Group Reads -> May 2022 -> Nomination thread (Biography won by Possession by A.S. Byatt)

[Nigeyb]

Our May 2022 theme is biography


Please choose a biography or, perhaps, a novel about the idea of biography, that you feel would be worth reading and would inspire an interesting discussion

Please supply the title, author, a brief synopsis, and anything else you'd like to mention about the book, and why you think it might make a good book to discuss.

If your nomination wins then please fully participate in the subsequent discussion

Happy nominating

[Roman Clodia]

Great topic, Nigeyb, and I'm spoilt for choice looking at my TBR.

This isn't a nomination but I'm reading a brilliant autobiography at the moment: A Taste of Power by Elaine Brown.

There are lots of women whose lives I'd like to know more about from Marilyn Monroe and Marlene Dietrich to Chanel and Magda Goebbels. Will ponder. And looking forward to seeing what everyone else comes up with.

[Rosina]

I am going to go with the idea of a novel about biography, and nominate a book a lot of people have been reading and commenting on recently.

Possession by A S Byatt. "It is the tale of a pair of young scholars researching the lives of two Victorian poets. As they uncover their letters, journals, and poems, and track their movements from London to Yorkshire—from spiritualist séances to the fairy-haunted far west of Brittany—what emerges is an extraordinary counterpoint of passions and ideas."

I think members of the group would be happy to discuss this, and, as biography of fictional characters, it offers neutral ground ...

[Nigeyb]

Thanks RC - and thanks for our first nomination Rosina


Like RC, I have a plethora of biogs waiting for my attention so will have a peruse later. Not so sure they'll have much appeal for the lovely readers here at RTTC but you never know, maybe I can find one that will strike a chord

[Susan]

I am going to nominate Rosamond Lehmann: A Life

Partly as Rosamond Lehmann intrigues me, partly as I have read other biographies by Selina Shirley Hastings and enjoyed them. She also had a long affair with Cecil Day-Lewis. Judy and I both enjoy his crime fiction, written under the pen name of Nicholas Blake. I would like to read his biography too, but sadly it is not easily obtainable - I do have a second hand hardback somewhere on my shelves that I need to get to.

Anyway, the blurb says: The life of Rosamond Lehmann was as romantic and harrowing as that of any of her fictional heroines. Her first novel, the shocking Dusty Answer, became wildly successful launching her career as a novelist and, just as her novels depicted the tempestuous lives of her heroines, Rosamond's personal life would be full of heartbreaking affairs and lost loves.

Escaping from a disastrous early marriage Rosamond moved right into the heart of Bloomsbury society with Wogan Philipps. Later on she would embark on the most important love affair of her life, with the poet Cecil Day Lewis; nine years later he abandoned her for a young actress - a betrayal from which she would never recover.

Selina Hastings masterfully creates a portrait of a woman whose dramatic life, work and relationships criss-crossed the cultural, literary and political landscape of England in the middle of the twentieth century.

[Judy]

The Rosamond Lehmann biography looks really interesting, Susan.

I'm considering nominating a "group biography" if that is OK -
not a definite nomination as yet, as I'm still mulling things over. It's Uncommon Arrangements: Seven Marriages in Literary London 1910 -1939 by Katie Roiphe, a book I got a copy of ages ago and haven't read yet.

The couples included are H.G. and Jane Wells, Vanessa and Clive Bell, Ottoline and Philip Morrell, Radclyffe Hall and Una Troubridge, Vera Brittain and George Gordon Catlin, Elizabeth von Arnim and John Francis Russell and Katherine Mansfield and John Middleton Murry.

[Nigeyb]

My nomination is...


Confessions of an Irish Rebel (1965)

by

Brendan Behan


I read and thoroughly enjoyed Borstal Boy a few years back

If Confessions of an Irish Rebel is even half as good then it will be a wonderful read and should also prompt a splendid discussion

Available in print and on Kindle


More info...

Brendan Behan was born in Dublin in 1923. A member of the IRA, he was sentanced to three years in Borstal in 1939 and a further fourteen years in 1942.

He became a dominant literary figure almost overnight with the 1956 production of his play The Quare Fellow, based on his prison experiences. This recgonition was reinforced by the success of Borstal Boy and his second play, The Hostage.

Brendan Behan described his recreations as 'drinking, talking, and swimming' but no factual description could do justice to his flamboyant, larger-than-life character. Generally regarded as irreverent and unpredictable if not actually dangerous, there was nonetheless no publicity which ever obscured his marked talents or his great understanding of human nature.

