Monday 25 January 2010

The bookseller



Shortly before Christmas, I appeared in the Bookseller's weekly column that features librarians and booksellers highlighting a pair of books from a similar genre called I'm loving/I'm not loving. As I don't see The bookseller, I had to wait for a copy to be posted to me, which took forever due to the snow, but I finally saw myself in print last week. I chose to feature reprinted books and chose to love Miss Buncle's book, recently republished by Persephone Books, and decided that I didn't love Miss Hargreaves, recently republished by Bloomsbury.


Here's what I wrote:
Miss Buncle’s Book (D.E. Stevenson)

Persephone books specialise in reprinting neglected classics by 20th century authors, and my favourite of their recent reissues is this story of a spinster who tries to augment her income by writing a novel about the village where she lives. The villagers are incensed by the caricature made of their lives and try to work out who is responsible. Miss Buncle is a charming heroine and this book is a wonderful light read, perfect for the holidays.

Miss Hargreaves (Frank Baker)

Bloomsbury are also reprinting “lost novels”, and although this particular title was recommended to me by several friends, I was ultimately disappointed. Miss Hargreaves, an imaginary character created in a game played by two young men, mysteriously comes to life and causes havoc by her appearance. The unsettling premise of the story felt implausible, and I did not warm to the character of the querulous and somewhat interfering Miss Hargreaves at all.

14 comments:

  1. That's wonderful that they published your views on these books! I'm just about to start Miss Buncle's Book...really excited now!

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  2. Oh no! How could you *publish* that about Miss H! I think it's so very much better than Miss Buncle's Book... but I must calm myself... (Oh Verity!)

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  3. I'm sorry Simon, but all publicity is good publicity surely?! I saw the first Miss Hargreaves in a charity shop at the weekend...

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  4. I do agree with you. I love DE Stevenson and particularly this one. I've tried Miss H and, because it was recommended by so many people, thought I ought to like it a lot more than I did.

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  5. Hi Ann, thanks for popping in! I'm glad that you are a DE Stevenson fan too - have you read any of the Miss Buncle sequels? I loved the second one, although was a little disappointed by the third one.

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  6. You're famous! Well done! I have both of these on the TBR pile...which to try first?!

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  7. No contest Rachel - Miss Buncle all the way!

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  8. Right you are Verity! Miss Hargreaves will have to languish on the TBR pile a little longer...

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  9. Congratulations! It is always great to see yourself in print!

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  10. Congratulations! Lovely to read it in print (I read what you said from the photograph). Like Rachel, I have both, and I look forward to reading both and making up my own mind (I don't want to take sides between you and Simon ;)!)

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  11. Exciting for you Verity! I've read Miss Buncle's Book and really enjoyed it. I'd also had my eye on Miss Hargreaves but can bump that a little lower on my book buying list even though I still want to know if I'll like it :-)

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  12. Congrats on your article! 'Miss Buncle's Book' was one of my favourite reads in 2009. I've since purchased 'Mrs Tim of the Regiment' (published by the Bloomsbury Group :)

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  13. Congratulations on the article! Miss Buncle's Book was one of the best books I've read recently and definitely deserving of more attention.

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  14. What a shame you...that you didn't like Miss Hargreaves. Perhaps because it came highly recommended and expectations were high? I LOVED the book. And bought two copies as gifts for two of my friends.

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