Persephone Reading Week #2

Posted on | May 3, 2010 | 41 Comments

Welcome to Persephone Reading Week 2010! Verity of The B Files and I are delighted to be your co-hosts for what will be a week of dove-grey covers and striking end-papers. We haven’t changed the format from last year’s event; Verity and I will be posting about our love for the books, collecting and collating your reviews, and providing some give-aways (most of which are very generous new copies of books straight from the Persephone shop). For those new to the annual event of celebrating Persephone Books on the blogosphere, then by collating we mean gathering together all of the relevant reviews over the week and presenting them to you in a digested post each day of this week (more frequently than daily depending on the number of posts!). If you could make it a little easier for us by posting links to your posts on either one of our welcome posts then that would be very much appreciated, although not mandatory of course; however, as an added incentive, Verity and I will choose our favourite post from those linked to over the week and will award the poster with a copy of The Closed Door and Other Stories by Persephone favourite, Dorothy Whipple.

Verity and I shall each be hosting separate quizzes and give-aways with our own surprises and preoccupations throughout the week so please move freely between both of our blogs for a full Persephone Reading Week experience. We are both intending on reading a Persephone book per day and subsequently posting reviews – a far easier challenge for Verity than for me (for those unfamiliar with my lovely co-host, she has an extraordinary capability of reading more books in a month than most of us manage in a year, which inspires me to read as many Persephones as I can this week)! I have been hoarding a number of my latest Persephone acquisitions for this week and I am very much looking forward to curling up with them and sharing my thoughts with you.

In the meantime, are there any questions or particular requests from this the second Persephone Reading Week?

Category: Challenges, Persephone Reading Week
Tags: Persephone Books

Comments

41 Responses to “Persephone Reading Week #2”

Karen
May 3rd, 2010 @ 8:46 am

I’m very excited about this reading week – not sure if I will get through more than one of my Persephone books but I have been saving “The Shuttle” just for this occasion so I will be more than happy if I can just finish that one and join in the other Persephone fun!
Donna
May 3rd, 2010 @ 9:35 am

Thank you so much for taking this all on Claire! I look forward to reading about your choices. I’ve chosen very slim or already nearly read ones and some to dip in and out of for my contribution, but am very interested to read all the other reviews!
skirmishofwit
May 3rd, 2010 @ 10:51 am

So excited about joining in this Persephone Reading Week! Thanks so much to you and Verity for organizing it. I’ve done a little blog about the week and what I’ll be reading here:

http://skirmishofwit.typepad.com/skirmish_of_wit/2010/05/persephone-week.html
Teresa
May 3rd, 2010 @ 11:19 am

Hurrah! I’m excited that this is so soon after my first visit to the shop, and I’ve finished my first Persephone (Hetty Dorval) just in time.
A Bookish Space
May 3rd, 2010 @ 11:25 am

Woohoo Persephone Reading Week is finally here. I’m planning on reading Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
Rachel
May 3rd, 2010 @ 12:10 pm

So excited! I have many Persephones I could read but this is going to be a heavy week at work and with other commitments, plus it’s my birthday, so I think I will only just manage the one. I’m starting with Housebound and I’ll see how many more I can read. Thanks again for hosting this with Verity and I can’t wait for all the excitement of the week to unfold!
tea lady (the glittering burn)
May 3rd, 2010 @ 12:11 pm

Hi there, I have reviewed The Runaway here: http://theglitteringburn.blogspot.com/2010/05/runaway-by-elizabeth-anna-hart.html

Have just started The Home-Maker and am enjoying it greatly. This reading week is a lovely idea and perfect for a Bank Holiday!
Thomas at My Porch
May 3rd, 2010 @ 12:35 pm

This is so exciting! I will be posting a Persephone related something every day this week. My first is an open letter to Persephone as well as a reveiw of Dorothy Whipple’s High Wages.

http://myporchblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/book-review-high-wages-by-dorothy.html
Book Psmith
May 3rd, 2010 @ 12:38 pm

You both did such a wonderful job last time…no questions or requests…just want to say thank you for hosting this again:)
JoAnn
May 3rd, 2010 @ 12:44 pm

Hurray – it’s here! Just did a post on my choice for the week:
http://lakesidemusing.blogspot.com/2010/05/its-persephone-reading-week.html
Steph
May 3rd, 2010 @ 2:38 pm

I have THREE Persephones that I can read this year, and I’m very excited! Think I will kick things off with The Home-Maker, but I love that anything could happen…
Sophie
May 3rd, 2010 @ 3:27 pm

I’m really looking forward to this. I’m not sure I’ll be able to quite match a book a day (!) but you can see my choices for the week here: http://embarrassmentoffrivolities.blogspot.com/2010/05/of-persephone-reading-week.html
and I’ll be posting more once I’ve actually read them!
Jenny
May 3rd, 2010 @ 3:45 pm

*sigh* My question is why must Persephone Reading Week occur right in the middle of my most inviolable ever book-acquiring ban?
heather
May 3rd, 2010 @ 4:23 pm

I got a jump start on the week because I cannot read as fast as Verity. Devoured High Wages this weekend and have reviewed it here: http://www.librarything.com/work/75951/reviews/53284605
Kate
May 3rd, 2010 @ 4:24 pm

Thank you for hosting this. I’m really looking forward to participating in it this year. Even if, as I strongly suspect, my Persephone wishlist is going to increase exponentially!
Persephone Reading here we come! « A Few of my Favourite Books
May 3rd, 2010 @ 5:29 pm

[...] more on Persephone Reading Week, go here or [...]
Carolyn
May 3rd, 2010 @ 5:37 pm

I’m joining this last minute, but am very excited. (found out my library has a few Persephone Classics!) Here’s my stack: http://afewofmyfavouritebooks.wordpress.com/2010/05/03/persephone-reading-here-we-come/