Brendan Behan died in 1964

[Nigeyb]

Nominations so far:


Possession (Rosina)
Rosamond Lehmann: A Life (Susan)
Confessions of an Irish Rebel (1965) (Nigeyb)

[Judy]

Susan, there are some mentions of Rosamond Lehmann's brother, John Lehmann, in Square Haunting: Five Writers in London Between the Wars, in the sections about Virginia Woolf, because he worked with her at the Hogarth Press. This is another group biography which I'm enjoying.

[Alwynne]

I remember the Rosamond Lehmann biography as being quite informative, there's also her sister of course the actress Beatrix Lehmann who was also a writer and like John, also queer.

[Jan C]

Nigeyb wrote: "My nomination is...


Confessions of an Irish Rebel (1965)

by

Brendan Behan


I read and thoroughly enjoyed Borstal Boy a few years back

If [book:Co..."

Not available on kindle in US but hardcover is $4.95, $17 for trade.

[Sid]

I'd like to make a slightly left-field nomination: "Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!": Adventures of a Curious Character by Richard Feynmann, one of the greatest 20th-Century physicists. I know that the mere mention of physics is enough to send a lot of people running for the hills (I have plenty of experience of this - I'm a physicist), and I'm not even sure that an autobiographical memoir qualifies for nomination, BUT...it's an exhilarating read and Feynmann was an extraordinary character; he cracked safes, played bongos and once described his Nobel Prize as "a pain in the ass", for example. It's funny, fascinating and sometimes very insightful about all sorts of things like working on the Manhattan Project and the moral issues it raised (or didn't at the time).

I've not read it for years but would be delighted to have another go. It is, shall we say, somewhat pre-feminist at times and may have other flaws, but it's a very rewarding and entertaining read.

[Susan]

There are some really varied nominations this month - some great ones though. Judy, I have read Square Haunting and enjoyed it. I like group biographies, but sometimes they do lack depth, although they can point you in the direction of other books to explore and they can help highlight lesser known people who perhaps wouldn't get a biography of their own as it wouldn't be popular enough.

[Nigeyb]

The Feynman is great

[Alan]

Feynman is an entaining read. Had a copy once upon a time. A unique individual.

[Rosina]

An audio version of the Feynman is available free for members of Audible.co.uk ...

[Nigeyb]

Nominations so far:


Possession (Rosina)
Rosamond Lehmann: A Life (Susan)
Confessions of an Irish Rebel (1965) (Nigeyb)
"Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!": Adventures of a Curious Character (Sid)

[Roman Clodia]

Uncommon Arrangements: Seven Marriages looks interesting, Judy. I know what you mean about group biogs sometimes lacking depth but this one seems to have a focus of marriage to build around.

I'd also love to read the life of Rosamond Lehmann, one of my favourite C20th writers - and especially interesting since we read about how her life intersects with that of Elizabeth Bowen (another favourite of some of us).

I'm still thinking...

[Judy]

Alwynne wrote: "I remember the Rosamond Lehmann biography as being quite informative, there's also her sister of course the actress Beatrix Lehmann who was also a writer and like John, also queer."

That reminds me, I've got a novel by Beatrix Lehmann on the shelf full of Viragos I haven't read yet... Rumour Of Heaven.

[Judy]

Susan, I've been getting into group biographies lately and I do agree they sometimes lack depth but also point us as readers to characters we might never read a full book about otherwise.

[Judy]

Roman Clodia wrote: "Uncommon Arrangements: Seven Marriages looks interesting, Judy. I know what you mean about group biogs sometimes lacking depth but this one seems to have a focus of marriage to build..."

Thank you, RC. I'll go ahead and nominate Uncommon Arrangements: Seven Marriages in Literary London 1910 -1939 by Katie Roiphe.

I did consider Eileen: The Making of George Orwell, about Orwell's first wife, orRussian Roulette: the Life and Times of Graham Greene, as I also have copies of those I'm keen to read, but will go for the group biography.

[Alwynne]

Judy wrote: "Alwynne wrote: "I remember the Rosamond Lehmann biography as being quite informative, there's also her sister of course the actress Beatrix Lehmann who was also a writer and like John, also queer."..."

Me too, also have a copy of the Roiphe!

