Thank you Gill Hornby, Flatiron Books and NetGalley for gifting me this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. The book will be published in the US on April 7, 2020.

Gill Hornby treats her readers to a thoughtful reimagining of Jane Austen’s adult life and early demise utilizing the point of view of her older sister, Cassandra—the story also moves back and forth in time, a favorite plotting device for me.

Using brilliantly reimagined correspondence and conversations the story dips into the shared life of Jane and Cassandra and in doing so pays a lovely tribute to sisterhood, friendship and the various choices the women characters in this novel make out of a sense of duty. Duty not only to family but to creative genius as well.

Two decades after Jane’s death this novel finds Cassandra- now in her 60’s— working to preserve her sister’s reputation. Cassandra wants to shape the narrative so that her sister’s life is perceived as forever calm—unruffled by drama and scandal. She feels it is her duty to curate Jane’s good reputation—she seeks to portray Jane’s  life as one of quiet creativity, spent in the sheltering bosom of her happy family.

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I stumbled across this book in my youth. I loved it. I have read it multiple times. This book is most likely the beginning of my love of the epistolary style.  I will have to admit though (especially in the age of metoo) it gets a little creepier with each re-reading. But as with Gone With the Wind it will remain one of my forever favorites.

Another book I really enjoyed, set on an island, where through some quirk in the universe letters of the alphabet keep disappearing--I really hope I kept this one because writing this blurb a couple of years later makes me want to read it again.

This book deeply resonated with me-however, I read it while sitting on the floor by my terminally ill cat (I miss him so much) who found solace laying with his head cupped in my hand. I am planning a very much anticipated re-read hopefully soon. I will write more about this book at that time.

Dear Fahrenheit 451,

You seem a delightful book but it is not our time. At this point in my reading life I need deep engrossing reads. So I am sending you off with a break up letter--its not you its me--but rest assured I am not weeding you out but merely re-shelving at this point.

With Warm Regards,

Categorically Well-Read Management

I very much enjoyed reading this book but I am writing this a couple of years later. I wouldn't mind giving it a re-read--hope it is down on my forever shelf. It is curious how letter writing often tends to stir romance--marriage and/or indfidelity especially in fiction. 

This is probably my favorite book and this is at least my fourth journey through these letters. Sometimes a book comes across your path at just the right time and so is the case with this one. I found myself reading it again in December 2019 at just the point when I needed nothing more than a strong talking to by fiercely independent woman, like Bess, who strongly advocates being in charge of your own financial destiny. Love her or hate her, Bess's outspoken audacity makes me laugh out loud at her nerve.

A very simple, short story--a classic tale of a friendship that grew out of the shared love of books. This true story is told through the 20 years of transatlantic correspondence between New York City based author, Helene Hanff and the English proprietor and staff of Messrs. Marks & Co., the sellers of rare and secondhand books located at 84 Charing Cross Road, London. The book is mostly set in the late 1940's and 50's giving a compelling look at the deprivation felt by Englanders immediately following the second World War. I will read this book again and again.

I had often glanced at this book as I browsed through the shelves of many a book store. I am glad I resisted its lure until now and it has proven to be a perfect fit into multiple categories. I will read this book again with pleasure (and indeed I have). This book is also set in England, as it emerges out of the shadow of the second World War. A London author who is looking for the subject for her next book receives a letter from a stranger who lives on the island of Guernsey--he had found her address in a book he had bought secondhand. They begin a correspondence, she travels to Guernsey, it turns into a love story, not just romance, but the power of books to transform lives. This novel has a strong back drop of history and is told using the literary style of correspondence, a style I adore, we read the letters shared between herself, this stranger, her editor, her fiancee, and the fellow members of this Guernsey based literary society.

A novella composed of letters from Lady Susan to a variety of others--family members, friends, lovers, etc. She is a very repellent character and if you can get past that and simply enjoy the Jane Austen of it all then it makes for reading time well spent.

Julia Child is a personal role model and one of my heros. The year before I had finally read her memoir--I was sobbing at the end. This collection of letters brought Julia to life through her marvelous friendship with Avis DeVoto (a woman worthy of hero worship herself).

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