Introductions

[Kathy]

Hi, I am Kathy from the Smoky Mtns, Georgia, USA. I, like everyone else here, love to read and am always looking for a new author or book. I like speculative fiction, gothic, historical, anything that is atmospheric and unexpected. Look forward to sharing some reading experiences with the group!

[Susan]

Hi Kathy, welcome to the group! Hope you discover lots of books you enjoy here :)

[Brina]

Hi, Kathy, welcome. Glad to see another American here to bounce ideas off of.

[Judy]

Welcome Kathy! I was just reading something about the Smokey Mountains the other day!

[[deleted user]]

I am Andrew, a retired Chartered Accountant based in Gloucestershire in the UK. I have always read widely but I have a particular interest in the classics, literary fiction, history and biography, science fiction and fantasy and lgbt books both fiction and non fiction. Focusing on UK 20th century authors I like J G Ballard, Jane Gardam (particularly the Old Filth books), William Golding, Alan Hollinghurst, Cristopher Isherwood, Michael Moorcock, Christopher Priest, Evelyn Waugh and Virginia Woolf.

However, what really caught my attention was your discussion thread for Simon Raven. Any group who discusses Simon Raven is a must join group for me. I read Anthony Powell's A Dance to the Music of Time many years ago which I enjoyed. I then discovered Simon Raven's 10 volume Alms for Oblivion cycle which I followed up with his 7 volume The First Born in Egypt cycle. Raven's books may not be as "realistic" as Powell's novels but I love his amoral characters and his treatment of sex.

I look forward to joining in with some of your discussions and group reads and getting to know you all.

[Nigeyb]

Welcome Andrew. I am poised to start Alms For Oblivion (having loved A Dance To The Music Of Time) so I was very encouraged to read your words.

That's a great list of favourite authors too. Bravo Sir.

[Judy]

Welcome Andrew, glad you've joined us. I have mainly come across Simon Raven through his classic adaptation of Trollope's Palliser novels for the BBC, but would definitely be interested to read his novels too.

[Susan]

Hi Andrew, welcome to the group.

[[deleted user]]

Nigeyb wrote: "Welcome Andrew. I am poised to start Alms For Oblivion (having loved A Dance To The Music Of Time) so I was very encouraged to read your words.

That's a great list of favourite authors too. Bravo ..."

I hope that you enjoy Alms for Oblivion as much as I did.

[Greg]

Hello everyone, I'm Greg, from Australia. Thanks for accepting me in the group. Meeting up with some familiar faces, which is nice. Thanks Nigeyb, for the invitation.
There are quite a few threads and favourite authors I am interested in following and contributing to the discussion.

[Susan]

Welcome to the group, Greg. We're glad you joined us!

[Nigeyb]

Greg's here - let's get this party started!

[Ivan]

I wish there were "like" button on these comments. Often I have nothing to add, but I do enjoy the banter.

[Nigeyb]

I was just thinking that very thought when I saw your comment on your review of The Go-Between Ivan

[Alessia]

Hi, I'm Alessia (from Italy). Thanks for accepting me in the group.
I've been reading steadily since I was a kid. I read all sorts of books, so I don't have a favourite genre and I'm always looking for a new author or book.
Can't wait to share some reading experiences with the group!

[Judy]

Welcome, Alessia, glad you've joined. I think you will find many new authors and books to add to the TBR here!

[Susan]

Hi Alessia, welcome to the group :)

[Daniel]

Hello, Alessia!

[Michael]

Thank Nigeyb for the invite, some will know me from another group. With it beings the whole of the 20th century, I guess most of us will actually remember some of the non-fiction aspects actually happening. That would be interesting to see how we view those events against the the books written of that period.
Not just the heavy politics stuff, but music, sports, decimalisation (one for the UK). etc

[Susan]

Hi Michael. Welcome to the group!

[Jill]

Hi Nigeyb and all my other GR friends who are members of this group. I am trying to figure out how I missed it until now!

Those of you who know me are aware that I am a student of WWI/WWII, among other things. Notice I said "student", not scholar. I'm not much for buddy reads but I love to discuss just about anything. I hope I can make some contribution to the group.

[Susan]

Hi Jill, so glad you found us :)

[Nigeyb]

Hi Jill - great to see you that you found us

[Judy]

Welcome, Jill, great that you have joined! :)

[Liz]

Hi, I'm Liz, I'm a teacher and writer living in the far north of Scotland and I love literature from the 20th century. I was delighted to see a Graham Greene book in your 2018 reading list. It feels a bit like he has gone out of fashion somehow, and it is great to see 'The End of the Affair' as a group read. Looking forward to it!

