NetGalley

[Nidhi]

And I didn’t know that Henry James was brother of William James, the eminent psychologist . I read both of them in college but never bothered to read biographies.

[Lady Clementina]

Pounced on this one today, a read now The Story of the Country House: A History of Places and People

[Lady Clementina]

For Heyer fans, The Black Moth is also listed

[Roman Clodia]

For George Orwell fans: Orwell's Roses written by one of my favourite essayists, Rebecca Solnit

https://www.netgalley.co.uk/catalog/b...

Roses, pleasure, and politics: a fresh take on Orwell as an avid gardener, whose political writing was grounded in his passion for the natural world.

'Outside my work the thing I care most about is gardening' wrote George Orwell in 1940. Inspired by her encounter with the surviving roses that Orwell planted in his cottage in Hertfordshire, Rebecca Solnit explores how his involvement with plants, particularly flowers, illuminates his other commitments as a writer and antifascist, and the intertwined politics of nature and power.

Following his journey from the coal mines of England to taking up arms in the Spanish Civil War; from his prescient critique of Stalin to his analysis of the relationship between lies and authoritarianism, Solnit encounters a more hopeful Orwell, whose love of nature pulses through his work and actions. And in her dialogue with the author, she makes fascinating forays into colonial legacies in the flower garden, discovers photographer Tina Modotti's roses, reveals Stalin's obsession with growing lemons in impossibly cold conditions, and exposes the brutal rose industry in Colombia.

A fresh reading of a towering figure of the 20th century which finds solace and solutions for the political and environmental challenges we face today, Orwell's Roses is a remarkable reflection on pleasure, beauty and joy as acts of resistance.

[Nigeyb]

Thanks RC

[Alwynne]

I've never used Netgalley is it relatively easy to be allocated books?

[Nigeyb]

I don't use it much but have got about 80-90% of what I have requested. I've reviewed everything I have received which was probably helps in terms of having a track record.

RC and Susan use it far more extensively than me, and doubtless many others too.

[Susan]

In the beginning, Alwynne, I I was rejected, but I improved my profile (this was some years ago) by taking books which were 'read now,' rather than requests. Then, as Nigeyb says, you are usually approved most of the time and, after a while, publishers 'auto approve,' you, so you don't need to request anymore. I am auto approved by about ten publishers, including Orion, Penguin, Poisoned Pen, Bookoutre, etc. I do get a lot of books from them and it's a great resource. I have an old phone, so can't download the app, but you can get audible books on there now. I will need to improve my phone I think - not just for NetGalley, but to prove my vaccine status, etc. so that is a job to do!

[Alwynne]

Thanks Susan, sounds as if it's worth exploring, I was a bit puzzled by the need to state your 'Company' in the registration area, do you just put Goodreads?

[Susan]

Do you know, I can't remember what I'd put, Alwynne, I'd need to check. I guess you just put Goodreads/Amazon, whatever platform you review on most. Some people probably have their own, snazzy webpages, or blogs, but I'm not that organised.

[Roman Clodia]

On NetGalley: Midsummer Mysteries: Secrets and Suspense from the Queen of Crime, a collection of short stories by Agatha Christie - irresistible!

[Lady Clementina]

Roman Clodia wrote: "On NetGalley: Midsummer Mysteries: Secrets and Suspense from the Queen of Crime, a collection of short stories by Agatha Christie - irresistible!"

Thanks so much for the heads up on this one; I requested and was approved. None of the stories seem familiar from the titles

[Roman Clodia]

You're welcome, Lady C! They're a mix from all Christie's detectives so as well as Poirot and Miss Marple, we also have Parker Pine and Mr Satterwaite so far.

[Roman Clodia]

Also on NG, the unpublished novel by Simone de Beauvoir, Inseparablel, with an introduction by Deborah Levy.

[Lady Clementina]

Roman Clodia wrote: "You're welcome, Lady C! They're a mix from all Christie's detectives so as well as Poirot and Miss Marple, we also have Parker Pine and Mr Satterwaite so far."

I'm very eager to read it; I think I will fit it in this week though I do have a massive pile pending.

[Lady Clementina]

Although not the right century, there's a new bio of Dickens listed which I thought sounds interesting--https://www.netgalley.co.uk/catalog/b...

Have shared the Netgalley link since I can't find the book on GR so far

[Tania]

I had an email about The Inseparables, a 'lost' manuscript by Simone de Beauvoir which is currently available on Netgalley. I've been meaning to try her, but I don't think a manuscript that was unpublished in her lifetime would be the best place to start. I thought people here might be interested though.

