My first 'year of reading' (Noel Streatfeild in 2011) went really well. This year (Louisa May Alcott) didn't go so well, so I'm hoping that 2013 (the year of reading Edith Nesbit), will be better. As with the others, I was vaguely aware that Edith (or E.) Nesbit had written for adults as well as for children, but I was unaware of the extent to which she had written for both. Next year I'm hoping to explore a lot more of her work!
It will be a challenge, as I'm not buying books this year, but I already own three so I'm planning to start with a bit of re-reading! There is a complete list of her work here, and I'm starting with an old old favourite, The Railway Children. I may also use it as an excuse to rewatch the awesome film with Bernard Cribbens and Jenny Agutter. Then I'll follow up with The Story of the Treasure Seekers and Five Children and It. I hope to read the books in both of these series' as well, as I don't think I've ever read all of them. For those who don't know, and so that I can keep track these are:
- The Story of the Treasure Seekers, The Wouldbegoods, and The New Treasure Seekers
- Five Children and It, The Phoenix and the Carpet and The Story of the Amulet
Then I'll go from there depending on what I can borrow from the library and other people of my acquaintance! I have also just ordered a copy of Magic and the Magician: E Nesbit and Her Children's Books by Noel Streatfeild. This is a book I tried to get hold of in 2011 but failed, so I feel like in a way 2011 is facilitating 2013, and vice versa :-) It's also the last book I'm buying before my ban kicks in!
I'll probably read Five Children & It pretty soon. I just learned it was a favorite of Margaret Mitchell. :) I might have read The Railway Children as a kid. If so, I liked it! I can't remember precisely which book I read though. I just know there was a train, some orphans, and that I liked it! I haven't read E. Nesbit other than that, though.
ReplyDeleteGod, I used to love E Nesbit. Only after Enid Blyton, but she was a very, very close second. The... how do I spell it?... Psammead? That doesn't look right. Anyway, I loved ALL of them.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea she'd written for adults. Actually, I had no idea she wrote The Railway Children either, although I remember not liking that much.
I love the idea of reading this, although I'm too scared to go back and read them (even though they're still on my bookshelf. I never packed them away with my other childrens books, so I can actually see them from here) in case they're not as good as I remember and I spoil my memory of them!