Tillys Shelf
The Tag About Tags
updated
Next month we're reading Night Bloom by Peace Adzo Medie
How to Grow Plants for Free by Simon Ackroyd (2023)
Rebel Gardening by Alessandro Vitale (2023, YouTube channel Spicy Moustache)
Veg in One Bed by Huw Richards (2019, YouTube channel Huw Richards)
I'm tentatively linking this to Framed in September, a readathon of art-related books hosted by:
Elisabeth @bouquinsbooks
Hannah @HannahsBooks
Heather @heathergregg9975
Lindy @lindysmagpiereads
Greg @anotherbibliophilereads
#framedinseptember
With thanks to the hosts for coming up with the event.
I also mentioned My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrate, published 2012 also translated by Ann Goldstein.
Books and adaptations mentioned (* read or watched, others referenced for context):
Emma by Jane Austen
* Emma 2009 miniseries with Romola Garai and Johnny Lee Miller
* Pride and Prejudice 1996 miniseries with Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth
Jane Austen's Letters edited by Deirdre Le Faye
* The Scandalous Confessions of Lydia Bennet Witch by Melinda Taub
Longbourn by Jo Baker
Unequal Affections by Lara Ormiston
Sense and Sensibility by Joanna Trollope
Northanger Abbey by Val McDermid
* The Trouble with Mrs Montgomery Hurst by Katie Lumsden (buddy read with Ros @scallydandlingaboutthebook2711)
*The Woman of Colour: A Tale, Anonymous edited by Lyndon J Dominique (published 1808)
Belinda by Maria Edgeworth
The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano by Olaudah Equiano
Evelina by Frances Burney
* What Jane Austen's Characters Read (and why) by Susan Allen Ford
* Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
* Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Books mentioned:
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen (chapters 26, 31, 36, 37, 43)
Emma by Jane Austen (chapters 6, 12, 17, 18)
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (chapters 57, 60)
Mansfield Park by Jane Austen (chapter 1)
I didn't identify any ongoing pregnancies in Northanger Abbey, Persuasion or Lady Susan but do please correct me if I'm wrong!
Jane Austen's Letters edited by Dierdre le Faye (letters 1, 7, 10, 11, 13)
Reference for infant mortality: campop.geog.cam.ac.uk/research/projects/georgianinfantmortality
Reference for maternal mortality: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1633559 (I have seen several blogs stating that maternal mortality was as high as 20%, which it may well have been, but these were unreferenced. This article does mention higher maternal mortality figures for later in the 19th century).
Jane Austen July is a wonderful annual readathon hosted by Katie @katiejlumsden Marissa @BlatantlyBookish and Claudia @SpinstersLibrary.
The hosts are:
@Shellyish
@spreadbookjoy
The prompts are:
Joy
Night
Peach
Nature
Blue
Change
I also mentioned @ChattieTheMadChatter, The Bookish Type bookshop in Leeds and #peopleapril
The books:
Paddington by Michael Bond/RW Alley
Peepo by Janet and Allen Ahlberg
Nora's Wondrous Adventure by Courtney Jones
Ringtail by Karen Patkau
Mrs Armitage and the Big Wave by Quentin Blake
Matilda You're Amazing by PS Brooks
I Can Be A Brave Adventurer by Frances Lincoln
Meg and Mog: Meg's Cauldron by Helen Nicoll/Jan Pienkowski
The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams/William Nicholson
The Three Little Wolves and The Big Bad Pig by Eugene Trivizas/Helen Oxenbury
We're Going To Find A Monster by Malorie Blackman/Dapo Adeola
When The Dragons Came by Naomi Kefford/Lynne Moore/Benji Davies
Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain by Verna Aardema/Beatriz Vidal (I said this was from a South African folktale but it is actually Kenyan - Aardema lived in South Africa for a while which was the cause of my confusion)
The Whales' Song by Dyan Sheldon/Gary Blythe
The Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear/Victoria Bell
ABC by Dr Seuss
Guess How Much I Love You in the Summer by Sam McBratney/Anita Jeram
Tigger Comes To The Forest by AA Milne/EH Shepard
The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson/Axel Scheffler
Old Bear by Jane Hissey
Otto Blotter Bird Spotter by Graham Carter
Camille and the Sunflowers by Laurence Anholt
What Did I Look Like When I Was a Baby? by Jeanne Willis/Tony Ross
Why Is The Sky Blue? by Geraldine Taylor/Amy Schimler
The Lighthouse Keeper's Cat by Ronda and David Armitage
(The Skull by Jon Klassen - mentioned but not held up)
I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen
The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse by Charlie Mackesy
Mister Seahorse by Eric Carle
Julian Is A Mermaid by Jessica Love
The Woodcutter and the Snow Prince by Ian Eagleton/Davide Ortu
Co-host this year are:
Mark @richardsonreads573
Vin @revenantreads
Mark @BookTimewithElvis
Steve @saintdonoghue
Shawn @ShawnDStandfast
Jack @ramblingraconteur1616
Potential crossover events include:
People April
Spring Into Adventure
Historathon
theguardian.com/books/2024/jan/27/nonverbal-people-deserve-a-voice-angie-kim-on-why-she-wrote-a-novel-about-a-boy-with-severe-autism
Ros is contending with a broken arm, and I was battling nausea during the filming, but we were able to discuss what we loved about this compelling mystery.
