Last Spring, I stumbled across Lory @ Emerald City Book Reviews showcase on behalf of Elizabeth Goudge. She was hosting a series of posts celebrating the written works by an author I never had the pleasure of hearing about until then, whilst finding myself drawn into wanting to know more rather instantly! There was a bookaway being held during the event itself – wherein, I received quite the unexpectedly cheerful news I had won a copy of “Towers in the Mist”.
I was immediately looking forward to my participation this annual event in 2018, until I realised [2017] might be the last time Lory would be hosting the event for awhile. I had crossed paths with Jean @ Howling Frog Books round the same time, wherein we found we both have an equal love of reading and sharing our ruminative thoughts on the stories which interest us to be read – similar in vein, to how I loved visiting Lory’s bookish blog. The three of us share something else in common – our personal lives have their fair share of nuanced trials, tribulations and strife but somehow, we all come back to the heart of why we blog: the connections to other bookish souls who are equally ruminative about their own readerly lives.
I hadn’t realised Lory was taking a hiatus from blogging but I understood her reasons without knowing the fuller details. Sometimes you have to do what is right for you – especially if it’s a labour of love such as book blogging – I wish her well and I do hope whatever is happening will once again re-settle to the point where she can re-engage with her readers with the same joyfulness she had in sharing her bookish life previously. I am regretful due to my personal health being afflicted this past March and some personal strife of my own at the end of [2017] and the beginning weeks of 2018 – I was delayed in putting this event together with Jean.
I am still hosting the Elizabeth Goudge Readalong – wherein we are reading ‘Towers in the Mist” – the breakdown of which will be as follows:
Week One: 24th of April til 1st of May – the first half
Week Two: 1st of May til 8th of May – the second half
“One was born a certain sort of person, and though by ceaseless struggle one might become as nice as that sort of person ever is, one could never become as nice as a nicer sort of person.” —Elizabeth Goudge, Towers in the Mist
It is late sixteenth-century London when awkward teenage Faithful travels to Oxford to study in England’s great university. When Canon Leigh takes him in, Faithful enters into a family as exciting and educational as the university itself.
Woven into the narratives of Faithful and the canon’s daughter Joyeuce is Oxford during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I with the pomp and sordidness of the spectacular era of England’s Golden Age. Not only a historical journey, Towers in the Mist is also a coming-of-age tale of young love and hope.
On the 1st & 8th of May, I will be posting a Discussion Post of Questions and responses on behalf of my own readings. I will be sharing reflections from reading the text per where each week has a bracket of pages to be read without disclosing future knowledge past the page marks. On the 10th of May, I shall be revealling my final thoughts and a proper review of Towers in the Mist – whilst giving everyone a few days to come by my blog to discuss the book itself.
I am also going to be looking into Elizabeth Goudge’s bibliography and life and attempt to post a readerly reflective post on behalf of research her writings from the perspective a Classics Clubber who feels she’s in dire need to jump-starting her readings before her first deadline erases off the clock! I am hopeful I can schedule this reflection of who Elizabeth Goudge is and who I hope to find in her stories on the 1st of May – tied into my first discussion post about Towers in the Mist.
Previously, Jean has released the event’s announcement page whereas this will serve as our RAL’s announcement. If you are participating in either the event to represent Elizabeth Goudge’s legacy on your blog or are contemplating participating in our RAL – kindly leave a comment for us under one of our posts. I will be compiling a master list of posts to share after our RAL for Towers in the Mist – whilst sharing your posts on Twitter. I will be tweeting out throughout RAL all bloggers who are celebrating Elizabeth Goudge whilst engaging with everyone as well about the content they are sharing by leaving commentary. Be sure to watch my Twitter feeds for readerly insights and updates, as I make my way through Towers in the Mist.
Happily Jean is also hosting a bookaway attached to our co-hosted event this year, you’ll find all the details on her event page.
To kick-off our readings of Elizabeth Goudge, even if your not able to participate this year in the event itself – as regrettably we did give you a bit of late notice – what have you enjoyed reading by Elizabeth Goudge and/or which story of hers would you love to be reading next?
As for myself – the second Goudge story I’d love to be reading this year, is The Bird in the Tree, of which I am still attempting to get a copy through my local library.