[Nigeyb]

Hi Liz, I hope you are keeping warm up there in the Highlands. Welcome to the group. I look forward to reading your musings on The End of the Affair and, hopefully, many more besides.

[Susan]

Hi Liz - welcome to the group!

[Judy]

Welcome Liz, glad you found us! I'm a big Graham Greene fan so am really looking forward to The End of the Affair too.

[Sue]

Hello there - I'm from the south coast of England and enjoy reading social history about the 1930s-50s and fiction from the first half of the 20th century. After that it all went down hill... ;-)

I'm looking forward to finding new books and authors to read through this group.

[Susan]

Welcome, Sue. You sound perfect for our group (even though we do like modern books too!) :)

[Sue]

Thank you Susan!

And yes, I do like some new books. :-) But there is something about that between-the-wars setting that just keeps pulling me back.

[Susan]

Very much a favourite era with me too, Sue.

[Bronwyn]

Welcome Sue! I’m a big fan of between the wars too. :)

[Judy]

Welcome Sue, I'm another fan of that era!

[Sue]

Thank you for the warm welcome!

[Seonag]

Hello, I'm Joanna, born and brought up in the suburbs of south London, moved to Scotland (Glasgow then Edinburgh) in 1990, relocated this autumn to the Isle of Lewis.

I was an avid reader when I was younger but screen time has got me out of the habit, and I really miss it. I'm hoping group reads and suggestions might help get me going again.

I was tempted by nearly all of your future reads, so here I am.

[Daniel]

Hello Joanna, from the London end of Kent. My wife and I both come from south London. My wife from Tower Bridge Road and me from Camberwell.

[Susan]

Hello Joanna - welcome to the group. If you like the group reads, that should get you started. The issue is not to get enough recommendations, but to have time, in-between all the reading, to do anything else :)

Seriously, should you want recommendations for certain authors/eras/topics then do ask - we are all serious readers and we will come up with something I am sure.

[Judy]

Welcome, Joanna, glad you've joined us - and good to hear you are tempted by the forthcoming group reads. Lots of goodies in store.

[Bronwyn]

Welcome, Joanna!

[Nigeyb]

Welcome Sue and Joanna - looking forward to discussing books and authors with you both.

[Lynaia]

Hello Joanna,
Hope you enjoy the group. Lots of great reads! My husband and I are actually travelling to Edinburgh next August. Any suggestions?

[Seonag]

Lynaia wrote: "Hello Joanna,
Hope you enjoy the group. Lots of great reads! My husband and I are actually travelling to Edinburgh next August. Any suggestions?"
Loads of good stuff - what kind of things are you interested in - sights, walks, bookshops...?

[Lynaia]

Definitely bookshops. Cafes, history, wine, you name it. Anything you could tell me would be great. Specially non touristy stuff. And, anyplace we should avoid.

[Kiran]

Hi, I'm Kiran - born and raised in Sydney, Australia. Looking to get some great recommendations from this group and reduce my TBR list.

[Susan]

We are more likely to increase your TBR list, Kiran, but welcome to the group :)

[Lady Clementina]

Susan wrote: "We are more likely to increase your TBR list, Kiran, but welcome to the group :)"

True- I really though I'd be "good" this year but I've ended up adding many more books than I read.

[Judy]

Welcome, Kiran, glad you've joined!

[Seonag]

Lynaia wrote: "Definitely bookshops. Cafes, history, wine, you name it. Anything you could tell me would be great. Specially non touristy stuff. And, anyplace we should avoid."

Hi Lynaia:

Cafes - Hendersons (Vegetarian cafe, Hanover Street); cafe in Gallery of Modern Art, Belford Road

Galleries / Museums - Gallery of Modern Art (as above), and Dean Gallery over the road from it (both free though pay for exhibitions); National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street

Gardens - Botanics (on the way down to Leith); Dunbar's Close, off the Royal Mile (tiny but beautiful and not widely known)

Book related - Blackwell's Bookshop, South Bridge; Scottish Poetry Library off the Canongate and near to the Scottish Parliament building (Scottish Parliament building itself worth a look - and has bits of poems written into its walls! - and you can do guided tours of the inside too I think)

If you like the 'Rebus' books there are tours of places that appear in the books - I've never done the tour so can't vouch for them though. (If you don't know the Rebus books but like crime novels they'd be a good introduction to Edinburgh's dark side!)

To be honest there is loads to see and enjoy just by wandering about and not really needing to pay to get into the 'attractions'. Bear in mind the city will be at its busiest during August for the festival / fringe. The upside is that there are hundreds of shows to choose from and free street performances (of variable quality!).

Hope this is of some use in planning your trip!

Joanna

[Bronwyn]

Welcome, Kiran! :) I'm with Susan. This group has definitely expanded my TBR shelf! :)