To be honest, I’m not exactly sure which months constitute summer nowadays in our damaged climate; but I always consider the end of that season to be the time when I go back to work after the long mid-year break, and despite having to do that, I am fond of autumn… I generally try to fit in more reading during August while I don’t have the daily distraction of the paying job, traditionally including at least one chunkster, and I’m pleased that this year was no different.
For once, I actually made (modest!) reading plans and actually stuck to them! Admittedly, I was pretty sure I wanted to read the books in question, and they fitted in with a couple of reading challenges. So in the spirit of Andy Miller (!) here is an image of what I read during August (and bear in mind that there still may be reviews to follow as I’m always a bit behind):
I was particularly pleased (as I made fairly obvious!) to read Victor Serge’s Notebooks – strongly tipped for my read of the year. But there wasn’t really a dud amongst them; even the one that made me pause a bit (“The Marquise of O-“) was strange and interesting, and very cleverly written. And I was really happy about getting back to reading so many women writers, especially Women in Translation; this is a wonderful initiative, set up and championed by Meytal Radzinski, and I hope to keep taking part.
So – onward into September and autumn. Do I have plans? Maybe – above are some possibles… I’m continuing to make a dent in the review pile (all of which are books I actually *want* to read); and I have amassed quite a selection of non-fiction works I hope to get to soon-ish as well (including all the pretty Fitzcarraldo editions which may have made their way into the house after their recent sale – here they are…)
Plus there’s an awful lot of classic crime lurking and any number of charity shop finds, as well as some interesting Russians from Glagoslav. I’m not going to make any specific plans, however, because with work pressures I want to leave myself as free as possible to follow the reading muse. I’m currently in the middle of the wonderful book below by Ian Penman from Fitzcarraldo Editions, but after that who knows? Watch this space!! 😀
Sep 01, 2019 @ 07:01:26
I know what you mean about the seasons being awry. My jasmine was flowering in Winter, and so were our roses. We’re cropping red capsicums, limes and lemons. Planting for summer crops is a hit-and-miss game these days, it might already be too warm for potatoes…
And yet today, our first day of spring is announced by a massive thunderstorm and lashings of rain!
Sep 01, 2019 @ 17:10:01
It’s very disconcerting, and made worse by the fact our weather forecasters are invariably wrong. I just ignore them. My plants don’t know what to do with themselves. I could do with some of your rain, though…
Sep 02, 2019 @ 02:47:25
Sorry, *weak smile* we’re not giving any away. Our water storages, for a city of nearly 5 million, are only 50% full, so we’ll most likely be needing to use the desalination plant again this summer.
Sep 02, 2019 @ 07:23:30
Oh dear… fair enough!! 🌧🌧🌧🌧
Sep 01, 2019 @ 10:34:42
I’m trying to pretend it’s not the end of summer but everywhere I go the big commercial companies are doing their best to drive me towards the end of the year. I already saw Halloween stuff on sale and once school starts again and they can clear the shelves of all that stuff, I know the inevitable will happen and we’ll have promotions for that end of the year event whose name I refuse to use until Dec 1. (boo, meany that I am).
Thanks for that link to Andy Miller – I really enjoyed his Book, Year of Reading Dangerously but hadn’t twigged he did the What I Read this Month tweet.
Sep 01, 2019 @ 17:08:26
I know exactly what you mean about the commercial companies. I follow a lot of crafters on YouTube and they all start going on about the C-word in July which drives me nuts. I know they need time to make things but really????
And happy to link to Andy Miller – he’s always interesting to follow on Twitter and the Backlisted podcasts are great too!
Sep 01, 2019 @ 12:11:42
Wishing you an enjoyable autumn of reading ahead Kaggsy! It’s nice not to have any plans, especially with the pressure of returning to work. I don’t have any plans either, except maybe towards the end of the month making a start for the 1930 Club 🙂
Sep 01, 2019 @ 17:06:59
You too Madame B – no reading plans are usually the best! And good point about 1930 – I need to start prepping! 😀
Sep 01, 2019 @ 16:35:54
The weather has been very strange, seasons are all over the place, but I like autumn too. It looks like you had a really good month in August, and some interesting looking books on your pile of possibles. Good luck going back to work.
Sep 01, 2019 @ 17:06:01
Yeah, I’ve had enough of the heat – ready for cooler days. I’m pleased with what I read in August – some wonderful books! And lots of lovely choices to come. Good luck to you to!
Sep 01, 2019 @ 18:47:53
Funnily enough, I just bought the J L Carr the other week. I hear it’s rather different from A Month in the Country, but still very enjoyable in its own particular way.
Sep 01, 2019 @ 18:55:03
It’s superficially different but I found it much deeper than I expected – but maybe I read too much into books! 😀 It’s certainly a wonderful read – my review should by up by the end of the week!
Sep 02, 2019 @ 08:24:59
Good work – shall we try to meet up in November for a Persephone or something? I was sorting through my Read Piles and have two books to pass to you … Well done on your good August reading. I think I’m going to have a Thirkell fest as I have several on the TBR, as well as my giant Iris Murdoch and one last review book (I bet the publisher sends me more in a big batch, though, without warning …).
Sep 02, 2019 @ 09:46:00
LOL! I may have some books to pass on to you too, if I can find them. I’ll check what I’m up to in November. Back to work today – it stinks….
Sep 02, 2019 @ 13:52:49
Lovely. I surely watch this space for upcoming reviews and all. Congratulations on your reading accomplishment.
Sep 02, 2019 @ 15:43:22
Thanks Silvia! Let’s hope I can carry on at this rate into the autumn!
Sep 02, 2019 @ 17:13:13
Autumn is my favourite season but I agree, it’s all topsy-turvy. Bit like in fashion, there’s a new season every week. I’m glad to see Kleist made quite the impression. There’s more weirdness where that came from. 🙂
Sep 02, 2019 @ 19:15:46
Yes, I do get the impression from what I’ve read about Kleist that he was a bit – individual.. 🤣 As for the seasons, who knows? Makes me very edgy about climate change I must say.
Sep 03, 2019 @ 13:56:05
Me too. The change is confusing and worrying. Guess even more so when you got kids.
Sep 03, 2019 @ 15:46:49
I reckon that’s why my grown up kids don’t want to have any of their own… :s
Sep 03, 2019 @ 17:48:23
I understand the feeling.
Sep 07, 2019 @ 07:08:56
Goodness me Ian Penman of NME fame. I mostly found him unreadable back in the halcyon NME days so this is most intriguing!
Sep 08, 2019 @ 07:19:28
Ah, well I always found him incredibly readable, and this one is wonderful!