The Comforters

pick

Back from hols + Barney's relieved back in our favourite reading spot. Anyway, I took away with me Muriel Sparks' 1st novel, a curious story breaking the author/character wall as Caroline hears a typewriter repeating her words as she thinks them. With threads into diabolic black masses & Catholicism, this is a strange tale that definitely has that spark feel, but perhaps lacks the later subtlety & dark edge, but for me, she can do little wrong.

dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 4mo

Cathythoughts It‘s lovely to go away , but so lovely to come home too. Barney 🥰 4mo

andrew61 @Cathythoughts the youngest daughter has been dog sitting but there is nothing quite like the welcome you get from a dog when you come home. 4mo

43 likes3 comments

LeahBergen

The Comforters | Muriel Spark

My latest find from a charity book sale. Isn‘t this cover fantastic?? 💙

BiblioLitten It‘s so cool 💙 2y

AmyG Cover is great. 2y

LeahBergen @BiblioLitten @AmyG It‘s so vibrant! 2y

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squirrelbrain Love it! 💙 2y

Leftcoastzen OMG!!amazing! 2y

Cathythoughts This is fab 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻😁 2y

quietjenn So good! 2y

batsy Very cool! 2y

britt_brooke Definite #coverlove! 2y

youneverarrived Ohh 😍 2y

MaureenMc 🤩 2y

AlaMich Trippy! 🫠 2y

jlhammar Wow, I love it! 2y

LeahBergen @squirrelbrain @Leftcoastzen @Cathythoughts @quietjenn @batsy @britt_brooke @youneverarrived @MaureenMc @jlhammar I think I let out a tiny squeal when I spotted it. 😆 2y

LeahBergen @AlaMich Exactly 😆 2y

vivastory I've never seen this cover before. This is one of my faves by Spark. 2y

LeahBergen @vivastory Oh, good to hear! 👍 2y

Aimeesue Wow! I love Spark. I am emerald green with envy, which means that I would match that book perfectly in an aesthetic sense, so obviously I shall now have to find my own copy. I wouldn‘t want to clash. Fantastic find! (edited) 2y

Aimeesue Holy cow, that seems to be a first edition! 😍 2y

LeahBergen @Aimeesue A first edition, second printing unfortunately! Although it‘s still pretty rare. Not bad for $4, though! 😆 (edited) 2y

Aimeesue @LeahBergen See, I find that fortunate, because then I‘d never be tempted to sell it! I have a FE Canadian edition of The Grapes of Wrath, which is also virtually worthless, but is gorgeous and I want to HAVE it, so $$ worth never enters into the equation, lucky for me! 2y

LeahBergen @Aimeesue That‘s a perfect way of looking at it. 😆 2y

Aimeesue @LeahBergen I may have some practice in finding ways to hang on to my treasured old books. 😂 2y

kspenmoll Love the cover- you have such a knack at finding older treasures! (edited) 2y

73 likes24 comments

TheBookStopsHere

The Comforters | Muriel Spark

so-so

004. Muriel Spark: The Comforters (1957)

A tale of two halves, with a woman hearing the novel being typewritten and the other following a crime caper. Mixed feelings on this one as enjoyed the metafictional elements but couldn‘t get on with the more whimsical side.

1 like

Booksnchill

The Comforters | Muriel Spark

Taking a cue from my best reads of 2021 I have decided my big challenge for 2022 is to complete Muriel Spark‘s Novels/novellas. I need to read 16 and I am trying to go chronologically by publication date. This is number 1- I recommend this as a challenge as she remains in print and her novels are relatively short but so much fun. As an ancillary also reading Barbara Pym and Nancy Mitford- hooray 2022!

LeslieO What a great challenge! I was doing Anita Brookner a couple years ago but stalled. 3y

Booksnchill @LeslieO Brookner is very much in line with what I am enjoying- read my first Brookner last year and loved it!

A Start in Life

(edited) 3y

LeahBergen I need to read some more Muriel Spark! I think I‘ve only read two? Memento Mori and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. 3y

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Booksnchill @LeahBergen strangely those are 2 of the most read but not in my top for her- try The Abbess of Crewe or The Driver‘s Seat- she can be very salty and just plain bizarre and I love that!

The Driver's Seat

LeslieO @Booksnchill in addition to Pym another one I enjoy is Mary Wesley, I love all her books and would love to do Reread. @LeahBergen those are also the only ones I‘ve read by Spark.

