Hi Louise, great to hear you reading some KM! I actually work at the Katherine Mansfield museum in Wellington (NZ) where she was born! Not sure of a good novel about her, but the best biography I've read about KM is Claire Harman's 'All Sorts of Lives' - it's shaped chronologically but also around different stories Katherine wrote, and I feel like Harman has captured a very vivid & accurate portrayal of KM! A great read! (Also Elizabeth Von Arnim was KM's cousin (as you say!), & a great influence on Katherine becoming a writer - so a lovely connection for you there already 😄)

Love this video idea. Retro reads are often extremely compelling (as the success of Persephone Books can attest), and it’s wonderful to realize that books just sit and wait for us to be ready to read them, whenever that may be.

Please keep up the rambling. I love it 😄

Enchanted April by Arnim is an all-time favorite.

New to your channel so I am having a wonderful time catching up!!!!

Loved this video! More retro reads please!

Louise you are my muse. I love your intelligent book reviews. Thank you.

It was great to hear you talk about these older works.  I have Doris Lessings The Golden Notebook.

Hi Louise
Love your channel
c.K Stead wrote a novel ‘Katherine Mansfield’
It’s stunning
He is also a New Zealand author

Ohhhh I have Vera on my tbr because of Rebecca and a recommend. Having grown up in the generation of when women were burning their bras😜 seemed more significant than what they had to say.  I know I would enjoy hearing about more of these retro reads Louise.  Always enjoy your musings!📚

Such an interesting vlog….. and I love your sweater x

I'm so glad that you included Katherine Mansfield. I have a pretty 2023 edition published by Vintage, ' Wild places selected stories' .  It includes Prelude. Wonderful reading!

What a fab video. I have found out a lot about these writers that I read when much younger especially Mansfield and Arnim 👌👌👌

I love your ramblings, what a fascinating video.

Elizabeth Von Arnim is one of my favorite writers. I would also recommend "Father" and "Love" by her. I really enjoyed them!

Doris Lessing’s The Grass is Singing and Alfred & Emily. Both so beautiful

Thanks for this great video. I enjoyed your relaxed, informal, but very considered opinions on these books. I'm a new subscriber and am looking forward to going through your back numbers as well as new releases.
Cheers👍🏼

Thanks for this video. It was very interesting. I get overwhelmed by all the new books that come out, that I could be buying or reading, especially when I know that there are so many books written in the past that I would probably enjoy. You’ve given me a few new book ideas. I have ‘Vera’ but got muddled and thought maybe she had written a book similar to ‘Rebecca’, when in fact, it may be the other way around.

I just finished reading Invitation to the Waltz by Rosamond Lehmann which was published in 1932.  Really enjoyed it!

I love Elizabeth Von Arnim!!!  Love everything she has written.  I think one of her most underrated books and one of my favorites, her most Austenesque, is The Benafactress.  I agree Edith Wharton's writing is similar, Summer is the novel that comes to mind.  Love the bookish discussion.