Play Book Tag discussion
February 2023: England
>
Announcing the Tag for February
In all seriousness, I just want something fun and gossipy so it's definitely going to be either Spare or The Palace Papers: Inside the House of Windsor - the Truth and the Turmoil.But for more serious fare, I would recommend:
Tess of the D’Urbervilles
84, Charing Cross Road
Girl, Woman, Other
Here, I thought that it would be Speculative Fiction and mildly stressing because I didn't have a book in that category that I really wanted to read.I can always find something in England as I read so many set there every year.
For those thinking of speculative fiction, you could always read the one JoyD just reviewed Salt Lick as it is both England and Speculative Fiction.
I am happy with the tag, I am sure there a a lot of them on my shelf
Anita wrote: "In all seriousness, I just want something fun and gossipy so it's definitely going to be either Spare "I think 84, Charing Cross Road is my all time favorite book and such a short read
Linda C wrote: "Anita wrote: "In all seriousness, I just want something fun and gossipy so it's definitely going to be either Spare or [book:The Palace Papers: Inside the House of Windsor - the Tru..."I gave it 5 stars as well, Linda. I think it's delightful.
I am reading The Old Wives' Tale with a classics group. It's a long one, but there are shorter books by Arnold Bennett, such as The Card - Arnold Bennett Modern library classics or Helen with the High Hand - An Idyllic Diversion.I will also read The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise, and probably some mysteries or Regency romances.
I think I will be busy in February with this tag. Quite a few of the books I am planning for the Birthday challenge also fit England
I have plenty of books for England and that was my first choice. But finally, I am going to read The Gown, which is my "Trim" book as well. I also have Fallen Angel for February, which is the 3rd in the Frances Georges series. So excited for that!
Kate, I loved the Chillbury ladies choir!
I fully expected England to win but am absolutely thrill that only 2 votes aced out speculative fiction! Love seeing the appreciation for edgier tags rising!I have no shortage of books that fit England - close my eyes and grab from nearest TBR Tower - even my current book for StS fits and I have yet to start it. I also have a Wrexford and Sloane regency historical mystery to read for another group in February.
But I am rethinking holding off on buying the Ebook version of Spare until price drops. He is giving at least some of his earnings to various charities and his Invictus Games foundation and such. Let's see how my reading goes. February is looking very busy.
I don't think anyone will have a hard time finding books for this tag. My biggest problem will be choosing from more than 100 books on my TBR. I could recommend more than 100 favorites, but I've tried to think of a few that may not be titles that would be on everyone's list. 
A Single Thread 
To Serve Them All My Days
. Black Swan Green
Dodger
The Paper Garden: Mrs. Delany Begins Her Life's Work at 72
Jgrace wrote: "I don't think anyone will have a hard time finding books for this tag. My biggest problem will be choosing from more than 100 books on my TBR. I could recommend more than 100 favorites, but I've tr..."I only had one of these on my shelves - the Chevalier. Though I read Delderfield works way back in the 1980s after watching the excellent BBC adaptations of this one and others. I have been thinking of rereading a few. Superb recommendations and every single one now on my shelves.
Anita wrote: "By a mere two votes over speculative fiction (counting all the modern voters second choice as well), we will be reading books tagged with:England..."
YAY!!! In all honesty, this is probably the easiest one for me (and I don't usually aim for those!), but I was just afraid it would be speculative fiction, and I really didn't want it to be! :-)
I just got the Spare audiobook from the library and probably won't finish until next month, so definitely planning to finish that one! Past that, not sure - maybe Honey & Spice or A Coastline Is an Immeasurable Thing: A Memoir Across Three Continents or The Thursday Murder Club or The Stargazer's Sister.
Linda C wrote: "Anita wrote: "In all seriousness, I just want something fun and gossipy so it's definitely going to be either Spare "I think 84, Charing Cross Road is my all time fa..."
Agreed!
I'm happy with England. I'll have soooo many to read with that tag.
There are of course speculative fiction books set in England, including Neverwhere, Rivers of London, and Babel, Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution
I have LOTS of options and I'm likely to just happen to read something that will fit, but in case it looks like that won't happen, a few options: - All Things Wise and Wonderful / James Herriot
- a couple of different books / Jean Plaidy
- The Time Traveller's Guide to Elizabethan England / Ian Mortimer
England is an easy one but not one well matched to fit my challenge reading for next month. I'm tempted to ignore the other challenges and just tackle The Mirror & the Light finally. :)I probably will jump on the Spare bandwagon.
