Recent reading
Jul. 31st, 2022 12:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
luzulaI have been to a forest surveying camp in northern Sweden for five days, where we survey threatened forests that, from satellite data, look like they might be valuable old-growth forests, and then work to save them. Unfortunately my back has been weird for one and a half weeks--I can't bend over at all, and am in some pain. This made it a bit difficult to do things like look underneath dead trees for rare wood fungi, but I could direct less experienced people to the places where they should search, and teach them new species.
Anyway, I tried to take it as easy as possible, and I did read that one is not supposed to lie abed for back pain. I'll be going to a physical therapist tomorrow though.
The Crowded Street by Winifred Holtby (1924)
This is one ofregshoe's ebooks for Project Gutenberg, which I have proof-read. Of course I know the ebook was not made for me personally, but I still like the feeling of getting a brand-new, hand-crafted ebook which is regshoe's labour of love and picked because she especially likes the book! Anyway, this is about Muriel, who grows up in the early 20th century. Her mother is from an old upper-class family but married a rich and lower-class man. She is constantly doing social maneuvering in order to improve their position, and is very invested in her daughters making good marriages. Muriel is shy and a little socially awkward and does not bloom in this environment, to say the least. To be honest I found these parts of the book, which is most of it, a little oppressive to read! It's just described in such relentlessly observed detail, and Muriel internalizes so much of herself as someone who is hopelessly left over and destined to be an old maid unwanted by anyone...but the ending when it comes is beautiful and fitting, and such a relief. And when you look at them in retrospect, the titles of the book parts are perfect.
Anyway, I tried to take it as easy as possible, and I did read that one is not supposed to lie abed for back pain. I'll be going to a physical therapist tomorrow though.
The Crowded Street by Winifred Holtby (1924)
This is one of
regshoe's ebooks for Project Gutenberg, which I have proof-read. Of course I know the ebook was not made for me personally, but I still like the feeling of getting a brand-new, hand-crafted ebook which is regshoe's labour of love and picked because she especially likes the book! Anyway, this is about Muriel, who grows up in the early 20th century. Her mother is from an old upper-class family but married a rich and lower-class man. She is constantly doing social maneuvering in order to improve their position, and is very invested in her daughters making good marriages. Muriel is shy and a little socially awkward and does not bloom in this environment, to say the least. To be honest I found these parts of the book, which is most of it, a little oppressive to read! It's just described in such relentlessly observed detail, and Muriel internalizes so much of herself as someone who is hopelessly left over and destined to be an old maid unwanted by anyone...but the ending when it comes is beautiful and fitting, and such a relief. And when you look at them in retrospect, the titles of the book parts are perfect.
(no subject)
Date: 2022-08-03 02:28 pm (UTC)Fascinating description of The Crowded Street. I mostly know Winifred Holtby from Vera Brittain's biography of her, Testament of Friendship, which though it has its detractors is still a great read. Holtby in general seems to have been a sensational person as well as writer (the woman who wrote her obituary ended it with "People will say I am describing a saint. I am.").
(no subject)
Date: 2022-08-04 09:26 am (UTC)I do mean to read South Riding at some point, it sounds like a fascinating book.