Victober hosts:
Ros @scallydandlingaboutthebook2711
Katie @katiejlumsden
Kate @katehowereads
Marissa @BlatantlyBookish
Petra @bookswithpetra
Questions adapted from the Shakespeare Journey Tag
1. What was your first experience reading Victorian literature and how was it?
2. Has the reading of a Victorian book ever brought you to tears? If so tell us more.
3. Are there any people who have played a significant role in your Victorian literature journey?
4. Do you have a favourite film or TV adaptation of a Victorian book? What about one you'd like to see made?
5. Which character in Victorian literature most resembles you, or you identify with most?
6. Do you have a favourite moment, scene or line from Victorian literature? Tell us about it or read it to us.
7. Does any Victorian literature intimidate you? If so, what and why.
8. What tips would you give to someone early on in their Victorian literature journey?
9. What is your top recommended read for other readers of Victorian literature?
10. Tag people.
@OldBluesChapterandVerse
@booksimnotreading
@adayofsmallthings
I was tagged by Kelly and Ros @scallydandlingaboutthebook2711
For some reason, I can't copy the questions here on my phone, but I'll try to add them in future. For now, please find them on the hosts' videos.
Victober hosts:
@katehowereads
@katiejlumsden
@scallydandlingaboutthebook2711
@bookswithpetra
@BlatantlyBookish
Tentative plan:
Little Dorrit
The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope (group read)
A poem by an author I haven't read, ideally featuring a new woman
A Hardy
The Mill on the Floss
I compared it to The Secret GP by Dr Max Skittle and also mentioned This is Going to Hurt by Dr Adam Kaye.
Adaptations mentioned:
Metropolitan (1990) film Whit Stillman, Audrey Rouget, Edward Clements
Mansfield Park (2007) TV film Iain Mcdonald, Billie Piper, Blake Ritson
Mansfield Park (1999) film Patricia Rozema, Frances O'Connor, Johnny Lee Miller
From Mansfield With Love (2014-15) Web series Foot In The Door Theatre, Harvey Trust over, Wesley Buckeridge
Mansfield Park (2011) opera Jonathan Dove, John Rawnsley, Nuala Willis
Mansfield Park (1983) BBC series David Giles, Sylvestra Le Touzel, Nicholas Farrell
Books mentioned:
Borderland by Anna Reid
Black Earth by Jens Muhling
The White Guard by Mikhail Bulgakov
The Book Club by CJ Cooper
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
The Secrets of Hartwood Hall by Katie Lumsden
A terrible beauty is born by WB Yeats (poems: Adam's Curse and He wishes for the Cloths of Heaven)
You don't know what war is by Yeva Skalietska
The Valley of Fear and His Last Bow by Arthur Conan Doyle (audiobook via audible narrated by Stephen Fry)
I threw in a Jane Austen July TBR for good measure (my excuse for the unseemly length of the video).
Prompts:
1. Best book you’ve read so far
2. Best sequel you've read so far
3. New release you haven't read yet, but want to.
4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year.
5. Biggest disappointment.
6. Biggest surprise.
7. Favourite new author. (Debut or new to you)
8. Newest fictional crush.
9. Newest favourite character.
10. Book that made you cry (Saddest book you have read).
11. Book that made you happy.
12. Favourite book to film adaptation you saw this year.
13. Favourite review you've written this year. (Booktube version: Favorite video you have done so far in this year)
14. Most beautiful book you've bought so far this year (or received)
15. What books do you need to read by the end of the year?
I missed two questions! The answer to a book that made me happy would have been the Grishaverse series by Leigh Bardugo. I reread this series at a time when I was highly stressed, and it gave me a complete escape. The answer to a book that made me sad would have been Borderland by Anna Reid, the final chapters relating to events of 2014.