Camomile Lawn

Booksnchill @LeslieO was Chamomile Lawn a movie as well? I think I have seen that. 3y

LeslieO @Booksnchill it was a movie! 3y

LeahBergen @Booksnchill Thanks! I‘m putting those on my list! I pick them up when I see them at book sales. The others I have on my shelf are The Girls of Slender Means, Far Cry From Kensington, Aiding and Abetting, and The Only Problem. 3y

LeahBergen @LeslieO I buy Anita Brookner whenever I find her in my book scavenging outings. 😆 I‘ve yet to read Mary Wesley but I‘ve picked up three at book sales. This may be the year! 3y

batsy That sounds lovely! I've been meaning to read Pym chronologically but have been putting it off. And I'm pretty sure it was @shawnmooney who gave me that idea 🙂 3y

51 likes10 comments

Clwojick

The Comforters | Muriel Spark

bailed

Well, I gave it an hour and I have no interest in giving it any more than that. Bailing and moving onto my next #SeptemberDeadline book, since I‘m in a mood to do some unshelving. I have a stack of books that I‘m not sure I‘m still interested in, so I‘m giving myself until September‘s end to read or donate. I‘ll give the next book an hour and then reevaluate to see if I‘d like to continue reading, or bail, donate and move on to another book.

Leftcoastzen Life is to short not to bail if it‘s not speaking to you. 5y

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick Sorry it's a bust. At least it looks cute. 4y

74 likes2 comments

Clwojick

The Comforters | Muriel Spark

Now that I‘ve had my lunch, it‘s time to dig into this book for my #SeptemberDeadline while sipping on some delicious maple coffee.

I‘m not going to lie, I chose this mug specifically to match my book and manicure 😂

#MidyearRush #24B4Monday

Andrew65, jb72, BeansPage

jb72 Time for me to make lunch. I didn‘t realize it was that time. #alwaysmatchmugandbook 5y

Andrew65 Great colour coordination 👍🙌 i 5y

82 likes2 comments

thebluestocking

The Comforters | Muriel Spark

I love seeing all of the answers to this question!

My go to comfort reads are Edenbrooke, Fangirl, Anne of Green Gables, Harriet the Spy, and 84, Charing Cross Road.

What are your comfort reads?

#sundayfunday @sebrittain

Mollyanna The Narnia Chronicles! 6y

thebluestocking @Mollyanna Love it! ❤️ 6y

jillrhudy Miss Read! 6y

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thebluestocking @jillrhudy I had not heard of her! I looked it up, and the books look amazing. Thank you for sharing. ❤️ 6y

TheBogwitch Anything by Sarah Addison Allen. Also, Harry Potter 1-7. 6y

thebluestocking @TheBogwitch Ooh. Both of those are good. I love SAA and debated about putting HP on my own list. 6y

43 likes6 comments

BethM

The Comforters | Muriel Spark

Sitting here muttering- no more swaps right now Beth, your tbr is already the size of 2 lifetimes, but.... Check out @JoeStalksBeck and @Tiffy_Reads !

umbrellagirl I‘m in! Love this idea. 7y

hermyknee Oh, @BethM, I‘m right there with you. I need to wait a good long year before I participate in another swap (says my TBR shelf, but mostly, my wallet). This is an adorable idea though. 7y

Captivatedbybooks You should sign up! I have the softest cowboys blanket that has your name on it 😂😂😂 7y

Kshakal I said the same thing but couldn‘t resist this one because I am a blanket-a-holic! 7y

BethM @Captivatedbybooks you would lol. @Kshakal so am I... 7y

37 likes5 comments

Lizpixie

The Comforters | Muriel Spark

#Riotgrams #day27 #RetroCoverFun Can't get more retro than these two covers! The penguin copy of Muriel Sparks "The Comforters" was published in 1969 & the Dame Agatha in 1970.For books that are the same age as me, they're in pretty great condition. The Christie even has dyed green edges, and the inner condition of both is perfect.They look like they've never been read, the spines aren't even cracked. Thanks again to @Robothugs #christiescrimeclub

bookriot, Liberty

Robothugs You're so welcome! 😊 8y

merelybookish I love the Spark cover! 8y

45 likes1 stack add2 comments

erzascarletbookgasm

The Comforters | Muriel Spark

#marchintoreading #thistitleequalsgreatbandname #thistitlegreatbandname
The Comforters...something like the Swedish pop band ABBA?
The House of Mirth...a heavy metal/rock band?
🤔🤔

RealLifeReading

TheLondonBookworm 😂 The House of Mirth love it! 8y

RealLifeReading Oooh like The Cardigans! 8y

49 likes2 comments

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