I’ve had another little burst of book-buying and I don’t always like mixing that up with Persephone reviews or Shiny New Books links, so I thought I’d do a post about those. And I’ve got some exciting book news of my own – I know some of my readers will know this already, as I shared it on my work blog, but this is where I have kept details of my Iris Murdoch project and I wanted to share with you, too, that I’ve finally finished my research project.
Four pretty books that seem to go together first (I could have taken the labels of those two, couldn’t I – but they’re shelved now! “Proust and the Squid” is about the science of reading, it was passed to me via BookCrossing by my friend Sian and I know just the friends in Cornwall who will find it interesting, so will take that down to read on my autumn trip and then pass it along. “Adventures at Black Pony Inn” was bought last week because I was basically sick of seeing “FURTHER Adventures at Black Pony Inn” sitting on my Extra Pile, waiting for its forebear (excitingly, this was listed as a paperback but is a nice substantial hardback). Clare Balding’s “Walking Home” is not exactly an update on her autobiography (“My Animals and Other Family“) but about walking and her life in general, apparently. And Robert MacFarlane’s “The Old Ways” is one of those books EVERYONE has read, isn’t it, and I really should, again about walking, and the old tracks of the countryside (I’m assuming this is like Roger Deakin’s “Waterlog” and you’re all going to tell me you’ve read it).
Now, I do like a nice walk although I’m a complete wuss when it comes to “undulations” and scree slopes and business like that. Give me a road to run down and I’m happy, though, the longer the better. There are almost infinite numbers of running-related books out there, and I’m even in a running readers Facebook group, but this one was mentioned by my friend Cari (old BookCrossing friend, now a happy new runner) as something she thought I’d recommended to her – nope, and then I looked, and then I clicked and now I’ve got a copy, too. How did that happen? Anyway, it looks rather good, all about running round at the back of marathons, with cartoons and everything. I have a few running books I need to dig out to read before I do my next marathon in October – although I’ve already got another booked for the spring (NOT London, not yet) so there’s plenty of time, I hope. Anyway, one more running book on the shelf, and it looks like a quick read.
A little bit of self-congratulation now. For seven years – yes, SEVEN YEARS, I’ve been doing a very part-time, very unofficial research project on what I would call (Virginia Woolf’s) Common Readers but might be called Ordinary Readers – you and me, really, and Iris Murdoch. First I compelled a group of friends to read all her novels in chronological order (this was the start of our various enthusiasms for doing the same with Hardy, Elizabeth Taylor, Barbara Pym, etc., all ending up with Dorothy Richardson!) and then I managed to persuade 25 book groups to read “The Bell” and fill in a questionnaire for me. Imagine! Anyway, I tried to write it up as well and as academically as I could, various ideas about doing official research or approaching a publisher were posited, but all of that seemed too formalised and deadline-bound for what I could manage between paid work, volunteering, reading and running, so I ploughed my own furrow right to the end and have produced a write-up myself.
So, here it is, and I’m going to put the Amazon links up so you can go and have a look at it if you want to, but no one should feel compelled to (I’ve stopped making people read things now!). It’s funny to have it all out of my system and to be going to the Iris Murdoch Society Conference next month without quivering about doing a presentation on my Work in Progress, and not having it hanging over me, unfinished, lurking in the corners, but I’m quite proud that I saw it through to the end.
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Have you read any of these books (not my one, the other ones!)? Am I last to the pile with “The Old Ways” yet again?
BookerTalk
Aug 24, 2017 @ 21:01:04
That Murdoch project got my attention so I had to have a look at the book. Liked what I was able to read using the Look Inside tool so bought it. Fascinated by the methodology you used but am also thinking this wil help me to get more familiar with her work. I e read only two – one I enjoyed and the other I struggled to get beyond page 50.
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Liz Dexter
Aug 24, 2017 @ 21:25:24
Wow, hope you enjoy it (will you review it if you do?). I’m assuming you’ve read The Sea, The Sea, which was the other one, though? I’m not sure how much you will learn about her books from mine, but I’ll be interested to find out.
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BookerTalk
Aug 25, 2017 @ 18:05:35
I tried The Black Prince.
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Liz Dexter
Aug 25, 2017 @ 18:40:53
Ah I wish I’d written down that I guessed that one. It did divide our reading group!
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Carianne Carleo-Evangelist
Aug 24, 2017 @ 22:56:59
“and then I looked, and then I clicked and now I’ve got a copy, too. How did that happen?”
Hah, story of our reading lives.
Definitely a super quick read. If I’d sat down to read it when I came home from dinner would have been a one day read but instead it was a two day read. I enjoyed his take on the crazy world of running. Curious to hear yours
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Liz Dexter
Aug 25, 2017 @ 05:24:44
I will be reviewing it quite soon, I reckon. I THINK I only have two or three more running books on the pile …
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Carianne Carleo-Evangelist
Aug 25, 2017 @ 13:23:27
I’m finishing Living with a SEAL today and then going to start Long May You Run. HEavy dead tree and don’t want to take it on vacation. Torn what I’m reading there, maybe the new-ish Oregon Trail one since i’ll be stopping at two sights.