Books mentioned:
The Five by Hallie Rubenhold 01:17
Death and the Penguin and Penguin Lost by Andrey Kurkov 03:10
You Don't Know What War Is by Yeva Skalietska 05:30
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen 07:08
The Summer of Secrets by Rosie Rushton 07:25
British Dandies by Dominic Janes 07:40
The Monk by Matthew Lewis 08:25
The Mysteries of Udolpho by Anne Radcliffe 08:30
The Trumpet Major by Thomas Hardy 08:58
A terrible beauty is born by WB Yeats 09:29
By Heart: 101 Poems to Remember collected by Ted Hughes 10:04
The Secrets of Hartwood Hall by Katie Lumsden 11:34
The Valley of Fear and His Last Bow by Arthur Conan Doyle (audiobook narrated by Stephen Fry) 12:23
The White Guard by Mikhael Bulgakov 14:53
The Hobbit by JRR Tolkein (adapted by Peter Jackson and a fan) 17:04
Index, A history of the by Dennis Duncan 18:07
Home is Not a Place by Johnny Pitts and Roger Robinson 18:37
Alice in Wonderland (Аліса в Країні Дів) by Lewis Carrol translated by Валентин Корнієнко/Івана Марковича 19:21
Ukrainian Cuisine and Folk Traditions by Lidia Artiukh 20:15
Afterlives and Paradise by Abdulrazak Gurnah 21:37
The Doctor Will See You Now by Dr Amir Khan 22:05
Other Channels mentioned:
@scallydandlingaboutthebook2711 Amelia Reads @bouquinsbooks @seriela @katiejlumsden @shawnbreathesbooks
Events mentioned:
Jane Austen July #janeaustenjuly
Ilkley Literature Festival www.ilkleyliteraturefestival.org.uk
Bradford Literature Festival www.bradfordlitfest.co.uk currently ongoing
Mild spoilers for a subplot.
Also mentioned:
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (1813)
Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray (1848)
Silas Marner by George Eliot (1861)
Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy (1874)
Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy (1891)
The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy (1878)
Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy (1895)
Thanks for watching!
Part of our #discussingdrama series which is mostly on Ros's channel.
Rerecord due to sound quality issues.
I also mention The Grain Store by Natalya Zorozhbit and Your Ad Could Go Here by Oksana Zabuzhko, both discussed in previous videos in this series.
If you want to avoid this self-indulgently lengthy video, what I am trying to say is that it is interesting to see Dickens assuming two roles in his work - one as a discriminator against characters with facial disfigurement, in particular as a reinforcer of the stigma of facial disfigurement being linked to moral deficiency, and the other as an "ally," criticising facial stigma in others.
An important theme which I neglected to mention was identity - Esther's face I many ways is a sign of her identity, a crucial link I the plot. Her illness obscures that identity from others, at the turning point when it finally becomes clear to herself.
In this video I explore how stigma around facial disfigurement appears in the work of Charles Dickens that I have read so far. Bleak House was my pick for Kate's challenge on disability and representation in Victorian Literature.
Books mentioned:
Face It by James Partridge (2020)
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens (1837)
Great Expectations (1860)
Our Mutual Friend (1865)
Bleak House (1853)
Relevant charities for facial stigma:
Changing Faces - changingfaces.org.uk
The Katie Piper Foundation - katiepiperfoundation.org.uk
Dan's Fund for Burns - dansfundforburns.org
Part of #victober
#victober2022
In this video I explore how stigma around facial disfigurement appears in the work of Charles Dickens that I have read so far. This was my pick for Kate's challenge on disability and representation in Victorian literature.
Books mentioned:
Face It by James Partridge (2020)
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens (1837)
Great Expectations (1860)
Our Mutual Friend (1865)
Bleak House (1853)
Relevant charities for facial stigma:
Changing Faces - changingfaces.org.uk
The Katie Piper Foundation - katiepiperfoundation.org.uk
Dan's Fund for Burns - dansfundforburns.org
Part of #victober
#victober2022
What I should have said is that as well as being dark, Death and the Penguin is also deeply and cynically funny.
My biggest achievement on BookTube has definitely been bringing Ros into the community. You can find her @scallydandlingaboutthebook2711.
Also mentioned Egyptian musician Ramy Essam.
This month we're travelling to Ukraine to read The Grain Store by playwright and screenwriter Natal'ya Vorozhbit (Наталія Ворожбит). First performed in 2009 in collaboration with the Royal Shakespeare Company, it deals with the period of the Holodomor or Great Famine in Soviet Ukraine in the 1930s. If was recommended to us by Foxed Folios along with Bad Roads, another play by the same author focused on the conflict since 2014. A film made in 2020 is apparently available on YouTube but I could only find the trailer youtu.be/nO7kky5Unew
#janeaustenjuly
#janeausten
Reading from An Album For Gustav.
