Welcome to The Midnight Bell (a virtual pub and general discussion thread) (2024)

[Roman Clodia]

David wrote: "For anyone who hasn't checked out Dalkey Essentials, it's a great resource for 20th century lit aficionados."

It's great to see they've reissued La Bâtarde by Violette Leduc - one of those books I read in my twenties in the old Virago edition which I lost.

[Hester]

To sooth the nerves of anyone currently living in the USA I wonder if we can share reading suggestions that help to calm us .

For me I can share that being read to is the best salve for troubled times , failing that ,can audiobook .

As to content I turn to something familiar and absorbing : classic short stories or clever folk tales often have a known framework , ( just read The Fisherman and his Soul / Oscar Wilde to ease a bout of insomnia ) , or someone like Trollope ..

Nothing taxing for the fevered brain .

Hope Election Day is peaceful .

[Alwynne]

Hester wrote: "To sooth the nerves of anyone currently living in the USA I wonder if we can share reading suggestions that help to calm us .

For me I can share that being read to is the best salve for troubled ..."

For me: Wodehouse partic Jeeves or Mulliner - early Jeeves are short stories; E. F. Benson Mapp and Lucia books; I Capture the Castle; Saki short stories; Dylan Thomas Under Milkwood: A Play for Voices loads of versions out there and obviously written for radio; Dorothy L. Sayers the Wimsey books - except the first one which is very dodgy - and the BBC drama versions are great; children's books like The Dark Is Rising series - the first is a bit juvenile the rest of the series is much better; The Earthsea Quartet: "A Wizard Of Earthsea"; "The Tombs of Atuan"; "The Farthest Shore"; "Tehanu" (Puffin Books) by Le Guin, Ursula; Cold Comfort Farm; Becky Chambers's Wayfarer sf series; classics like Forster's A Room with a View or gripping Victorian sensation novels like Lady Audley's Secret; Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City series is very absorbing.

For anyone with access to BBC radio Katherine Rundell's recent series on why it's worth reading children's books:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002...

Although I usually stream stuff if I'm tense. Over the pandemic rewatched all the Star Treks and Gilmore Girls, also shows like 'Wednesday' and Kdramas like Miss Night and Day work well - Kdrama is good as mostly very removed from anything American - Netflix has a decent variety. If no subscriptions can use the Viki site without even logging in and search their list of free dramas quite a few including some good ones like Reply 1988 which is a great family/neighbourhood drama - can also watch the free ones without logging in and/or paying anything.

Youtube UK - not sure about US - has vintage TV like Taxi and The Mary Tyler Moore Show also saw those over the pandemic and thought they were good. The early seasons of Tyler Moore were very funny, amazing fashions too, wasn't as keen on the ones after Rhoda left. Also vintage cartoons like Daffy Duck and anything by Tex Avery work for me or anime/Studio Ghibli on Netflix. Prime also had some vintage Superman from the forties - I think - amazing use of colour.

[Blaine]

Anubha wrote: "I have been meaning to start Wolf Hall for many months now, but I want to understand whether I'll need some background knowledge on English history? Would love to know your take"

Background knowledge never hurts! But I think the main things to know to appreciate Wolf Hall and the following two books are the Protestant Reformation, which opens up new ways of contesting the power of the Catholic Church, and England's position vis a vis Europe, as a small, peripheral country in conflict with the greater powers of Spain and France.

The domestic politics of the King versus the great families of England are far too complicated for me. I've never understood the War of the Roses or the failures of the various Kings named Richard.

[Blaine]

Those are great posts, Hester and Alwynne. I'm saving them.

But I don't think anything can calm me for the next few days.

[Susan]

In the UK it is Guy Fawkes/fireworks day. Seems appropriate :)

[Alwynne]

Ben wrote: "Anubha wrote: "I have been meaning to start Wolf Hall for many months now, but I want to understand whether I'll need some background knowledge on English history? Would love to know your take"

Ba..."

