chesilbeach

Feels like ages since I finished a book, but today I achieved just that task. I read the end of The Misremembered Man and thought it was a good read, mixing the slightly lighthearted with the heartbreaking, and despite the clues all the way along as I look back at it in hindsight, it took me quite a while to see where the story was headed.

Don't worry Janet, I'll update the list, although I know you wanted it as it's a novel rather than short stories, and the Libraries West website shows that it does have a couple of copies if you still want to read it for your own challenge.

Yes! Well done Sara, your turn next.

Unfortunately, your sixth sense is failing you today

Nope.

Wow, impressed with myself! Ok, here's the next one ... She remembered. After all these years. And yet he had lived out his ordinary life as if what she had done meant nothing. He hadn't tried to stop her. He hadn't followed. He hadn't even said goodbye.

I usually have no idea and just google the quotes and watch everyone else guess, but I think I might have a guess as this one as it sounds familiar and I might have read it. Is it The Snow Child?

Janet, I like your suggestion for Lancashire, but I agree with the others that Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit is probably the more famous book, however, personally I think I might read Mist Over Pendle as well. No consensus for IOW yet, so just a reminder of the updated list … Isle of Wight: England, England by Julian Barnes The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham Wish You Were Here by Graham Swift The Trespasser by D. H. Lawrence I'll add another county as well, and next on the list is: Leicestershire The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole aged 13¾ by Sue Townsend The Right To An Answer by Anthony Burgess

Hello!

I read Human Traces last year - it took me just under a week, but it's a very compelling story so it didn't feel overly long as you sometimes find with doorstops.

North and South it is for Greater Manchester then, and On The Black Hill for Herefordshire. Next up are: Isle of Wight: England, England by Julian Barnes The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham Lancashire: Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson The Dressmaker by Beryl Bainbridge These were the ones I could find - any other suggestions?

Yes, I'd agree, that was my suggestion as well, but I certainly wouldn't exclude plays that are commonly read as books. I suspect, apart from Shakespeare, we probably won't get any others nominated. I wasn't entirely sure of the location of North and South but both seem equally well known to me. It looks as though either would probably be more famous than the Greenwood, so I'll just update the nominations and see which the others prefer: Greater Manchester: North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell And again, unless anyone else has any nominations for Herefordshire, it looks like it'll be On the Black Hill.

I think you're right Janet, as it's set on the Wales/Hereford border, and both regions are used within the book.

I've updated the county list now, including The Turn of the Screw for Essex too. Next up, with the books I've found for them are: Greater Manchester: Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell Love on the Dole by Walter Greenwood Herefordshire: On The Black Hill by Bruce Chatwin

I don't see why not, although it might be one were we give an alternative option as well, just so that if someone doesn't want to read a play has the option for a novel instead?

So Winnie-The-Pooh wins by a mile. I'm absolutely delighted, despite the fact that ... I've never read it!!! A good excuse to rectify that. As we've had no other suggestions forthcoming for West Sussex, can I assume that that we're going with Cold Comfort Farm? Meanwhile, I'm not sure what everyones thoughts were on all the Essex books, but this is the full list of nominations now: Essex: The Turn of the Screw by Henry James Mr Britling Sees It Through by H G Wells Barnaby Rudge by Charles Dickens The Black Arrow by Robert Louis Stevenson Secret Water by Arthur Ransome I would go for The Turn of the Screw as that's the one that jumps out as the most famous to me.

Hello Sara!

So, we've narrowed it down a bit, but I'm not sure we're getting a consensus. Devon: And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle To Serve Them All My Days by R. F. Delderfield East Sussex: Mapp and Lucia by E. F. Benson Brighton Rock by Graham Greene For Devon, I think if we're looking at the books, not the author, I tend to think that The Hound of the Baskervilles is the most famous, but I can concede on arguments for both the other two. I don't really want to have more than two books per county (although obviously we can always refer back to this thread for more alternatives of books of people want to read more), so could we narrow it down to just two? For East Sussex, should we also have both books? For me, Brighton Rock is perhaps more famous because of the film? I know that for me, the first thing that springs to mind is Dickie Attenborough as soon as anyone mentions the title. That's why, as a book, I would pick Mapp and Lucia, but perhaps as Kay suggests, we should stick with two books? Can you let me know what you think about Devon based on the narrowed down list, and we'll see if we can get either a single book, or at least just two out of three. While you're thinking about that, the next counties to discuss will be Essex and as we've found out that Cold Comfort Farm is West Sussex, we might as well carry on with that one too. Any suggestions for these?

Based on previous comments, here's the updated lists of nominations for Devon and East Sussex: Devon: And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie Sense and Sensibilty by Jane Austen The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle The Secret of Crickley Hall by James Herbert To Serve Them All My Days by R. F. Delderfield East Sussex: Mapp and Lucia by E. F. Benson (not the first, but can be read out of order) Between The Acts by Virginia Woolf The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists by Robert Tressell Brighton Rock by Graham Greene

Is it Souvenir by Therese Fowler?

Hello Sonia! What are you reading at the moment?

Thanks Janet. I'm enjoying this a lot, and pleased the you all want to join in. Apparently, And Then There Were None is her best selling novel (in fact according to one list I saw, it is the sixth best selling book of all time! I guess that adds to the argument that it's the most famous, so I'd be happy with that one, but we'll wait and get a few more opinions just now. I think Mapp and Lucia is the most famous to me, but that's probably because I'm a fan, so I'll be interested to see what everyone else thinks.

I've read a bit more of The Misremembered Man but can't settle to reading today for some reason.

What an idiot!!! Need to concentrate more Devon: Evil Under The Sun by Agatha Christie Dead Man's Folly by Agatha Christie And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie Sense and Sensibilty by Jane Austen The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle The Secret of Crickley Hall by James Herbert

We're motoring on through these now. Cranford for Cheshire and Year of Wonders for Derbyshire, and it looks like The Nine Taylors is good too. First post updated with the list so far which completes 24 counties and we're halfway through! Next up are: Devon: Evil Under The Sun by Agatha Christie Dead Man's Folly by Agatha Christie The Act of Roger Murgatroyd by Agatha Christie And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie Sense and Sensibilty by Jane Austen The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle The Secret of Crickley Hall by James Herbert I couldn't pick between the Christie's and I think she's probably the most famous author associated with Devon, and these were the books set in the county that I felt were the best well known. If we do go for a Christie book, it might end up being the one we all want to read most, as they're equally famous as far as I can tell. East Sussex: Mapp and Lucia by E. F. Benson (not the first, but can be read out of order) Between The Acts by Virginia Woolf The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists by Robert Tressell I want to include Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons, but I'm not sure whether it's set in East or West Sussex - anyone know?