tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post7340687340612138247..comments2024-02-10T19:58:20.327+00:00Comments on Stuck in a Book: The House in Paris (in which we learn that Darlene is right, is garlanded with flowers &c. &c.)StuckInABookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10017836017530130716noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-84306416723619852942014-12-23T11:44:04.088+00:002014-12-23T11:44:04.088+00:00My review of Encounters by Elizabeth Bowen:
https:...My review of Encounters by Elizabeth Bowen:<br />https://dflewisreviews.wordpress.com/2014/12/16/encounters-early-stories-by-elizabeth-bowen/Nemonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13308850492930940749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-31087494175976453802012-11-25T23:45:26.646+00:002012-11-25T23:45:26.646+00:00Thanks for your comment and your email - have repl...Thanks for your comment and your email - have replied to that one! :)StuckInABookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10017836017530130716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-75476796718975633012012-11-25T23:45:09.275+00:002012-11-25T23:45:09.275+00:00How funny that we had the same progress through he...How funny that we had the same progress through her novels, Dee! And the greenflies definitely wouldn't have helped ;)StuckInABookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10017836017530130716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-45783220441963414852012-11-25T23:44:38.251+00:002012-11-25T23:44:38.251+00:00Haha! I'm afraid I still think ICB is a bette...Haha! I'm afraid I still think ICB is a better and more important novelist than Elizabeth Bowen - Bowen does very well something that a lot of authors do; ICB is unique and extraordinary. Try her again!<br /><br />I think the problem with The Last September is that I was expecting to rush through it. And I don't much get on with Irish Troubles Novels. Hmm. And maybe it was more visual, and House in Paris was more about emotions.StuckInABookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10017836017530130716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-22284778927387613122012-11-25T10:28:09.706+00:002012-11-25T10:28:09.706+00:00SO glad you loved this Simon - and what a brillian...SO glad you loved this Simon - and what a brilliant review. I'm sure you'll entice some more people to read Bowen - she's streets ahead of ICB!!! ;) You should definitely read To the North next. It's still my favourite Bowen! I wonder why you didn't love The Last September? I haven't read it yet - is it different in style to The House in Paris? Or do you think you just read it at the wrong time?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-28096732324960327062012-11-24T18:29:47.273+00:002012-11-24T18:29:47.273+00:00I had a similar experience with Elizabeth Bowen, S...I had a similar experience with Elizabeth Bowen, Simon. I first read The End of September which left me cold but then went on to love The House in Paris, and also Death of the Heart so would recommend that too.<br /><br />I will probably give The End of September another try but will have to find another copy first, as the second-hand copy I read turned out to have squashed greenflies in it. Maybe another reason why I gave up on it!Dee Ingramnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-82964750726561406672012-11-21T20:39:48.355+00:002012-11-21T20:39:48.355+00:00I should post this to an earlier entry, but am afr...I should post this to an earlier entry, but am afraid you might not read it if I go too far back. Regarding your birthday photos (many happy returns of the day, by the way!) from the Lake District: Have you ever read the Silent Traveller books by Chiang Yee? One of them concerns a visit he made to the Lake District. He wrote quite a few travel books, and you might very well like them. If they are hard for you to find, please let me know somehow (does commenting on your blog give you my e-mail address? -- sorry to be so ignorant of this process) and I'll be happy to send you one of his books (not the Lake one, but it hardly matters). You might care to add it to your Reading Presently list. I love your blog. Keep reading and writing!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-90945363498839646152012-11-21T09:41:11.715+00:002012-11-21T09:41:11.715+00:00I haven't yet found out - I have her collected...I haven't yet found out - I have her collected short stories on the TBR mountain but that's as far as I've got! I have to be in the right mood for short stories.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-71187408427433015412012-11-20T21:38:07.550+00:002012-11-20T21:38:07.550+00:00Just one more example of how wonderful the blogosp...Just one more example of how wonderful the blogosphere can be!StuckInABookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10017836017530130716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-58202058540470111632012-11-20T21:37:55.594+00:002012-11-20T21:37:55.594+00:00Hooray indeed, Darlene! You did very well not to ...Hooray indeed, Darlene! You did very well not to bully me, as I bullied Rachel mercilessly until she read The Love-Child.<br /><br />I wonder what you'll make of The Last September? I look forward to finding out. And we'll have our Bowen talk in person one day!StuckInABookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10017836017530130716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-85129986113732747022012-11-20T21:37:12.873+00:002012-11-20T21:37:12.873+00:00I look forward to seeing your thoughts, Sakura!
