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2022 Buddy Read: Scottish Authors
Tracey wrote: "I read that the group is doing a read of The Citadel. Is this for May? I found my copy on my bookshelves as soon as I read this. I am still working on The Antiquary but will join in with The C with..."Yes Tracey, The Citadel is our buddy read for May.
I finished The Antiquary. I loved it, especially the running gags with the phoca and Mr Dousterswivel’s name.
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I haven’t finished The Antiquary yet but I know it was Scott’s favourite book. Thanks for your review Melanie.
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Ah thanks Rosemarie. That’s just the sort of story I want to read. I think it’s why I am reading childrens fantasy books this year.
Brian wrote: "Tracey wrote: "I read that the group is doing a read of The Citadel. Is this for May?."John did post at one time that the group would read The Citadel in May. I do know that I will ..."
Brian, South Riding looks good. I'll be interested to read your review.
Melanie wrote: "..Brian, South Riding looks good. I'll be interested to read your review.."It does look good. I'll post my review in the "What Classic Are You Reading Now" thread so I don't wear out my welcome in John's Scottish authors thread. In case I might have confused anybody, I should clarify that Winifred Holtby is not a Scottish author. I mentioned her Yorkshire-set book South Riding on here to explain why I wouldn't be starting The Citadel right at the beginning of May and because member Tracey is a Yorkshire lass.
I've just completed a re-read of Poems New and Selected by George Mackay Brown, and enjoyed it just as much as last time.I love his poetry; the rhythms and language are so reminiscent of Orkney that no matter where I'm reading them, I'm in the flag-stoned streets of Stromness, or by the Dwarfie Stane on Hoy.
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Mine is on order at the library - hopefully get it in a week or so. I'm looking forward to this one, as I always enjoyed his books in the past.
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I just downloaded a copy of The Citadel too. It’s many years since I read this, so it will be interesting to read it again.
The Citadel, first published in 1937, has been credited with laying the foundation in Britain for the introduction of the NHS a decade later. In the United States, it won the National Book Award for 1937 novels, voted by members of the American Booksellers Association. For his fifth book, Dr. Cronin drew on his experiences practising medicine in the coal-mining communities of the South Wales Valleys, as he had for The Stars Look Down two years earlier. Specifically, he had researched and reported on the correlation between coal dust inhalation and lung disease in the town of Tredegar. He had also worked as a doctor for the Tredegar Medical Aid Society at the Cottage Hospital, which served as the model for the National Health Service.
Cronin once stated in an interview, "I have written in The Citadel all I feel about the medical profession, its injustices, its hide-bound unscientific stubbornness, its humbug ... The horrors and inequities detailed in the story I have personally witnessed. This is not an attack against individuals, but against a system."
The novel is of interest because of its portrayal of a voluntary contribution medical association which is based (not entirely uncritically) on the Tredegar Medical Aid Society for which Cronin worked for a time in the 1920s, and which in due course became the inspiration for the National Health Service as established under Aneurin Bevan.
The Citadel was extremely popular in translation, being sold in book shops in the Third Reich as late as 1944. The scholar and Holocaust survivor Victor Klemperer noted, "English novels are banned of course; but there are books by A.J. Cronin in every shop window: he’s Scottish and exposes shortcomings of social and public services in England." After the Second World War, it proved popular in Communist bloc countries as well, where Cronin was one of the few contemporary British authors to be published.
Born in Cardross, Scotland, Cronin studied at the University of Glasgow. In 1917 he served as a surgeon sub-lieutenant in the Royal Navy Volunteers Reserve, and at the war's end he completed his medical studies and practiced in South Wales. He was later appointed to the Ministry of Mines, studying the medical problems of the mining industry. He later moved to London and built up a successful practice in the West End. In 1931 he published his first book, Hatter's Castle, which was compared with the work of Dickens, Hardy and Balzac, winning him critical acclaim. Other books by A. J. Cronin include: Three Loves, The Green Years, Beyond This Place, The Keys of the Kingdom. A novelist, dramatist, and non-fiction writer, he was one of the most renowned storytellers of the twentieth century. His best-known works are The Citadel and The Keys of the Kingdom, both of which were made into Oscar-nominated films. He also created the Dr Finlay character, the hero of a series of stories that served as the basis for the long-running BBC television and radio series entitled Dr Finlay's Casebook.