We will be reading Egil's Saga. A free translation into English is available online here:
sagadb.org/egils_saga.en
This is Green's 1893 translation.
The dates of Sagalong 2022 (yes, it is in April) will be:
April 4th to 10th - Chapters 1-22
April 11th to 17th - Chapters 23-44
April 18th to 24th - Chapters 45-66
April 25th to May 5th - Chapters 67-87
Actual hosts will be posting videos on Saturdays or Sundays. As a renegade cheerleader, I reserve the right to post videos whenever it will be most inconvenient for myself (judging by my timing choices in recording this video).
Genuine host channels:
Elena Makridina youtube.com/watch?v=js-hGAEllkQ&ab_channel=ElenaMakridina
Richardson Reads youtube.com/watch?v=A1_5mycG7uU&ab_channel=RichardsonReads
Shawn D Standfast youtube.com/watch?v=z5_YxJVujds&t=0s&ab_channel=ShawnD.Standfast
Rambling Raconteur youtube.com/watch?v=HJnCV-2r6dg&ab_channel=RamblingRaconteur
Bookish North youtube.com/watch?v=9H5e96sdGTY&ab_channel=BookishNorth
A Cruel Reader's Thesis youtube.com/watch?v=NsWKXfiutX8&ab_channel=ACruelReader%27sThesis
Scott Danielson youtube.com/watch?v=_lix5nfoAaU&ab_channel=ScottDanielson
Motley Reads youtube.com/channel/UCRED77Ubv1vPMosDlRNIjDA (no announcement video)
Also cheerleading:
Steve Donoghue youtube.com/watch?v=aTPa8D37i10&ab_channel=SteveDonoghue
Tilly, Ros, & Shawn on the indigenous play Dry Lips Oughta Move To Kapuskasing by Tomson Highway
No spoilers until 18:18!
Dry Lips Oughta Move To Kapuskasing by Tomson Highway
goodreads.com/book/show/656330.Dry_Lips_Oughta_Move_To_Kapuskasing
Free ebook of this play on the Internet Archive website: archive.org/details/drylipsoughtamov00high
The Rez Sisters: A Play in Two Acts by Tomson Highway
goodreads.com/book/show/45039.The_Rez_Sisters
Kiss of the Fur Queen by Tomson Highway
goodreads.com/book/show/1148401.Kiss_of_the_Fur_Queen?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=lS7LIMrVgP&rank=1
Victober is hosted by @katiejlumsden , @lucythereader and @katehowereads .
Books mentioned:
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte (1848) (Audible narrated by Alex Jennings and Jenny Agutter)
The Romance of a Shop by Amy Levy (1888)
Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte (1847)
Mansfield Park by Jane Austen (1814)
Evelina by Fanny Burney (1778)
Cecelia by Fanny Burney (1782) - I forgot Burney was pre-19th century here!
Belinda by Maria Edgeworth (1801)
Self Control by Mary Brunton (1811 not 1814)
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (1847)
Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy (1895)
I mention the DASH form, available here:
safelives.org.uk/sites/default/files/resources/Dash%20without%20guidance.pdf
If you have concerns related to domestic abuse in the UK or some of the behaviours mentioned here you can access Refuge:
refuge.org.uk
Or call 0808 2000 247
Books mentioned (and we mentioned as many Victorian books as we could, it seems):
Daniel Deronda by George Eliot
Dracula by Bram Stoker
Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
The Romance of a Shop by Amy Levy
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
True Love by Sarah Farro
Hard Times by Charles Dickens
North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell
Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Bleak House by Charles Dickens
The Ring and the Book by Robert Browning
Sonnets from the Portugese by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Selected Poems by Robert Browning (Everyman)
Poems by the Bronte Sisters
Lorna Doone by RD Blackmore
Doctor Thorne by Anthony Trollope
Charley's Aunt by Brandon Thomas
The History of Mary Prince
Books mentioned:
The Romance of a Shop and Xantipe by Amy Levy
Little Women
Pride and Pejudice by Jane Austen
Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy
North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte
Katy at Books and Things
Kate Howe
Lucy the Reader
Books mentioned:
A Shropshire Lad by AE Housman (1896)
El Fastasma de Canterville/The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde (1887) narrated by Aurora del Prado de la Iglesia
Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy (1874)
Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte (1847)
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens (1860-61)
Best Poems by the Bronte Sisters
Lorna Doone by RD Blackmore (1869)
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte (1848)
The long way to a small angry planet (2014)
A closed and common orbit (2016)
Record of a spaceborn few (2018)
The galaxy and the ground within
Also the standalone novella To Be Taught If Fortunate