[Roman Clodia]

Tania wrote: "I had an email about The Inseparables, a 'lost' manuscript by Simone de Beauvoir which is currently available on Netgalley"

My review: www.goodreads.com/review/show/4167006415

It's worth reading, for sure, but is a simpler story that her other novels.

[Alwynne]

Thanks for these, noticed a new Tessa Hadley on there too, know she's fairly popular. I finally worked out how to use Netgalley and after reviewing a couple of 'read now' galleys, and tweaking my profile have been approved for three books. If any other newbies need help setting themselves up on Netgalley happy to help. It's not necessary to have a Kindle btw I downloaded an Adobe programme and use PDF files. I'm liking the potential access to new books and helps with trying to save space and save some cash!

[Roman Clodia]

Good that you're all set up, Alwynne - I'm always surprised at the quality of books available on NG. I just read the hot and buzzy The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois from there - a bit too Oprah for my personal taste but an important and engaging read.

[Alwynne]

Roman Clodia wrote: "Good that you're all set up, Alwynne - I'm always surprised at the quality of books available on NG. I just read the hot and buzzy The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois from there - a bi..."

Thanks RC, followed Susan's advice about 'read now' books, so that helped.

[Lady Clementina]

Found this title which piqued my interested; I was declined but may be others will be luckier
The Land of Short Sentences
https://www.netgalley.co.uk/catalog/b...

[Alwynne]

Lady Clementina wrote: "Found this title which piqued my interested; I was declined but may be others will be luckier
The Land of Short Sentences
https://ww..."

I have that one, not sure why I was accepted though!

[Lady Clementina]

Alwynne wrote: "Lady Clementina wrote: "Found this title which piqued my interested; I was declined but may be others will be luckier
The Land of Short Sentences [bookcover:The Land of Short Senten..."

Hope you enjoy it. I do plan on reading it but of course when it comes out.

[Alwynne]

Lady Clementina wrote: "Alwynne wrote: "Lady Clementina wrote: "Found this title which piqued my interested; I was declined but may be others will be luckier
The Land of Short Sentences [bookcover:The Land..."

If it's any consolation Vintage is not keen on me, they turned me down for 'Checkout 19' and for the new Simone de Beauvoir. Both of which I fit, my shelves here feature a lot of Fitzcarraldo titles, her original publisher, and one of my degrees is in philosophy. Although I haven't mentioned degrees in my profile as thought it might be off-putting.

[Lady Clementina]

Alwynne wrote: "Lady Clementina wrote: "Alwynne wrote: "Lady Clementina wrote: "Found this title which piqued my interested; I was declined but may be others will be luckier
[book:The Land of Short Sentences|57252..."

I honestly don't understand publishers' criteria often; I've had Penguin Random House Children's UK approve me for three in a row, and then decline for a couple after.

[Roman Clodia]

I think approvals can be quite random and not necessarily as personal as they sometimes feel to us. Even e-ARCs can have a limited number to be distributed and once that's met, no more are approved - both Checkout 19 and The Inseperables have been on NG for some time so Vintage could just have already met their limit.

It is worth requesting quite soon for that reason, I try to check NG once a day. As our tastes overlap a lot, Alwynne, I'll try to post here if I spot something that you and others might be interested in.

[Alwynne]

Thanks RC, do you include your academic background in your Netgalley profile? I've read various articles about profiles but they all seem to be skewed towards people who mainly read commercial books.

And Lady C very puzzling!

[Roman Clodia]

I do, because there are occasionally academic monographs that I want to read from pubs like Yale University Press, but it's right at the bottom of my profile which concentrates more on popular reviewing here and on Amazon.

[Alwynne]

That's useful to know, I thought it might be off-putting.

[Lady Clementina]

Roman Clodia wrote: "I do, because there are occasionally academic monographs that I want to read from pubs like Yale University Press, but it's right at the bottom of my profile which concentrates more on popular revi..."

Alwynne, RC I'm glad you brought up the the point an academic background; I didn't think to include it there but now that you mention it, I think I might when I update.

I do request nonfiction and academic titles as well at times; Yale University Press hasn't declines my requests so far. But it would make sense to include it.

[Roman Clodia]

Yes, I think it's all about matching your profile to the books you want to request.

From friends who work in publishing, the most important thing is that you review the books you've been given access to, even if it's a negative review - there's nothing worse for publishers than sending out books even if e-arcs and having them disappear into the ether. You should both be fine on that.

