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Group Reads -> December 2025 -> Nomination thread (1920s - Won by The Garden Party and Other Stories by Katherine Mansfield)
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Both those Katherine Mansfield biographies sound great
I had no idea she'd had such an interesting life
Katherine Mansfield: A Secret Life...
Katherine Mansfield is the celebrated biography be bestselling author Claire Tomalin 'One of the best biographies I have ever a perfect match of author and subject. It should become a classic' Alison Lurie Pursuing art and adventure across Europe, Katherine Mansfield lived and wrote with the Furies on her heels; but when she died aged only thirty-four she became one of the most influential writers of the twentieth century. Sexually ambiguous, craving love yet quarrelsome and capricious, she glittered in the brilliant circles of D. H. Lawrence and Virginia Woolf, her beauty and recklessness inspiring admiration, jealousy, rage and devotion. Claire Tomalin's biography brings us nearer than we have ever been to this courageous, greatly gifted, haunted and haunting writer. 'Generous, dispassionate, even-handed, setting out probably as plainly as anyone ever will Katherine's high hopes, the odds she faced and the impossible obstacles that ditched her in the end' Hilary Spurling, Daily Telegraph 'Provides the finest and most subtly shaded portrait so far' John Gross, New York Times From the acclaimed author of Samuel The Unequalled Self, Charles A Life and The Invisible Woman, this virtuoso biography is invaluable reading for lovers of Katherine Mansfield everywhere. Claire Tomalin is the award-winning author of eight highly acclaimed biographies, The Life and Death of Mary Wollstonecraft; Shelley and His World; Katherine A Secret Life; The Invisible The Story of Nelly Ternan and Charles Dickens; Mrs Jordan's Profession; Jane A Life; Samuel The Unequalled Self; Thomas The Time-Torn Man and, most recently, Charles A Life. A former literary editor of the New Statesman and the Sunday Times, she is married to the playwright and novelist Michael Frayn.
Katherine Mansfield: A Hidden Life...
This biography explores the life and work of Katherine Mansfield, one of literary modernism’s most significant writers. On the fringes of Bloomsbury, and friends with D. H. Lawrence, Aldous Huxley, T. S. Eliot and many others, Mansfield was at the heart of literary London at its most experimental. By the time of her death in 1923, aged just 34, she had broken boundaries and created new ways of writing that led her literary sparring partner Virginia Woolf to later admit that Mansfield’s ‘was the only writing I was ever jealous of’. Based on compelling new research, Gerri Kimber challenges previous conceptions surrounding the author’s life, uncovers friendships and relationships formerly barely acknowledged and offers innovative readings of Mansfield’s most celebrated stories.

I had no idea she'd had such an interesting life
Katherine Mansfield: A Secret Life...
Katherine Mansfield is the celebrated biography be bestselling author Claire Tomalin 'One of the best biographies I have ever a perfect match of author and subject. It should become a classic' Alison Lurie Pursuing art and adventure across Europe, Katherine Mansfield lived and wrote with the Furies on her heels; but when she died aged only thirty-four she became one of the most influential writers of the twentieth century. Sexually ambiguous, craving love yet quarrelsome and capricious, she glittered in the brilliant circles of D. H. Lawrence and Virginia Woolf, her beauty and recklessness inspiring admiration, jealousy, rage and devotion. Claire Tomalin's biography brings us nearer than we have ever been to this courageous, greatly gifted, haunted and haunting writer. 'Generous, dispassionate, even-handed, setting out probably as plainly as anyone ever will Katherine's high hopes, the odds she faced and the impossible obstacles that ditched her in the end' Hilary Spurling, Daily Telegraph 'Provides the finest and most subtly shaded portrait so far' John Gross, New York Times From the acclaimed author of Samuel The Unequalled Self, Charles A Life and The Invisible Woman, this virtuoso biography is invaluable reading for lovers of Katherine Mansfield everywhere. Claire Tomalin is the award-winning author of eight highly acclaimed biographies, The Life and Death of Mary Wollstonecraft; Shelley and His World; Katherine A Secret Life; The Invisible The Story of Nelly Ternan and Charles Dickens; Mrs Jordan's Profession; Jane A Life; Samuel The Unequalled Self; Thomas The Time-Torn Man and, most recently, Charles A Life. A former literary editor of the New Statesman and the Sunday Times, she is married to the playwright and novelist Michael Frayn.
Katherine Mansfield: A Hidden Life...
This biography explores the life and work of Katherine Mansfield, one of literary modernism’s most significant writers. On the fringes of Bloomsbury, and friends with D. H. Lawrence, Aldous Huxley, T. S. Eliot and many others, Mansfield was at the heart of literary London at its most experimental. By the time of her death in 1923, aged just 34, she had broken boundaries and created new ways of writing that led her literary sparring partner Virginia Woolf to later admit that Mansfield’s ‘was the only writing I was ever jealous of’. Based on compelling new research, Gerri Kimber challenges previous conceptions surrounding the author’s life, uncovers friendships and relationships formerly barely acknowledged and offers innovative readings of Mansfield’s most celebrated stories.



