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Happy Virago Reading Week!
Posted by Donna Coonan in Blog, Book News
It's official – this is Virago Reading Week! We didn't know, until today, but I couldn't be happier. Two literary bloggers, Rachel of Book Snob and Carolyn of A Few of My Favourite Books are hosting the event, and Thomas of My Porch is even holding a competition - he's posted paintings from old Virago Modern Classics covers (shown above), and to win you have to name the books. (Embarrassingly, I can't do it, and I'm the editor of the list – not without going through the file library, anyway, but I suspect that would be cheating.)
After a quick Google search, I'm overawed by the bloggers who are taking part. Here are just a very few:
For ambitious Verity, every week is Virago week, as she has taken on the epic challenge of reading every single Virago Modern Classic in her blog, Verity's Virago Venture. For Virago Reading Week, however, she has reviewed our first ever book, Frost in May by Antonia White.
Fleur Fisher posts on why Sarah Burton from South Riding is her Virago heroine, and why she loves the book: 'If you haven’t already read South Riding, please do! It’s a genuine classic, a wonderful piece of storytelling, and it’s themes have as much to say today as they ever did.'
Rochester Reader has blogged about Barbara Pym's Excellent Women: 'an entertaining read with beautiful prose and insights into human foibles and frailties.'
Joyfully Retired has chosen two very different (though brilliant) novels: Willa Cather's The Song of the Lark and Nora Ephron's Heartburn.
Old English Rose is about to read Barbara Comyns and South Riding. She says of the VMCs: 'I love the fact that I can pick up a book or an author I’ve never heard of before and be sure that I’m probably going to have a good read because it’s been produced by a publisher I know and trust and whose tastes largely align with my own.'
LibraryThing has a whole host of readers reading all things Virago on its forum.
A Work in Progress  reviewed Molly Keane's Taking Chances yesterday, and Elizabeth von Arnim's The Solitary Summer today, and promises to read two more by the end of the week - phew!
BRAVO to all you bloggers (and sorry to those I haven't mentioned – more can be seen on Book Snob and A Few of My Favourite Books, which feature daily roundups), and an extra-special thank you to Rachel and Carolyn!
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Thank you for the lovely mention of my VMC blog! (And, embarassingly I can only name 3 of the cover images – the last must be in the other half I haven't read!)
Hello Verity, you're very welcome, and it's the least I could do – you have set yourself a herculean task – but it's wonderful, and I really enjoy reading it. I'm overjoyed that so many people are passionate about the Virago Modern Classics. Thank you for sharing your incredible enthusiasm.
Hear, hear! Verity you are a star.
Thank you so much for mentioning the Reading Week, Donna! It's been such a wonderful experience so far and I know Carolyn and I have both been overwhelmed at the level of interest and participation. There are a lot of Virago lovers out there, and it's such a joy to be able to bring them all together for a week!
As the editor of the Virago Modern Classics, it has made my month to see just how much passion and enthusiasm there is for the books on the list – it's hugely rewarding to see the response there has been and the interest you have generated. Thank you, Rachel and Carolyn, for creating Virago Book Week!
I haven't joined in the Virago reading week, as due to pressure of work (and several half finished books lying around!) I would not finish a book in a week, but do enjoy the books and the reviews. However, I wish Virago would update its VMC website – not all the books in print are even listed, and many of the links are broken. Also consider bringing back the green spines so we can distinguish VMCs from the other books you publish, and spot them on bookshop shelves.
Thanks Donna and Sophie :)