Sunday, 29 June 2014

A weekend away

It's been great fun seeing the letter meme travel around the blogosphere - I haven't had time to interact with anybody's list, but I will do so when I can.

I spent this weekend in the Lake District, going to my dear friend Epsie's wedding (Epsie is the nickname I use, rather than an unusal name... and she calls me Bill).  I managed not to take any photos of the wedding day (oops) but did take some of the Youth Hostel I was staying in, in Hawskhead.  It had pretty stunning views.




It was also - albeit very briefly - the residence of Francis Brett Young. It's not the first time I've stayed in this hostel, or the first time I've noticed this plaque, but I don't think I've ever mentioned him here.  He's one of those authors I see a lot in secondhand bookshops (particularly while hunting out E.H. Young) but have never read. Has anybody read anything by him?


I read 3.5 books over the weekend, with long train journeys, but in the hostel grounds I was reading a (probably, for this spate, final) Agatha - as I have it out of the library: Sparkling Cyanide (1945). An enjoyable premise, a slightly far-fetched conclusion, some interesting characters... not her finest, not her worst.


Posted by StuckInABook at 22:50

7 comments:

  1. Anonymous29 June 2014 at 23:01

    Lovely pictures. I have read a few Francis Brett Young novels, I would particularly recommended, A man about the house, This little World, My Brother Jonathon and Dr Bradley remembers, though White Ladies is also excellent.

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  2. Travellin' Penguin30 June 2014 at 00:09

    What a beautiful area. You wouldn't want to leave it. Looks like a nice weekend.

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  3. Diana Birchall30 June 2014 at 00:30

    I want a letter, Bill. Any letter.

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  4. harriet30 June 2014 at 07:31

    I so love the Lake District, When I lived in Lancs it was only about an hour away and possible to go there for lunch and a bit of a walk, and I miss that, even though France is also beautiful, of course.

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  5. LyzzyBee30 June 2014 at 08:37

    FBY is excellent, I love Far Forest and This Little World. I and Someone Else are members of the FBY Society, although haven't been to one of their meetings for ages. Highly recommended.

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  6. skiourophile30 June 2014 at 08:46

    I thought she'd sort of done that far-fetched conclusion elsewhere too (The Blue Train springs to mind) but I found the female characters of Sparkling Cyanide very intriguing, as well as the London restaurant bits. (I'm not going to comment on your holiday destination as I am too jealous!)

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  7. Anonymous30 June 2014 at 21:53

    Lovely pics Simon - sounds like a fab weekend. I have never read any FBY but now am intrigued.....!

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