The Correspondent by Virginia Evans was a 5 star buddy read with Susan at The Cue Card. I loved this book and the epistolary style appealed to me. From decades back I have been a letter writer. You can create a history of your relationships through your letters, if you save them over the years.
You will meet our letter writer, Sybil Van Antwerp aged 73, and follow her through her from 2012 to 2021. She writes to family, friends, authors and anyone she wants to share an opinion. I love Sybil. She has regrets as I'm sure we all do . The themes of friendship, grief, love and growth are found within her tale. Sybil is a strong woman and tries her best with some challenging situations. I love her letters to Rosalie - her best friend and sister-in-law. They usually end with "what are you reading, I am reading XX."
There are many characters so in the beginning I would write down the name and relationship so wouldn't be confused.
I couldn't resist writing down all the books mentioned within her letters. Some were letters to the authors expressing thoughts on the books and most of the others were a "I'm reading this, what are you reading" between friends. Have you read any of these?
- Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
- Round House by Louise Erdrich
- Inferno by Dan Brown
- Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
- The World Below by Sue Miller
- To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
- State of Wonder by Ann Pachett
- Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
- Blue Nights by Joan Didion
- The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
- The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
- Never Let me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
- Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
- Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner
- The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson
- Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie
- Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers
- Ulysses by James Joyce
- 84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
- Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck
- Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
- Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
Some I've read and some have been on my to-read list. Maybe this is a good list to start for winter reading. Hmmm...
Please check out Susan's excellent review HERE.
FYI - This book is on sale for Kindle today for $1.99. Check here.
Sharing with Deb at Readerbuzz for Sunday Salon.
I have tried Rebecca, but I don't feel like I gave it a fair shake and should try again. I have also read Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen and I think Murder on the Orient Express. Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteI've read several of these -- especially the British ones!
ReplyDeleteToward the end of her life, my mother wished that she'd kept copies of the letters that she sent her mother and sisters. They were essentially a journal of her life. But they didn't get saved!
Cindy, I've read Rebecca bit not the others you have. Some of these books listed are also on my classics list.
DeleteOh, I can't wait to read this book! I've read several of the books in that list. I'll save it and comment on those when I read and review the book. I would love to know which ones you've read.
ReplyDeleteLes, I have read 6 and I have a few there on my classic club list. I've read:
DeleteRebecca
Never Let me Go
Remains of the Day
Inferno
84 Charing Cross Road
Outlander
I think I read To the Lighthouse in college.
Of those you've read, I've only read Rebecca (I think!) and 84, Charing Cross Road. Oh, and To the Lighthouse when I was in my Virginia Woolf era. Ha!
DeleteNow I want to read Charing Cross Road again.
DeleteI loved:
ReplyDeleteCutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
4 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck
Vicki, I have Cutting for Stone on my list for this year. Loved 84 Charing Cross Road and have read it twice and also loved the movie with Anthony Hopkins.
DeleteI really liked this one too, Sybil's voice is really strong.
ReplyDeleteNicky, I saw it on sale for Kindle and bought it, inspite of having just read it.
DeleteThat's a great list of books---I'm glad you made a list for us from the book. The author on the list I have been intending to read is Louise Erdrich. I should add The Round House to my birthday wish list.
ReplyDeleteI like The Correspondent a lot. Writing letters is a great way to tell a story. Funny, but that's what we are doing this week in my writing class.
Deb, I can never resist a good list and it was fun making it. Hey, your birthday is just around the corner! November :-)
DeleteThat sounds like a fun writing class.
It's a great class!
DeleteI’ve only read half a dozen or so of the books on the list, The Correspondent is on my TBR now too
ReplyDeleteShelleyrae, I think you will like it and I would probably read it again, even knowing the outcome. This list is a good one for me to try and read in the future.
DeleteI'm so glad you enjoyed this book - my favorite of the year so far! It was fun seeing what Sybil reads... I've loved many of those books too.
ReplyDeleteJoAnn, I think I may have compiled a good list to tackle next year from her letters. I bought that copoy of the book for $1.99, couldn't resist.
DeleteI tried to read The Correspondent but couldn't get into it. I'll try again another time. As for the list of books, I've read these:
ReplyDeleteRebecca - loved it and have watched the movie a million times
Pride and Prejudice - good
The Year of Magical Thinking - I read it once a long time ago, read it again when my sister died, read it again when my mom died
Never Let me Go - ugh so boring
Murder on the Orient Express - loved it, which is shocking because I hate these kinds of books
Crossing to Safety - one of the greatest books of all time
Wuthering Heights - I loved this book despite the people in it being on my last nerve
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
Oops! Lonesome Dove - loved it and the mini series
DeleteJinjer, You have tackled quite a few and I have not tried Lonesome Dove. When I go for some of those big fat books I usually look to Michener. Wuthering Heights is going on my next classic list.
DeleteI love this style book and will have to try this one. I've read Rebecca, 84 Charing Cross Road, the Agatha Christie (of course!), Travels with Charley, and Mary Poppins but I see several others that are on my TBR.
ReplyDeleteKatherine, I liked the style very much. It was great making a list. You love list making, you ought to join that classics club!
DeleteI've not read these but I want to. I've seen all seasons of Outlander and now I'm watching Blood of My Blood.
ReplyDeleteLux, I liked the Outlander books more than the series but Gabaldon sure can write.
DeleteWhile I was on my trip -- I missed seeing your great review of The Correspondent. Thx for the shout-out. It was a good one to read together. I like how you noted all the books Sybil mentions -- it's a pretty strong list. I think I've read 6 of them as well. I will think on our next buddy read & when is good and chat soon.
ReplyDeleteSusan, I did like making that list and Les at Coastal Horizons made a god list as well. Some of the epistolary style she has read. Love a buddy read and look forward to the next.
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