Brilliant, it’s nearly June and that means time for Cathy at 746 Books and her 20 Books of Summer Challenge. There’s the option to read 10, 15 or 20 books and apart from that there are no rules, just to enjoy a summer of reading. A highlight of my list last year was Colm Tóibín’s novel The South, set in Barcelona, so he had to be included this year and a friend of my neighbour has had her first book published – The Bangalore Detective Club – so that’s a must; but apart from that it’s a random selection that feels sort of summery (well, maybe not Achilles) and all look like good reads. Here’s my list:
A Florence Diary by Diana Athill
The Bangalore Detectives Club by Harini Nagendra
Elizabeth and her German Garden by Elizabeth von Arnim
Thank You Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse
Latchkey Ladies by Marjorie Grant
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Norah Webster by Colm Tóibín
Swing Time by Zadie Smith
Evil Under The Sun by Agatha Christie
Love in Bloomsbury by Frances Partridge
I do feel quietly confident about finishing the reading, but when Cathy mentioned the panicked last minute reviewing I’m sure she’s looking at me!
Just Reading A Book 
Lovely choices, Jane. Good luck!
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Thanks Sandra!
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Great list Jane, look forward to hearing how you get on with the Nora Webster and Swing Time in particular. Thanks for taking part again, and trust me, the panicked reviewing comment was aimed firmly at myself 🙂
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Haha, you did make me smile when you said that!
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Nice list and happy reading!
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Thanks Karen!
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That’s a great list. I enjoyed The Song of Achilles and Evil Under the Sun – and congratulations to your neighbour’s friend! Good luck!
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Thanks Helen, I’m mad about everything Achilles at the moment so he’ll definitely be my first read!
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Hello, you have quite a selection with some personal favorites like Thank You Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse and Elizabeth and her German Garden by Elizabeth von Arnim; good luck with your summer reading. I am trying to tackle my own and I did start one today and to my dismay, I am not liking it and as always I soldier on miserably…looking for tea wording or such, and woe and behold, I found the wording tea but not in the way that it would normally appear. Sorry that none reads me then you’d know what I mean. I am also having a bad day and so I chime in. No matter, good luck.
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I’m glad the von Arnim is one of your favourites, I really don’t know what to expect but the only other book by her I’ve read was a delight so I’m hopeful. I’m sorry that you’re having a bad day, please don’t soldier on miserably (which is a lovely turn of phrase!), put down that book or list or whatever and pick up something else, anything! Thank you for sending me luck!
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Looks good! I love Evil Under the Sun and Jeeves is always perfect summertime reading. I also love Nora Webster – probably my favourite of all the Toibins I’ve read. I still haven’t read The South though I added it on the basis of your review last year – coming up soon on my list!
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The Jeeves could be Chuckle Under the Sun! I’m looking forward to Nora, it will be second after Achilles and I have every confidence!
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Plenty of variety in your list, Jane, which seems like a good strategy to me. I thought Nora Webster was terrific, and I’ll be interested to see what you think. The Madeleine Miller (a friend’s book group pick) wasn’t for me at all, but loads of other readers love it!
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ooh good, I’m really looking forward to Nora! The back blurb for Achilles does sound a bit Hollywood but since he’s my man of the moment it will have to be terrible for me not to enjoy it!
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Happy summer reading, Jane.
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Thanks Rose!
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I’ve only read the Christie, which was fun, but I hope you enjoy all the choices you’ve made!
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Thanks Chris and good to know it’s a fun Christie!
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This review, which you can skip, has several of my pictures of Burgh Island – where Christie stayed when writing this (and And Then There Were None) and on which she based the island in the novel: https://wp.me/p2oNj1-3Ex.
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Nice list! And I think we ALL do panicked, last-minute reviewing, don’t we?? Enjoy!
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The Toibin, von Armin and Miller were fabulous stories, very different from each other, but wonderful in their way. I hope you enjoy them too 🙂
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Gosh! And this must be a first for me: I have actually already read three on your list.
Summer reading is the best. Just like autumn, winder and spring reading!
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Thank You, Jeeves is one of the funniest books ever written. I am going to check out The Bangalore Detectives Club – it sounds like a great addition to my Reading All Around the World list. Have a wonderful summer with this modest but very attractive list.
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