Kathy Hamilton It’s time for What I’ve Been Reading Lately: September! My monthly round up of mini books reviews and a recap of everything I’ve been reading in the last month. After a break in August, I’m back with a splash and have three lovely books to share with you.
The Fortnight in September by R.C Sherriff
The Fortnight in September by R.C Sherriff was the most unexpectedly perfect book. I have had it on my shelves marked as TBR for quite some time, but as summer slowly turned to autumn I decided to read The Fortnight in September by R.C. Sherriff. As it turns out, this strange period of time when the leaves start changing colour perfectly suited the bittersweet themes of time passing that the book revolves around.
This beautiful Persephone classic centres on Mr and Mrs Stevens and their three almost grown up children: Mary, Dick and Ernie. It captures the feeling of a perfect family holiday in a way that isn’t saccharine or trite but filled with the honest joy of a family enjoying spending time with each other. You smile with their delights, cringe with their embarrassments and admire their loyalty. For a book about nothing it certainly has a lot to teach us about what life is all about?
P.s. I never thought anything would make me want a holiday in a place called Bognor…but this book did!
The Elephant Vanishes by Haruki Murakami
Next up in what I’ve been reading lately: September is The Elephant Vanishes by Haruki Murakami. This collection of short stories was written between 1980 and 1991 and then anthologised in 1993. I don’t read short stories very often, but as part of my goal to read more fiction in translation and explore new genres, this book seemed perfect. I’ve actually never read any Haruki Murakami before so his distinctive blend of realism and surrealism was a surprise.
Each of his stories begin, seemingly normally, before taking a turn in direction you couldn’t imagine. For example, in “Sleep” a woman discovers she no longer need to sleep and transforms the night hours into her own personal world, free from expectation but with apparently terrible consequences. My personal favourite in this collection was “On Seeing the 100% Perfect Girl One Beautiful April Morning” which was a reminder to seize chances when they are presented to you.
The Earl’s Practical Marriage by Louise Allen
Ah, I do love a good Mills & Boon every now and then. When we meet Giles and Laurel, it’s clear that something has gone on in their past to create a misunderstanding between them. Laurel has always loved Giles but Giles was used to seeing her as a scruff tomboy who lived nearby. When circumstances forces them to get married, Laurel must overcome her distrust of Giles and Giles must learn to share his feelings with his new wife. But, when a marriage has begun in deception, can they ever be happy?
The final book in what I’ve been reading lately: September sees a departure from the more literary side of fiction. After reading a few heavier going books in a row, Jane Eyre, The Fortnight in September and The Elephant Vanishes, I was in the mood for something romantic and delightful. Enter The Earl’s Practical Marriage by Louise Allen. I’ve had this one stowed away for a rainy day for quite some time. And on the last weekend in September I decided to spend a delightful evening reading it.
That Wraps Up What I’ve Been Reading Lately: September
What have you been reading lately? Do you find your reading preferences change with the seasons? I think mine do, in autumn I always find myself craving warm and cosy romances with a splash of historical intrigue.
