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Academic Question
Academic Question | Barbara Pym
6 posts | 8 read | 3 to read
Caro is the wife of Dr. Alan Grimstone, a lecturer at a provincial university in a West Country town in England. She knows her circle believes that she should be doing more with her life. She is the mother of a young daughter but relieved to be able to leave the girl in the care of an au pair. Her one selfless act--reading aloud to a former missionary at a rest home--is sullied when she allows her husband to 'borrow' some of the old gentleman's papers in order to get the better of a colleague. Caro's sister is a social worker disinclined towards marriage and children, but is she happy? Despite appearances, Caro is content enough. Until she learns that that her husband Alan has a wandering eye. What is happiness? The knowledge that one is loved? Academic renown? Or is it friendship with eccentric friends and the sight of the first crocuses of spring or the Virginia creeper in autumn? Barbara Pym completed the first draft of her satirical "Academic Novel" in 1970, ten years before her death. It was first published posthumously in 1986, thanks to her friend and biographer Hazel Holt.
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kspenmoll
An Academic Question | Barbara Pym
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#foundbook #BarbaraPym #CapeCodLife

My mother‘s copy here on the bookshelves. Now on my summer reading list.

LeahBergen Ohhhh! How wonderful. ❤️ 2y
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coffeenebula
An Academic Question | Barbara Pym
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Barbara Pym, lifegiver 🖤😆

kspenmoll 💜 her books 4y
quietjenn You are totally making me want to go Pym for my next read! 🙂 4y
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shawnmooney
An Academic Question | Barbara Pym
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Suet624 😂😂😂 5y
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LeahBergen
An Academic Question | Barbara Pym
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#Mask (well, make that “masks”). 😄

#ScreamathonPhotoChallenge
#Screamathon

batsy Oooh! Somehow this is a Pym that has gone under my radar. 5y
LeahBergen @batsy It‘s still on my TBR, too. 😬 5y
LeahBergen @Centique Haha! I love the hashtags. 😆 Yes, I‘ve only read a few but I‘m such a fan. 5y
Suet624 Fortunately all the Litsy lovers of Pym keep reminding me to read one of her books. 5y
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Laalaleighh
An Academic Question | Barbara Pym
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Question Littens:

Do you ever *like* the book you're reading, but it's just not what you're in the mood to read at the time? What do you do?

I let it sit around accusingly staring at me til I give in & finish it. But I'm highly aware of all the books I'd rather be reading. I lose a lot of valuable reading time this way. But I've never been a book juggler. I either read all in one sitting or over weeks.

What about y'all! What do you do? 👇🏼

Laalaleighh Am I doing it wrong? What do you think? 8y
shawnmooney I always bail. I sometimes return to it. 8y
Bookladylinda Sometimes I just suffer thru it, other times I put it to the side, pick up something else and come back to it later. 8y
See All 21 Comments
saresmoore I usually bail unless I know I'm just being overly moody. And when I bail, I take the first opportunity to find it a new home! I just made a drop at the Little Free Library a few days ago. 8y
Reviewsbylola If I've already started it, chances are I'll finish it. If I bail, it's for good. I can't go back to books like that usually. Im pretty good at judging my moods and knowing what will appeal to me based on my mood. 8y
moranadatter I bail and come back to it. 8y
Yournewfriendsams I'm with @saresmoore I ditch and then give the book away. I keep all the books I actually read but no need for the others to sit on my shelf. (edited) 8y
MyNamesParadise If it's a library book I return it and then place another hold and suspend it til I'm done. If it's my book I put it in not finished list on Goodreads and then start something else. 8y
CaitlinSiem I've definitely had those. I just put it back onto my TBR pile and go to something else. Not a DNF, just a not right now. 8y
Lola @CaitlinSiem @kmdartist @mynamesparadise That's generally how I roll as well. I have a GR shelf called "To finish later" which is where I put those books. 8y
Johanna414 Pick something else up that you're in the mood for and go back to it later. I alway have 5 or 6 books going at a time and just read whichever I feel like... sometimes I end up bailing on a book eventually but not very often 8y
tracy.anne8 I usually have multiple books going at once so I usually set it aside and either pick up one I'm reading or a new one until it peaks my interest again. 8y
tjwill I typically feel bad about bailing too, but I've done it many times. I tell myself I'll return to it sometime when I'm more in the mood. @Lola I think that is brilliant. I need a finish later shelf too! 8y
Peddler410 I'm almost always reading four books -- all different genres -- so there is always something I'm in the mood for 😊 8y
ValerieAndBooks I have several books going at once ... sometimes a book will be a long pause because others are more interesting at the time. The ones I decide are bails are because I just don't like it for whatever reason. If it's something I realize I'm not in the mood for then I return to the TBR. 8y
Bookishlie Put it up on the book shelf and yet again later. Sometimes the more just isn't there. 8y
Laalaleighh @shawnmooney @Bookladylinda @saresmoore @Reviewsbylola @kmdartist @Yournewfriendsams @MyNamesParadise @CaitlinSiem @lola @Johanna414 @tracy_anne8 @tjwill @Peddler410 @ValerieAndBooks @Rochelleus ThNks for all your comments! Y'all gave me the urge I needed to put aside a book I wasn't in the mood for (war, death, etc) and pick up Big Little Lies which was exactly what I needed! Y'all are the best!!!! ✨ 8y
Laalaleighh Oh and @Lola I totally just stole your Goodreads "finish later" shelf idea! Perfect!! 8y
Reviewsbylola I'm glad you found something that worked better for you! 8y
Lola @Laalaleighh 👍🏻 8y
29 likes21 comments
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Devonhdunn
An Academic Question | Barbara Pym
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"I suppose [...] perhaps the best to be expected of 'a distinguished contemporary artist' is the usual number of eyes and other features and some faint likeness to the subject."