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Penelope sits in her role as magistrate while a man is tried for theft. At the same time, she puts her own life on trial as she reflects on her decision to leave her husband for her lover. A taut, well-written account of how we show up in relationships and what it means to be a 'good' person. Maude would approve. 😆
Published in 1976, it means I've completed my first decade for the #192025 challenge! @Librarybelle

Librarybelle Hooray!! I still have a bit to go for the 1970s. 2d

BarbaraBB Wow impressive, finishing the 70s! 2d

merelybookish @Librarybelle I have a bit to go in all the other decades! 😁 2d

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merelybookish @BarbaraBB Thanks! It feels like progress! Are you doing the challenge? 2d

BarbaraBB Yes I am but I am not doing good. After a decade of reading the classics (obsessed by the #1001books list) I now mainly read contemporary books. The #192025 challenge came a bit too late for me 😉 2d

merelybookish @BarbaraBB Interesting! I think I've gone The other way. For a long time I mostly read contemporary fiction and was obsessed with the #tob. Now I am more drawn to the old and obscure. 2d

BarbaraBB That is interesting indeed. I think I‘ll be going there again too. I notice I am often annoyed by US contemporary fiction and am shifting my focus to the rest of the world. 24h

merelybookish @BarbaraBB I think I started to find contemporary fiction limited in its scope. But I still read a few things but am maybe more selective 9h

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Lcsmcat

The Gods Arrive | Edith Wharton

Searching for analysis of our novel, this poem popped up. If you can‘t read it here it‘s available online here https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/50464/give-all-to-love
Wow. Once again Wharton expects us to be well read, as well as well travelled, and it all makes so much more sense. I still don‘t like V and think Halo deserves better, but we all make stupid choices sometimes. 😂 #whartonbuddyread

Graywacke

Lcsmcat @KathyWheeler @kspenmoll @Leftcoastzen @LitStephanie @llwheeler @Louise @rubyslippersreads @SamAnne @sarahbellum @Suet624 @TheBookHippie @cindyash 3d

Lcsmcat @mdm139 @jewright @AllDebooks @amysisson @Ann_Reads @arubabookwoman @batsy @BookishTrish @CarolynM @catebutler @Catherine_Willoughby @Cathythoughts @Crazeedi @Currey @dabbe @emilyhaldi @IMASLOWREADER 3d

Lcsmcat Now the quotes “He had thought he loved her, and he had failed her; she had accepted the fact, and faced it with her usual ironic courage; and the one service his unstable heart could do her now was to leave her in peace and go his way.” (I almost liked Vance here.) 3d

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Lcsmcat ‘Some books fail slowly, imperceptibly, as though an insidious disease had undermined them; others plunge from the heights with a crash, and thus it was with “Colossus”‘ (The voice of experience?) 3d

Lcsmcat “Like most artistic coteries they preferred a poor work executed according to their own formula to a good one achieved without it;” (Definitely the voice of experience!) 3d

Lcsmcat “They were not used to death at the Westons‘, it did not seem to belong to the general plan of life at Euphoria, it had no language, no ritual, no softening conventions to envelop it.” 3d

Currey @Lcsmcat As usual great quotes. 3d

Currey @Graywacke @Lcsmcat It was an extraordinarily rich two books, clearly full of life experiences, deeper and more subtle understanding of the human heart, but Vance is still a selfish, childish man. Did Wharton hope to win me over just a touch? Or was this her way of crafting a damning portrait of a failed artist? Ah, yes. I wish Halo had some hope of better. 3d

Lcsmcat I think that Halo is one spoken to in the poem, so you have to flip the gender. But it‘s almost like Wharton followed the narrative arc of the poem across the two novels. My head‘s spinning a bit. 3d

Lcsmcat @Currey I wonder why I hoped for a less-flawed character in these 2 books. It‘s not like Wharton ever gave us one before. But I really wanted Vance to be better. 3d

Currey @Lcsmcat Yes, I certainly was not expecting a happy ending or a complete turn around of Vance‘s character. Have read too many Wharton‘s for that. 3d

jewright It‘s sort of a happy ending? I was honestly surprised by Lewis‘s offer at the end. 3d

Graywacke Halo was too good for Vance. Thanks for the poem. It explains things a bit. I was really puzzled by the title. 3d

Lcsmcat @jewright Me too. As a matter of fact I also marked this quote “He had been prepared—perhaps—to regret his offer; but not to have it refused. It had never occurred to him that such an extreme of magnanimity could defeat itself.” 3d