Also could look at it from the point of view of a particularly messy divorce saga. So Henry VIII married his brother's widow and that was his first wife. They didn't have a son and he wanted an heir, she was past childbearing but the Roman Catholic church wouldn't annul the marriage and divorce was out of the question as marriage an indissoluble sacrament except in rare cases.

So the plot hinges initially on lawyers/advisors finding a way of breaking ties with Roman Catholicism so that Henry could remarry while his first wife was still living. But the problem persisted through other marriages so became a bit of a feature of his reign and a headache for subsequent advisors. Also families whose daughters later became his wives rose and fell based on the success/failure of each marriage - so lots of vying for power going on behind the scenes.

But this break also represented an opportunity for religious reformers linked to wider European reformation movement to make their move and reform the church, forms of worship etc Also reform meant breaking up existing church institutions that then proved a useful source of revenue.

[Roman Clodia]

On Wolf Hall, also look out for vengeance as an important motivator for Cromwell, though he keeps it well hidden... This is most likely a fictional intervention by Mantel but she makes it work brilliantly.

[Roman Clodia]

Hester wrote: "To sooth the nerves of anyone currently living in the USA I wonder if we can share reading suggestions that help to calm us."

This feels like such a pivotal election for all of us so love these calming suggestions. I echo audiobooks especially of slower, well-loved books like those of Jane Austen.

But also like something absorbing so I don't have half my mind wandering off. I'll be re-watching Wolf Hall on iplayer this evening... with the Guardian live blog open beside me.

[Alwynne]

Roman Clodia wrote: "Hester wrote: "To sooth the nerves of anyone currently living in the USA I wonder if we can share reading suggestions that help to calm us."

This feels like such a pivotal election for all of us s..."

Good call R.C. And for people who're Austen-ed out I'd recommend Fanny Burney's Evelina

[Roman Clodia]

Yes, isn't it strange that Burney is relatively unknown?

[Kathleen]

Hester wrote: "To sooth the nerves ofThe Fisherman and his Soul anyone currently living in the USA I wonder if we can share reading suggestions that help to calm us .

For me I can share that being read to is the best salve for troubled ..."

I started reading The Fisherman and his Soul this morning and was thinking the same thing! Very calming. I wasn't able to finish it, but I think I'll turn to it when I need it during what may be a stressful few days here in the US. I really appreciate everyone's suggestions. I love Tales of the City, Alwynne--another great idea.

[Vesna]

A longtime US immigrant over here (since 1990, almost my entire adult life) and this may well be the time for me to finish Wodehouse's Summer Lightning. I had to stop all my lit. reads at the end of August because of the work, but these few days would have to be an exception.

[G]

I am alternating between a new-to-me audio of Pride and Prejudice (with Kate Kellgren), and a new-to-me audio of The Fellowship of the Ring (with David Serkis--previously I've listened multiple times to the Rob Inglis recording). Two beloved texts with new voices is helping. I'm not sure I like the new voices, but the novelty is helping me pay attention to the text.

[Sonia]

Anubha wrote: "Hester wrote: "ooh . I've just started reading Wolf Hall for the first time . Late to the party but I can see why it's won all the prizes ."
I have been meaning to start Wolf Hall for many months n..."

Somehow I skipped all the Tudors and Stuarts at school, and my knowledge was limited to basics. I just read the books and when I wanted to know more/explore relationships I just googled it.

[Susan]

For those in London. Foyles has announced the authors attending their Christmas evening.