Introducing the beloved trilogy that has captured the hearts and imaginations of the many fans of bestselling author Elizabeth Goudge. The Bird in the Tree takes place in England in 1938, and follows a close-knit family whose tranquil existence is suddenly threatened by a forbidden love…
Matriarch of the family, Lucilla, has spent a lifetime making the Hampshire estate of Damerosehay a haven for the Eliots. When her favorite grandson, David, falls in love with a woman who belongs to another, Lucilla sees her most cherished ambitions put at risk. But can she persuade David and Nadine to put duty before love?
If I can track down a copy of this lovely, I will be reading it during the fortnight I am spending time with Towers in the Mist – otherwise, I will unfortunately have to postpone my readings of this lovely trilogy until next year, when #ElizabethGoudgeDay comes back round! I am hopeful next year I will be better prepared and without so much personal angst to where I can run my posts on a better time-table! Despite my tardiness, what fascinates me the most is who #ElizabethGoudge is and the breadth of stories she’s left behind.
Elizabeth Goudge was a British novelist (1900–1984) born into the home of an Anglican priest and theologian. She wrote children’s books as well as novels—her Green Dolphin Street was made into an Academy-Award winning film. In style and themes she parallels English writers such as the creator of the Miss Read series as well mirroring the spiritual depth found in George MacDonald’s Victorian novels. She won the Carnegie Award in 1947 for The Little White Horse, which is J. K. Rowling’s favorite children’s book.
Jean and Lory are ahead of me in regards to reading through her collective works – where they are re-visiting a beloved author’s works, I am the new reader who is just having her eyes opened to Ms Goudge’s vision. I wonder how many of my dear hearted readers are like me? Just beginning their readings of an author their curious about? I’d love to hear how you first discovered Ms Goudge and which stories of hers interest you most to be read?
Perhaps, in 2019 I can organise a readalong of the Eliot trilogy?
This RAL is open to members of #TheClassicsClub and all readers interested in reading Elizabeth Goudge. If you are part of tCC, kindly leave me a note in the Comments, sharing a link to your tCC Master List and/or your latest Classics post as I’d like to visit your blog. I am sharing this RAL socially on #theclassicsclub threads as well as adding it to the May Events page. Visit Jorie’s tCC Master List to see where her Classical interests are allowing her to time travel through the centuries.
{Sources: Book covers for “Towers in the Mist” and “The Bird in the Tree” as well as the synopsis for both “Towers in the Mist” and “The Bird in the Tree” as well as the author’s biography were provided by the publisher Hendrickson Publishers and are being used with permission. Post dividers by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination. Tweets embedded by codes provided by Twitter. Photo Credit: Jorie of Jorie Loves A Story on The Classics Club badge edited by Jorie in PicMonkey. Blog graphics created by Jorie via Canva: #Towers in the Mist Readalong Banner and the Comment Box Banner.}
Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2018.
I’m a social reader | I tweet my reading life
Jorie & Jean (Howling Frog Books) are hosting #ElizabethGoudge Day!
Jean's posted our announcement (https://t.co/gIMlIAZK4b) whilst I'll be revealling our #readalong for Towers in the Mist on the morrow 😊#cceventsched | #Classics | @LoryECBR | #bookbloggers
— Jorie, the Joyful Tweeter 🐦 (@joriestory) April 10, 2018
Leave it to Jorie – squeaking a bit late to join the festivities of #ElizabethGoudgeDay 2018 – my co-host was able to get her post up ahead of me (https://t.co/qPfhQ9mPJu) be sure to swing by her #bookblog for a lovely Intro into #ElizabethGoudge; whilst I edit my RAL #readalong!
— Jorie, the Joyful Tweeter 🐦 (@joriestory) April 24, 2018
#JorieReads | #ElizabethGoudge
Jorie hosts #ElizabethGoudgeDay w/ Jean @ Howling Frog Books
📚#TowersInTheMist #readalong
🌸2 weeks 2 check-ins 1 #bookreview
👩💻Details: https://t.co/HidCZ1Y1d6🙌#theclassicsclub | #cceventsched | @ourclassicsclub@LoryECBR | @hendricksonpub pic.twitter.com/WwNhASGaq3
— Jorie, the Joyful Tweeter 🐦 (@joriestory) April 24, 2018
I read this last year and am not ready to read it again yet, but I did love it and I hope you do too. I have also read The White Witch, The Child From the Sea and Gentian Hill. They are all good books – Elizabeth Goudge’s writing is so beautiful!
Great! I’m joining up. :)