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The Go-Between | L.P. Hartley

Q6: In his introduction, Hartley notes that critics have found fault with the prologue and
epilogue, which together “made a frame too heavy for the picture” [p. 11]. Do you agree with
these critics? Do you think that the book would have been complete—and possibly
stronger—without the prologue and epilogue?

Other thoughts on the book?

#NYRBBookClub

merelybookish I get that a prologue & epilogue aren't the most artful devices. And often I find them annoying. But I didn't mind it here. In part because memory was such an important aspect of the book. The prologues sets up how the story is being funneled through 2 perspectives. If one could be cut it was the epilogue, ending with Ted's death would have been quite powerful, but I was curious as to what happened so it was satisfying on that level. 3y

vivastory I think the prologue works as a framing device, establishing how the narrator “uncovered“ the story. I think what is interesting is that typically in framed narratives the story is related by someone else, or they discover a diary or a journal written by someone else & in the case of Hartley's book is it's the discovery of his own diary that sets the story going. 3y

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quietjenn I don't, actually. I think that they are often badly done, but felt they were both really effective and appropriate here. I think I would've been disappointed without the epilogue and thought that the prologue did much to set the voice and tone for the entire book. 3y

Billypar @vivastory You're right - I didn't think about that! It's interesting because most of the time finding your own diary wouldn't lead you to a whole forgotten story, but we come to understand why Leo might have stopped thinking about it. 3y

Billypar I liked how both the prologue and epilogue had their own narratives. Leo doesn't just find the diary - he remembers a 'story before the story' in the spells sequence. And in the epilogue he doesn't just meet Marian and share old memories, there's another mini-drama to it. Having adult Leo as more of his own character made these sections more than just a frame - I thought it enhanced the main story, even if it breaks with convention. 3y

rubyslippersreads This photo reminds me that I loved the description of the bicycle as “a little mountain sheep with curly horns,” and I share Leo‘s regret that he didn‘t keep it. 3y

DrexEdit I just really enjoyed this book. I agree that the prologue and epilogue seem necessary here to frame the events of the past. I didn't find them too heavy. I loved this author's writing style and his ability to keep the pace moving along all while including tons of details and descriptions! 3y

sprainedbrain @rubyslippersreads I loved that line, too! Such great imagery in this book. 3y

Reviewsbylola I 100% agree with @merelybookish I can be so irritated by superfluous prologues and especially epilogues. I found both to be well done and necessary in this case. I really enjoyed this book! 3y

GatheringBooks I agree with @vivastory ‘s mention of the prologue as “framing” the narrative - i actually didn‘t mind both epilogue/prologue. I think that this is one of my fave #nyrbbookclub reads. It was engaging, and I thoroughly enjoyed how the story unfolded. (edited) 3y

LeahBergen I‘m sorry to come in late on the discussion (busy day!) but I‘ve really enjoyed reading everyone‘s comments and loved the book. It‘s right up there with some of my favourite #NYRBBookClub reads! @vivastory 3y

vivastory @GatheringBooks @leahbergen I agree. This is one of my fave #NYRBBookClub selections. Really enjoyed the book & the discussion. 3y

29 likes13 comments

The Go-Between | L.P. Hartley

Q5: Leo tries very hard to present himself as a reliable narrator. Has Leo left his child self behind? How accurate do you think Leo‘s understanding of people and events at Brandham Hall was when he was a child, and now as a grown man?

#NYRBBookClub

merelybookish I don't know. I think it's interesting to think about Leo the narrator acting as a go-between for the reader and the past. I think we always have to question his interpretations. That adult Leo needs to be smarter, better, less emotional than his younger self. I think he is able to see some things differently that are helpful but he also has to be more cynical of all the emotions. 3y

vivastory @merelybookish I agree. I also couldn't help but wonder if some of his jaded attitude as an adult might not have hampered him as an observer as it lacks some of the immediacy of his observations when he was younger. 3y

