fair-stood-the-wind-for-france-by-h-e-bates/
I have two older reviews from the year. Also two emotional, gripping reads.
https://bagfullofbooks.com/2017/07/25/earth-and-high-heaven-by-gwethalyn-graham/
https://bagfullofbooks.com/2015/11/20/they-were-sisters-by-dorothy-whipple/
Oct 21, 2018 @ 17:16:59
Wonderful – thank you and thank you for taking part. It’s been a fun week! 😀
Oct 21, 2018 @ 18:49:22
And sneaking in one last review: V-Letter. I’ve been dabbling in it all week–I never feel like I do it justice if I read a book of poetry in one sitting.
I’m about 1/3 through Quentin Reynolds’ book of reportage The Curtain Rises, but I won’t finish today, I suspect.
Thanks for hosting! It’s been fun.
Oct 21, 2018 @ 18:50:50
Hurrah! There actually hasn’t been much poetry that I’ve seen so I’ll be glad to link to this one! 😀