“She had read novels while other people perused the Sunday papers”
~ Mary Elizabeth Braddon, The Doctor’s Wife
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I can’t believe it’s been nearly two years since my last After the Sunday Papers post! I had intended it to be a weekly feature, looking back on the previous week and forward to the week ahead, but obviously it didn’t work out like that. Today, not having any reviews ready to post and wanting to mention a few book-related events, I decided to revive my Sunday posts and hopefully can make them a more regular feature, if not a weekly one.
Giveaway Blog Hop success!
I was lucky enough to win two books in the recent Literary Giveaway Blog Hop and I received both of them this week. Thanks to Heavenali for the beautiful Penguin English Library edition of Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy and thanks to The Little Reader Library for The Long Song by Andrea Levy – both books I’ve been wanting to read for a long time.
Lymond is back
Annabel of Gaskella is hosting a readalong of The Game of Kings, the first of Dorothy Dunnett’s Lymond Chronicles. As I’m currently immersed in Dunnett’s other series, The House of Niccolo, I won’t be officially taking part, but to anyone who has been thinking about reading the Lymond Chronicles this could be a good time to start. Annabel has even made a bookmark with the character list, which should be very useful!
Advent with Atwood
Following the success of last year’s Advent with Austen, this year Yvann, Alex, Iris and Ana will be co-hosting Advent with Atwood. The event includes a readalong of The Blind Assassin, but participants can read any book by Margaret Atwood during the month of December. I would like to join in as I’ve never read anything by Atwood before and she’s an author I’ve been meaning to read for years. I have no idea which of her books to start with, so any suggestions are welcome.
That’s all for now – hope you all have a good week!
She Reads Novels 
I want to read The Long Song but somehow seems a more summer reading for me.
Yes it does, doesn’t it? I’ll probably be tempted to read it before next summer though!
The Long Song has also been on my radar for a while, but have yet to pick it up too!
A nice little blog post, Helen.
I’m looking forward to finally reading it!
Hi Helen,
I highly recommend Cat’s Eye. It’s one of those few books I actually return to (even though I vow to re-read many other books but don’t seem to manage).
Thanks for the recommendation, Deb. At the moment I think I’m probably going to start with The Handmaid’s Tale but I’ll think about reading that one too.
The only Hardy I’ve read is Far From the Madding Crowd. I’m totally in love with Gabriel. I hope you enjoy it too.
I love Hardy so I’m really looking forward to reading that one. I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it!
One of my goals for this holiday season is to perhaps take Dunnett’s King Hereafter down from the shelf and read that one. But it is so big! And Dunnett’s is quite a dense writer. I hear that one is her best, though…
I’ve heard so many good things about King Hereafter! I definitely want to read it but it’s going to have to wait until I’ve finished the House of Niccolo.
I’d like to read The Long Song, but never picked up a copy. Very tempted by the Atwood event as my situation there is the same of yours, but yes, which book to choose?
I’ll be interested to see which book you choose if you do decide to take part. They all sound interesting and it’s hard to know where to start.
Thanks for the shout-out on the AwA! My suggestion is to start with The Handmaid’s Tale (her most famous one, relatively short). I didn’t know about the DD read-along. As you know I’m also busy with Niccolo, but will also join by memory when I can. I might even be useful, if I use my Companion books.
I have the Companions now too and I’m looking forward to using them when I do eventually re-read Lymond. Thanks for the Atwood suggestion!
Hello Helen! Highly tempted by the “Game of Kings” read-along, although I think it’s high time that other authors than Dunnett got a look-in on my ‘to be read’ list. 🙂 Hope you’re enjoying Niccolo – I’ve finally finished, so am waiting with great anticipation for your next posts.
Regarding Atwood, I’d go with Alex and say begin with “The Handmaid’s Tale”. It’s gripping and of course it’s such a modern classic. Plus (if you wanted to make a really tenuous link), the themes of childbirth and hope are rather appropriate for Advent, no?
Yes, I’m still enjoying Niccolo. I noticed you had finished the series but I didn’t want to read your posts until I’ve caught up. My review of The Unicorn Hunt should be ready in the next few days.
Thanks for the link. I’m only a few pages in, but think I’m going to love Dunnett. I’m going to see if I can fit in an Atwood too.
I’m glad to hear you’re enjoying it already. I wish I could have the experience of reading it again for the first time!
Love seeing that Hardy cover again!
I’ve only read a few Atwood novels, but the one that sticks with me the most is ‘Surfacing’. It is a hard book to read and digest, but is superbly memorable.
This is the first Penguin English Library book I’ve owned but I’d like to add to my collection as they all have such beautiful covers. Thanks for the Atwood recommendation!
Really hope you love Far from the Madding Crowd – I just think it’s wonderful. I read the Long Song just after it first came out and really enjoyed it – it is very powerful – although I probably didn’t enjoy it quite as much as A Small Island.
I have high hopes for Far from the Madding Crowd. I’ve loved all the other Hardy books I’ve read (apart from maybe Under the Greenwood Tree), so I’m really looking forward to starting that one. Thanks!