Thanks so much for joining our first discussion thread!
We’ll come on to share our June reading…
Let’s start with discussing our June book - Childhood by Tove Ditlevsen. Here’s the opening paragraph:
What do you think about the relationship between Tove and her mother? Were there any other moments about this mother-daughter relationship that stood out for you? Did it remind you of any other literary mother-daughter relationships?
Anyone else reading this after the chat blizzard has ended, do please feel free to add your comment to the discussion below. I ALWAYS love hearing your thoughts about our current book (Childhood by Tove Ditlevsen) and anything else you've been reading. Thanks!
Thanks so much for joining me in our first discussion thread Sarah, Carole, Michael and Gillian - I really appreciate your taking time out of your Friday to escape into a blizzard of book chat!
Russian History: A Very Short Introduction by Geoffrey Hoskiing.....fits in handbag..don't know how many facts I will remember but a keep returning to it when I want to understand some reference to Russian history during the current crisis...also Surrealism in the same series to complement current exhibition and the Tate and Freud....which I felt would help me understand many characters in novels better.
Inspired by rewatching Powell and Pressburger's film A Canterbury Tale (they also directed the fabulous 1947 fiim of the Black Narcissus) I've been reading Realism and Tinsel about 40s British films - the title captures the theme. Was interested in the Danish backdrop to Tove's stories - lots of social democracy in the 30s and then it became a protectorate under Nazi rule - life, such as publishing novels, seemed to go on as normal though
Similarly, Maura is happy for me to share this about her June reading:
Recently, I have finally read MFK Fisher and read The Gastronomical Me, and I also finally got around to reading Play It As It Lays (as a goal of mine is to read all of Joan Didion's work, eventually). I read The Anomaly by Herve Le Tellier and La Familia Grande by Camille Kouchner, so I've been on a bit of a French (in translation) kick. I loved the short story collection Land of Big Numbers by Te-Ping Chen and The New Wilderness by Diane Cook. My work book club will be reading Ali Smith's How to Be Both, so that's likely next on my list.
Roy couldn't make it today, but he is happy for me to share this about his June reading which he sent me by email:
In terms of what else I've been reading, my play-reading book club has been busy reading the Oresteia trilogy. Personally I'm in the middle of Turgenev's Fathers and Sons at the moment. I recently read and loved Bill Buford's Dirt about his adventure moving his family to Lyon for five years to study to be a classically-trained French chef. I recently really enjoyed Leila Slimani's The Lives of Others. Next up on my list is Kazuo Ishiguro's The Unconsoled.
Your inner hedgehog by Alexander McAll Smith made me laugh out loud. The keenly observed satire on academic life is probably not as far from reality as it should be …
She uses v. literary, intense language rather reminded me of Virginia Wolf.....though her philosophizing about childhood came over as very adult voice which seem to be speaking through her present tense, in the moment adccount of her childhood.
OK! Moving on as time is flying by - please feel free to add to the discussion about Childhood, but also, now I'd love to know what else you enjoyed reading in June.
Lots of things - the relationship with the other girls in the courtyard, the shop lifting trips - and the ongoing anxiety about how she does or doesn't fit in
Her relationship with her brother is also very acutely observed - the scene when he laughs at her poetry and then starts crying about how horrible his apprenticeship is - a mixture of cruelty and tenderness
Despite being a sexist grump I liked the father as well - even with its ups and downs there was some sense of security in the family life overall. That seemed very real as you say Emily
Tove's mother was both infuriating and delightful. I liked the way she pushed herself to the head of the queue when shopping and the scene where she went to the fancy dress party.
Agree that in Youth and Dependency she became much more sympathetic.
.. Though the apparent distance and coldness was easy to observe, what I found most interesting were Tove’s clever and early insights into how to best collect peace, if not gentleness, from her mother.
Childhood & June Reading Thread
Anyone else reading this after the chat blizzard has ended, do please feel free to add your comment to the discussion below. I ALWAYS love hearing your thoughts about our current book (Childhood by Tove Ditlevsen) and anything else you've been reading. Thanks!
Thanks so much for joining me in our first discussion thread Sarah, Carole, Michael and Gillian - I really appreciate your taking time out of your Friday to escape into a blizzard of book chat!
