Saturday 16 May 2020

Bookshelf Travelling for Insane Times, week 9


It's time for week nine of Bookshelf Travelling for Insane Times which is being hosted by Judith at Reader in the Wilderness.

The idea is to share your bookshelves with other bloggers. Any aspect you like:

1. Home.
2. Books in the home.
3. Touring books in the home.
4. Books organized or not organized on shelves, in bookcases, in stacks, or heaped in a helter-skelter fashion on any surface, including the floor, the top of the piano, etc.
5. Talking about books and reading experiences from the past, present, or future.

Whatever you fancy as long as you have fun.

My 'shelf' is not really a shelf this time. It's four books set in Cornwall inspired by a friend on Twitter and Goodreads who has just finished The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Rilcher and loved it. So I Got my copy out and put several other Cornish books with it that I plan to read sometime soon.




A Cornish Christmas by Lily Graham was one of a batch that my cousin gave me when we were in Penzance in March, before lockdown. On the cover it's described as, 'A cosy Christmas romance to curl up with by the fire'. And sometimes, when things are really difficult, that's just what you need so I may well be reading a Christmas book in June!

Frenchman's Creek by Daphne Du Maurier is a book I read several times in my teens and early twenties. I adored it. Would I still love it in my late sixties? Well now there's a question that I'm unsure whether or not to put to the test for fear of ruining my lovely memories of this gorgeous book.

The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher is, as I mentioned before, the book my friend, Kiki, loved so much. I have never read it, despite having it recommended over the years by several friends. I gather it's gorgeous so I've put it on the 'read soon' pile (which is going to fall over soon if I'm not careful).

The Path to the Sea by Liz Fenwick is a book I bought in the lovely bookshop in Penzance, which I think I mentioned in an earlier post. On the cover it says,

'Boskenna, the imposing house on the Cornish Cliff, means something different to each of the Tregenna women'.

The women are apparently, Joan, her daughter Diana, and Lottie (not sure who she is).

'As they gather in Boskenna, the secrets the house harbours will be revealed and will leave them changed forever'

I really enjoyed Liz Fenwick's, The Returning Tide and am hopeful that this too will be excellent.

~~~~~

I hope everyone's staying safe and finding some excellent books to read. I'm currently halfway through these two and absolutely loving them both.



~~~oOo~~~

18 comments:

Mystica said...

I've read I think quite a few by Rosamund Pilcher but none by Fenwick. Daphne du Maurier is someone I should go back to. It has been decades since I read her books!

Kay said...

It's been many years since I read The Shell Seekers, but I loved it when I first read it. Probably not long after it came out. I kind of include it in the time of the 'really long family saga' books. That was the '80's or maybe early '90's for me. Hope you enjoy it and the others you have on your 'Cornwall' list.

CLM said...

I am a big Pilcher and Fenwick fan. Amusingly, the last Fenwick book I read began on Cape Cod in Massachusetts which I often visit in the summer, at the very ice cream shop we frequent! The heroine soon departed for Cornwall.

I had been hoping to spend the month of June 2021 in London and was mentally planning all sorts of weekend trips. I hope it still happens as Cornwall is one of the places I would really like to visit.

DesLily said...

I am glad you are enjoying The Woman in White! I didn't realize (or remember) that you made a blog post about the book photos... oh well a "post" will do for me lol

Lark said...

I love books set in Cornwall. And Pilcher is one of my favorite authors. I've read The Shell Seekers more than once, but I also love her smaller novels. Your other Cornish reads sound equally good. :)

TracyK said...

I cannot remember exactly what motivated me but in late March I was looking into getting something by Rosamunde Pilcher. I ended up getting the Cazalet series by Elizabeth Jane Howard instead, but Pilcher's books are still on my list to try.

I also want to read some of Du Maurier's books, and I am surprised to find that I don't have any of her books on my shelves. Rebecca is on my classics list but I haven't gotten a copy yet.

Cath said...

Mystica: I'm wondering if Rosamunde Pilcher's book are similar to Liz Fenwick's. I'll be able to tell once I've read The Shell Seekers. I think the most recent Daphne Du Maurier I've read, apart from a volume of short stories, is The House on the Strand, which I found odd, but very good.

Kay: Nice to have another endorsement for The Shell Seekers. It's encouraging me to read it asap. I've never really had a family saga period but am now finding I like them more than I thought I did.

CLM: I wondered if Pilcher and Fenwick were similar writers, writing similar books. It sounds like your last Fenwick book was The Returning Tide because that began as you stated. I loved that book.

I'll keep my fingers crossed that by the summer of 2021 all this will be behind us, or at least under control and your UK trip can go ahead.

Pat: *Loving* The Woman in White but boy is it intense. So worried for one of the characters. LOL

Lark: Looks like loads of people love The Shell Seekers. Better get to it as soon as I can as it looks like I'm in for a treat.

Tracy: I've heard the Cazalet books are amazing so I hope you enjoy those. Rebecca is a book that I can't remember if I've read. I think I did way back in the 60s but I'm pretty sure it would bear rereading. Frenchman's Creek was always my favourite, Jamaica Inn is good but unrelentingly grim. I haven't read My Cousin Rachel so I really ought to give that a go.

Judith said...

Hi Cath,
I overdid my hiking today (ouch!), but I wanted to say that the Cornish Christmas looks like I might need to read it immediately, and The Shell Seekers I've always wanted to read, and the others you mentioned are on my list. SO! I'm looking forward. I'd love to get Christmas Cosy asap. May look that one up first. I loved both of my visits to Cornwall and would love to visit again!

Judith said...