(Summarised from Goodreads and Wiki).
I'm still planning to read one volume of Scottish poetry each month, and in May its going to be Kythings by Ronald Eadie Munro. This collection, published in 1969 isn't even listed on Goodreads, nor is "Ronald Eadie Munro". (Although he is listed under his real name of Duncan Glen, and his entry in the Scottish Poetry Library reads "Duncan Glen, editor of Akros for 40 years, was a printer, typographer, designer, artist, editor, publisher, essayist, scholar and poet."
The title is from an old Scots word meaning "to make visible" - and his use of Scots in a number of the poems in this volume may be challenging!
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That Mrs. Page is something else!
I'm a little ways in and I agree, Rosemarie, about Mrs. Page.
Just finished Kythings, Modern Scottish Poets 4 by Ronald Eadie Munro (real name Duncan Glen). I usually spread a poetry book over some days/weeks but I had to read and re-read this one a few times in quick succession as I found the Scots difficult in places. (In the recent Scottish National Census I'd answered that I could read, write and speak Scots - but after reading Kythings I'm wondering if I lied!)I enjoyed it, and I might go back to it again at some point, but I'll try to read some of his other work first, as he wrote in both Scots and English.
My family is from the coal mining region in South Wales. This is my first A J Cronin book and I am enjoying it. Thanks John for the information on the book and author.
I'm currently reading Murder of a Lady by Anthony Wynne. I also noticed two books in my library in the British Library Crime Classics series written by a Scot, Margot Bennett. They are The Widow of Bath and The Man Who Didn't Fly. John, she also wrote some science fiction: The Long Way Back and The Furious Masters.
If there was a biography written about her, I am definitely reading it. According to Wikipedia, she served in the Spanish Civil War as a nurse, translator and broadcaster. During her war nursing work, she broke her arm when her truck overturned, and she was shot in both legs. She also met her husband during the war.
I finished The Citadel today & enjoyed it. It was a fascinating story with some interesting characters.
Trisha wrote: "I finished The Citadel today & enjoyed it. It was a fascinating story with some interesting characters."I'm delighted you enjoyed it Trisha - any plans to read more from Cronin?
Tracey wrote: "My family is from the coal mining region in South Wales. This is my first A J Cronin book and I am enjoying it. Thanks John for the information on the book and author."You're welcome Tracey, I'm grateful to Brian for prompting us to read this one (and I just wish the library would hurry up with my copy!)
Melanie wrote: "I'm currently reading Murder of a Lady by Anthony Wynne. I also noticed two books in my library in the British Library Crime Classics series written by a Scot, Marg..."That's fascinating Melanie - I'd never heard of her, but I now plan to read one of her books this year. I had a quick search around for information on her, but you summed up what's available. The Marx Memorial Library in London holds the archives of the International Brigades and the women who volunteered for service in the Spanish Civil War. I think I'll ask if they know of any archives they hold relating to her, and maybe follow up with a visit to the the library.
John, that’s so great that you can check at the archives. I’d be interested to know what you find.
John wrote: "Trisha wrote: "I finished The Citadel today & enjoyed it. It was a fascinating story with some interesting characters."I'm delighted you enjoyed it Trisha - any plans to read more..."
I will probably read more of his books. I read some of them many years ago, though don’t remember any details.
Tracey, I thought the most interesting part of the book was set in Wales - I liked the descriptions & the characters.
I started The Citadel today and am also enjoying it. My visualization of the book is affected by having seen and read How Green Was My Valley and my recent viewing of the 2nd year of All Creatures Great and Small, which involved a different type of doctor (vet) coming from Scotland to become an assistant in a new setting, one more rustic than here.I thought the scene where Dr, Manson meets the school teacher was well done and quite cinematic.
