Wednesday 13 April 2011

Persephone Biannually Spring/Summer 2011


Cover: Alice Ashley on a Green Seat by Donald Towner (1937)

It's arrived!  Well in the UK at least and a very good friend has sent it winging its way to me in Africa.  I should have it in my hot little hands in 5 working days along with the colourful book mark that goes with The Sack of Bath.  The Biannually is one of the few catalogues I look forward to receiving and I find it such a shame that Persephone no longer publish it on a quarterly basis (alas, I never experienced the anticipation of receiving the Quarterly as I only learned of Persephone Books a few years ago).
I love the cover of this Biannually... a lady sitting outside on a comfy swing seat doing her knitting whilst having a newspaper on her lap and a book beside her... a glass of lemonade nearby with an opened letter next to it... is it news from a dear friend?  Such a relaxing and tranquil scene that lends itself to a story.

Some of the items that I look forward to reading in this edition include articles Persephone in Sicily and Battered Bath: the Case for Freezing a City, as well as an article by Maureen Lipman.  There is a short story entitled The Real Thing by Diana Athill and info on the three books for Spring/Summer:

Miss Buncle, Married by D. E. Stevenson
Midsummer Night in the Workhouse by Diana Athill
The Sack of Bath by Adam Fergusson

Forthcoming events that I wish I could attend include an afternoon walk in Bath, a lunch talk with Felicity Jones (star of the film adaptation of Cheerful Weather for the Wedding) and the good news that Persephone are reviving 'Possibly Persephone' which is being held on 25 May and where you can put forward suggestions for future Persephones!


I hope that they will eventually publish ALL of Dorothy Whipple's novels as I so enjoyed High Wages that I have a feeling she is going to become a favourite author.  I wish I could get hold of a beautiful Persephone copy of Miss Buncle, Married - which is silly since I have a 1970's paperback with me here.  Sadly it just doesn't feel as luxurious as a Persephone... I may read it yet and I hope that it is as good as the first novel.

Have you received your Biannually yet and what are you looking forward to reading?  Have you placed an order for any of the new publications?

15 comments:

Joan Hunter Dunn said...

I was going to leave you a comment yesterday saying that I am now the proud owner of my first Whipple - High Wages and your post prompted me to buy that above all the other Persephones I'd like ot read. I'm also reading DE Stevenson's Mrs Tim and the regiment so v. much looking forward to Miss Buncle Married.

Darlene said...

Hooray! I can't tell you how much I look forward to receiving these, well...probably as much as you do!

My order will definitely be going in for Greenbanks as soon as it's available. I'm currently waiting for my copy of Miss Buncle Married to arrive, love the cover on the paperback you posted, Cristina!

Cristina (Rochester Reader) said...

Joan: Oh how lovely! I hope you enjoy it and thank for your kind comment about my post :-)
It's really funny you mentioning Mrs Tim as I actually took that off the shelf last night as I pondered on my next read. I have it lined up for later in the month or as my mood strikes.

Cristina (Rochester Reader) said...

Darlene: It's quite a stylish cover, isn't it? The couple seem very poised :-)
'Greenbanks' sounds fascinating and seems to be almost impossible to get so it would be great if Persephone published it soon. I'm so glad I have all the other Whipples to look forward to.

Karen K. said...

I never realized you are far far away in South Africa! Wow! How nice that you are able to have all your mail forwarded. I haven't received my Persephony Biannually yet but I look forward to receiving it. I haven't ordered any of the new books yet but I did read Miss Buncle Married last year, I was lucky enough to find a copy in my library after I'd read Miss Buncle, which I loved.

And if I am not mistaken Greenbanks will be a Fall 2011 Persephone, and I think I heard that Because of the Lockwoods would be published Spring 2012! I'm actually reading Because of the Lockwoods right now and it's really good. I'll say no more so as not to spoil.

Is your friend mailing the bookmark also or are they included with the Biannually? I know I got one in the fall (Mystery of Mrs. Blencarrow endpaper) but I thought it came with the catalog. . . I just got two Persephones in the mail so I'm very happy with my beautiful new bookmarks.

Desperate Reader said...

Mine came today and it'll be my bed time reading, my favourite bit is the Our bloggers write section and looking out for blogging friends. I also wish they still did a quarterly - twice a year is not enough.

(Diane) Bibliophile By the Sea said...

I am gasping for breath.....love what I see here. Whoever though of these Persephone Eds is a genius...just lovely.

verity said...

I seem to be the only person in the UK who didn't recieve theirs yesterday, but then I do live in Oxford which has to have the worst postal delivery success rate of anywhere in the UL.

Anonymous said...

I have mine. I loved the front cover, everything to hand for a relaxing afternoon.

I have read bits and pieces but not got into it yet.

I must get round to reading my next book.

FleurFisher said...

Verity isn't the only person in the UK without a copy. My fingers are crossed for tomorrow.

StuckInABook said...

It was lovely to see so many bloggy friends in the blog reviews section (and me too!)

I think I want Sack of Bath most... will also get Miss Buncle Married, although I find it hard to believe their statement that they didn't know of DE Stevenson until a few years ago. She never really went away...

Anonymous said...

I can't wait to get mine! I LOVE the endpapers for all three of the new books!

mary said...

Mine arrived with a Diana Athill bookmark. (There was a nice interview with her in today's FT.)
You've made me guilty because I abandoned Mrs Tim after just a few pages. I'd completely forgotten that ... maybe I shouldn't have been surprised recently when I didn't much care for Miss Buncle.

Rose said...

So I trekked across London to visit Lamb's Conduit St on Thursday afternoon - I bought my three books (relatively urgent because I have to finish one in time to discuss it with my friend during the Hay festival) and finally got signed up. I guess I'll start with the next one in six months time - until I read this post (and all the comments) I'd not realised what a big thing it is. In my head it was more like a cinema listings leaflet - now I'm quite looking forward to the autumn...

Astrid (Mrs.B) said...

Oh yes, I do hope they publish all the Whipples. I've read all the Persephone one and one out of print (Because of the Lockwoods). All her books are wonderful but I heard that Greenbanks (out of print) is one of the best. Let's hope they publish it soon. I loved Miss Buncle and I had no idea Persephone published the sequel. Definitely a must buy for me!