feather_ghyll

Here are a couple of links:

From Silver Petticoat Review Why you should read Mary Stewart.

This feature delves into the appeal of Stewart’s romantic suspense books from the perspective of someone who'd just found them. I started reading them as a teenager and return to them as comfort reads, so I have no objectivity, but the points made here resonated.

Wales Online* started the year an article on charity shops and the bizarre and valuable objects that have come in to be sold, and why there are far fewer bargains to be found, although there’s still always the possibility of one. I’ve been going to charity shops since I had pocket money, chiefly for the books – I have to be in the mood to look for clothes, but I have certainly brought many an item over the years. My gravy boat came from a charity shop.

And a couple of days ago, Andy Murray announced he will soon be forced to retire from tennis early due to his hip. Much has been said on the subject of his wonderful career, and I've always supported him since seeing him as a scrawny, talented teenager matching and besting good players. While I've never been a fan of the swearing, like most Welsh and Scottish people, I understood where his 'supporting whoever's playing England' comes from. We saw him work and mature and succeed. While he wasn't quite able to push the big three consistently, and what an era to play in, his achievements: the three grand slams, the Davis Cup, many tournaments and two back-to back Olympic golds are great. Dunblane must be very proud.

As for the Australian Open, I feel the women's side is more open than the men's. Will this be the year Zverev makes his breakthrough in the slams, or is it still too early?

^It's not a great website pop-up wise.

Welsh Adventure: Viola Bayley. The Children’s Book Club, 1968

[This is a Welsh review of the above book, the English translation will be posted shortly.]

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Here are some links I have meant to post for a good long while:

The Chalet School at War review by Did You Ever Stop to Think

From the same blog, a thought-provoking analysis of the first page of ‘The School at the Chalet’.

Also, a review of Head Girl of the Chalet School

And her Chalet School tag

el_staplador sings the praises of 'Ballet Shoes’ (from a feminist standpoint) here.

I couldn't see who whad written about coming to Anne Shirley for the first time as an adult at Vulpes Libris.

A review of Miss Buncle’s Book by Carrie S, which I found charming. My first D.E. Stevenson book was 'Amberwell', which I probably was too young for. I liked the idea of children growing up in a stately family home, but was quite upset that their lives turned out to be sad and full of strife. I find Stevenson variable in quality, but 'Miss Buncle’s Book' is one of my favourite books of hers,

The author of the recently reviewed Tam Lin can be found on Livejournal/Dreamwidth pameladean/pameladean.

Finally, and this is relatively breaking news, the BBC is adapting 'Little Women'.

Barbed Wire—Keep Out!: Agnes M. Miall Brock Press 1950

Isn’t this one of the most brilliant titles for a children’s book ever? It demands that the reader dives in, just like the barbed wire and the injunction to keep out has no influence on the main characters of this adventure.

They are Perry (really Perilla, poor thing) and her sister Prue and their chums Hump and Noel. They have appeared in other books, one of which, Snowed Up With a Secret, I own and had read years and years ago, but don’t remember a thing about. Perry and Hump are aged about sixteen, Prue’s about fourteen and Noel about eleven. So, if you like books about gangs of children bringing down gangs of criminals, you’ll like this.

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Torridons’ Triumph: Marie Muir Collins 1967

This is the first book by Muir that I’ve read – I think there were others by her in the shop where I saw this, but I decided to just buy one as a taster – and it was a really enjoyable and satisfying story. It falls into that sub-genre where a family of youngsters must band together to make enough money to keep the family going. Here, ( Read more... )

Collected over months (or longer):

A tribute to Elinor M. Brent-Dyer by nobodyjones

The thrill of the used bookstore hunt

Amanda Diehl talks about book hunting practices involving second-hand bookshops that I can partially sympathise with. I do have strange habits about books, but let’s focus on the euphoria of finding something you’ve long looked for at a reasonable price.

Daniel Dalton recommends 33 Books You Should Read Now, Based On Your Favourite Films. Having read and seen some pairs, I can see where he’s coming from and have found a cuple of recommondations.

There are a few Nancy Drew icons here by misbegotten.

Angela Brazil: dorm feasts and red hot pashes

Kathryn Hughes has been rereading Angela Brazil (spoilers for A Patriotic Schoolgirl).

Here’s a new blog about children’s books that I think will be worth keeping an eye on: homeintimefortea

The House in the Oak Tree: Katharine Oldmeadow (New Edition 1951) the Lutterworth Press

I broke off from my rereading of all my Oldmeadow books (only The Fortunes of Jacky remains, I think) to review a book by her that I hadn’t come across before, although I wish that i had found it a couple of decades or more ago. The House in the Oak Tree skews younger than the other Oldmeadow books that I’ve read. It’s a family/girls story, probably influenced by Frances Hodgson Burnett’s ouvre, set in the New Forest that reminds the author of fairyland, and much like with Evelyn Smith’s Terry’s Best Term (reviewed here, contains familiar elements (some problematic) presented with the author’s charm.( Read more... )

I was saddened to hear of Diana Wynne Jones's death. Reading her obituary, it was interesting to learn of the links to other children’s fiction writers.

I don't know if I would describe myself as a fan. That is to say, I have enjoyed reading her books if they've come my way - they're witty and have a strong streak of common sense, while very much being fantasy books - but felt no compulsion to keep all of them and get more. I did read some of her books as a child, A Tale of Time City left the most impression and I have vague memories of the Archer's Goon adaptation, but I didn't own any copies of her books as a child, and read more of her work as an adult. I saw the adaptation of Howl's Moving Castle before reading the book; I have a feeling I read (some of) the Chrestomanci books before then.

Anyway, it is sad that there won't be any more books from her.

Greetings! I've been away, yes on a beach, and here are a couple of the books that I read that I think you'd enjoy too.

Introducing Aunt Dimity, Paranormal Detective: Nancy Atherton. Penguin 2009.

This is an omnibus edition of the first two novels in the 'Aunt Dimity' series, which I think I came across in an Amazon 'if you like this book, why not this' way?. Well, I now have another series to collect. The blurb describes them as 'cosy' mysteries, and they very much are, with a slight paranormal element, romance and growing. self confidence for their heroines. They also fit in with a very American type of Anglophilia.

Aunt Dimity's Death ( Read more... )

The website for the series Aunt Dimity's world should give you some idea of the flavour of the books.

I also read Bluestockings: Jane Robinson Penguin 2010.

It was an impulse buy - I had underpacked and so visited the airport's WHSmiths in a flustered mood, but was high-minded enough to buy this. I'm glad I did, it was quite a few of the things that the similarly themed Willingly to School wasn't. ( Read more... )

Just watched the Queen's semi-finals. ( Read more... )

Netherdale For Ever: Theodora Wilson Wilson. The Swarthmore Press Ltd.

Five minutes Googling tells me that Wilson Wilson (yes, really) was a radical, pacifist Quakeress. All her books were published in the twentieth century, She lived from c1865 to 1941, and Netherdale For Ever was published in 1919. There's a reason I looked that last fact up. (I'm not sure whether my copy is that old, and that's not the reason).( Read more... )