Saturday, March 1, 2008

Outmoded and overcommitted


Imani's first annual Outmoded Authors Challenge wrapped up yesterday. I challenged myself to read six books by four authors. Unfortunately, I never got to two of them. May Sarton was an old favorite, although Faithful are the Wounds was a re-read, it had been twenty-five years since my first reading and she not only stood the test of time, I think I could appreciate her even more. I was completely unfamiliar with Olivia Manning. The Balkan Trilogy consists of The Great Fortune, The Spoilt City, and Friends and Heroes. They were marvelous books, set in Eastern Europe during World War II. Reading them made me interested in reading her Levant Trilogy as well. In fact, maybe I'll just put that one on the acquisitions list. There are multiple posts for the trilogy, so I'll leave you to click on the Outmoded Authors Challenge label on my side bar if you would like to read them.

John Galsworthy - Fraternity
May Sarton - Faithful are the Wounds
Ivy Compton-Burnett - Manservant and Maidservant
Olivia Manning
- The Balkan Trilogy

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

The challenge has introduced me to "new old authors" whom I never heard, let alone read. Olivia Manning is one. I have continued to read them after I fulfill the pledge to the challenge. Hope you'll do the same and keep up with these authors. :)

Ted said...

M - That was indeed the pleasure in Imani's Challenge for me too and, yes, I not only intend to read more Manning but I hope to get to Manservant and Maidservant despite the fact that I missed the deadline.