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quietjenn I don't think he's entirely left his child self behind - not nearly so much as he'd like to believe - or would like us to believe. Being the jaded narrator insulates him from the pain (among other emotions) that recalling the events riles up. I think his adult interpretation of events is more reliable than what he would've written as a kid and the truth probably lies somewhere betwixt it all. (there's that liminal between space again!). 3y

sarahbarnes Such an interesting question. I think as with any narrator, we get a subjective version of events, and this is even more true if the narrator is harking back to the past. @vivastory I agree that he seems so cynical and in some ways unable to move past some of the events he‘s recalling. It seems like he was truly traumatized by what happened with Ted, and he hasn‘t processed that in a way that would allow him to give a more objective account. 3y

sarahbarnes I also think the interaction with Marian at the end is fascinating. She has her own skewed memory of these events. In the same way that she‘s protecting herself in her version of the story, I wonder if Leo is doing that in some ways as well. 3y

quietjenn @sarahbarnes I agree! I think that both Marian and Leo have rewritten things into a version that they each need to believe 3y

Reviewsbylola I think Leo has spent years coming to terms with what happened and has now realized that he was innocent to a lot of what was going on. I think old Marian was intriguing and still had no idea how deeply affected Leo was by the whole circumstance. 3y

GatheringBooks I agree with @sarahbarnes and @Reviewsbylola with that final interaction with Marian in their old age. The fact that Leo was able to hold his own and refused to do what Marian asked of him suggests that he is no longer under her power. Marian‘s entitlement, though, is staggering. 3y

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The Go-Between | L.P. Hartley

Q4: How sympathetic do you find Marian? Ted? Hugh? Did any of them ever have true affection for Leo or did they merely use him? Do Leo‘s adult analyses of each of them differ much from his childhood perceptions?

#NYRBBookClub

Billypar I think adult Leo describes it as the adults both having affection for him while simultaneously using him, right? I can understand that perspective - that Marian didn't peg him as her future go-between from the start, she just thought she'd help a kid get some clothes to fit in. At the same time, even that action had 3y

Billypar the benefit of her seeing Ted. But I think people are capable of having self-serving motivations side by side with helpful ones. The bike revelation was pretty interesting though! 3y

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vivastory @Billypar I do think that younger Leo lacked the emotional maturity to see that someone could have both self-serving interests AND charitable instincts. Great observation! 3y

Leftcoastzen Yes @vivastory @Billypar a hard lesson for all of us ! When he was bullied at school he knew they didn‘t like him . Adults can like you & still use you . 3y

quietjenn @Billypar @Leftcoastzen @vivastory very insightful! That liking and using aren't mutually is very much an adult perspective! 3y

quietjenn I think this is something that I wrestled with. I found myself getting very angry at Marian and Ted - especially in that moment when they both turned on Leo for saying that he didn't want to pass messages anymore. The selfishness on display there and their inability in that moment to see things from Leo's angle really infuriated me. And that Ted quickly repents of it and Marian doesn't probably colored my feelings for the rest of the book. 3y

quietjenn At the same time, I'm sympathetic to their situation and the societal conventions they found themselves struggling against. 3y

sarahbarnes Late to the party here, but @quietjenn I was thinking about similar things as I read the book - that Marian‘s and Ted‘s situation was so sympathetic. They weren‘t allowed to show their true feelings, and were forced to do what they could to make do under those circumstances. But at the same time Marian in particular was so selfish in the way she treated Leo, more so than Ted. Probably a function of her sense of entitlement due to her class. 3y

Billypar @quietjenn @sarahbarnes Yeah, those dual feelings of both being upset with Marian and Ted and still sympathetic to their situation is even more interesting in light of the fact that the two intros seem to indicate that Hartley was similarly conflicted. He set out to make them villains in response to how other authors give such characters a pass on their 'moral transgressions'. But then he started sympathizing with them and changed his approach. 3y

rubyslippersreads I felt sorry for all three people in this triangle, and for Leo, having to navigate the situation. 3y

DrexEdit I think Hugh is the most true in his feelings towards Leo, because however much he enjoyed Leo's company, he had no investment in the relationship. He was completely in control of that relationship and could set the tone. Ted also seemed to be a bit sympathetic, perhaps he recognized a bit of himself in striving towards relations with a “better“ class. 3y

DrexEdit I had very little sympathy for Marian. She used him, she looked down on him, however much she may have enjoyed his company and she was still using him all those years later, with little to no sense of irony of what she was asking him to do. 3y

