Welcome to Litsy!

My 100th, and final, book of 2024.
I enjoyed the evocation of time and place very much, so it's a pick, but truthfully I never quite warmed to either Robert or Dulcie (and was unmoved by Romy's story, possibly because it was told at a further remove). It's a personal thing but I was riled by Robert's horizons being broadened by a toff: as if that world is the real world and all other experience a poor deviation from or distortion of that reality.

Loved this story of 16yr old Robert who in 1945 sets of walking from his Durham home + ends up at Robin Hoods Bay where he makes an unlikely friendship with Dulcie, an eccentric woman with a secret unearthed through their bonding. Beautiful prose immersed me in the characters + landscape by an author who is becoming a favourite writer. Also contains a mystery that will have you searching an unknown German poet. A book abt class, art, life,love 5*

A reserved pick.

The Offing reminds me of the 1970‘s cult classic Harold & Maude, updated for modern sensibilities & ironically set in the past (1940‘s England, post-WWII).

A coal-miner‘s son leaves home in search of adventure & finds it in unexpected ways in Dulcie, a worldly, unconventional, & grieving septuagenarian tucked away in her home in a coastal meadow. She introduces him to poetry, wine, & simple luxury, & shows him what could be.👇🏻

I took a much-needed vacation day today to recharge…and it ended up being such a beautiful day! I even dipped my toes in the sea. 🌊🩵🌤️

Perfect summers morning reading with the doggie 🐶 paddling pool ready to go ! 😎

Such gorgeous prose! 💙 By happenstance a young man discovers his path out of a provincial coal mining village and into the expanse of the world via a tragedy and the written word.

If you are a fan of nature writing, you‘ll love the lush descriptions of the landscape, not to mention the delectable edibles!

Offing: the more distant part of the sea in view.

This absolutely fits the American Midwest too! Weather obsessed: A. it‘s farm country; B. It‘s constantly changing & swings between extremes; C. definitely used as chit-chat to grease polite conversation.

The opening of this novel has sucked me right in. First sentence reads, “Where did life go?”

I am posting one book per day from my extensive to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it, I just do. Some will be old, some will be new. Don‘t judge me - I have a lot of books. Join in if you want!

#ABookADay2023

March 2023 reading wrap-up. This month was more about travel than reading for me!
4 🌟
Seven Steeples: Sara Baume 📖
Babel: R. F. Kaune 🎧
The Offing: Benjamin Meyers 📖
3.5🌟
Memphis: Tara Stringfellow 🎧
Stone Blind: Natalie Haynes 🎧
3 🌟
Emily Wilde‘s Encyclopedia of Fairies: Heather Fawcett 📖
Mercury Pictures Presents: Anthony Marra 🎧
#womensprizelonglist
#tournamentofbooks2023
Babel was my #bookspin @TheAromaofBooks

Loved this novel set in post WWII England. Beautiful relationship between an older woman who has lost her love and a young man just starting his life. Wonderful nature writing and such a strong sense of place.

The first of my #AuldLangSpine books from @Mitch finished, and it was a good one!

A young post-war school-leaver sets out from Durham to spend the summer exploring, before heading back down the pit. But his meeting and friendship with Dulcie Piper changes everything- for both of them - as he starts to see there‘s more to the world than his village, and she faces past tragedies.

Beautiful and evocative - I‘d gladly read more by Benjamin Myers.

OK, I‘m going in! Making an early start on my #AuldLangSpine list from @Mitch - this sounds fabulous.

Christmas plans have been derailed by the plague (ugh. Is that still a thing?) so I‘m isolating for at least a few days, hoping i haven‘t passed this to the rest of my house,. ExCEEEDINGly rubbish, but v grateful to dive into some fabulous books.

Thought I‘d catch up on this season‘s Between the Covers, and the first one raved about Myers, so…

This book, sent to me by a fellow BookCrosser, was a charming story,, slow paced but still very engaging, with some really lovely passages. It has motivated me to read more poetry.

#Scarathlon2022 #TeamMonsterMash @StayCurious
#BookCrossing

I usually steer clear of ‘coming if age‘ novels - but this is just so gorgeous. Robert, in his 16th summer, prior to heading down the pit as is the family tradition - sets out on foot to just walk. On that walk he meets Dulcie - and they have a profound impact on each other. The nature writing is amazing - it‘s lived and felt and just beautiful. And the relationship between them is balanced, meaningful and fun to witness. Loved it!

Summer seems to have me on a fiction vibe - and this one has started off well. I‘ll be here a while I think!

A gentle novel with a beautiful rhythm and kindness at its heart. Praised especially for his writing about nature, which is lovingly & finely done. It deserves to be a pick but just wasn‘t for me. A little twee and contrived for my taste, lacking dramatic tension and whilst both characters were sympathetic, I didn‘t feel moved by them or compelled to find out what would happen. Dulcie‘s story (as she relates to the main character) is remote.

I firmly believe that a book finds you when you need it. Such beauty, such charm, even such hope. I hope that the beautiful, giving traits that Dulcie has, I have as well. A book for when your soul needs to be refilled.

This is a lovely story about 16 yrs old Robert who leaves his village searching for work other than mining. Set in the aftermath of WWII, Robert meets Dulcie, an older women and he works in her garden and does other odd jobs. She gives him then food, shelter and their friendship begins which will change their futures
. She encourages reading, poetry and lots of discussion. I found it very moving and evocative. #books

I'm struggling to read much at the moment. I have epilepsy, and when I have seizures it can make me sad, anxious, worried, tired, frustrated, confused, angry and irrational. I'm doing my best to recover, to be healthy and get back to being able to do the things I enjoy, but it isn't always easy. It's an ongoing struggle. When I do get back on track, I'll be reading this book next. #Epilepsy #Wellbeing #mentalhealth