March 2017 Reading Round-Up
Posted 3rd April 2017
Category: Round-Ups Genres: N/A
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This month I decided to concentrate on finishing a longer-term book or two and get through some classics; they crossed over a (minor) bit. At the end of the month I also found myself in a mini Southern states phase, reading Harper Lee and Kate Chopin at the same time. It was accidental but it allowed me to compare the historic periods and get a better idea of the situations from those who lived them, something I’ve so far almost completely read about third-hand in non-fiction.
All books are works of fiction.
The Books
Charlotte Perkins Gilman: With Her In Ourland – Ellador travels around the world with Van, giving him her opinions on everything the world does wrong. A lecture about why we should do things differently, whilst it has some good points this sequel to Herland falls widely past the mark.
Harper Lee: To Kill A Mockingbird – A girl grows up amidst a changing society that’s not quite ready to let go of the idea of racial superiority. Loved it – it was different to what I thought it would be like (I thought it was all courtroom drama) but nevertheless great.
Kate Chopin: Bayou Folk – A collection of short stories that were originally published in magazines. Not a bad collection – some stunning stories some very mediocre.
Rory Gleeson: Rockadoon Shore – A group of friends go on a weekend away in the hope that they can improve their collective relationship. Not bad but doesn’t have enough going on.
Samanta Schweblin: Fever Dream – A woman on her death bed is made to explain recent happenings to an acquaintance with the idea that she must work out how she became so ill. This is a very confusing book but it’s meant to be so; it’s also rather enjoyable in a literary sense.
I enjoyed a lot of what I read this month. I suppose it would be fair to say that the Lee was a stand out, alongside some of the stories in the Chopin. The Perkins Gilman was very different to what I thought it would be like, the story moving from its beginnings in science fiction to sociological tract; I think I’d read Herland again but not this sequel. In all I’ve finished 6 pre-1970s books so far this year which I believe is more books than any other (whole) year. I’m in a bit of a classics phase at the moment.
Quotation Report
In Bayou Folk, a woman who seems 125 years old is respected, however, she is not 125 years old… she may be older.
Looking forward to spending more time out in the sunshine and the return of Easter in April (last year was very strange).
How was your March?
April 3, 2017, 8:41 pm
My reading was down in March, however I did reach a milestone with the charming My Lady Ludlow by Elizabeth Gaskell; which was my fiftieth and final book for The Classics Club. Happy reading in April :-)
April 3, 2017, 9:52 pm
Pity about the Chopin. I loved The Awakening so was hoping her other work would be in similar style
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April 3, 2017, 4:39 pm
TKAM is one of my favorite books of all time! So glad to see it in your list. Happy April!