And thanks for hosting this and bringing exposure to such a great line of books!
claire (kiss a cloud)
May 3rd, 2010 @ 6:48 pm

Doing a happy dance happy dance happy dance!
Rebecca Reid
May 3rd, 2010 @ 8:10 pm

Ok, the promise of giveaways prompted me to start reading Miss Pettigrew! I’ll just have to get something up now!
Buried In Print
May 3rd, 2010 @ 8:11 pm

I’ve been reading Vere Hodgson’s diaries throughout the month of April, portioning out the months’ entries so that I would be finished today. I’ve tried to read this a couple of times before, but evidently needed a Persephone Week to finally make good on my intentions! Thanks for hosting!
Simon T
May 3rd, 2010 @ 8:24 pm

Just thought I’d let you know that I’ve put up a Persephone poll on my blog… would love people’s responses!
Stujallen
May 3rd, 2010 @ 9:20 pm

looking forward to it got current read to finish then going start with cheerful weather for the wedding
anothercookiecrumbles
May 3rd, 2010 @ 9:51 pm

Thanks for hosting this for the second time. I didn’t participate the first time, and definitely intended to participate the second. In fact, I even had two Persephone books (Mariana and A Very Great Profession) kept aside for this week, as both, you & Verity, have been mentioning it over the past few months.

Somehow, life’s been busier and I’ve barely read anything (or blogged), and I don’t think it’s going to ease up this week. I’m not going to commit to anything, but hopefully, I’ll read at least one of the books.

Sorry.
Katherine
May 3rd, 2010 @ 10:23 pm

I’m very excited to start! Here’s my post to start the week off:

http://agirlwalksintoabookstore.blogspot.com/2010/05/persephone-reading-week-beginnings.html
Persephone Reading Week « The Captive Reader
May 3rd, 2010 @ 11:50 pm

[...] Reading Week (hosted by the lovely Verity and the charming - and wonderfully named – Claire)! I admit to only having read three Persephone titles and had never even heard of Persephone [...]
claire (kiss a cloud)
May 4th, 2010 @ 6:23 am

My Persephone stack: http://kissacloud.wordpress.com/2010/05/04/persephone-reading-week/
Jodie
May 4th, 2010 @ 11:13 am

Agh totally thought this was next week for some reason. Wonder if I can squeeze in a Persephone this week.
iliana
May 4th, 2010 @ 11:22 pm

Just wanted to drop in and say thank you for hosting! Persephone Books are just wonderful gems and this is a great reminder to pick one up.
heather
May 5th, 2010 @ 12:15 am

Just finished reading To Bed With Grand Music by Marghanita Laski and have reviewed it here. http://www.librarything.com/work/9164393/reviews/53193188
Cheerful Weather for the Wedding « what we have here is a failure to communicate
May 5th, 2010 @ 3:03 am

[...] I bought it last November, and finally got around to reading it now, due to the perfect timing of Claire of Paperback Reader and Verity of The B Files’ Persephone Reading Week, and the oh so short [...]
Nymeth
May 5th, 2010 @ 8:42 am

My thoughts on your favourite Persephone: http://www.thingsmeanalot.com/2010/05/lady-rose-and-mrs-memmary-by-ruby.html

Thank you so much for the wonderful recommendation!
Sakura
May 5th, 2010 @ 11:15 pm

I’ve just posted about Good Evening, Mrs. Craven which I really enjoyed. Looking forward to reading one more book this week.

http://chasingbawa.wordpress.com/2010/05/05/good-evening-mrs-craven-the-wartime-stories-of-mollie-panter-downes/
heather
May 6th, 2010 @ 2:41 am

I just posted a review of Hetty Dorval by Ethel Wilson on librarything. Maybe it will grow on me if I try it again later?

http://www.librarything.com/work/75950/reviews
Anna
May 6th, 2010 @ 6:00 am

Thanks for hosting this (and seducing me from my studies)! I’ve written a sort of pre-review of Greenery Street here: http://tartanwallpaper.blogspot.com/2010/05/persephone.html
heather
May 6th, 2010 @ 6:44 pm

Just thought I’d drop by with a picture of my cat who also seems to be enjoying Persephone Reading Week.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/johncelliot/4584693806/
Carolyn
May 8th, 2010 @ 6:21 am

Here’s my review of Hetty Dorval, which is definitely my favourite of the week so far: http://afewofmyfavouritebooks.wordpress.com/2010/05/07/an-unexpected-find/
Iris
May 8th, 2010 @ 2:52 pm

I’ve just posted my review of The Wise Virgins:

http://irisonbooks.wordpress.com/2010/05/08/the-wise-virgins-by-leonard-woolf/
heather
May 9th, 2010 @ 2:21 am

Okay, so I’ve posted a review on librarything about Lettice Delmer. But be warned, there are spoilers.
http://www.librarything.com/work/217549/reviews/46942423
tanabata
May 9th, 2010 @ 6:02 am

At last my review of Little Boy Lost.

http://www.inspringitisthedawn.com/2010/05/little-boy-lost.html

I did finish it yesterday but needed some time for it to settle. Thanks so much for nudging me to finally read it.
Carolyn
May 10th, 2010 @ 3:47 am

Here’s my final wrap up post with two last reviews of Mariana and It’s Hard to be Hip over 30!

http://afewofmyfavouritebooks.wordpress.com/2010/05/09/a-few-more-persephone-reviews-and-a-wrap-up/
Monica Dickens – Mariana : another cookie crumbles
June 7th, 2010 @ 2:16 pm

[...] Castle, and ended up “saving” it for the Persephone Reading Week (hosted by Verity and Claire). I had great expectations from this book (if you may excuse the totally unnecessary pun), not only [...]