It’s that time of the year. We’re thrilled to announce the six-floor, shop-wide takeover, the festive extravaganza in the Charing Cross Road events programme: the Foyles Christmas Evening.
Thursday 28th November 2024, 6pm
Foyles Charing Cross Road
Free, no tickets required - just come along!
Save the date!
SO HO HO

Celebrate the festive season with some of our favourite authors, get your books signed by a star, pick up the perfect Christmas gift, and have a glass of mulled wine and a mince pie on us.
We are delighted to be joined by:

Dolly Alderton | Julia Armfield | Rick Astley | Richard Ayoade | Neil Buttery | William Boyd | Mackenzie Crook | Hannah Crosbie | Iain Dale | Susie Dent | Jenny Eclair | Jonn Elledge | Rupert Everett | Caleb Femi | John Finnemore | Hanako Footman | Elodie Harper | India Knight | Jenny Mustard | Caroline O'Donoghue | Ned Palmer | Charlie Porter | Max Porter | Neil Ridley | Miranda Sawyer | Jon Sopel | Gary Stevenson | Sandi Toksvig | Orlando Whitfield

[Nigeyb]

Great lineup

[Roman Clodia]

Ooh, Julia Armfield! I'm at another thing till about 6.30 but may pop along after that.

What's the date of the Waterstones Piccadilly event?

[Susan]

My daughter is very excited to meet Richard Ayoade.

Personally, I think the Hatchards lineup is better and Waterstones hasn't announced theirs yet. I have reposted the dates and Hatchards line-up below.

For those members in London, there are some Christmas Evenings coming up:

• Wednesday 27th November: Hatchards Christmas Evening

• Thursday 28th November: Foyles Christmas Evening

• Thursday 5th December: Christmas Customer Evening at Waterstones Piccadilly

No details on who will be at Foyles or Waterstones yet, but Hatchards have released a list of authors that will be present from 6-8pm:
This year, we are delighted to be welcoming all of the below authors to our annual Christmas Customer Evening:*
Eleanor Barraclough
William Boyd
Gyles Brandreth
Clare Chambers
Tracy Chevalier
Richard Coles
Annie Gray
Tessa Hadley
Robert Harris
Katy Hessel
India Hicks
Alan Hollinghurst
Cat Jarman
Dan Jones
Dan Keeling
Ben Macintyre
Sonia Purnell
Jay Rayner
Michael Rosen
Nigel Slater
Jon Sopel
Charles Spencer
Henrietta Spencer-Churchill
*This list is subject to change.

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[Anubha]

Thanks Ben, Alwynne, Roman, and Sonia for sharing these wonderful perspectives and tips for enjoying the book.

I think I'll start with a quick crash course of the key movements of that period such as the ones Ben mentioned and then dive into the books.

Being from India, our history did not cover much of English history before the reign of Queen Victoria.

[Roman Clodia]

Susan wrote: "My daughter is very excited to meet Richard Ayoade."

I love him too, and had missed him on the list. I just don't like the vibe in Hatchards - they always seems so snooty when I pop in, unlike all the lovely Waterstones staff.

I've got a work thing on the 5th but can hopefully gather up some bookish friends and head there after as we'll be in Piccadilly anyway.

[Susan]

I used to work in Regent Street years ago and always liked Hatchards and the 'old' Foyles, where you had to queue up and pay twice! I remember bumping into a lot of actors in Hatchards, presumably having a browse before theatre shows. The nicest was Sir John Gielgud, quite elderly even then, with whom I was on nodding terms after a while. We obviously liked similar books as we seemed to meet at the same shelves :) I agree that Waterstones has lovely staff though and go to a lot of events run by the Piccadilly branch. Also Fortnum & Masons - it was the era of endless bomb threats and we were constantly being turfed out. The staff at Fortnums were lovely and allowed us to hide out in one of the upstairs floors, often for hours, rather than have to mill about outside in the rain. I have loved the shop ever since.

[Nigeyb]

I find a lot of wisdom and solace in the work of Oliver Burkeman


I subscribe to his occasional email 'The Imperfectionist'. One arrived today, some of you might find its contents helpful....



How not to freak out about the US elections, part two

https://ckarchive.com/b/75u7h8hkegm87...


It articulates an approach I've adopted for some time now and will be doubling down on

[Kathleen]

Thank you, Nigeyb. Very refreshing and wise.

[Blaine]

Yes, excellent thoughts.

I will always read the news, but, knowing how much that man craves attention, I try mindfully to give him as little of mine as I can.