Lcsmcat @Graywacke The title puzzled me too. And none of the things I read addressed it, until the poem popped up. I find knowing the source of a title can be helpful, especially from an author as widely read as Wharton. 3d

Graywacke Two quotes from me. First the awkward departure from Lewis: "They stood by each other in silence, miles of distance already between them, while they waited for the preliminary rattle and rumble from below; then the mirror-lined box shot up, opened its door, and took her in.” 3d

Graywacke Halo‘s best line ?: “Did you really come all the way to Paul's Landing just to tell me that you were going away again?" (edited) 3d

Lcsmcat @Graywacke Halo sees right through him, doesn‘t she? The line about having 2 children to raise also rang true to me. 3d

Lcsmcat @Graywacke Re your first quote - Wharton is very good at describing the uncomfortable between people, isn‘t she? 3d

Graywacke I‘m puzzled on the purpose of this book. Vance‘s WI soul searching is brief at best. A seasonal vacation. (About as deep as Thor‘s in the Avengers movies?) Halo‘s affirmation to Tarrant doesn‘t hold up to Vance. Yes, she establishes control on the relationship - she‘s read her Age of Innocence. But, you know, why not be free? And this is just this last section. We have two books of V & H the lead to - ?? Hmm. 3d

Graywacke @Lcsmcat Tarrant as Hades returning Persephone? 3d

Lcsmcat @Graywacke I‘ve not seen any of the Avengers movies so I can‘t speak to that, but, Vance is being true to character. He hasn‘t stuck with anything long. I was hopeful when I read “these weeks outside of time gave him his first understanding of the magic power of continuity.” But he didn‘t stick with it. So bye-bye magic power? 3d

Lcsmcat @Graywacke Tarrant as Hades I can see (you‘re exposing my lopsided cultural knowledge here) but I can‘t decide quite that he acted. It was more like he knew he couldn‘t stop it, so he would let it happen with the least fuss possible. Hard on his pride, but true to character as far as his propensity to avoid exertion. 3d

Graywacke @Lcsmcat i think Halo just knew how to manage Tarrant. And she‘s the moment. Vance gone and can‘t undermine or stand for anything, she‘s pregnant. Cards were in her favor when she made that move. 3d

Graywacke @Lcsmcat in the Avengers movies Thor occasionally can‘t pick up his hammer. He‘s not pure enough - always this is plot friendly. But then the movie needs a snap-quick convincing purification scene so can finally pick it up. 🙂 3d

Lcsmcat @Graywacke Thanks. Now I won‘t look so stupid in front of my son-in-law. 😂🔨 3d

CarolynM Another abrupt ending that left me a bit puzzled. Thanks for the poem, I think it throws light on what EW was doing here. There‘s no doubt H deserves better than V, but for whatever reason she actually does love him, faults and all, so she‘ll accept whatever he offers. This is in stark contrast to V‘s “love” for F which collapsed as soon as he recognised her true character. Very interesting pair of books. Thanks for all your insights. 3d

Lcsmcat @CarolynM Good observation about the difference in V‘s infatuation with F and H‘s more mature love! 3d

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Kristelh

The Thinking Reed | Rebecca West

#bookspinbingo 4
#bookspin Sidetracked
#doublespin The Thinking Reed
#october2024

TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Yay!! Fantastic month!!! 4d

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merelybookish

Afternoon of a Good Woman | Nina Bawden

Methinks Bea Arthurs as Maude inspired the cover art for this 1970s novel.

Ruthiella Definitely! 😂 1w

LeahBergen Ha! 😆 1w

sarahbarnes Oh definitely. 😁 1w

53 likes3 comments

Lcsmcat

The Gods Arrive | Edith Wharton

Wow. This was a brutal section for me. Vance has sacrificed any sympathy I ever had for him. He‘s not young and impulsive anymore. He‘s selfish and cruel. I wish Halo had better options, but she needs to be shed of V.! Thoughts about either V or H‘s behavior? #whartonbuddyread

Graywacke

Lcsmcat @KathyWheeler @kspenmoll @Leftcoastzen @LitStephanie @llwheeler @Louise @rubyslippersreads @SamAnne @sarahbellum @Suet624 @TheBookHippie @cindyash 1w

Lcsmcat Quotes coming, but I‘ll be out of pocket most of today for my grandson‘s birthday, so talk among yourselves as they used to say on SNL. 😀 1w

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Lcsmcat “But it is almost unbearable to be forgotten. The victim invents a thousand pretexts rather than admit that one fact.” 1w

Lcsmcat “This man whom she could no longer make happy, who needed her so little that he could disappear for weeks without giving her a sign—how much longer was she going to burden him with her unwanted devotion?” 1w

