I did manage to whittle my selection down to two books to bring home with me:Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day by Winifred Watson and Good Evening, Mrs Craven: The Wartime Stories of Mollie Panter-Downes.
I chose Miss Pettigrew because I have seen, and loved, the movie with Frances McDormand and Amy Adams and I have read some other bloggers talking positively about Mollie Panter-Downes. It was so hard to only walk out of that shop with two books though!! I'm going to be putting in a mail order very soon I think - can you let me know what Persephone books I should collect next? What is your favourite?
19 comments:
Anything by Dorothy Whipple is great, and I am a big fan of Family Roundabout and Saplings. One of the more "obscure" titles is Bricks and Mortar, which I loved. Paperback Reader and I hosted a Persephone Reading week back in August, so if you look back at our blogs you might see lots of reviews which could help you decide!
Good Evening Mrs Craven is just marvellous! I think at some point, maybe after pay day, I may have to finally head to the Persephone shop, I am just aware it could be lethal! I am also aware that its very wrong of me to have still not been when I have lived in London for 10 years!!
Great choices, Karen! I'm pleased that you managed to visit and I know all too well how difficult it is not to buy all the books up in the shop!
Dorothy Whipple is amazing and I read Little Boy Lost by Marghanita Laski during Persephone Reading Week and can't stop raving about it! It is devastating but amazing. My favourite is Lady Rose & Mrs Memmary but LBL is now a close second.
oh what lovely books!
I have only read one Persephone (thus far!), Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, which I read during Persephone Reading Week, and I quite enjoyed it. I think it's a pretty safe choice as I can't imagine someone vehemently NOT liking the book, so I'm sure you'll enjoy that one!
I can only imagine the damage I should do if I were to ever visit the physical Persephone shop! What a great attraction during your holiday!
Ah, isn't the store fabulous? I remember when I was there I really wanted to buy more than the three I got but ah well, hopefully I'll keep adding to my little Persephone library in years to come. So far, my favorite has been Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. I hope you'll enjoy it!
Great to have you back by the way! :)
I haven't been able to visit the shop. But I did place my first Persephone order last night online. I ordered 12 of them! Since I think I am placing myself on a book buying moratorium, I felt like I needed to stock pile. I can't wait to get them.
The titles and authors mentioned here are all fantastic. I recently read, and thoroughly enjoyed, The Village by Marghanita Laski.
I'm so glad you picked Miss Pettigrew, Karen! I'm sure you'll enjoy it. :) I have only read 3 so far but Marghanita Laski is pulling me far more than the other authors.
Hi Verity - I remember seeing your Persephone Reading Week and wishing I had some P books so that I could join in!! You will have to run it again??
Hi savidgereads - thanks for the tip! I think it would be VERY dangerous to hit this shop on pay day!!
Hi Paperback Reader - thanks for all the great suggestions (and for making sure I included a trip to this bookstore on my trip!).
Hi Aimee - they are beautiful books - so simple but so lovely and elegant too.
Hi Steph - I have now finished Miss Pettigrew and definitely loved it!
Hi Iliana - it's great to be back - although I am missing overseas too!!
Hi Thomas - 12 books!!! That sounds awesome. You are tempting me to log on to the bookshop now...
Hi Darlene - this definitely sounds like one I need to check out. Thanks!
Hi Claire - the M L definitely sounds like the one I need to pick up next - everyone seems to love it.
Karen - we definitely hope to have another one next year.
Hi Verity - that is great news! I will stockpile my P books for then!
I still haven't been to the Persephone shop. I really must make a trip, but I do worry about my finances - perhaps it is better to avoid temptation!
Miss Pettigrew was my first Persephone! I've also loved The Home-Maker by Dorothy Canfield Fisher and Someone at a Distance by Dorothy Whipple.
you did much better than I did with reducing the selections to just 2.
Hi Jackie - I think that might be a wise decision!
Hi JoAnn - thanks for your faves!
Hi Serena - how many did you come away with??
I have "A Very Great Profession" by Persephone founder Nicola Beauman and it is superb. It will give you a reading list for life, of English domestic fiction of the 20's and 30's and great insight into the novels of that time. I think its the first of the Persephone's to be read really - it sets the scene and helps you appreciate and understand all the others. For the next Persephone Week I hope to have a review ready.
isn't that shopping bag gorgeous! And those books look great - in fact, I'm becoming enamored with the whole concept! It's definitely been added to my London List.
Hi Merenia - thanks for letting me know about that one - I had not heard of it before. Sounds like the perfect place to start my Persephone journey!
Hi Megan - I would definitely add it to your London list - just be prepared and have some room spare in your bag!
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