[Roman Clodia]

I'm a news junkie so this wouldn't work for me - I'd be stressed not knowing what's going on. Sadly, it just wouldn't be possible for me to switch away completely. But I think it's important to be aware of your news sources so limit myself to The Guardian (I like their American coverage) and the occasional BBC.

Does anyone watch the new Have I Got News For You US? It's hilarious even when I don't get all the references and is a reminder of how laughter can be resistance. Roy Wood Jnr is my new 'odd crush'!

[Roman Clodia]

Has anyone read The Day of the Jackal? Prompted by the new film, I checked it out and it has 4.27 stars on here.

Anyone fancy a spontaneous buddy? I have so many events/drinks coming up that something pacy seems just right now.

[Nigeyb]

I have read it


Enjoyable

Im not ready for a reread so no spontaneous buddy from me, but reckon you'll get a taker or two

[Blaine]

I've had my Wilt so I'm ready to resume normal service. 😉

[G]

Roman Clodia wrote: "Has anyone read The Day of the Jackal? Prompted by the new film, I checked it out and it has 4.27 stars on here.

Anyone fancy a spontaneous buddy? I have so many events/drinks comin..."

I'd be interested, but not for about a week. I have too many half-finished audiobooks to wrap up before I start another.

[Roman Clodia]

Yay, let's do it, G. I'll set up a thread. I'm borrowing the book from Mr RC's dad so probably won't collect it till next weekend anyway.

[Roman Clodia]

The Guardian this week has had various suggestions of comfort reads for bleak times and it's interesting to see Jane Austen, Dickens and Golden Age crime all get mentions, as they have here.

But this is the story that spoke to me, from Roddy Doyle:

When I want a laugh and a Britain free of Farage or food banks, I read PG Wodehouse. I’m not mad about audiobooks, but I had to stop driving once when I was listening to The Code of the Woosters, because I couldn’t stop laughing and my glasses were fogging. I was driving through County Mayo but I couldn’t see the mountains, the weather or the oncoming traffic.

A perfect reminder that we'll be continuing our Wodehouse buddy reads despite having finished the Blandings series, so do come and join us in this sunny world awash with humour, kindness, true love and happy endings.

[Nigeyb]

Couldn't agree more


Well said Roddy, and RC

[Roman Clodia]

Just a reminder to everyone in the UK that series two of Wolf Hall starts tonight on the BBC, covering the third book The Mirror & the Light.

[Judy]

I enjoyed that piece by Roddy Doyle, RC - interesting to see that he also loved the William books as a kid.

[Roman Clodia]

Judy wrote: "I enjoyed that piece by Roddy Doyle, RC - interesting to see that he also loved the William books as a kid."

Yes, there's something similar, perhaps, in the absurd and gently subversive humour of both William and Wodehouse world.

[Lady Clementina]

Roman Clodia wrote: "Just a reminder to everyone in the UK that series two of Wolf Hall starts tonight on the BBC, covering the third book The Mirror & the Light."

I'm yet to read this but will probably have to refresh my memory on the first two before I do.

[Alwynne]

Roman Clodia wrote: "I'm a news junkie so this wouldn't work for me - I'd be stressed not knowing what's going on. Sadly, it just wouldn't be possible for me to switch away completely. But I think it's important to be ..."

Fellow news junkie, read it first thing every day. And also start with The Guardian and then the BBC. But follow up elsewhere on news stories that interest me or that aren't fully covered. I get quite frustrated by the extensive coverage of the US and western Europe for example but the minor coverage of events like the impending mass starvation in Myanmar - so to follow what's happening there will do a more general search.

