Tea and Cakes

A bit behind I know, but I’m slowly catching up. Being back at work after a long holiday and getting back into the routine of getting up in the morning and getting out of the house and then not arriving home until relatively late and trying to find the energy to make dinner and do washing, and usually failing – well, it’s taking a bit of getting used to.

However, onwards.

In France I read four excellent books, all very different, and all written about women by women. It was interesting.

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton was some easy going fiction to start me off. I sort of enjoyed this – what attracted me in the first place was that I felt that the author had visited the Lost Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall, and after reading the book I’m pretty sure she had been inspired by them. It was well written, and interesting, but I’m not mad on stories that have a self satisfied plot twist that’s visible a mile off, and this sort of did. I found everything wrapped itself up a bit too nicely for me at the end. It kept me interested though, and was a nice easy going book for the beginning of the holiday.

Next on the list was The Short Life and Long Times of Mrs Beeton by Kathryn Hughes. Yep, Mrs Beeton of Household Management fame. The author hadn’t had a lot to go on for a detailed biography, but had filled in the gaps with historical background information, educated guesses and details of other family members and it made for a very interesting read. It was also interesting as a history of publishing, as that was Mr and Mrs Beeton’s business. For example, Mr Beeton was a partner for a while to Weldon, who published Weldon’s practical needlework, the source of a good few vintage knitting patterns.

Now, I’d started Cunt* by Inga Muscio before we went away but only just. The sub title is A Declaration of Independence, and that’s what this was. A fantastic feminist book, I found this hard to put down, and very inspiring. I’d like to be able to give a copy of this to every woman I know, but I lack the courage to do so. I’m getting more and more interested in women’s issues, and this was a great starting point. Many years ago I took a first year university course on feminism and philosophy, and had a few arguments with people in seminars, and I identify as a feminist, but I haven’t done much academic reading in this area and I’d like to do more. I’m open to more suggestions if anyone has any.
(*Psst! It’s just a word, don’t be scared.)

Finally, I moved on to The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood. I’ve only recently got into Margaret Atwood (mainly after reading The Handmaid’s Tale, see getting into women’s issues, above) and it’s great. I love falling for a new author with a large amount of work behind them – the knowledge that there are many pleasurable hours of reading ahead is deeply satisfying. I lost myself in The Blind Assassin, which kept me wondering until the end (a more subtle plot twist). Wonderful characterisation, heartbreaking at times, and a beautiful tale of a family in layers that weave in and out smoothly, interspersed with completely different fiction within the fiction. Excellent.

I started The Forgotten Garden on the ferry over to France, and finished The Blind Assassin as the ferry back to Ireland pulled in to Rosslare. Very well timed indeed.