Lcsmcat “Ah, happy artists! No wonder they were careless of other people‘s wounds, when they were born with the power to heal their own so easily…” 1w

Lcsmcat And I won‘t quote it, but the cruel words V used when telling H that F had dumped him but he still wanted her and the way he dismissed H‘s intelligence and contributions to his work make me think Wharton must have had some wrenching scenes with her lover! 1w

Currey @Lcsmcat it was so painful to watch Halo twisting herself into a pretzel 🥨 really appearing to believe that her love for Vance wasn‘t worthy and leaving him would be the best thing she could do for him. Meanwhile I‘m thinking “get out of there Halo, you deserve so much better” 1w

Lcsmcat @Currey If everything else hadn‘t done it, his “do I have to use words of one syllable” dig pushed him past redemption in my eyes. Run, Halo, run! 1w

Currey @Lcsmcat I agree that much of the writing appears to come from personal experience but I suspect her sympathy (as a writer) to Vance is that at some point in her life she had played both parts 1w

Lcsmcat @Currey Yes, she is much more understanding of him than I can be. But how she could write him that clearly and see herself in that behavior- wow. That‘s a tough self-reflection. 1w

Graywacke Happy birthday to your grandson! 1w

Graywacke I wonder what drove this Wharton take on jealousy and unrequited devotion. Vance hurt me most when he called Hale an amateur critic. And she handled all his bitter lines so gracefully. He‘s not worthy 1w

Graywacke Why does Frenside always offer such inadequate advice that never helps anyone? 1w

Lcsmcat @Graywacke Frenside is a puzzle. He seems intelligent and caring, but always at a remove. Like he can‘t quite connect. I wonder if that‘s why his advice doesn‘t quite work? 1w

Graywacke @Lcsmcat he is a puzzle. He‘s so nice, though. 1w

Lcsmcat @Graywacke Yes, he is one of the likable ones in this story. 1w

Lcsmcat @Graywacke As to why these themes now, what makes a 70 year old tackle doomed love. It seems like a subject for a young romantic, doesn‘t it? Was she looking back at her relationship with Walter Berry? Maybe trying to justify to herself why it went the way it did? I‘m not sure. 1w

Graywacke @Lcsmcat i think about Berry a lot. Of course, she‘s the Vance artistically. He‘s the Halo. 1w

CarolynM You have summed up my response to this part perfectly. As an aside, I think it was a bit mean of EW to take a swipe at Belgium😆 1w

Lcsmcat @CarolynM 😂 Everyone mistreats Belgium! 1w

jewright Vance is so self-absorbed. My word. In a sense, Flossy treats him just like he treats everyone else in his life. I do wonder if his new book is any good, or if Halo is right. 1w

Lcsmcat @jewright I so want Halo to be right! 1w

Graywacke @Lcsmcat 🙂 ( @jewright ) 1w

Graywacke @Currey @CarolynM @jewright - just, a bit random, but I‘m really proud of Halo in chapter 34. Not sure how it will play out, but, for now, thank goodness 5d

Lcsmcat @Graywacke 😀 Me too. 5d

Currey @Graywacke @Lcsmcat @jewright @CarolynM Me too! 5d

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JenlovesJT47

Elizabeth and Her German Garden | Elizabeth Von Arnim

pick

I see that the rest of my group who read this for the #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead had mixed feelings about this one & I totally understand where you all are coming from. I didn‘t love this book but found it oddly enjoyable. Elizabeth & her friend Irais were pretty funny imo & I love how she calls her husband the Man of Wrath 😆 & we don‘t even know his name (he was an ass lol). I can totally see why LMM loved it because she was absolutely crazy ⬇️

BarbaraJean

JenlovesJT47 About flowers and her garden & I‘m sure she could relate to Elizabeth as a kindred spirit. Does she talk about this book in her journals? I haven‘t gotten around to reading them yet. So like I said, I enjoyed this more than I thought I would but can understand everyone‘s complaints about it. 🤓 4⭐️ #HauntedShelf #FrightClub #TBRread #LMM @Jadams89 (edited) 2w

BarbaraJean Yes, LMM does talk about it in her journals! (That's the main reason I added it to our buddy read) She loved it and said Elizabeth was her “twin soul“ when it came to gardening 😊 2w

JenlovesJT47 @BarbaraJean awesome, I had a feeling! I‘ve read a bunch of books about LMM and she was obsessed with flowers & gardening & was an amateur photographer as well. If you haven‘t read this one I‘d highly recommend it

The Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables: The Enchanting Island that Inspired L. M. Montgomery

BarbaraJean I've had that one on my list!! I think I've seen it on Hoopla. Maybe we'll have to add it into the #KindredSpiritsBuddyRead sometime in 2025! 2w

JenlovesJT47 @BarbaraJean awesome! They have a bunch of LMM‘s photographs in this book, the ones she took of her gardens. 2w

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JenlovesJT47

Elizabeth and Her German Garden | Elizabeth Von Arnim

I couldn‘t agree more!