Reviewsbylola I disliked the lot of them, although I could give a pass to Marcus for just being a kid. I realize Marian was still in her teenage years too but there was a level of vicious manipulation with her that I couldn‘t excuse. 3y

GatheringBooks Like @DrexEdit and @Reviewsbylola I found it hard to sympathize with Marian and Ted. In fact I felt impatient towards them - must be my age but I felt that they were self-serving as everyone else mentioned, egocentric, and entitled. Whatever Marian provided Leo, while appearing generous and gracious, cannot compare to the trauma that she inflicted upon a hapless smitten boy who worshipped the ground she walked on. 3y

GatheringBooks Marian was a master manipulator - and the way she behaved towards the end in her old age suggests that she is incapable of loving anyone but herself. 3y

LeahBergen I‘m with @Reviewsbylola here. I was all ready to forgive Marian‘s narcissism as a typical “teenager in love” character flaw until that nasty old bag hauled it out and tried it on him again when he visited her in old age. 3y

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The Go-Between | L.P. Hartley

Q3: The world that Leo describes is defined by class differences. Where does Leo fit in the
social structure in relation to the Maudsleys, Ted Burgess, and Lord Trimingham? How do
these class differences influence his relations with each of them?

#NYRBBookClub

merelybookish Orwell has a line about being "lower, upper, middle class" and that was how I thought of Leo. Depending upon who he is with, he is either subordinate or superior. He is subordinate to Maudsleys and High but superior to Ted. He is probably closest to the Maudsleys which is why he has the hardest time getting his footing with them. 3y

Leftcoastzen He‘s definitely middle class so between the people he interacts with.I speculated what his mother was thinking, meaning she was probably hoping it opens doors for him , better schools , better career , better marriage eventually if he bonds with his friend & the family. 3y

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quietjenn It seems another instance of how “go-between“ is entirely the correct term for Leo. He is very much striving middle class - not quite so rich or well-connected as the Maudsley, and well-below Hugh, and his attitude of awe and deference to them (as well as his disapproval of Marian and Ted) reflects that. But there's some uneasiness with it too, as you see during the cricket match and when he actually interacts with Ted as a person. 3y

Billypar I thought it was interesting how Marcus more than any other character tried to make Leo conscious of class and how he should see himself compared to Ted or the servants. I know it's because he's a kid and very sensitive to those dynamics, but it did kinda make me want to kick him 🙂 3y

rubyslippersreads I agree with @quietjenn that it‘s another example of Leo being a “go-between.” 3y

DrexEdit I actually think he's fairly lower middle class. His mother didn't even have money to outfit him for the summer, much less all the costume changes the upper class would go through in a day. He's probably closest in class to Ted in terms of income, but Leo's not working class (and tenant working class at that). But his introduction to Ted thru the Maudsley's meant that he had to look down on him, or felt he had to. 3y

Reviewsbylola I think Leo was very motivated by societal standards but I also feel like his realization of that didn‘t come until adulthood and that he didn‘t fully understand his motivations in that regard until much later. 3y

GatheringBooks More than the tragic love story, I felt that the explorations of classism, snobbery, prejudice were quite potent and the fact that the servants have been rendered voiceless and invisible (yet always with an undercurrent of resentment with Leo being asked to clean up after himself with the witchcraft paraphernalia). The game towards the end between the common folks versus the genteel people surfaced that tension even further. 3y

vivastory @GatheringBooks I agree with this point about the exploration of class & prejudice. I found this to be esp effectively portrayed during the dinner after the game. The villagers & the upper class forcibly integrated in a token display of democratic good cheer that was largely ignored due to people talking over one another. 3y

vivastory @quietjenn Leo's class as being another instance of him as a go-between. What a great comparison! 3y

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The Go-Between | L.P. Hartley

Q2: The famous opening line of The Go-Between sets the tone for Leo Colston's avowal that his younger self is a complete stranger; unrecognizable to his adult self. Do you believe this? Why or why not?

