2026 - 50 Books a Year Challenge

48 The Fortnight in September - R C Sherriff

Published in 1931, by the above author, famous for his novel Journey's End. This is an account of an ordinary family's annual holiday to Bognor Regis, not the most desirable of south coast resorts. However, written nearly a 100 years ago, he paints a picture of a quintessentially English sea side holiday town rather than the brash place it has now possibly become. It was interesting to read about a time when expectations were so different from how they are today. The simplicity of the two weeks away where the order of the days were planned with a certain precision, by the father, Mr Stevens, to enhance the overall family experience. Picnics on the beach were described in detail as were walks on the surrounding Downs and journeys on steam trains, taking them all away from the daily frustrations if only for two weeks. Particularly fascinating, if familiar with train journeys of the areas is question are the observations noted at various stops between Clapham Junction as the train pulls out of that station leaving the metropolis behind as it progresses into the Sussex countryside. The book described by esteemed author Kazuo Ishiguro, famous for his insight into English social nuance, "as just about the most uplifting life-affirming novel I can think of" He praised its delicate , respectful portrayal of an ordinary south London family taking their modest annual seaside holiday. Not a lot happens, it's restrained as the time it was set in, in that respect, it just captures the era, simple joys of deckchairs, the beach and pier and the nuclear family escaping from the humdrum of everyday life. I loved it.

Maggiemaybe

33. The Correspondent, Virginia Evans

Sybil lives on her own, her only brother is now in France and she has little contact with her children or her best friend. She’s an avid writer of letters, and sometimes emails, to family, friends and even well known authors, who occasionally reply. We come to learn all about her past and present life through reading her correspondence. For me, it didn’t live up to the hype; I found it a bit disjointed and I didn’t warm to self-centred Sybil at all, though I think we’re supposed to. Also, I found some of it poorly researched. For example, Sybil understood why people in Scotland disliked “the British”, and she was apparently enjoying her time in England while staying with a long lost relative overlooking a loch near Port William. This was my reading group’s choice, so I’ll be interested to see what they made of it.

I've been considering adding this book to my list. Thank you for your review Maggiemaybe. I do think a lot of books get over hyped these days I find. I won't hurry to order it from my library.

TerriBull

I collected ‘The Fortnight In September’ from the library yesterday, I ordered it after recommendation on here.

I see it can’t be renewed, someone else on the waiting list.

I shall have to crack on as several of my unread books are on the ‘no renewal’ list!

The housework will just have to wait!😂

Yes damn the housework too hot for it anyway.

I hope you enjoy it Calendargirl

Oh, take no notice of my review, TerriBull! I can be a right grumpy old woman and no doubt the rest of my reading group will love it (I’ll report back, but our next meeting’s not until the 25th). And I can hardly complain about mistakes in the text when I somehow turned Fort into Port William.

I’ve just finished my latest audiobook and I’m afraid I’ll be damning with faint praise again.

34. Not Quite Dead Yet, Holly Jackson

The author’s known for her Young Adult fiction and this is her first foray into adult writing. Well, this still seems very YA to me, as the main protagonists act as though they’re 14, when they’re supposed to be 27. The f word’s scattered around like confetti for no apparent reason, which didn’t endear them to me either. The audiobook narration is dreadful imho, and some of the young characters sound like 90 year old chain smokers. The main premise is intriguing though - our heroine is clubbed from behind on Hallowe’en and sustains an embolism that will kill her in 5 days, so she uses that time to find out who murdered her and why. The plot kept my interest, though it’s a stretch to think that someone so desperately ill could wield a sledgehammer, escape a blazing inferno and outrun the police when they try to arrest her.

Right, I’m off now to find something that I can be more positive about.

Oh I don't know Maggie, Not Quite Dead Yet! was one of mine from maybe last year, that didn't live up to the hype for me either, so as your name suggests "maybe" you're right about The Correspondent. I'm sure I'll read it some stage, I've just moved it downwards on my list.

63-Marrying Miss Martha-Anna Jacobs
Set in 1828, when their father dies Martha and Penelope are left penniless, so they take a job offer as teachers to a mill owners children. Through hardships and challenges will the sisters ever find romance?
A lovely relaxed read, a great interlude to the thrillers I also enjoy.

I loved The Fortnight in September so much. Written in the 1930s before WW2. I would have loved Sherriff to have written a sequel about their life during and after the war.
A gentle book.

I also liked Green Gates by R Sherriff, but the library no longer stock it for me to reread. I may have to treat myself to an expensive copy.

Amazing how many people appear to have fallen in love with it HelterSkelter, I did. My library ordering service advised me there are 30 plus people on a waiting list to read it, quite a number for a little known novel, first published in 1931. I've decided I'm going to buy it to keep, it's the sort of book I feel I could pick up again.

Thanks for the mention of Green Gates, I'll Google that.

Terribull in a sequel I imagine their reaction to nearby Crystal Palace burning. And in the war the father being part of the home guard, the daughter going to Bletchley Park, the son off in the RAF and the mother finally conquering her dreadful anxiety and being useful in the WRVS....or not coping at all.

All sorts of possibilities post war.