The Pattern in the Carpet: A Personal History with Jigsaws

The Pattern in the Carpet: A Personal History with Jigsaws | Margaret Drabble

#WhereAreYouMonday

I‘m mainly in Long Bennington in Lincolnshire off the Great North Road where Margaret Drabble‘s maternal grandparents had a tea house and lodging during her childhood. This is a gentle, introspective memoir, focusing mainly on one favorite aunt, but also quite meandering.

Cupcake12

LeahBergen Well, this sounds fascinating! 1d

Ruthiella @LeahBergen It‘s a bit of a hodgepodge so far, but if you like Drabble as an author, I‘d recommend it. 1d

readingjedi ...with jigsaws?!? I'm stacking! 🧩🧩🧩 1d

Ruthiella @readingjedi Jigsaws do come up because they were a shared activity between Drabble and her aunt. But it‘s not the focus of the book, alas. I also love jigsaw puzzles 🧩! 1d

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TheWordJar

The Pattern in the Carpet: A Personal History with Jigsaws | Margaret Drabble

“Writers are territorial, and they resent intruders.”

I had no idea Margaret Drabble and A. S. Byatt are sisters. That‘s a prolific pair! Here, Drabble is speaking about not wanting to offend anyone when writing about her relationship with her aunt. I imagine it‘s hard to “write what you know” when you have to call dibs on what you both know.

GingerAntics That would probably cause a few issues, but I would imagine that the spin on any event would be different. 6y

TheWordJar @GingerAntics That‘s what I was thinking. Clearly no two people experience events the same way. I feel that tea set was still up for grabs for Byatt. 6y

julesG @GingerAntics I admit, I don't get the fuss. Even if authors were territorial, no two people experience anything the exact same way. So AS Byatt might still use that teaset and likewise Drabble can write about their aunt. Just look at all the book reviews about one and the same book, we all experience it differently. 6y

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GingerAntics I‘m with @JulesG on this. Maybe it‘s more that the sisters were territorial. It‘s sounding a bit like sibling rivalry to me. @TheWordJar I don‘t see why the tea set couldn‘t be up for grabs by either sister. 6y

julesG @GingerAntics Will we ever know? Do you think Stephen King and his sons have arguments over who's allowed to write about the teaset? 😂😂😂 6y

GingerAntics @julesG Stephen King‘s sons are authors? I‘m going with no on that one...not least of all because I don‘t think they had a teaset. lol 6y

julesG @GingerAntics 😂😂😂 Yes. There's Owen King

Sleeping Beauties

julesG @GingerAntics And Joe Hill

NOS4A2

GingerAntics @julesG I don‘t blame Joe for not using “King” as his last name when publishing. That was gutsy of Owen. Imagine the pressure that would add. Definitely no fighting over the teaset or the ghost stories in the King house. 6y

julesG @GingerAntics I guess it offered Joe the chance to make it on his own (nearly typed Owen) 6y

GingerAntics @julesG true. You see King and think “hm, I wonder.” 🤔 You see Hill and it could be any average Joe. 😏 6y

julesG @GingerAntics 😂 6y

julesG @TheWordJar Sorry Jessica, for all the comments on your post. 6y

TheWordJar @julesG @GingerAntics Comment away! 😂 I agree it definitely seems more likely sibling rivalry in this situation. As for Joe and Owen, I‘ve always wondered if Joe ever pulls the old “You never could have made it without Dad‘s name” taunt on Owen. I‘d love to be a fly on the wall at a King family holiday! 6y

julesG Make that two flies on the wall. 6y

GingerAntics @julesG @thewordjar make that three!!! 🤣😂🤣 I think instead of dividing up the stories it would be more “I already did that one. Let‘s just see whose version sells more.” 😏 I can definitely see Joe pulling that on Owen. Such a brotherly thing to do. It seems brothers are more playful and one upping than sisters, although I know plenty of girls who can give their brothers a good run for their money. 6y

julesG @GingerAntics That's a very cool idea. Use the same ingredients and a similar recipe, but the outcome is different. So, even if the teaset is the same, the description is different. (wonder if any of the Kings is on Litsy and would be cracking up about this line of comments) 6y

GingerAntics @julesG oh that would be awesome!!! lol 6y

GingerAntics @julesG @TheWordJar JOE HILL IS, IN FACT, ON LITSY!!! 🤣😂🤣 Anyone have the guts to tag him and ask about those King family holidays? 6y

julesG @GingerAntics 😂😂😂 6y

julesG He hasn't posted in 2 years. @GingerAntics 6y

GingerAntics @julesG oh wow, no he hasn‘t. I didn‘t notice that before. Oh well, the speculation continues. 6y

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TheWordJar

The Pattern in the Carpet: A Personal History with Jigsaws | Margaret Drabble

January is National Puzzle month! To celebrate, I‘m reading The Pattern in the Carpet by Margaret Drabble, which is supposed to be part memoir, part jigsaw history. I don‘t know French, so I don‘t know what these endpapers say, but I do know they are gorgeous! #nonfiction2019 #somethingpersonal

rockpools They‘re fantastic! 6y

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TheWordJar

The Pattern in the Carpet: A Personal History with Jigsaws | Margaret Drabble

A little late posting, but thanks for the tag, @4thhouseontheleft I checked my #TBRBingo card to see what I'm most looking forward to, and these are my #fivestarpredictions. I feel like I may be the last to post for this tag, but if you haven't participated yet, I'd love to see your #fivestarpredictions!

Cinfhen Born a crime was excellent 7y

TheWordJar @Cinfhen I've only heard wonderful things about it. Even though I own it, I'm on hold for the audio at the library because I hear it's even better as read by him! 7y

Cinfhen That's the way I "read" it! His narration was amazing ? 7y

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