@austennerd.bsky.social
Reader extraordinaire 😁. French, European, Anglophile. Loves reading books, talking about books and buying books. Can also be found baking and walking my dogs when not working for the NHS.
I also loved that one to be fair. My favourite is probably Eva Luna
June 8, 2026 at 8:09 PM
I also loved that one to be fair. My favourite is probably Eva Luna
Yes Garcia Marquez is a favourite of mine too. I just read Memories of my Melancholy Whores which was fantastic
June 8, 2026 at 8:01 PM
Yes Garcia Marquez is a favourite of mine too. I just read Memories of my Melancholy Whores which was fantastic
Oh yes that is her first one and it is amazing .... let me know how you find it. It is a long time since I read it but it was my introduction to her and I have not looked back. This is how I discovered magic realism. She is very interesting. Her uncle was Salvador Allende, Chilean president
June 8, 2026 at 7:56 PM
Oh yes that is her first one and it is amazing .... let me know how you find it. It is a long time since I read it but it was my introduction to her and I have not looked back. This is how I discovered magic realism. She is very interesting. Her uncle was Salvador Allende, Chilean president
Love Roald Dahl. I am fascinated by his ability to write funny children's books as well as dark and fairly risque adult novels
June 8, 2026 at 7:54 PM
Love Roald Dahl. I am fascinated by his ability to write funny children's books as well as dark and fairly risque adult novels
Oooo which one? I have 3 on my TBR and then I think I will have read them all. She is also very prolific so am always trying to catch up
June 8, 2026 at 7:51 PM
Oooo which one? I have 3 on my TBR and then I think I will have read them all. She is also very prolific so am always trying to catch up
Such a fabulous novel. Am a big fan and my daughter got it for Christmas last year.
June 8, 2026 at 7:49 PM
Such a fabulous novel. Am a big fan and my daughter got it for Christmas last year.
Same here … in the late 80s I was all
about Russian greats. I am still partial to Dostoyevsky but have not actually read any Russian novel in ages. Also had a South American period and again I am still partial to Isabel Allende and Louis de Bernieres.
about Russian greats. I am still partial to Dostoyevsky but have not actually read any Russian novel in ages. Also had a South American period and again I am still partial to Isabel Allende and Louis de Bernieres.
June 8, 2026 at 7:47 PM
Same here … in the late 80s I was all
about Russian greats. I am still partial to Dostoyevsky but have not actually read any Russian novel in ages. Also had a South American period and again I am still partial to Isabel Allende and Louis de Bernieres.
about Russian greats. I am still partial to Dostoyevsky but have not actually read any Russian novel in ages. Also had a South American period and again I am still partial to Isabel Allende and Louis de Bernieres.
Very true. Shirley Jackson who I am a huge fan of wrote outstanding novels while having a million children and a totally useless husband with no real job.
June 8, 2026 at 7:45 PM
Very true. Shirley Jackson who I am a huge fan of wrote outstanding novels while having a million children and a totally useless husband with no real job.
ha ha touche 😉. Still obsessive about reading but probably less so about reading inexplicably long and terribly conceited novels. I am less of a snob than I used to be as a teenager.
June 8, 2026 at 7:40 PM
ha ha touche 😉. Still obsessive about reading but probably less so about reading inexplicably long and terribly conceited novels. I am less of a snob than I used to be as a teenager.
I guess you have to have the imagination but also the time ... not everyone can have the luxury of writing
June 8, 2026 at 7:39 PM
I guess you have to have the imagination but also the time ... not everyone can have the luxury of writing
I must admit I have not read any since I was probably 17 or 18. Maybe I should give it another go: I was fairly obsessive in those days and had too much time on my hands 😂
June 8, 2026 at 7:25 PM
I must admit I have not read any since I was probably 17 or 18. Maybe I should give it another go: I was fairly obsessive in those days and had too much time on my hands 😂
I know right? She wrote about 20 or 30 novels: amazing stuff.
June 8, 2026 at 7:24 PM
I know right? She wrote about 20 or 30 novels: amazing stuff.
I adore this book and yes it is a graphic novel. Definitely worth reading and I suspect it will be everywhere now she has just died.
