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2025

  • Adrian Tinniswood: Noble Ambitions
  • Adrian Tinniswood: The Power and the Glory
  • Martin Williams: The King is Dead, Long Live the King
  • Gavin Plumley: A Home for all Seasons
  • Robert Harris: Precipice
  • Nigel Slater: A Thousand Feasts
  • Joan Aiken: Tales of London Town
  • Alan Connor: 188 Words for Rain
  • Ben Robinson: English Villages: An Extraordinary Journey through Time

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Cornflower book group

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Cornflower

Via Twitter, The Velvet Nap ( http://thevelvetnap.wordpress.com/ ) asked about Wuthering Heights.
It's listed in three places: under 'adoption', 'vengeance, seeking', and as one of the ten best novels for seeming well-read.

B R Wombat

How about I Capture the Castle?

Cornflower

Yes, it's in twice! It's one of the ten best novels to cheer you up, and it's prescribed for writer's block.

Claire

I'd be interested to know what they pair up with Madame Bovary.

Cornflower

Needless to say, Madame B. comes under 'A' for adultery (she's alongside Anna Karenina, John Coates' Patience - http://www.cornflowerbooks.co.uk/2013/01/patience-by-john-coates.html - and The Summer Without Men by Siri Hustvedt, books to be read whether one is contemplating or involved in an affair, or is the party wounded by an unfaithful partner).

Dark Puss

Ok, what does she say about Colette (Ripening Seed if you want a single book) and Murakami (Kafka on the Shore if she is specific). Many thanks for the time it takes you to answer my silly questions! P x

Sue

I think they were on Woman's Hour this week recommending a novel to cure constipation. I couldn't help thinking that eating more fruit would be a useful recommendation.

What do they say about Mrs Miniver by Jan Struther?

Cornflower

Colette isn't in the book, but perhaps you could suggest what she might be prescribed for, DP, if you were offering such reading suggestions.
Murakami is there and comes under 'F' for 'falling out of love with love' - that's IQ84, and 'U' for 'unemployment', in relation to The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. Re. the latter, the authors say their cure will divide readers into two camps, those who identify with the character Toru, and those who can't take his "unquestioning passivity".

Cornflower

I agree about the fruit, Sue!
Sadly, Mrs. Miniver doesn't figure, which is a shame as it's such a delightful book.

Sylvia

I was going to ask about Mrs Miniver too. I can't think of a better book for cheering-up and reminding me to notice the joy in everyday moments. Another wonderful tonic is to listen to Penelope Wilton reading it!

Cornflower

Oh, I'd love to have heard Penelope Wilton reading it - she would be excellent!
You're so right about the joy in everyday moments, Sylvia.

Dark Puss

I'd prescribe Colette to anyone who has lost their appreciation of the sensuous or who is suffering from an overly sentimental view of animals.

Claire

Thank you Cornflower. I note my comment on Patience says it's sitting on the shelf un-read and still is! Have mentally moved it up the tbr. Enjoying Crusoe's Daughter very much by the way.

Cornflower

Glad to hear you're enjoying Crusoe's Daughter, Claire. I finished it yesterday and I loved it.

Cornflower

Interesting! Many thanks, DP.

Sue

Sylvia I would love to listen to Penelope Wilton read Mrs Miniver but I can't locate it on Audible or Amazon. Any ideas?

Cornflower

Just offering this in case Sylvia doesn't see your question, Sue - apparently PW read the stories on the radio a while ago ( http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00nnrp5/episodes/guide ), but they are not currently available in iPlayer, which is a pity.

B R Wombat

Great! It's my favourite book of all time and is certainly cheering. But it might encourage writer's block as one might be put off by how excellent it is.

Caroline

I'm so excited to read this! Thanks for another great post.

Cornflower

You're welcome, Caroline, and the book is fun!

Kate

I just got this book from the library and I was surprised to see how much I disliked the authors' point of view. On Losing a Limb, they suggest one read Peter Pan and pretend to be Captain Hook. They may think that's amusing, but it makes me doubt their judgement and wonder how serious they are in recommending that people read the books they mention. If you're feeling really blue, read Last Exit to Brooklyn and realize life is just difficult (or whatever their moral was)? I sampled a number of entries and found their outlook depressing. Back to the library with that one!

Cornflower

Many entries are written with tongue firmly in cheek!

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