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead
#BookQuotes
#Bibliophile

BarbaraJean

BarbaraJean 💜💜Yes! I love this! 2w

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Lcsmcat

The Gods Arrive | Edith Wharton

Vance goes off on a wild goose chase sure to get him in trouble. The Delaney‘s, Alders, Mrs. G, and Chris all collide in the south of France. And Wharton is hammering it home that, putting people in different clothes, houses, hotels, etc doesn‘t change who they are. Do you think Halo, back in Forgotten-by-the-Sea (rough translation of Oubli-sur-mer ) knew what she was doing? And if V can‘t write without hurting others, is he a genius or a monster?

Graywacke

Lcsmcat
@KathyWheeler @kspenmoll @Leftcoastzen @LitStephanie @llwheeler @Louise @rubyslippersreads @SamAnne @sarahbellum @Suet624 @TheBookHippie @cindyash 2w

Currey @Lcsmcat I keep having the feeling that I am at odds with Wharton herself. That she persists in crowning V genius while leading me to think him a monster. Although at times a spoiled brat, little boy monster. I was surprised to have Floss return in such a sharp form. 2w

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Graywacke @Currey exactly - she‘s not at odds with herself as playing on readers expectations - the ruthless artist. I‘m beginning to think we have a magnificent novel coming out of a catastrophic relationship event. 2w

Graywacke @Lcsmcat Cathartic to read your post. I‘m enjoying the book. It‘s interesting and easy to stay involved with. Chris is an entertaining devil. But Vance is driving me nuts. So selfish. Halo is essentially an emotion he likes to have. That‘s about all he really sees her as. 2w

Graywacke @Lcsmcat regarding your question - Halo has been lying to herself the entire book. I don‘t think she knows what‘s going on. She‘s stumbling through trying to enjoy what she can, and pretend everything is ok. 2w

Graywacke Highlighted quote - a question: Jealousy could outlive love, then, cling to it like a beast of prey to a carcase for which it no longer hungered? 2w

Lcsmcat @Graywacke I highlighted that same quote! Is W working through her own issues here? 2w

Lcsmcat @Currey I can‘t decide if EW thinks Vance is a genius or is portraying him as someone who society thinks is a genius. She‘s clearly showing his dark side. 2w

Lcsmcat @Graywacke I agree that Halo is self-deluded. My big question is why. She seems intelligent about other things but she cannot pick men very well. 😂 2w

Currey @Graywacke @Lcsmcat Halo appears to pick her men based on what he can do for her (keep her parents in funds) or what she can do for him (support and nurture his genius). She does get some self satisfaction from being the intellectual and creative support person but she has yet to pick a man that will elevate her, support her, be a real partner to her…. (edited) 2w

Lcsmcat Some quotes - on society: ‘Vance‘s first thought was: “If they only knew enough not to speak!”‘ 2w

Lcsmcat On writing: “All that rot about not writing—why, nobody can write who doesn‘t set his teeth and dig himself in. Your mistake was ever imagining it was fun. Come along; you‘ll write fast enough when you have to.” 2w

Graywacke @Currey on Halo - exactly. She lives through others. 2w

Graywacke @Lcsmcat love those last quotes. Wharton must be working something of herself out here. I wonder on her expat perspective and how the plays with her outlook 2w

Lcsmcat @Graywacke And her life as the divorced wife of one man and the paramour of another. I am unsure of the dates of her relationships, but she would have written this as an older woman - perhaps looking back on her life, both personal and professional? 2w

CarolynM @Currey @Graywacke I‘ve been wondering all through this book and the last how much of EW‘s reality as a writer is in V & how much she is taking from other writers she knows, how much she is making up, or maybe even satirising. I‘m intrigued by all his works in progress almost beginning with their title. It seems so unlikely. I was also surprised by Floss‘s return, it made me wonder if EW originally intended her to have a bigger role in HRB 2w

Lcsmcat @CarolynM Not knowing for sure where this is going, it feels almost Dickensian with all the characters coming together, doesn‘t it? 2w

Lcsmcat @CarolynM EW is definitely satirizing the publishing world and “modern” literary trends (all those digs at Joyce!) but I‘d have to read a biography to put the pieces together of who she knew and might be sending up. 2w

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BarbaraJean

Elizabeth and Her German Garden | Elizabeth Von Arnim

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAdjacent

🌹What memorable scenes or quotes stand out to you from the second half of the book? The book overall?