Apologies for the typos! Interesting experience!
Really enjoyed this- Thank you Emily!
Just like the walks - good fun and not enough time to cover everything
Blimey - it's 2.30! Perhaps everyone could contribute their final comments, and then we better say goodbye.
Russian History: A Very Short Introduction by Geoffrey Hoskiing.....fits in handbag..don't know how many facts I will remember but a keep returning to it when I want to understand some reference to Russian history during the current crisis...also Surrealism in the same series to complement current exhibition and the Tate and Freud....which I felt would help me understand many characters in novels better.
Thumbs up to the Gastronomical Me - MFK Fisher had a very glamorous life which I'm sure enhanced all that eating
Inspired by rewatching Powell and Pressburger's film A Canterbury Tale (they also directed the fabulous 1947 fiim of the Black Narcissus) I've been reading Realism and Tinsel about 40s British films - the title captures the theme. Was interested in the Danish backdrop to Tove's stories - lots of social democracy in the 30s and then it became a protectorate under Nazi rule - life, such as publishing novels, seemed to go on as normal though
Fathers and Sons is a great book
Similarly, Maura is happy for me to share this about her June reading:
Recently, I have finally read MFK Fisher and read The Gastronomical Me, and I also finally got around to reading Play It As It Lays (as a goal of mine is to read all of Joan Didion's work, eventually). I read The Anomaly by Herve Le Tellier and La Familia Grande by Camille Kouchner, so I've been on a bit of a French (in translation) kick. I loved the short story collection Land of Big Numbers by Te-Ping Chen and The New Wilderness by Diane Cook. My work book club will be reading Ali Smith's How to Be Both, so that's likely next on my list.
Roy couldn't make it today, but he is happy for me to share this about his June reading which he sent me by email:
In terms of what else I've been reading, my play-reading book club has been busy reading the Oresteia trilogy. Personally I'm in the middle of Turgenev's Fathers and Sons at the moment. I recently read and loved Bill Buford's Dirt about his adventure moving his family to Lyon for five years to study to be a classically-trained French chef. I recently really enjoyed Leila Slimani's The Lives of Others. Next up on my list is Kazuo Ishiguro's The Unconsoled.
Your inner hedgehog by Alexander McAll Smith made me laugh out loud. The keenly observed satire on academic life is probably not as far from reality as it should be …
She uses v. literary, intense language rather reminded me of Virginia Wolf.....though her philosophizing about childhood came over as very adult voice which seem to be speaking through her present tense, in the moment adccount of her childhood.
OK! Moving on as time is flying by - please feel free to add to the discussion about Childhood, but also, now I'd love to know what else you enjoyed reading in June.
Lots of things - the relationship with the other girls in the courtyard, the shop lifting trips - and the ongoing anxiety about how she does or doesn't fit in
Her relationship with her brother is also very acutely observed - the scene when he laughs at her poetry and then starts crying about how horrible his apprenticeship is - a mixture of cruelty and tenderness
"Childhood is long and narrow like a coffin, and you can't get out of it on your own." for instance
She says she never writes about reality...'you sometimes have to lie to bring out the truth'.
And any favourite descriptions of "CHILDHOOD"? I loved the totally wild, imaginative comparisons.
It reminded me of Deborah Levy
Despite being a sexist grump I liked the father as well - even with its ups and downs there was some sense of security in the family life overall. That seemed very real as you say Emily
Moving on ... what did you think about the way Tove described POETRY and LANGUAGE? Any moments or phrases that stuck with you?
I think this relationship is surprising and often full of contradictions and hard to pin down - perhaps that's what makes it feel so real.
Tove's mother was both infuriating and delightful. I liked the way she pushed herself to the head of the queue when shopping and the scene where she went to the fancy dress party.
Agree that in Youth and Dependency she became much more sympathetic.
Started reading Youth, and was surprised when Tove's mother was totally understanding, and even sorted our Tove's problem with her first employer.
Hello Emily!
.. Though the apparent distance and coldness was easy to observe, what I found most interesting were Tove’s clever and early insights into how to best collect peace, if not gentleness, from her mother.