[Alwynne]

Thanks RC, interesting that you mentioned Amazon, I haven't linked to that, as wasn't clear what access to my account would be needed, and a bit wary about giving out information/access to an account linked to my credit card!

[Roman Clodia]

You link to your public profile on Amazon not your account - if you're unsure, log out of your Amazon account then look up a review you've written, then click on your name to reach your public profile.

It might not be that necessary now that we can link our individual NG reviews to Amazon, GR, Waterstones etc. And I often shorten my reviews before posting on Amazon anyway as it feels like a different platform to here where often our reviews are read by friends and followers.

[Alwynne]

Okay thanks : )

[Lady Clementina]

Roman Clodia wrote: "You link to your public profile on Amazon not your account - if you're unsure, log out of your Amazon account then look up a review you've written, then click on your name to reach your public prof..."

That's another tip for me; I've pretty much been posting the same reviews on all the platforms I use. I had initially tried making shorter versions for amazon, but then gave up and just started posting my full review.

[Alwynne]

RC - if you're still thinking about Colson Whitehead, only the first third is about a heist, it centres on one main character at different stages in his life, from the 1950s onward, and the heist is only one episode.

[Roman Clodia]

Thanks, Alwynne, that's helpful - I'm dithering because I loved Underground Railroad and think Colson Whitehead is such a cool guy... but I wasn't that sold on his last book and the blurb of this one isn't calling to me... That said, a IRL friend has just read and loved Shuffle... I might wait and get it from the library so that I can abandon if it I don't like it.

[Alwynne]

Roman Clodia wrote: "Thanks, Alwynne, that's helpful - I'm dithering because I loved Underground Railroad and think Colson Whitehead is such a cool guy... but I wasn't that sold on his last book and the blurb of this o..."

I love his genre fiction too, Zone One was hugely entertaining. and this one is a wonderful journey through Harlem's history and culture, which I'm finding fascinating. I knew something about Harlem at the time he's covering but there's just so much detail, it's very evocative.

[Roman Clodia]

Yes, it's the history of Harlem that really appeals to me - oh dither, dither! I wish NG would put extracts on the site so that we can get tasters.

Talking of Harlem, a book that I loved from NG was Ten Days in Harlem: Fidel Castro and the Making of the 1960s: my review here: www.goodreads.com/review/show/3472731616

[Alwynne]

Roman Clodia wrote: "Yes, it's the history of Harlem that really appeals to me - oh dither, dither! I wish NG would put extracts on the site so that we can get tasters.

Talking of Harlem, a book that I loved from NG w..."

Sounds good RC. I've mostly read work related to the Harlem Renaissance but realise there's a lot more I'd like to find out about.

I liked Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments: Intimate Histories of Riotous Black Girls, Troublesome Women and Queer Radicals not exclusively about Harlem but a lot of related material. And I'd also recommend Harlem Is Nowhere: A Journey to the Mecca of Black America which I've been meaning to revisit.

[Alwynne]

And I've decided Netgalley is unfathomable, got turned down for a book by a publisher on grounds my profile needs fine-tuning if I'm to get any of their books, then got approved for another of theirs today, not having changed a thing! Fascinated to know how they conduct the analysis for approvals, can't be individuals would take too long. So either software or some kind of reviewing elf?

[Lady Clementina]

I find it just as unfathomable as you do Alwynne. I don't have any idea of its inner workings or approval processes either. But I have had strange approvals and declines as well

[Roman Clodia]

Yes, all kinds of weird anomalies - I always assumed it was individual PR teams (probably an intern) who approved, or not.

[Roman Clodia]

ps. Thanks for the Harlem recommendations, Alwynne - I definitely need to read more Harlem Renaissance books.

[Roman Clodia]

Audiobook of Booker shortlisted The Passage North is on NG

[Alwynne]

Thanks RC, I was approved for Burntcoat and looking forward to that based on your review.

[Roman Clodia]

Excellent, I shall be interested in your verdict. I just got approved for Passage North audio - I bought the book so nice to be able to switch between them. Not excited about the Booker shortlist unless this one convinced me otherwise.

[Alwynne]

I just got approved for Julia Armfield's novel Our Wives Under the Sea - really looking forward to this and it's recommended for fans of Sarah Waters and by Sarah Waters - and endorsed by Florence Welch. Also see they now have the new Hanya Yanagihara To Paradise which sounds potentially fascinating.

[Roman Clodia]

Me too on Armfield. Loved A Little Life but To Paradise isn't calling to me... :)