My word, yesterday's post got us all talking! Thankyou to everyone who contributed, and I'm sure it's a subject we shall revisit, though I live in hope that henceforth all novels will be beautifully written, error-free and full of exquisite, stylish prose!
Always on the lookout for quality books, I've been listening to the latest Vintage Podcast. It includes Susan Hill reading an extract from her most recent novel A Kind Man
(though tantalisingly, there is no interview with her about the book there), and then members of the publishing and editorial team at the various imprints which come under the Vintage mantle choosing the books they are most looking forward to bringing out this year.
Amongst the ones which I particularly liked the sound of was The Night Circus
by Erin Morgenstern, billed as "a magical love story set to be the publishing sensation of 2011" this "feast for the senses" about a mysterious travelling circus [with performing cats, Dark Puss] sounds unusual and intriguing (Erin Morgenstern's website is here).
Next on my wishlist is Peyton and Byrne's British Baking
- have any of you Londoners been to their bakeries, etc? And moving swiftly on, because looking at that is making me hungry, Wild Hares and Hummingbirds: The Natural History of an English Village
, and talking of English villages, how about Conference at Cold Comfort Farm
by Stella Gibbons, a sequel to her classic comedy, or the more urban Westwood,
"a delightful tale of wartime romance and friendship".
Peyton and Byrne's ?
Yes indeed! I've had lunch with Amalthea and Ulorin Vex at their cafe in St Pancras, and with Ulorin at their cafe at The Welcome Collection.
I was tempted to link url's to those two names, but thought you might not completely approve :-)
Naughty Puss
Posted by: Dark Puss | 10 February 2011 at 08:07 PM
But what are the cakes like? Or did you not notice?
Posted by: Cornflower | 10 February 2011 at 08:15 PM
Cakes???
They looked quite pretty (the cakes) but I haven't eaten any of them.
Posted by: Dark Puss | 10 February 2011 at 09:07 PM
I have Conference and it's nothing like as good as the first book. Sad, because I dote on CCF.
Posted by: Barbara | 11 February 2011 at 10:20 AM
Yes, that is a pity - but CCF would be hard to beat.
Posted by: Cornflower | 11 February 2011 at 07:48 PM
Hello - Bethan from Vintage here! Just a quick post to promise you a podcast interview with Susan Hill soon. We hope to tempt her back to the podcast studio for an interview about her new book and the film version of Woman in Black - both out this autumn!
Posted by: Bethan | 14 February 2011 at 05:44 PM
That's great, Bethan, and thankyou very much for letting us know!
Posted by: Cornflower | 14 February 2011 at 09:21 PM