Green Grey Homestead

(first published 1934)

Steele Rudd (1868-1935)
Language: English

This book describes the experiences of Dick Gall, a young Australian countryman, from the time of his first application for ‘a homestead selection’ to that of the birth of his ‘son an’ heir’ on the green-grey homestead. It also includes memories of his younger years, when he chased scrub cattle, hunted wild pigs on wild horses and played on the polo field. Steele Rudd knew what he was writing about, having grown up on a homestead selection at Emu Creek himself, and worked as a stockrider (or cowboy) as a teenager.
The book is written in a very lively style, and remarkably, in the second person singular – “you” will literally be Dick Gall himself. The opening sentence: “You’ll be single when the idea of taking up a homestead first gets you.” Or later: “You’ll be three years on the little grey homestead, working hard and becoming well-known and respected; you’ll receive kindly handturns from one and another, and be known to them all as Dick Gall.” (Summary by Anna Simon)

Continue reading

The Diary of a Provincial Lady

(first published 1930)

E. M. Delafield (1890-1943)
Language: English

“Notice, and am gratified by, large clump of crocuses near the front gate. Should like to make whimsical and charming reference to these and try to fancy myself as ‘Elizabeth of the German Garden’, but am interrupted by Cook, saying that the Fish is here, but he’s only bought cod and haddock, and the haddock doesn’t smell any too fresh, so what about cod? Have often noticed that Life is like that.”

First published in 1930, this charming, funny book is a warm portrait of a middle-class English family and their village life. Our heroine recounts the mundane delights and disasters of her household, dealing with constant money worries, the challenges of finding & keeping a really good parlourmaid, and how best to retain grace towards her fellow humans in the face of their astonishing range of foibles. It’s also a wonderfully genuine description of a marriage, with all the little ups and downs of rubbing along with the same person for so many years.
(Summary by Cori Samuel)

Continue reading

Der Tee der drei alten Damen

dreialtendamen_glauser(first published 1940)

Friedrich Glauser 1896-1938
Language: German/Deutsch

»Aber Herr Staatsrat, ich bitte Sie, erklären Sie mir, wie Sie indische Petroleumquellen, amerikanische Missionare als Delegierte der Standard-Oil, Geheimagenten der Sowjets, basilidianische Gnosis, Giftpflanzen, Hexenrezepte, indische Maharajas, an lebendem Material experimentierende Psychologen, verschwundene Psychiatrinnen, als irrsinnig eingelieferte harmlose Menschen, den Meister der goldenen Himmel mit dem Holzgesicht, gestohlene und wieder auftauchende Mappen, und zum Schluß noch teetrinkende alte Damen unter einen Hut bringen wollen!«

Das ist hier in der Tat die Frage. Die Antwort gibt Friedrich Glauser in seinem schillernden Kriminalroman, der im Genf der 30er Jahre spielt.
(Zusammenfassung von Hokuspokus)

Continue reading

Death of an Airman

deathairman
(first published 1934)

Christopher St John Sprigg (1907 – 1937)
Language: English

The scene of this classic ‘whodunit’ story from the ‘Golden Age of detective fiction’ is a 1930’s Aero Club, filled with small open-cockpit aircraft and a host of eccentric characters. Experienced flight instructor George Furnace dies in a plane crash near the airfield, in full view of witnesses. The verdict at the inquest is ‘death by misadventure’. But an Australian bishop, who had signed up for flying lessons just before the incident, starts to question this. Could it have been murder? Or suicide? It takes some persistent work by police detectives Creighton and Bray, that takes them all over the UK and to France, to unravel the whole story.
Author Christopher St John Sprigg, also known under his pseudonym Christopher Caudwell (1907-1937) had a passion for aviation; he had previously published two beginners textbooks on the art of flying, so presumably he got his details right. Famous crime fiction novelist Dorothy L. Sayers wrote a glowing review for this novel at the time. (Summary by Anna Simon)

Continue reading

The Gardener and The Burden

cover

(first published 1925)

Rudyard Kipling (1865 – 1936)
Language: English

Helen Turrell’s life has been one of respectability and duty, and she adopts and raises her illegitimate nephew upon her scapegrace brother’s death. When the young man’s promising future is cut short by the First World War, Helen travels to his grave for a final meeting.
(Summary by Newgatenovelist)

Continue reading

The Call of Cthulhu

cthulhu_lovecraft(first published 1928)

H. P. Lovecraft (1890-1937)
Language: English

“[The Call of Cthulhu] is a masterpiece, which I am sure will live as one of the highest achievements of literature. Mr. Lovecraft holds a unique position in the literary world; he has grasped, to all intents, the worlds outside our paltry ken.” — Robert E. Howard, creator of Conan.

The cover illustration is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike license by Danilo Neira (http://dibujando.net/dib/cthulhu-96836)

Continue reading

Peter und Alexej

Peter und Alexej(first published 1924)

Dmitri Sergejewitsch Mereschkowski 1865 – 1941 ,
translated by Alexander Eliasberg 1878 – † 1924

Language: deutsch

Historischer Roman über den russischen Zaren Peter I. Mit großer Authentizität schildert der Autor den Reformprozess der unter Peter dem Großen das rückständige Russland an das westliche Europa annäherte. Die detaillierten Schilderungen der Mittel zur Durchsetzung der Ziele Peters sind teilweise von einer erschreckenden Grausamkeit. Das historisch belegte komplizierte Verhältnis des Zaren zu seinem Sohn Alexei, der letztendlich an den Folgen der durch den Vater angeordneten Foler verstarb, bildet den Kernpunkt der Handlung. Der Roman ist Bestandteil der Trilogie „Christ und Antichrist“, in der sich der Autor mit der Machtpolitik der christlichen Kirche auseinandersetzt. … (summary by Friedrich)

Continue reading

Kleine Inez

KleineInez_GenderenStort(first published 1925)

Reinier van Genderen Stort (1886-1942)
Language: Dutch

Peter, de ongewenste zoon uit een voorname familie, groeit na zijn moeders zelfmoord, als hij zes jaar oud is, op bij een wereldvreemde tante in Arnhem. Een toevallige ontmoeting met het jonge meisje Inez, een jaar of tien later, heeft een grote invloed op zijn leven. Deze Bildungsroman speelt zich voornamelijk af in de eerste twee decennia van de 20ste eeuw, tot aan de uitbraak van de Eerste Wereldoorlog.
Volgens recensent Menno ter Braak, in 1925: “Kleine Inez is geen kroniek van feitelijkheden, waarvan volledigheid kan worden gevergd, maar een mythe van het leven, die toevallig niet Prometheus tot onderwerp heeft, maar twee Arnhemse mensen.”
Van Genderen Stort leefde als kind in Arnhem, en verwerkte zijn indrukken uit die tijd in dit boek. Sinds 1917 was hij volledig blind tgv syfilis, dus de vele beeldende beschrijvingen komen geheel uit zijn herinneringen. ’Kleine Inez’ werd bij het verschijnen in 1925 bekroond door de C.W. van der Hoogt-prijs, toegekend door de Maatschappij der Nederlandsche Letterkunde, en wordt vaak gerekend tot het klassieke Nederlandse literaire canon, hoewel het bij veel mensen onbekend is.
(Samenvatting door Anna Simon)
Continue reading