June 8, 2026 at 7:22 PM
I adore this book and yes it is a graphic novel. Definitely worth reading and I suspect it will be everywhere now she has just died.
I do like a chunk of a novel but yes they can be difficult to get into. Hopefully it will kick in soon for you
June 8, 2026 at 7:19 PM
I do like a chunk of a novel but yes they can be difficult to get into. Hopefully it will kick in soon for you
I like both The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and The Girls of Slender Means although looking at dates, they were both written in the 60s rather than the 70s. She wrote a lot in the 70s as well
June 8, 2026 at 7:17 PM
I like both The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and The Girls of Slender Means although looking at dates, they were both written in the 60s rather than the 70s. She wrote a lot in the 70s as well
I was a teenager when I read it and had more time to spend reading obscure difficult literature 😂I also read a lot of Soljenytsin at the time ... I probably would not anymore
June 8, 2026 at 7:12 PM
I was a teenager when I read it and had more time to spend reading obscure difficult literature 😂I also read a lot of Soljenytsin at the time ... I probably would not anymore
Endling is about a Ukrainian gastropdologist (studies snails) who gets involved with a 'buy-a-bride' organisation. I am only about 20% in and it is OK but not yet giving me the feels.
From the 1970s I do like a bit of Muriel Spark :-)
From the 1970s I do like a bit of Muriel Spark :-)
June 8, 2026 at 7:10 PM
Endling is about a Ukrainian gastropdologist (studies snails) who gets involved with a 'buy-a-bride' organisation. I am only about 20% in and it is OK but not yet giving me the feels.
From the 1970s I do like a bit of Muriel Spark :-)
From the 1970s I do like a bit of Muriel Spark :-)
Evening. Sorry I have been MIA for a while. I am reading Endling by Maria Reva which I am not entirely sure about yet. Umberto Eco is quite tough to read. Read The Name of the Rose years ago and enjoyed it but it was quite hard going
June 8, 2026 at 7:02 PM
Evening. Sorry I have been MIA for a while. I am reading Endling by Maria Reva which I am not entirely sure about yet. Umberto Eco is quite tough to read. Read The Name of the Rose years ago and enjoyed it but it was quite hard going
How exciting 😁. Not a huge fan of Musso but he is very very popular in France. I had surgery last Monday so have been reading loads this week as I can’t move much.
May 25, 2026 at 7:55 PM
How exciting 😁. Not a huge fan of Musso but he is very very popular in France. I had surgery last Monday so have been reading loads this week as I can’t move much.
So do I. Recently I was enjoying a story but the narrator did not work for me so I ended up reading it instead. It makes a massive difference.
May 11, 2026 at 7:45 PM
So do I. Recently I was enjoying a story but the narrator did not work for me so I ended up reading it instead. It makes a massive difference.
Lots of things: the main character was very annoying and not relatable at all and the story had no jeopardy at all for me. Also I listened to it as audiobook
and the whole book is set in France with French characters and the author mispronounced nearly all of them. Lots of people loved it though
and the whole book is set in France with French characters and the author mispronounced nearly all of them. Lots of people loved it though
May 11, 2026 at 7:31 PM
Lots of things: the main character was very annoying and not relatable at all and the story had no jeopardy at all for me. Also I listened to it as audiobook
and the whole book is set in France with French characters and the author mispronounced nearly all of them. Lots of people loved it though
and the whole book is set in France with French characters and the author mispronounced nearly all of them. Lots of people loved it though
This one is about 4 Nigerian middle-aged women leaving their lives in America and Nigeria and trying to navigate life, love, family and friendships. Really enjoying it. Also finished Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner which I did not love
May 11, 2026 at 7:12 PM
This one is about 4 Nigerian middle-aged women leaving their lives in America and Nigeria and trying to navigate life, love, family and friendships. Really enjoying it. Also finished Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner which I did not love
Interesting question … I don’t read a lot of memoirs but I guess for me it is about someone who has a good story to tell but also can write
May 11, 2026 at 7:10 PM
Interesting question … I don’t read a lot of memoirs but I guess for me it is about someone who has a good story to tell but also can write
Book bag is all kinds of awesome. Love that shop 🥰
May 11, 2026 at 7:07 PM
Book bag is all kinds of awesome. Love that shop 🥰