Cath,
I just borrowed A Cornish Christmas from the New York Public Library as an ebook. I've been borrowing a lot of ebooks from them recently, and have enjoyed the privilege. Hope to read soon.

Cath said...

Judith: Sorry to hear that you're sore because you overdid the hiking. I have such a romantic notion of you striding through those wonderful northern forests, I forget how it affects our older bodies! We did quite a lot in the garden yesterday, planting out runner bean plants and lettuce and starting to build a cage to put the winter greens in (or the pigeons will scoff the lot), so we're having an easier day of it today. We just did a little light tidying and sewed some carrot seeds in a deep container to see how they'll do. I love little gardening experiments. We have strawberries in tubs this year too because the blackbirds got them all when we put them in the veg bed. Sorry, I can bore for England on growing things.

I have no idea what A Cornish Christmas will be like but hey, neither of are expecting great literature so it will be fun I'm sure. Not only have several people here said they love The Shell Seekers but several on Facebook told me so too, so I think I must read that soon.

Loving The Woman in White. I'm about halfway through and really, REALLY worried about Laura. It's such a brilliant book and I love the way it's written from the pov of different poeple who are involved. Also reading a book set in the Champagne region of France so am also learning a little French from it.

Yvonne @ Fiction Books Reviews said...

Hi Cath,

I haven't read a Rosamunde Pilcher book for years, nor come to think of it, a Daphne du Maurier, so they would most likely be re-reads for me. I do have a couple of Rosamunde's books on my physical shelves looking down at me, so I guess these have come from my MIL at some point, as she is a fan of the author.

I have a couple of Liz Fenwick books both on my physical shelves and on Kindle, although don't let on, as Liz and I follow one another on Twitter, but surprise! surprise! I haven't read any of them yet!

If you want some more ideas for your 'Cornwall Collection', I don't know if Liz has put the list up on her website anywhere, but right back at the start of lockdown she went on to Twitter to ask for suggestions for novels about Cornwall she could add to a list she was compiling and by then she was a well over 100 titles!

http://lizfenwick.com/about-me/

If you visit Liz's blog link, she has featured loads of Cornish authors and books there.

If not, what about Tripfiction?

Happy Hunting :)

Yvonne
xx

Anonymous said...

I loved Du Maurier's books when I was younger, especially Rebecca and Frenchman's Creek. I've re-read Rebecca several times and enjoyed it, but I haven't re-read Frenchman's Creek. I think I'll wait and see what you think of it first.

Margaret @ BooksPlease said...

Oh, dear - that anon comment was from me - still having problems with my hand.

Judith said...

Cath,
First of all, I love to hear what you may think are garden details uninteresting to other people. I'm fascinated to learn about your strawberry experiment. When we first lived here, I did all my gardening in huge tubs and barrels on our deck, and I did plant strawberries there. It worked out, but it was hard for us to keep them going beyond two years.
Well, I was striding along and so very happy through our northern forest (our neighbors' trails are 3.5 miles all together)in addition to our 2.5 miles. I think I would have been fine, but Friday morning Sandy got stuck on the scent and trail of a deer and became more uncontrollable than I have ever experienced with her! I could not stop her--she dragged me a mile over rugged trail, and I think that was what did it. All the same, I continued hiking up hill and down throughout a good part of the rest of the day. And that was not smart. I only walked 1.3 miles today, and most of it much more slowly.
So happy you're so deep into The Woman in White. You know, you are absolutely right. I agree with you that it is a brilliant book. Enjoy!!

Cath said...

Yvonne: Well, you're one up on me because I haven't read anything by Rosamunde Pilcher and being Cornish I really should have I feel. Yes, Liz Fenwick and I follow each other on Twitter too and I had an attack of the guilts and felt it was time I read one of her lovely books. It was helped by my cousin giving me The Returning Tide I must admit.

I have a long list of Cornish books myself which I put into a blog post and keep updated, the link is in my sidebar.

Take care and have a good week

Margaret: Really sorry to hear that you're still having problems with your hand. I imagine these things take a while to heal.

As well as Frenchman's Creek I would like to reread Rebecca... mainly because I can remember very little about it apart from the fact that I loved it. I don't think I've ever read My Cousin Rachel so I would like to read that too. Apart from a couple of short story volumes I think the last actual novel I read by Daphne Du Maurier was The House on the Strand which was weird but very good.

Judith: Thank you for saying that you find my gardening details interesting. The strawberries are looking good, covered in flowers and tiny green fruit. My fingers are firmly crossed.

I imagine that's an occupational hazard with dogs catching the scent of something and taking off. My late sister-in-law's black Lab, Oscar, used to do the same to her. Only in France not in the UK, and not always knowing the area she worried about getting lost at times especially in the hunting season. I hope you're a bit less sore today.

Yvonne @ Fiction Books Reviews said...

Hi Cath,

Now how on earth was I ever going to find that list - you have only had it on the go since 2009!!! - Seriously, I haven't ever noticed it there before, but when I need a nudge to read a Cornish book from now on, I shall know where to come - thanks for the pointer :)

Yvonne
xx

Margaret @ BooksPlease said...

Cath, I really enjoyed My Cousin Rachel and also thought The House on the Strand which was weird.

I've nearly finished the anti-inflammatory tablets I was prescribed - I think I'll have to ring the surgery again if my hand doesn't improve soon.

Cath said...

Yvonne: Yes, it's been there a while. And it the most commented on and most visited post I've ever done.

Margaret: I shall have to see if I can find a copy of My Cousin Rachel.

Sorry to hear your hand is still a problem. Hope you were able to get a fresh supply of the tablets.