But agree Nigey need to strike a balance between being informed and doom-scrolling. I don't follow things like X/Twitter anymore gave up when Musk took over, don't do general social media. Do browse TikTok for MV and for fashion content, similarly Insta. I also subscribe to various newsletters around specific issues that interest me like fashion, the environment, books, the equivalent of 'fairtrade', reproductive rights, health etc

[Alwynne]

But think I don't tend to go for the avoidance strategy in general - although did avoid reading about cancer when I was having various tests for it. If something bothers me like Trump being elected, my impulse is to want to discuss it, think about why and what might be done to mitigate the impact and to change things in the future. As the trend towards the right is an issue here too. But I'm quite pessimistic politically as imagine that as climate change continues to bite that issues around food, water, mass migration will mean that various populations become more entrenched and more enamoured of right-wing, exclusionary leaders. So maybe that general impression makes me more able to cope with less-than-positive outcomes.

[Alwynne]

Roman Clodia wrote: "Just a reminder to everyone in the UK that series two of Wolf Hall starts tonight on the BBC, covering the third book The Mirror & the Light."

I couldn't get into Wolf Hall but think I'll try the series now that it's available in its entirety. I tend to go for series about areas of history I know less about, so really enjoyed the K-drama 'My Dearest' on Netflix, for example, as covers the Qing invasion of Joseon (Korea) in 1630s and beyond. It's surprisingly historically accurate and well-imagined - despite a daft ending. Also fascinating as partly inspired by 'Gone with the Wind' - one of my most hated books - but manages to subvert its pro-slavery stance as Joseons were the ones enslaved by the Qing. But caught up in a nerd-rewatch of Buffy at the moment, following the fan threads on Reddit, doing the Angel crossover episodes etc

[Roman Clodia]

Alwynne wrote: "But think I don't tend to go for the avoidance strategy in general - If something bothers me like Trump being elected, my impulse is to want to discuss it, think about why and what might be done to mitigate the impact and to change things in the future."

This is me, exactly. I find it more stressful not knowing what further bad things are happening, and have some sense of control in being actively engaged.

More positively, what other sites or newsletters do you follow? I have LitHub for books, WhoWhatWear for fashion (though can get frustrated at the emphasis on buying new stuff even when their editorial claims to be against fast fashion), and a few healthy eating/food sites.

[Roman Clodia]

Alwynne wrote: "But caught up in a nerd-rewatch of Buffy"

Ooh, Buffy - loved that!

I started watching the Harry Potter movies with my nephew - we're up to Goblet of Fire and I don't think I can wait for the next one so may have to sneakwatch it!

[Roman Clodia]

I can't remember which thread we were on where Susan was talking about The Assassin's Cloak: An Anthology of the World's Greatest Diarists : I found this in a second-hand bookshop which is organised in a similar day-by-day way but focusing just on London:

A London Year: 365 Days of City Life in Diaries, Journals and Letters

It's pricy but second-hand copies seem available at a better price - looks like fun bedtime reading.

[Alwynne]

Roman Clodia wrote: "Alwynne wrote: "But think I don't tend to go for the avoidance strategy in general - If something bothers me like Trump being elected, my impulse is to want to discuss it, think about why and what ..."

Far too many!

Books/culture -

A Personal Anthology - regular compilation of favourite short stories chosen by academics/general readers/ authors like Julia Armfield, includes links if story avail online and short review; Feuilleton - gothic/weird fiction; various Substack accts inc Camilla Grudova, Celine Nguyen, Heather Parry, R F Kuang, The Hobbyhorse, Jessi Jezewski Stevens, Largehearted Boy; Wordpress accts including Immanence and Writing Africa; One Grand Books bookstore for the authors' top ten picks; LRB blog; Words without Borders; LARB, Asymptote, BOMB, Nylon, Frieze, Mediations, The Adroit Journal, The Modernist Review, Pil and Galia Kollectiv, Bookforum, Korean Literature Now, Paris Review, Aeon Weekly, Orion mag, Daunt Books, Saigoneer, Them, Granta, Uncanny Magazine, The White Pube; Autostraddle, Pink News

The Nation, New Statesman, Novara Media etc

The Doctor's Kitchen, Kate at the Veg Space, Greenpeace, FoE, Transform Trade, Wicked Leeks, Caught by the River, The Ecologist, Woodland Trust

