Sunday, August 19, 2007

Eloise's reading list

This is my first reading challenge too, usually I just mooch around the bookshelves seeing what takes my fancy, so I'm really looking forward to this. At the moment this list is just from books I own so I know I can get my hands on them - if I can track down which shelf or pile they are in! I am intrigued by the many authors on the list that I've never heard of, though, and may well increase this list as I look out for books by them.

G K Chesterton: The Napoleon of Notting Hill
I tried to read this when I was about twelve (as I was a fan of the Father Brown stories) and remember being completely baffled by it. I'm hoping that the many years since will make it more comprehensible but I'm still a bit nervous of it.

W Somerset Maugham: Cakes and Ale
I'd forgotten I even owned this book, just found it hiding in a corner.

J K Huysmans: A Rebours (or Against Nature as I'll be reading it in translation)

D H Lawrence: Lady Chatterley's Lover
Oh dear, this really will be a challenge - I have never wanted to read this book, as I'm very prudish, but it's about time to brave it. I hope to be pleasantly surprised.

George Bernard Shaw: Pygmalion

Radclyffe Hall: I can't remember what it's called or find it at the moment, but I know it's here somewhere and it's not The Well of Loneliness.

And something by Scott, he's one of my favourite authors so it could be anything.

5 comments:

darkorpheus said...

"I have never wanted to read this book, as I'm very prudish, but it's about time to brave it."

I smiled when I read it. It's actually very open-minded of you to want to try something that you feel uncomfortable with. I hope you will like it.

A friend of mine once passed her copy of Lady Chat to me with the dirty pages dog-eared (we were that young once, reading Lawrence and Anne Rice for the SEX!) I forever associate Lady Chat with mental images of flowers BURSTING into bloom, and vigorous pounding of mortar and pestle. ;p

Your choice of Shaw makes me wonder if I should add Saint Joan to my list.

Anonymous said...

This sounds like an interesting challenge: I've read one each of Chesterton (The Man Who Was Thursday), Huysmans (The Damned) and Radclyffe Hall (Well of Loneliness), all of which were well worth it. Enjoy!

Eloise said...

Librarything is back up so I could check the Radclyffe Hall title, and it is The Unlit Lamp that I will be reading.

Imani said...

Yes, I don't think you need to be too worried about Lady Chatterley -- and I hope you like it as well.

I'm reading a Lawrence and a Hall too, mine is Adam's Breed. Dark O, I'm going to read Saint Joan and have my copy ready, so do consider it!

Rebecca H. said...

I'm glad to hear Scott is one of your favorite authors, as I'm undertaking to read him for the first time for this challenge.