So...I look forward to seeing your thoughts, Sakura!<br />Some of my favourite authors didn't hit home the first time (Muriel Spark, Barbara Comyns) so I'm definitely happy to give them a few tries!StuckInABookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10017836017530130716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-80493423209359066872012-11-20T21:36:37.078+00:002012-11-20T21:36:37.078+00:00Death of the Heart is on my shelf, I think... I...Death of the Heart is on my shelf, I think... I'll have a gander next year sometime. Or maybe I'll try her short stories... I wonder what she is like with those.StuckInABookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10017836017530130716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-62790114429244037092012-11-20T21:36:02.168+00:002012-11-20T21:36:02.168+00:00A definite slowness of approach needed - she's...A definite slowness of approach needed - she's not an author to read just anytime, I think. I'll be spacing them out.StuckInABookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10017836017530130716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-10542313473851077922012-11-20T21:35:30.872+00:002012-11-20T21:35:30.872+00:00I'm thrilled too! I was so sure I'd love ...I'm thrilled too! I was so sure I'd love her, and so disappointed when I didn't. Equilibrium is restored! <br /><br />Have you tried ICB a second time now, with the same lack of success? If not, then try, try again, please!StuckInABookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10017836017530130716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-86944334023067554582012-11-20T17:58:23.471+00:002012-11-20T17:58:23.471+00:00What a fun idea to swap favourite authors, glad he...What a fun idea to swap favourite authors, glad her writing worked for you this time.LindyLouMachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12282788551449445133noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-38586848748552774742012-11-20T11:52:24.375+00:002012-11-20T11:52:24.375+00:00Hooray, Simon! And you wrote about the things tha...Hooray, Simon! And you wrote about the things that make Bowen spectacular so much better than I ever could. The Last September will be my next Bowen read to find out how it matches up against the others I've read so perhaps we'll have another chat about Bowen in the future.<br /><br />Thanks for playing along and you are so right, we both win! Darlenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07415316482631852565noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-59366412877185815612012-11-20T11:39:45.691+00:002012-11-20T11:39:45.691+00:00I have yet to read one of Bowen's novels but I...I have yet to read one of Bowen's novels but I think I do have a copy of one of her books which I am planning to read at some point! I think authors always deserve a second or third chance, so good on you!sakurahttp://www.chasingbawa.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-84395926190605062482012-11-20T11:14:40.779+00:002012-11-20T11:14:40.779+00:00So far I have only read The Death of the Heart and...So far I have only read The Death of the Heart and you're right - her writing is really beautiful. Her books definitely can't be read quickly. I have this on my tbr - maybe I should sneak it up towards the top a bit!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-58385261213103286852012-11-20T10:01:44.648+00:002012-11-20T10:01:44.648+00:00This is the only Bowen I've read, but I do wan...This is the only Bowen I've read, but I do want to read more - as you say, however, they require a certain slowness of approach. I like the way this book always seemed to be edging its way into surreality but then pulling back. bibliolathas (skiourophile)http://bookforgetter.blogspot.com.au/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-446727280609751914.post-32571940364324799402012-11-20T08:29:17.499+00:002012-11-20T08:29:17.499+00:00I am so glad you finally cracked Bowen. She is a w...I am so glad you finally cracked Bowen. She is a wonderful writer and I hope you may venture into more of her novels now. On the other hand I can't stand ICB, and I did try.harriethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04470091985662379182noreply@blogger.com