Silly game- anyone up for it?

That's JG Ballard "Empire of the Sun", nelliemoser
Now how about mine? (see above)

"Wars came early to Shanghai, overtaking each other like the tides that raced up the Yangtze and returned to this gaudy city all the coffins cast adrift from the funeral pies of the Chinese Bund."

How weird - this is Plainsong isn't it? It was recommended to me on Tuesday by a book club friend. Small world!

"To begin with the old rigmaroles of childhood. In a country there was a shire, and in that shire there was a town, and in that town there was a house ......" and so on, it goes on a bit!

That too, dusty

Just been standing at my kitchen window watching the sun set.

Ariadne.

That first line captured me, because I thought so many people in this world stand at their kitchen windows watching the sun rise.

Oh, goodness me, yes! I won't join in, but it is SO worth reading!

Ariadne You recommended this book to me and I loved it! (I've decided that clues are allowed)

"Here was this man Tom Guthrie in Holt standing at the back window in the kitchen of his house smoking cigarettes and looking out over the back lot where the sun was just coming up."

Oops, I didn't mean to post. I haven't got a quotation
Yes, that was correct Daisy.

The Towers of Trezibond by Rose Macauley

September, by Rosamunde Pilcher

“`Take my camel, dear', said my aunt Dot, as she climbed down from this animal on her return from High Mass.”

Gracesmum - I forgot to confirm that you were right about The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul.

MicElf, I loved those John and Elizabeth Newsome books. I think I got them from the library. Certainly haven't got them now. When were they published?
I'm enjoying this thread, I 've known a few and almost known several.
How about a easy one?
" In early May, the summer came, at last, to Scotland."

Sounds fascinating, given that most of our DC were tinies 30-ish years ago I imagine it would bring back many memories.

It's on one of my shelves! Along with its sequel Seven years old in the home environment. Dated now but with brilliant insights. And I've also got Toys and Playthings - a fascinating guide to the nursery cupboard. Published in 1979. Still relevant. It needs to be the inspiration for a new accessible study looking at what children play with now, and how it differs from thirty odd years ago.

Apologies to thatbags if the post of 11.28.45 was a title - I took it as an observation and am now not so sure - not ignoring you!

Well I cannot tell a lie I had to Google the chldren one and found ehat looks like a fascinating book "Four years old in an urban community " by John and Elizabeth Newsome (?)
Can I ask where the inspiration came from?

"I must frankly own, that if I had known, beforehand, that this book would have cost me the labour which it has, I should never have been courageous enough to commence it."

Sorry everyone!

used

I ised to love singing Lilibulero at primary school.

I sometimes think I'm being driven cemented, mice

I was accepted as a part-time under-gardener at Selborne many years ago. There's a book to be written about the sensitivity and infighting of gardeners there.

Demented. Not cemented!

Of course. The Voyage of the Beagle was the TV series. Our very great friend played Covington in that and drove us all cemented learning to play Lilibulero on a violin. He got to travel to some wonderful places though.

No! Not Spock, or Whitehorn or even Dr Jolly or Penelope Leech