I can easily change t..."
I'm pretty swamped until January, but I would give it a try if others want to read it earlier. Very excited to finally get to this. All in after that fantastic comic book cover!

BTW, I love the idea of reading the author's work with a recent biography or critical appraisal. Although it is more work, It can lend a lot to the read.

Great point about January, Sam. How quickly I forget! I was way over-enthusiastic at the beginning of this year, and ended up having to drop a number of reads I was very excited about. I'm ending the year equally over-enthusiastic, but I can make November work for Lawrence. I'm a fan, so I can make pretty much anything work for Lawrence. 😉
Sam wrote: "I have been keeping January a blank slate in anticipation of other big projects that might be proposed and only brought this thought up to see if anyone was planning anything for the group so far."
As we already have our Pym and le Carre projects as well as our quarterly reads of Henry James, I'm not planning anything else for next year. That said, you never know what enthusiasms might pop up in this group!
As we already have our Pym and le Carre projects as well as our quarterly reads of Henry James, I'm not planning anything else for next year. That said, you never know what enthusiasms might pop up in this group!
Thanks all
It's in the schedule for November 2025 but no worries if that's too busy, just revive the thread as and when
I'm all set to go with an audiobook so will be commenting in due course. Looking forward to finally reading it
It's in the schedule for November 2025 but no worries if that's too busy, just revive the thread as and when
I'm all set to go with an audiobook so will be commenting in due course. Looking forward to finally reading it

With one day to go....
The Garden Party and Other Stories - 7 votes, 38.9%
Crome Yellow - 5 votes, 27.8%
Passing - 3 votes, 16.7%
The Informer - 2 votes, 11.1%
The Man in the Brown Suit (Colonel Race, #1) - 1 vote, 5.6%
Lady Chatterley’s Lover - 0 votes, 0.0%
The Garden Party and Other Stories - 7 votes, 38.9%
Crome Yellow - 5 votes, 27.8%
Passing - 3 votes, 16.7%
The Informer - 2 votes, 11.1%
The Man in the Brown Suit (Colonel Race, #1) - 1 vote, 5.6%
Lady Chatterley’s Lover - 0 votes, 0.0%
If the results stay the same, and the people who voted for Crome Yellow want to read it as a buddy read, then post here and we can set it up for December
The poll's closed....
The Garden Party and Other Stories - 7 votes, 38.9%
Crome Yellow - 5 votes, 27.8%
Passing - 3 votes, 16.7%
The Informer - 2 votes, 11.1%
The Man in the Brown Suit (Colonel Race, #1) - 1 vote, 5.6%
Lady Chatterley’s Lover - 0 votes, 0.0%
Thanks all for a fab round of nominations and some wonderful associated chat
👏🏼
The Garden Party and Other Stories - 7 votes, 38.9%
Crome Yellow - 5 votes, 27.8%
Passing - 3 votes, 16.7%
The Informer - 2 votes, 11.1%
The Man in the Brown Suit (Colonel Race, #1) - 1 vote, 5.6%
Lady Chatterley’s Lover - 0 votes, 0.0%
Thanks all for a fab round of nominations and some wonderful associated chat
👏🏼
Books mentioned in this topic
Crome Yellow (other topics)The Garden Party and Other Stories (other topics)
Lady Chatterley’s Lover (other topics)
Katherine Mansfield: A Secret Life (other topics)
Katherine Mansfield: A Hidden Life (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Liam O'Flaherty (other topics)Aldous Huxley (other topics)
Katherine Mansfield (other topics)
Agatha Christie (other topics)
I can easily change the month if anyone has a strong preference for sooner or later - and of course you can read the book any time and comment as the discussions are always just waiting to be revived
See you in November 2025 (or whenever)....
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
One of the most extraordinary literary works of the twentieth century, Lady Chatterley's Lover was banned in England and the United States after its initial publication in 1928.
With her soft brown hair, lithe figure and big, wondering eyes, Constance Chatterley is possessed of a certain vitality. Yet she is deeply unhappy; married to an invalid, she is almost as inwardly paralysed as her husband Clifford is paralysed below the waist. It is not until she finds refuge in the arms of Mellors the gamekeeper, a solitary man of a class apart, that she feels regenerated. Together they move from an outer world of chaos towards an inner world of fulfillment.