NancyJ wrote: "Once again I’m flummoxed."Yup the tag I liked least, again. I'll find something but really not in the mood for anything I can think of so may not get it done. Have to get out of this slump. perhaps being back at work will put me in a better mood. I do hate holidays.
I'll be joining you with Spare, Anita!
I'm actually surprised England won, I was fully expecting speculative or modern! I even had my book planned for it (Station Eleven).
It looks like I'll be reading Arthur & George, as that fits a birthday candle!
Edited to add I have a sneaky suspicion that I've already read the above, so have got Telling Tales as my back-up, which will also match the birthday candle.
It looks like I'll be reading Arthur & George, as that fits a birthday candle!
Edited to add I have a sneaky suspicion that I've already read the above, so have got Telling Tales as my back-up, which will also match the birthday candle.
I am very pleased that England won. Although I would have been fine with any of the tags offered, I have always had a love of books about England. In particular I really enjoy reading books about the kings and queens of England throughout the ages.However, based on the recommendations expressed by other group members, I am definitely going to begin with 84, Charing Cross Road.
Who can turn down a book described as "delightful"? Not me!
Diane MPwrote: "However, based on the recommendations expressed by other group members, I am definitely going to begin with 84, Charing Cross Road...."It's wonderful, Diane - enjoy :) The movie is sweet as well.
Jenny wrote: "I'm actually surprised England won, I was fully expecting speculative or modern! I even had my book planned for it (Station Eleven).It looks like I'll be reading [book:Arthur & Ge..."
Me too, I have plenty for this tag too though.
I was slow to warm up to the food tag too. Until today, none of the books made my mouth water. Now I’m craving chocolate pudding with Hungarian smoked paprika (which I put in my chili yesterday.)
Okay, so be it. Not that I dislike it, but I've read so very much of it.I do have one coming to my library that has been tagged this 6 times, though. Phew!
Ann☕ wrote: "For anyone who dislikes the England tag, you can blame me. I actually threw extra votes at it (3 votes total, I think) which I rarely do. Sorry. :-|"Don’t apologize Ann, that’s what the points are for! It’s all good.
Ann☕ wrote: "For anyone who dislikes the England tag, you can blame me. I actually threw extra votes at it (3 votes total, I think) which I rarely do. Sorry. :-|"Don't worry, if Speculative Fiction had won, essentially the same chain of comments would have occured from all who wanted England! 🙄😁😅🤣
Theresa, your comment makes me laugh. Nothing is funnier than the truth! ;0)
Ann is not alone. I threw five votes for England, those two extra could have been mine. I had before the coffee gets cold for the both of the other two tags, but I really wanted to read the Gown.
As I said, I would have been happy with any of the tags, but modern seemed so ordinary and while I like Speculative Fiction, and often read it, I don't have anything which I really want to read right now.England, however, I probably read one a month so it is an easy tag for me.
Just checked and I read 26 books set in England last year, so I think I'm set with this tag.
I voted for England first even though I knew some of my buddies wanted Speculative Fiction. I don't think I put any extra votes though, because they were all fine with me.
I seem to be the main villain because I threw 10 votes for England...
Diana H. wrote: "I seem to be the main villain because I threw 10 votes for England..."I cancelled you out with my 10 votes to speculative fiction.
Still a nice change from those months where we were trying to figure out which option was the least bad!
Robin P wrote: "Still a nice change from those months where we were trying to figure out which option was the least bad!"😂 the whole of 2022 was like that for me
It’s all fair and good. There is no need to assign blame or credit.I was flummoxed because I still can’t predict how a vote will go. I thought modern would be the favorite, but it came in last. I liked them all, and decided to vote for speculative for a change of pace. I wonder which one would have won if there were no extra votes.
I have plenty of books that fit. Some fit all three tags. I might finally read Watership Down, The Reading List, Three Daughters Of Eve, and Tale of two Cities. Plus some other long or very long books.
Was there a buddy read for Three Daughters of Eve? I didn’t pick anything for that candle yet.