I just finished Murder of a Lady by Anthony Wynn. I agree with Rosemarie - it was a good one! I thought it was interesting that the laird and his sister employed a piper who would play while they were eating dinner. I wonder if that was common in the 1930’s.
I just put the ebook of The Citadel on hold at my library. I hope it comes soon!
Melanie wrote: "I just finished Murder of a Lady by Anthony Wynn. I agree with Rosemarie - it was a good one! I thought it was interesting that the laird and his sister employed a piper who would play while they w..."That would destroy my appetite!!
Google for images of Kisimul castle in Castlebay on Barra, the home of clan MacNeil. In the 18th century it was the custom to sound the trumpet on the ramparts of Kisimul Castle, followed by the call, “Hear ye hear ye, the great MacNeil having eaten, the princes of the earth may now dine”.
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This is sad news, Rosemarie. I just finished part 3 and enjoyed it as well. When the final part crumbles down, it affects the overall outlook of the book. :(
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The last line also partially explains the title with a visual image.
I'm so glad I read it, but my favourite book by this author is still The Stars Look Down.
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The last line also partially explains the title with a ..."
That's quite a relief, Rosemarie. I didn't start the final part yet. My enthusiasm was a little dampened. :) Now I'm looking forward to starting it. I might also buy the kindle of the book you mentioned. It sounds interesting.
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I'm beginning to understand, Rosemarie. :) I'm glad to know it won't last. I also like Christine and wish Cronin had injected a little more character to her. What did you think of Freddie Hamson? I dislike him.
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Trisha wrote: "Tracey, I thought the most interesting part of the book was set in Wales - I liked the descriptions & the characters.."When I first read this post I was a bit confused because I thought the whole book was set in Wales. Now that I've finished I would have to agree with this comment, although a story entirely in Wales would likely have had a totally different story arc as Manson would not have run into the type of doctors and medical establishment he encounters in London that was essential to the arc of Manson's story as told here.
I can tell this book is an older classic as there probably aren't any books being written since 1969 where the hero's family could be referred to as the Manson family
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Rosemarie, you're right about the final part. I felt that down and up path of Andrew made him more human. Overall, I liked his character and his Scottish spirit despite some of his unforgivable blunders. I didn’t expect the tragedy, and that shook me a little. But the final twist helped me recover. :)
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I know! I found those chapters to be quite exhausting, but pleasantly so.
I'm just approaching the end of part 1 of The Citadel; enjoying it so far, and encouraged that Brian, Rosemarie and Brian have all enjoyed it.
Two comments I came across in a brief review of Cronin - I wonder if any of the group have a view on these?"Despite these similarities in plot, Cronin is an adept storyteller and astute social commentator. He shies away from few topics, medical, moral, or spiritual, and he has few literary and technical weaknesses. It is his own life story which seems to grant him so much insight into the modern man: his characters seem to mimic his own spiritual journey. The loss and regaining of faith informs all of his novels."
"Reading Cronin is like standing in a dark tunnel with nowhere to go while a speeding locomotive comes screaming towards you—you know something bad is going to happen, you just don’t know when and how."
Never too Late to Read Classics
Books mentioned in this topic
A Far Cry from Kensington (other topics)The Citadel (other topics)
Sunset Song (other topics)
A Far Cry from Kensington (other topics)
Miss Buncle Married (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Muriel Spark (other topics)A.J. Cronin (other topics)
Muriel Spark (other topics)
George MacDonald (other topics)
Margot Bennett (other topics)
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John did post at one time that the group would read The Citadel in May. I do know that I will be reading it, probably starting about May 8th or so.
This will be after I start and finish reading South Riding, which looks to be more of a tome than I anticipated. (I watched the TV miniseries of it, but long enough ago to forget the specifics). Tracey, I've read your review of it as I often look to you whenever I read a Yorkshire-set novel.