[Roman Clodia]

Some of my choices seem to be difficult to get hold of (Minor Characters: A Beat Memoir) or a bit pricy (Stalin's Daughter: The Extraordinary and Tumultuous Life of Svetlana Alliluyeva, Dietrich and Riefenstahl: Hollywood, Berlin, and a Century in Two Lives), so I shall nominate:

Marilyn in Manhattan: Her Year of Joy by Elizabeth Winder.

4.10 on here and 4.5 stars on Amazon:

A city, a movie star, and one magical year.

In November of 1954 a young woman dressed plainly in a white oxford, dark sunglasses and a black pageboy wig boards a midnight flight from Los Angeles to New York. As the plane's engines rev she breathes a sigh of relief, lights a cigarette and slips off her wig revealing a tangle of fluffy blonde curls. Marilyn Monroe was leaving Hollywood behind, and along with it a failed marriage and a frustrating career. She needed a break from the scrutiny and insanity of LA. She needed Manhattan.

In Manhattan, the most famous woman in the world can wander the streets unbothered, spend hours at the Met getting lost in art, and afternoons buried in the stacks of the Strand. Marilyn begins to live a life of the mind in New York; she dates Arthur Miller, dances with Truman Capote and drinks with Carson McCullers. Even though she had never lived there before, in New York, Marilyn is home.

In Marilyn in Manhattan, the iconic blonde bombshell is not only happy, but successful. She breaks her contract with Fox Studios to form her own production company, a groundbreaking move that makes her the highest paid actress in history and revolutionizes the entertainment industry. A true love letter to Marilyn, and a joyous portrait of a city bursting with life and art, Marilyn in Manhattan is a beautifully written, lively look at two American treasures: New York and Marilyn Monroe, and sheds new light on one of our most enduring icons.

[Susan]

I have Marilyn in Manhattan and also have Stalin's Daughter. Would happily read either, RC.

[Roman Clodia]

I was thinking of you, Susan, as Elizabeth Winder has also written Pain, Parties, Work: Sylvia Plath in New York, Summer 1953 which covers Plath's real life in the period she used as material in The Bell Jar - maybe a future buddy if you or anyone else is interested?

[Susan]

I have just looked at her books, RC. Parachute Women: Marianne Faithfull, Marsha Hunt, Bianca Jagger, Anita Pallenberg, and the Women Behind the Rolling Stones also looks fascinating. Yes, I would happily read any buddy read you suggest, RC. You always suggest brilliant reads.

[Nigeyb]

Just gets better and better


Nominations so far:

Possession (Rosina)
Rosamond Lehmann: A Life (Susan)
Confessions of an Irish Rebel (1965) (Nigeyb)
"Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!": Adventures of a Curious Character (Sid)
Uncommon Arrangements: Seven Marriages in Literary London, 1910-1939. Katie Roiphe (Judy)
Marilyn in Manhattan: Her Year of Joy (Roman Clodia)

[Roman Clodia]

Ooh yes, Parachute Women looks fab, released October 2022. Let's see how the poll goes and then we decide about buddies - so much to look forward to!

[Susan]

I felt sure I had read Uncommon Arrangements too, but haven't reviewed it, so will also add that to my TBR - well, it is just too huge to call it a list, so perhaps exhaustive, teetering, TBR pile works better!

[Jan C]

I have just (this morning) started reading a biography, Hattie McDaniel: Black Ambition, White Hollywood by Jill Watts. Very interesting so far.

But I am undecided between that and Gellhorn: A Twentieth-Century Life by Caroline Moorehead. Well known for being a war correspondent when there weren't many females on the job and for being one of Hemingway's wives.

[Blaine]

I loved Gellhorn's Travel with Myself and Another and I have her The Face of War on my shelf to read. She's such a splendid writer and journalist that I'm more keen on her own writing than a biography.

[Roman Clodia]

Martha Gellhorn is definitely someone I'd love to know more about - I only know her in the context of 'Hemingway's wife' in the larger story of his life, not hers - great idea, Jan.

[Susan]

This is not about Gellhorn, but I came across an interesting pre-order about journalism in WWII: Last Call at the Hotel Imperial: The Reporters Who Took on a World at War
My apologies for posting here and definitely not a nomination, Nigeyb.

[Nigeyb]

Jan C wrote:


"I have just (this morning) started reading a biography, Hattie McDaniel: Black Ambition, White Hollywood by Jill Watts. Very interesting so far.

