A wonderfully decorated parking garage
10 Authors Every Jane Austen Fan Should Read – Part I & Part II: an interesting, if mostly predictable list of authors, some of who I consider favourites already (Elizabeth Gaskell, Alexander McCall Smith, Stella Gibbons) and some that, however hard I try, I struggle with (Barabara Pym, Penelope Fitzgerald). Anyone you think is missing? Anyone one here who absolutely should not be? (#10 perhaps?)
Three Books for the Closeted Francophile: alright, so I’m hardly closeted, but I am a Francophile! To my surprise, NPR came up with a list of three books of which I have only read one. This is the reason I am so very fond of NPR in the first place: they always come to the rescue with such inspiration when my TBR list is looking particularly short, helping me to bulk it back up.
Controlled Chaos: A Day Working the Rikers Island Book Cart: the obligatory library-related item, but for a very special library with some rather unique patrons (who apparently have a passion for National Geographic magazine).
Have a wonderful Friday! I’m off to Palm Springs as of 2 o’clock this afternoon for a week in the sun with my parents and, of course, my books! Looking forward to reading Henrietta’s War with palm trees swaying above me…
The Captive Reader 
I LOVE that garage.
Have a lovely trip – I’m so envious of a week lying in the sun reading. And Palm Trees – wow!!
Glad you liked the picture (what book-lover would not?)
Will try not to be too smug about my vacation, and my tan, and the gently swaying palm trees…
If only more boring architecture were decorated this way!
Enjoy your holiday!
Wouldn’t the world, particularly dull, concrete downtowns, be so much more beautiful if they looked like this?
I love this parking garage. Do you know where it is?
I’m not sure I agree that every Austen fan should read ‘Pride and Prejudice and Zombies’ – I love Jane Austen and yet I really don’t want to read the ‘vamped-up’ version.
Enjoy your week in Palm Springs!
Hi Susi, apparently the garage is in Kansas City of all places!
I feel much the same about Austen – if I want to read Pride and Prejudice, that’s what I’ll read! I don’t need zombies getting in the way!
I want to park in that parking garage! And I too am unconvinced about the necessity of Pride & Prejudice & Zombies. I’m a bit surprised, as well, they didn’t put Georgette Heyer on there, with her Regency romances and all.
Heyer definitely would have been a great choice for the list – certainly more acceptable than P&P&Z.
That has got to be the coolest parking garage ever!
I know!
Great garage!
I think EM Delafield should definitely be on the JA list… and maybe not Wendy Holden. Glad to see EF Benson there.
I didn’t much like Human Voices by Penelope Fitzgerald, but changed my mind when I read The Bookshop – have you read that one, Claire?
Definitely agree that EM Delafield should have made the list! Haven’t read The Bookshop, but will keep it in mind – thanks for the suggestion Simon!
Should definitely left out #10 on the Austen list, although I get that he was added because of all the hype.
I hope you have a nice holiday!
I hate that hype is enough to get him put on the list! So frustrating!
Am definitely planning to enjoy my vacation, thanks!
Hmmm…I’ve only read a few of the others on the Austen list. I did love Cranford, but I LOATHED Penelope Fitzgerald’s The Bookshop (although I freely admit to being in a minority of one there as far as the book blogosphere goes!) and I’ve never been able to get more than 50 pages into No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency despite three attempts…I did read a different McCall Smith book and didn’t like it at all. And then I lost all respect for the list when I saw that stupid P&P&Z there. :p
I admit to never having read Cranford, though I love North & South and Wives & Daughters. I like Alexander McCall Smith, but I don’t like the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency books or the Isabel Dalhousie ones; I far prefer 44 Scotland Street and adore the Portugese Irregular Verbs books. And yes, P&P&Z is what completely ruined the list (apparently for most of us).
The only McCall Smith I read was the first Dalhousie one. I guess I should try the Portugese Irregular Verbs series one of these days! 🙂
Cranford is marvelous and really short…I found it to be such a treat. Wives & Daughters is going to be my next Gaskell; I already saw the adaptation, so I’m waiting for it to fade suitably in my mind. I think a large part of why I didn’t love North & South was that I saw the adaptation first and it was soooo amazing.
The Portugese Irregular Verbs books are delightfully odd and make for very amusing and quick reads
The adaptation of North & South is wonderful, isn’t it? I really do think Wives & Daughters is Gaskell’s best work, even unfinished as it is; I’ll look forward to hearing what you think when you read it!
Nancy Mitford and E.M. Forster are my Austen read-a-likes of choice. And I agree with you about Alexander McCall Smith, Stella Gibbons and Elizabeth Gaskell, although surely North & South is the best book of hers, not the other two recommended on the list? Or is there some contention on that point…? Maybe the author is addled, as P&P&Z clearly proves! I tried reading Barbara Pym once, after hearing a similar recommendation, but she’s too acidic for me.
I absolutely believe that Wives & Daughters is a better book that North & South, though I love both. I think the writing is superior and the characters, particularly the supporting ones, are far better crafted than in N&S. I’d definitely recommend reading it.
I am still searching to find a Barbara Pym novel that I like, though I must admit that it’s at her most acidic moments that I like her best.