#NYRBBookClub

merelybookish I did believe it. I can believe that from the perspective of 1950, that 1900 really did feel like another country. Leo in 1900 has such optimism for the 20th century. Leo in 1950 has survived 2 World Wars that destroyed many ideals and nearly destroyed Britain. I felt that shift was always in the background. 3y

Billypar Agreed @merelybookish - and then if you multiply that difference with all of the developmental differences in how a 12-13-year-old interprets and interacts with the world of adults, thinking of the past as another country is a great metaphor. 3y

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vivastory @Billypar @merelybookish I couldn't help but be reminded of some of the y2k optimism while reading this & thinking of how quickly that soured 3y

Leftcoastzen Agree with @merelybookish as well. I think too he was from a small middle class family so some of the goings on in the household his friend was raised in is a bit of an overload for him . 3y

merelybookish @Billypar Yes well said! Childhood is like another country to an adult! And it didn't take long for that Y2K optimism to fade @vivastory but perhaps such hope is inevitable at the start to a new century. 3y

quietjenn @Billypar @merelybookish exactly! I think it's very human nature to look back at yourself and find yourself marveling at the difference - witness the phrase "was I ever that naive?" - but then to compound that with the tumultuous events of the early 20th century ... Foreign country at the very least! 3y

quietjenn @vivastory @merelybookish I remember being in college in the late nineties and talking lots in English lit classes fin-de-siècle literature and how we were approaching our own and “dawn of the new.“ I do think that it is inevitable, but maybe the disappointment that soon follows is also? 3y

Billypar @quietjenn So true - it's naivety heaped on naivety! And yes @vivastory I do remember that kind of awe people had about 2000 - it's funny how just the idea of a new century can be such a powerful signifier. 3y

rubyslippersreads Didn‘t he have a nervous breakdown? I would think that might have made a huge division between his childhood and adult life. 3y

Reviewsbylola I‘m with @billypar here. That sums it up perfectly. 3y

GatheringBooks I can‘t help but think of my own past as another country - in the literal sense, living in my third country now. So yes, the line resonated with me deeply, with all its power and unadorned nostalgia. Great point with @merelybookish ‘s mention of the two world wars and how that can definitely age a person, so much so that the past feels like another country altogether. 3y

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The Go-Between | L.P. Hartley

Hello, friends! I‘m a bit late posting the questions, but here we go. I hope everyone enjoyed the book!

Q1: In the introduction, Colm Tóibín writes that the novel “is a drama about Leo‘s deeply sensuous nature moving blindly, in a world of rich detail and beautiful sentences, toward a destruction impelled by his own intensity of feeling...” Do you agree with this statement?

#NYRBBookClub

vivastory

Billypar I liked Tóibín's intro, but I'm not sure it's the first and best way I'd describe the novel. I think Leo begins to have his own designs on the situation that emerges and "moving blindly" makes him sound a little too passive. 3y

Leftcoastzen Yes , his descriptions sometimes lead me to believe he‘s too emotionally invested in the going‘s on . 3y

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sprainedbrain @Billypar I agree with you… Leo definitely made some decisions for himself. 3y

vivastory @Billypar Agreed, this does make Leo sound passive. 3y

quietjenn Well, I agree with the "rich detail" and "beautiful sentences" but am not quite convinced of the other. Maybe sensuality is something I'm just not very attuned to. ?‍♀️ Although the heightened emotion feels true to me, as things have an intensity in youth that is rarely matched - in my experience - in adulthood. I don't think he's entirely passive, but wouldn't credit him with a ton of agency (although also seems accurate for his age). 3y

merelybookish Haha, I'm so glad others responded because I was perplexed by this quote and admittedly did not read the introductory essay. I'm not sure Leo had that agency either although isn't part of his narrative based on the idea that he did? I mean he partially believes he was responsible? @quietjenn @vivastory @Billypar 3y

quietjenn @merelybookish I only read it after! I do think that Leo (and others, such as Marian and her mother) gave himself far to much credit (and/or blame) for the events of that summer. 3y

rubyslippersreads I haven‘t read the essay yet, but the only way I can see that Leo was “ moving blindly” was that there were so many adult elements that he, as a child, didn‘t understand. 3y