But I am undecided between that and Gellhorn: A Twentieth-Century Life by Caroline Moorehead."

Have you decided yet Jan?

Both sound good

[Jan C]

I'll go with Martha Gellhorn by Caroline Moorehead. She also has a book out about The Letters of Martha Gellhorn.

It is available on Kindle - at least in the US.

[Susan]

£1.89
The Inugami Curse

£1.69
Easy Peasy Doggy Squeezy: THE BRAND NEW BOOK FROM THE UK'S NO.1 DOG TRAINER!

99p
Good Cop Bad Cop: Hero or criminal mastermind? The gripping new thriller from the #1 bestseller

The Starless Sea

The King of Koraha (book 3)

The Surrogate

12 Birds to Save Your Life: Nature's Lessons in Happiness

The Woman Next Door

Full Dark House (book 1)

[Nigeyb]

Jan C wrote:



"I'll go with Martha Gellhorn by Caroline Moorehead

Thanks Jan - looks good


Is that all the nominations? Holler now if you are planning to nominate but have yet to do so. If not, I'll get the poll up in around 24 hours


Nominations:

Possession (Rosina)
Rosamond Lehmann: A Life (Susan)
Confessions of an Irish Rebel (1965) (Nigeyb)
"Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!": Adventures of a Curious Character (Sid)
Uncommon Arrangements: Seven Marriages in Literary London, 1910-1939. Katie Roiphe (Judy)
Marilyn in Manhattan: Her Year of Joy (Roman Clodia)
Martha Gellhorn (Jan)

[Susan]

Thanks for all your hard work in organising the vote, Nigeyb.

[Blaine]

Great list. I won't add anything

[Nigeyb]

Time to vote....


https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...

[Nigeyb]

Poll watch...


Uncommon Arrangements: Seven Marriages in Literary London, 1910-1939. Katie Roiphe

and

Marilyn in Manhattan: Her Year of Joy


Both leading the poll on two votes apiece

[Nigeyb]

Poll watch...



Possession now also on two votes and sharing the lead with...

Uncommon Arrangements: Seven Marriages in Literary London, 1910-1939. Katie Roiphe

and

Marilyn in Manhattan: Her Year of Joy


...in a three horse race

[Roman Clodia]

Nigeyb wrote: "...in a three horse race"

Now four! The vote does seem uncommonly even this month - a testament to the great nominations. If you haven't voted yet, don't miss your chance.

[Susan]

Well, one title has pushed out slightly in front. Let's see if it holds the lead.

[Nigeyb]

Susan wrote:


"Well, one title has pushed out slightly in front. Let's see if it holds the lead."

Yes

Possession holds a narrow lead

Very close though

https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...

[Nigeyb]

Possession surely has this wrapped up with less than 24 hours to go...



Possession (Rosina) - 6 votes, 37.5%

Uncommon Arrangements: Seven Marriages in Literary London, 1910-1939. Katie Roiphe (Judy) - 3 votes, 18.8%

Rosamond Lehmann: A Life (Susan) - 2 votes, 12.5%
Marilyn in Manhattan: Her Year of Joy (Roman Clodia) - 2 votes, 12.5%

Confessions of an Irish Rebel (1965) (Nigeyb) - 1 vote, 6.3%
"Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!": Adventures of a Curious Character (Sid) - 1 vote, 6.3%
Martha Gellhorn (Jan) - 1 vote, 6.3%


Still time to vote/change your vote...

https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...

[Nigeyb]

Possession now has an even more commanding lead with about 11 hours left...



Possession (Rosina) - 8 votes, 44.4%

Uncommon Arrangements: Seven Marriages in Literary London, 1910-1939. Katie Roiphe (Judy) - 3 votes, 16.7%

Rosamond Lehmann: A Life (Susan) - 2 votes, 11.1%
Marilyn in Manhattan: Her Year of Joy (Roman Clodia) - 2 votes, 11.1%

Confessions of an Irish Rebel (1965) (Nigeyb) - 1 vote, 5.6%
"Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!": Adventures of a Curious Character (Sid) - 1 vote, 5.6%
Martha Gellhorn (Jan) - 1 vote, 5.6%


Still time to vote/change your vote...

https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...

[Nigeyb]

We have a winner


Congratulation to Possession - and Rosina

Here's to a wonderful discussion

Thanks to everyone who got involved

[Rosina]

I have been off line (failed computer) so I'm a bit late with rejoicing for Possession's victory. But

YaY!