🌸Any further thoughts you‘d like to share?

🌷There are two other “Elizabeth” books: “The Solitary Summer” and “The Adventures of Elizabeth in Rugen.” Are you interested in reading more of Elizabeth?

rubyslippersreads, JenlovesJT47, Vansa, lauraisntwilder, TheAromaofBooks, julieclair

BarbaraJean I went back through my highlights in my ebook version, and found several passages I thought were hilarious! I loved the part where Elizabeth narrates what a big deal birthdays are in Germany and how she always tries to avoid them... and how she and Irais always exchange the same exact two presents back and forth every year 😂 3w

BarbaraJean I also loved this: “I certainly prefer buying new rose-trees to new dresses, if I cannot comfortably have both; and I see a time coming when the passion for my garden will have taken such a hold on me that I shall not only entirely cease buying more clothes, but begin to sell those that I already have.“ I feel the same way about books vs. clothes 😆 3w

BarbaraJean And, I do still want to read other books by Von Arnim--but not the other two “Elizabeth“ ones any time soon! The Enchanted April has been high on my list for a while, and that's probably the Von Arnim I'll pick up next. 3w

TheAromaofBooks I actually also had several passages that I thought were lovely or that really struck a chord. Her thoughts on the way people always show up just when you least want them to, or how you have to wait an entire year before you find out whether your garden experiment is going to work or not - things like that I found so relatable. 3w

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BarbaraJean

Elizabeth and Her German Garden | Elizabeth Von Arnim

#KindredSpiritsBuddyRead #LMMAdjacent

We all seem to agree that we don‘t quite feel LMM‘s enthusiasm over Elizabeth, but can see why she did! Are there books that you‘ve accidentally come across like LMM found Elizabeth—and wished you‘d found earlier?

rubyslippersreads, JenlovesJT47, Vansa, lauraisntwilder, TheAromaofBooks, julieclair

LeahBergen I ADORE Elizabeth von Arnim and this is ‘hands down‘ my least favourite of her books. 😆 3w

rubyslippersreads @LeahBergen Oh dear. This is making me even less likely to read it. 3w

BarbaraJean @LeahBergen 😂 😂 That's oddly encouraging... good to know I don't need to scratch Enchanted April off my TBR! 3w

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willaful @BarbaraJean @LeahBergen Also not a big fan of this one. Enchanted April is lovely and my fav is Fraulein Schmidt and Mr. Anstruther. Vera is creepy AF!

Fraulein Schmidt And Mr Anstruther: A Virago Modern Classic

TheAromaofBooks @LeahBergen @willaful - I wasn't sure if I wanted to read Enchanted April after finding this one so meh, but you're definitely encouraging me to keep it on my list!! 3w

TheAromaofBooks There have definitely been books I've found and wondered how I missed them growing up - the Swallows and Amazons books come to mind; I love them soooo much and only just read them for the first time a few years ago! The Scent of Water (Elizabeth Goudge) is another one that comes to mind - that book hit me at the exact right moment in my life, but everyone I've recommended it to has been really ambivalent towards it. 3w

willaful @TheAromaofBooks Oh, I loved Goudge and don't think I ever found that one! Will have to see if it's available. 3w

willaful Oh my goodness, I didn't realize she had been digitized and was in the library! I think she'll be on next year's #BacklistReadathon list! 3w

BarbaraJean @TheAromaofBooks Ohhh, Swallows and Amazons is still on my TBR! I have a feeling I'll feel similarly about them! And I want to read more Elizabeth Goudge. Pilgrim's Inn and The Dean's Watch have been on my TBR for ages. One of the ones I wish I'd read earlier is A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. It never seemed like “my thing“ but when I finally listened to all the recommendations and read it, I LOVED it. 3w

LeahBergen @rubyslippersreads Oops. Sorry! 😆 3w

LeahBergen @TheAromaofBooks The Enchanted April is so much better! And I just recently bought a copy of Swallows and Amazons as it‘s one I missed as a child, too. 3w

LeahBergen @willaful @BarbaraJean I haven‘t read Fraulein yet but I also really liked Christopher and Columbus. Expiation is really good, too.

Christopher and Columbus

(edited) 3w

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