We’re less than a week away now from the start of the 1954 Club and I can’t wait! For those not familiar with it, Simon and Karen host twice-yearly reading weeks to encourage us to try books from a specific year. It’s always a lot of fun to see what people pick and the clubs are really the only things that can predictably stir me from my sloth and get me to post new book reviews.
Being a planning-focused (some might say obsessed) person, I always enjoy pulling together ideas of what to read. There were lots of interesting releases in 1954 (including my mother, who was born at the end of October 1954) so we are spoiled for choice. Here are some suggestions if you’re still deciding what to read:
The Usual Suspects
When it comes to mid-century fiction, there are a handful of ridiculously prolific authors that I know I can always turn to and trust that at least one of them will have had a release that year. In 1954, they all did. These are all middling offerings from these authors but entertaining nonetheless:
The Toll-Gate by Georgette Heyer
Destination Unknown by Agatha Christie
What Did It Mean? by Angela Thirkell
Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit by P.G. Wodehouse
Charlotte Fairlie by D.E. Stevenson
Children’s Books
What a year for children’s historical fiction! Both The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff and Knight Crusader by Ronald Welch were published and they remain wonderful no matter the reader’s age.
A Bit of Non-Fiction
Non-fiction (like poetry) doesn’t get much love during these clubs but maybe 1954 will be the year everyone embraces it!
The Wilder Shores of Love by Lesley Branch
Madame de Pompadour by Nancy Mitford
Slide Rule by Nevil Shute
(1954 was also a big year for cookbooks, including The Art of Eating by MFK Fisher, Italian Food by Elizabeth David, and The Alice B. Toklas Cook Book)
Happy reading!
The Captive Reader 
I recently read Charlotte Fairlie – really enjoyable! Have fun with the club!
A fine choice!
Making lists is half the fun, I find, and there are some really interesting choices there! I do try to squeeze in poetry when I can but alas haven’t been able to find much for 1954. Will look forward to seeing what you read! 😀
I can’t say I was tempted either by any of the poetry books I could find but I’m happy there are so many other great things to choose from.
Which ones did you pick to read? I read five this time, but none of the ones you mentioned.
FIVE already? Very impressive!
Well, I started ahead of time. I always mark the year that we’re going to read on my calendar for the month before. Then that month is when I find the books and read them.
You’ll have to wait and find out next week 😉
OK!
I’ve already read Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit (well, listened to on audiobook) in preparation and I’m halfway through Who Was Changed and Who Was Dead. Might try Charlotte Fairlie or The Toll-Gate if I have time, thanks for the suggestions! I’m really looking forward to next week and seeing all the posts.
Wodehouse is always fun, especially in audiobook form! I’ll look forward to reading your posts next week.
I finished Gypsy in the Parlour by Margery Sharp yesterday and have now started Charlotte Fairlie. I wanted to get reviews out next week.
I’m a big fan of reading ahead, too. Looking forward to your reviews next week!
I’m half way through Elizabeth Fair’s “The Native Heath” and really enjoying it.
Excellent! So great that there are lots of options for 1954 available from DSP.
Hurrah! I have read six I think, but have a lot of reviews left to write…
What a well prepared host! Looking forward to seeing what you picked
Nevil Shute’s memoir sounds intriguing. Love his novels.
My mother loves Sutcliff so I asked her to do a guest review for me. I did read Knight Crusader recently – will have to check if I reviewed it already.
I have been reading The Native Heath but because it is an ebook I keep forgetting it. I really do prefer books I can hold!