📚 🚶November's On My Reading Radar
What else have I been enjoying? And what's coming up?
Dear walking book clubbers,
How has November been for you? Here are some highlights of this month’s cultural happenings, along with a look ahead at what to book.
Thanks so much for your positive feedback on this new monthly addition to the newsletter, it’s been lovely to hear that you’ve made some great discoveries off the back of it!
Books
I am so happy that Orbital won the Booker Prize earlier this month, and I’m afraid I can’t resist a moment of I told you so-ing… I reviewed this really unusual and very beautiful novel about life on the International Space Station last year for the Spectator HERE, and interviewed Samantha Harvey at Daunt Books shortly afterwards. It was wonderful to see some of you there! Anyway, if you’ve not yet got round to reading it, now’s the moment - it’s the book that everyone is talking about!
It was also a delight to see some of you at my events with Clare Chambers (Shy Creatures) and Tracy Chevalier (The Glassmaker) at the start of the month, thanks so much for coming along. It always feels like such a treat to ask authors all the questions that come to mind while I’m reading their books, and sometimes the answers are really surprising. For instance, I was NOT expecting Clare Chambers to answer my question: Who are the Shy Creatures of your title? by talking about badgers and other animals in the book - I had assumed she meant some of the (human) characters!
Another November highlight was my supper club to celebrate a new ‘Reader’s Retreat’ at Melia White House Hotel, for which I created a set of five books for guests to enjoy during they stay. We had a feast of a dinner and chatted about books for hours - thanks so much to the lovely walking book clubbers who came along. I’ve never done a supper club before so had no idea what to expect - it was a huge relief to have some friendly faces there.
I’m about to begin the process of programming our Spring books, so will soon by manically dipping in and out of hundreds of books to find the right combination. Watch this space!
The Lake District
When I last wrote, we were about to head up to the Lake District. Here are a few highlights if you find yourself up in that neck of the woods and need a few ideas to break up the many breathtaking walks.
Definitely visit Wordsworth Grasmere. Exploring Dove Cottage, where he lived, is truly magical, and there is a great museum too. I loved the way they let us wander around and explore, while extremely knowledgable guides were there to answer any questions and point out interesting quirks (eg. a very old mousetrap!). We listened to a few Wordsworth poems together in the car on the way and they really are brilliant, and I think some are absolutely accessible to kids too. Try THIS one and THIS one.
The Pencil Museum in Derwent is another fun stop, if a little more old-fashioned. I especially loved learning about the inspiration behind James Bond’s ‘Q’ and his special spy pencil inventions hiding a map and compass.
And here I am with Alfie on Lake Windemere, sort of living the Swallows and Amazons dream (we are still reading the book ….). The lake itself was in fact a rather disappointing tourist trap (and I have been reading about the terrible water pollution). We stopped off at Derwentwater too which was much less crowded (although we messed up the timing so literally missed the boat) and there seemed to be a wonderful children’s theatre there too, Theatre by the Lake - has anyone been?
Theatre
I was really excited to see the RSC’s Buddha of Suburbia (pictured here) at the Barbican, but was actually a little disappointed with it. A great, energising production, but I didn’t quite connect with the characters or feel the emotions. And all the (literally) fruity sex scenes didn’t quite land. It has at least inspired me to re-read the book, which I last read as a teenager. I will report back!
An intriguing new production of Animal Farm is coming on at Stratford East in February (book HERE).
And for a family December treat, I’ve booked to see the brilliant Horrible Histories’s Horrible Christmas at Ally Pally, HERE.
On screen
Please can someone tell me what on earth I can watch now I’ve finished Slow Horses? I’ve not found anything that comes close!
But I have watched a few good films . I loved finally getting around to watching the classic Sex, Lies and Videotape (trailer HERE), and also Between Two Worlds (pictured above), starring Juliet Binoche, which really got me thinking about the ethics of writing, and the importance of honesty in friendships (trailer HERE).
And we have been re-watching all the Harry Potter films with the kids for the millionth time. We all still love them!
December
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
In this classic children’s novel, dearly loved by grown-ups too, we follow the lives of the March sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy, as they grow up in Massachusetts against the backdrop of the American Civil War. Beginning with an unforgettable Christmas, we join them for ice skating, piano-playing, writing, hair-cutting (!), love affairs and devastating illness. It is a delight to revisit this beloved children’s story as an adult, while also taking note of the religiosity and gender politics at play.
As Jo says, in the novel’s opening line: “Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents.” So for our Christmas events, we invite you to pick a book from your own shelves, wrap it up and swap it with another member in our Emily’s Walking Book Club literary Secret Santa.
Children who have read the book are very welcome to attend this one!
Intrigued? Watch the beautiful 2019 film adaptation - HERE’s the trailer.
In Regent’s Park: Friday 13th December, 12-1.45pm, setting off from Daunt Books, 84 Marylebone High Street, W1U 4QW, £8-15
On Hampstead Heath: Sunday 15th December, 11.30-1pm, setting off from Daunt Books Hampstead, 51 South End Road, NW3 2QB, £8-15
On Zoom: Monday 16th December, 8-9pm, £1-15
Buy Little Women from Daunt Books HERE and receive 10% off using the code WBC at checkout, or just tell them you’re in Emily’s Walking Book Club if you’re buying it in the shop.
Happy reading,
Emily