The only downside to the amazing Runners’ Bookshelf is the bottomless Mt. TBR that results
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Liz Dexter
Aug 25, 2017 @ 15:09:00
Indeed, indeed. Ah well, it’s only books. And running.
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heavenali
Aug 24, 2017 @ 23:34:30
So looking forward to reading the book Liz now all your research is fine and written up. Very well done. Goodness how long ago it all seems, and I still can’t adequately explain why The Black Prince was the one Murdoch to completely defeat me.
The Old Ways is brilliant, you can’t be the last to read it, surely.
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Liz Dexter
Aug 25, 2017 @ 05:25:33
Thank you and for taking part in the original reading group. I reckon you should give BP another try (ducks). Apparently my friend Laura has The Old Ways on her (smaller) TBR (than mine) so maybe …
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Harriet Devine
Aug 25, 2017 @ 07:22:43
Well done and many congratulations – hope it sells really well. I’ve never managed to like Murdoch though I rather wish I did.
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Liz Dexter
Aug 25, 2017 @ 07:24:27
Thank you – I’m happy that I’m able to share the research in case anyone else can find it useful, but it’s nice to have it in physical form at last. Sorry you’ve never liked her – which ones have you tried?
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kaggsysbookishramblings
Aug 25, 2017 @ 13:39:35
Congratulations, and also well done on the finds. I confess I didn’t get on too well with The Old Ways – though it a bit overrated, but you may find it otherwise! 🙂
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Liz Dexter
Aug 25, 2017 @ 15:09:26
Oh, interesting, did you review it at the time? And thank you on both counts!
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kaggsysbookishramblings
Aug 25, 2017 @ 20:43:23
I did, and looking back I was quite strong about it… https://kaggsysbookishramblings.wordpress.com/2013/12/05/recent-reads-the-old-ways-by-robert-macfarlane/
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Liz Dexter
Aug 26, 2017 @ 05:28:58
I will try to remember to come back and look at that when I’ve read the book!
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hopewellslibraryoflife
Aug 25, 2017 @ 14:15:11
Congratulations on the book! I’ll go have a look at it. I haven’t read Iris Murdoch yet. And I’m only a Virginia Woolf novice–I’ve only tackled Jacob’s Room But well done on your book!!
Also, I’m glad someone else loves to go read a favorite author’s books in order.
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Liz Dexter
Aug 25, 2017 @ 15:11:08
Woolf’s Common Reader essays are marvellous, I read them again as part of Ali’s Woolfalong last year and was so pleased to do so. And thank you. She’s a funny author, all her works kind of work together even though they’re not really linked. I recommend The Sea, The Sea (her Booker winner) or The Bell (which is what my book’s about). I took a different slant on her, through book groups, something that’s not been done before.
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hopewellslibraryoflife
Aug 25, 2017 @ 15:14:10
Your premise was very interesting. You should apply to present at librarian conferences. Interesting discussions afterwards, I’m sure.
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Liz Dexter
Aug 25, 2017 @ 15:29:15
Thank you. I don’t have any academic credentials so I don’t think conferences would want me, I’m also kind of done with the thing for at least a while, if you know what I mean. SEVEN YEARS! (and I’ve presented at two IM Soc conferences).
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hopewellslibraryoflife
Aug 25, 2017 @ 17:52:06
Yes, I DO know what you mean–it’s why my scholarly article never came out of my presentation!
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hopewellslibraryoflife
Aug 25, 2017 @ 14:20:08
And… Black Pony Inn–swoon! I’d have devoured a series like that as a kid. All we had were the fabulous Margurite Henry and Walter Farley books. Interestingly another post had this today https://www.amazon.com/dp/0763694398/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I2HWGO8H3Z7C&colid=3EETZQ7DAWAH Review was at https://hitormissbooks.wordpress.com/2017/08/25/kit-meets-covington-bobbi-j-g-weiss/
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Liz Dexter
Aug 25, 2017 @ 15:13:39
Ah, Misty of Chincoteague and the Black Stallion books – treasures from my childhood (although I collected the BS books again and re-read them and OMG the world ends at the end of the last one, which seemed a little … final!). I’ve popped over to read that review, very interesting. I don’t think we actually have those boarding schools here, though I have read several books which mention them in the US and UK! I have quite a few pony reads in this blog, I do still love them. And can’t wait for the Black Pony Inn ones.
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Sarah
Aug 26, 2017 @ 03:17:12
Congratulations on publishing your book! My mum is a huge fan of Iris Murdoch so I might just have to buy her a copy. Perhaps as a result of her enthusiasm, I have always resisted reading Iris Murdoch and have only read The Bell, and that was over 20 years ago – ooo blimey, actually more like 30! Maybe I should rectify that….
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Liz Dexter
Aug 26, 2017 @ 05:29:53
Oh, that’s funny! I hope I don’t put people off her – I have managed to get my husband to read about 3 in 16 years of knowing him … Do give her another go – did you enjoy The Bell? And thank you!
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Sarah
Aug 26, 2017 @ 21:17:58
I did enjoy it but Iris Murdoch has always been so much my mother’s territory that I’ve resisted reading her out of sheer stubbornness! I will read more, I just won’t let on to my mum! 😉
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