Jump to content

The Sleepless Moon by H E Bates


SueK

Recommended Posts

I have been an avid H E Bates fan for many years, reading and re-reading his books at regular intervals. The Sleepless Moon had managed to slip through my grasp until recently but I think this has to be one of his best books.

 

According to the blurb on the back cover: “The story covers the bleak and unforgiving nature of insomnia, restlessness and repressed passion”.

 

The year is 1922 and the story moves quickly over a period of a few years in a small town where the very young and shy Constance marries the immovably stubborn, soul-less and much older Melford Turner. Appearances mean a lot to him and it's not long before he becomes Mayor (as was his father). He owns a shop that sells fine foods and wines and he likes his world to be orderly; he gets frustrated if his timepiece is a minute out with the church clock; his eating habits never change and he only really shows any emotion towards his horse. Constance yearns for company and passion in her marriage but it is not to be with Melford. Before long, she turns to someone else. Needless to say, Bates plots his books beautifully; you can smell the spring pastures; you can visualise the moorhens walking over an island of lily leaves at the nearby millpond and you live with the characters through the changing seasons that only Bates can write about so perfectly in my opinion. This book is absolutely beautiful and very, very poignant.

 

 

I finished it yesterday and will leave lasting impression on me - I really didn't want it to end. I have only managed to pick up short stories at the moment until I decide which direction my next book will take me.

Edited by SueK
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have several H E Bates books on my Wishlist, but I've never read any. I really want to read Love for Lydia. When I was a child, my Mum had dozens of his on the bookshelf (including the Larkin ones), but sadly they're long gone. I must make an effort to get hold of one when my to-read pile has gone down a bit - this sounds great. :)

 

ETA: I've just looked him up on Wikipedia and gosh, he was a prolific writer! I will see if I can get hold of a 1960s published one - it will do for my 'Decades' challenge.

Edited by Janet
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like the sound of that Sue, I don't think I've read any H.E Bates before.

 

Thanks Kidsmum. Can I suggest that a great intro to HE Bates would be the Pop Larkin books (The Darling Buds of May)- they are such good fun.

 

I read Love for Lydia some time back and like Sleepless Moon, that left a lasting impression on me - as did Fair Stood the Wind for France.

Edited by SueK
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

Greetings all.

 

A newbie here looking for help.

 

I buy and sell books and came across the site whilst looking for information of the book The Sleepless Moon by H. E. Bates. I see Admin was looking for a 1960's copy of the book and I wondered how you know what year a book is published in if it has no date written in it? I have hundreds and hundreds of books and whilst most have dates in them there are some which do not and this particular copy of The Sleepless Moon has no date is from what I can see BUT does say that "this edition, issued in 1957..........".

 

How would I date this copy or any book for that matter without a date inside?

 

Many thanks folks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Generally I would check on Wikipedia first - which tells me The Sleepless Moon was first published in 1956 - but how accurate that is I don't really know, since anyone can edit Wikipedia. Second port of call would be to type "The Sleepless Moon first published" into Google and see what results come up. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...