NancyJ wrote: "It’s all fair and good. There is no need to assign blame or credit.I was flummoxed because I still can’t predict how a vote will go. I thought modern would be the favorite, but it came in last. I..."
I finally read Watership Down in December and really liked it.
I loved The Reading List and After Story might make a good companion book with that. In After Story, you take a tour of England so it is quite fun.
These discussions are always so much fun! I actually did not cast a vote this time, which is very unusual. I had something to read for each tag, so I decided to just see what happened.I am not at all unhappy with England. I have two series going that are set in England, so I will be reading The Moor by Laurie R. King or The Anodyne Necklace by Martha Grimes. And either one will blow out the mystery birthday candle. I feel like a winner!
Booknblues wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "It’s all fair and good. There is no need to assign blame or credit.I was flummoxed because I still can’t predict how a vote will go. I thought modern would be the favorite, but it ..."
Thanks I’ll look at that book, if only to figure out what an indigenous lawyer in England could mean.
NancyJ wrote: "Thanks I’ll look at that book, if only to figure out what an indigenous lawyer in England could mean. ..."Jasmine is from Australia where she is indigenous, but loves literature and takes her mother on a tour to England to visit literary sites. She is much different than her mother.
The book delves into literature as does The Reading LIst. They also are similar in that they deal with relationships of very different people. While similar they are quite different books, but I think it would be interesting to read them close together to do a compare and contrast.
NancyJ wrote: "It’s all fair and good. There is no need to assign blame or credit.I was flummoxed because I still can’t predict how a vote will go. I thought modern would be the favorite, but it came in last. I..."
I find it very interesting that A Tale of Two Cities is tagged and considered England -- of course it is! But I always put it to France - no suprise.
Nancy - it's one of my absolutely favorite Dickens - and one of his shortest novels. I re-read it with some regularity and there is so much you will recognize. Plus the B&W classic film version is a wonderful adaptation. I think it was made in the 40s? Can't remember. My last reread I ended up streaming and watching the film.
Joanne wrote: "Robin P wrote: "Still a nice change from those months where we were trying to figure out which option was the least bad!"😂 the whole of 2022 was like that for me"
and me.
Theresa wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "It’s all fair and good. There is no need to assign blame or credit.I was flummoxed because I still can’t predict how a vote will go. I thought modern would be the favorite, but it ..."
Thanks for the encouragement to read it (and watch the film). It's about time I got to both. I didn't think I liked Dickens, but I realized it wasn't Dickens himself, but it was the miserable way Londoners treated poor kids. Oddly the other book I read about the French Revolution was mostly set in England.
I've had a goal for a couple years to learn more about three major revolutions. I just finished To Live, about China and the Cultural revolution. I actually saw the film 20 years ago, but I remembered nothing about it (other than I liked it). It all makes more sense to me now because of other books I read in the meantime.
Booknblues wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Thanks I’ll look at that book, if only to figure out what an indigenous lawyer in England could mean. ..."Jasmine is from Australia where she is indigenous, but loves literature an..."
Ah, that makes sense. I love reading books that are connected to one another like that. It makes both a little better. Thanks!
NancyJ wrote: "Theresa wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "It’s all fair and good. There is no need to assign blame or credit.I was flummoxed because I still can’t predict how a vote will go. I thought modern would be the f..."
My major in college was an interdisciplinary french major overseen by Barnard's History Department. I have always been a francophile but I became interested in the French Revolution and aftermath through Napolean from college. While I don't remember all the books we read in college, I have read a few since and I do recommend this work of fiction: City of Darkness, City of Light by Marge Piercy in addition to Dickens. I also am very fond of The Scarlet Pimpernel. I'm sure there are more.
Play Book Tag
Books mentioned in this topic
The Shadow of Water (other topics)The Shadow of Water (other topics)
Spare (other topics)
Barchester Towers (other topics)
The Warden (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Ben Aaronovitch (other topics)Hilary Mantel (other topics)
Marge Piercy (other topics)
Arnold Bennett (other topics)
England
Spare, here I come, lol!
Please share your reading plans and recommendations below.
Remember, for the regular monthly reads, the book can be shelved as "England" on Goodreads, or be a book that is not yet shelved that way but you feel should be.
One way to find books to read for this tag is to please visit:
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
We encourage people to link to additional lists below if they find them.
Happy Reading!!!