Hope Not Hate, BPAS - for repro rights campaigns, HRW reports, Amnesty etc

Fashion -

retailers inc Zara, Toast, Arket, Cos, Luna & Curious, Aida Shoreditch, Goodhood, Maze, Wardrobe 44, Consortium etc

Blogs/mags/insta inc - Vogue, Nylon, Dressing Dykes, The Cut, Fashionista, Graham St., Byrdie, Candace Tay, The Zoe Report, Alessandra Kertzer, Monikh, Charlotte Emily Sanders, eichbeuai

[Alwynne]

Roman Clodia wrote: "Alwynne wrote: "But caught up in a nerd-rewatch of Buffy"

Ooh, Buffy - loved that!

I started watching the Harry Potter movies with my nephew - we're up to Goblet of Fire and I don't think I can ..."

I've never seen those but think they may be on Netflix? Buffy is still worth watching but now I know the plot notice the irritations more too, Xander is sleazy/creepy, the relationship dynamics ultra trad etc

[Alwynne]

Talking of creepy, anyone else get a friend request from a guy whose profile pic is him - presumably - clad only in tight underpants? Although at least not white ones! Small mercies and all that...

[Roman Clodia]

Alwynne wrote: "Talking of creepy, anyone else get a friend request from a guy whose profile pic is him - presumably - clad only in tight underpants? Although at least not white ones! Small mercies and all that..."

Hilarious! You're clearly a magnet for the weird on here, Alwynne - I'm almost jealous! (Not really, though)

Thanks for all those suggestions - some of them I also follow like Words Without Borders, Hope Not Hate, White Pube and the Zoe Report but others are new to me - but aargh, so much to read and keep up with!

[Alwynne]

Roman Clodia wrote: "Alwynne wrote: "Talking of creepy, anyone else get a friend request from a guy whose profile pic is him - presumably - clad only in tight underpants? Although at least not white ones! Small mercies..."

Although do wonder if people like this check comments, as he's now replaced his pic with one that features him fully clothed, but still has an Elon Musk book among his favourites! And, tellingly, so far has only friended women.

Maybe I need a note to make it clear I rarely friend men, and when I do they're either queer and/or ones I've rigorously vetted! And Ayn Rand/Elon Musk fans need not apply, regardless of gender/orientation.

[Alwynne]

Am finding following the post-US election news quite confusing, so many conflicting theories about the outcome. Bernie Sanders seems to make some sense, and I agree that for many people identity politics alienating - and that there's not enough focus on economic, bread-and-butter issues.

I have very lefty friends who've confided that they find things like preferred pronouns difficult and that they find issues around gender hard to fathom. So can see that these areas must be even more alienating for those who aren't even vaguely allies. I've been using the same vet/dentist for years and they still find 'ms' bewildering! But the manufactured moral panics around gender identity, so-called cultural Marxism and CRT all seem tied together in a peculiarly American way. Wasn't until I started using Goodreads that I'd even noticed these things and was completely gobsmacked by the notion of a 'clean' read. It would be good to know how many votes for Trump were positively for Trump and how many reactions against notions of the Democrats as too progressive. And what happened with the missing 12 million voters?

[Roman Clodia]

Alwynne wrote: "But the manufactured moral panics around gender identity, so-called cultural Marxism and CRT all seem tied together in a peculiarly American way. Wasn't until I started using Goodreads that I'd even noticed these things and was completely gobsmacked by the notion of a 'clean' read."

Definitely a harsh reminder of some things in US politics/culture that are very different from Europe. I find that American evangelical 'Christianity' especially baffling as it seems so different from the way Christianity in European countries tends to be positioned, as something private rather than necessarily public.

I'd certainly read interviews with people choosing not to vote Democrat because of their stance on Gaza - but voting Trump instead is ... incredible.

Saw some articles on post-election Google searches just as there were after Brexit - are elections being regarded as gameshows and people only finding out what they're voting for after the event?