Billypar @merelybookish I didn't give this aspect a lot of thought until now, but he started with this false sense of agency with believing spells and curses can have an effect on real events. But towards the end, by doing something like changing Ted and Marian's meeting time, he had a real influence on events (even if the result was unintended and the exact opposite of his wishes). Lying is almost like the real-world version of a spell gone wrong. 3y

merelybookish @Billypar Right and he does cast that weird spell.at the end 3y

DrexEdit I don't think I have too much to add. I think Leo was “moving blindly“ in that there was adult stuff going on that he didn't understand. He did try to influence events, but I don't think he totally understood them until much later. I do totally agree with the sensuous nature and intensity of feeling. I got the sense that even as he narrated the events of his childhood that he was still remembering every smell, every touch, and certainly the heat! 3y

Reviewsbylola Eh, the destruction part of it feels false to me. That‘s where Toibin lost me. I felt that the characters, at least the two that used Leo to propel their own relationship, were on a path of destruction that Leo clearly felt was his doing but in fact he was just caught up in it. It would have imploded whether he‘d been involved or not. 3y

GatheringBooks I read a different edition of the book so was not able to read any introduction at all. But i echo @Billypar and @vivastory re the passivity of the tone and Leo‘s witchy-like-borderline-supernatural “agency” - i thought he did not move “blindly,” but rather saw/perceived things differently based on his limited naive understanding of what was going on. Yet it was also a “slippery slope” of sorts, in that he seemed unable to stop at all. 3y

batsy I'm sorry I haven't had the chance to finish this up yet, but I hope to return to the discussion when I have! I'm enjoying the book a lot :) 3y

vivastory @batsy As always I look forward to your thoughts, so please chime in when you do finish! 3y

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quietjenn

The Go-Between | L.P. Hartley

Spending some time finishing this up today, so I'm ready for the #nyrbbookclub discussion tomorrow. About halfway through and enjoying it immensely. @sprainedbrain @vivastory

daena I found it fantastic all the way through! Looking forward to hearing everyone‘s thoughts tomorrow as well. 3y

catebutler I too am rushing to finish this up for the discussion! 3y

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Billypar

The Go-Between | L.P. Hartley

pick

#nyrbbookclub
The Go-Between's portrayal of a 12-year-old's thought process in its protagonist Leo is so good, it's almost eerie. It made me remember what it was like to be that age: how much you want the respect of adults and feel compelled to trade your child's imagination for obeying rigid social signals (which, honestly, is a pretty bad deal!) And for such a sensitive book, it's got a fair amount of action and mounting suspense.

Billypar Looking forward to talking about this one @sprainedbrain @vivastory ! 3y

sarahbarnes Great review! I agree! 3y

vivastory Wonderful review! Agreed, it's definitely a rotten deal 3y

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daena Great review, well said. 3y

Brimful I read this book when I was very young. It was the book that taught me literature was not just about the story! 3y

Billypar @Brimful That's so true - the story is usually what gets me to pick up a book, but only one factor in terms of how much I enjoy it. The characters in this one are what stand out. 3y

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sarahbarnes

The Go-Between | L.P. Hartley

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I really enjoyed this book! Looking forward to the discussion @sprainedbrain and @vivastory ! 😃

vivastory I'm really looking forward to your thoughts during the discussion! 3y

Brimful A book I read a long time ago when I was 13 or so. It was the book that taught me that there was more to fiction than the story! Wonderful book! 3y

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LeahBergen

The Go-Between | L.P. Hartley

Well, I‘ve finally started this month‘s #NYRBBookClub pick; I‘m 75 pages in and I‘m LOVING it.

@vivastory @sprainedbrain

vivastory Wonderful! I had a feeling that this was a Leah book! 3y

batsy Look at that copy 😍 3y

youneverarrived What a lovely edition 🤍 3y

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Billypar I just finished it last night - I really liked it! 3y

merelybookish I am also not suprised you like it! 3y

quietjenn Gorgeous copy, as always! 3y

rubyslippersreads 😍😍😍 3y

LeslieO Oh that sounds so good! 3y

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The Go-Between | L.P. Hartley

pick

This was a rich, engrossing, and somewhat stressful read. When you know a secret will out! (I confess I read the last few pages early to put my mind at ease. 🙈) Such layers and depth: the story of Leo the boy, the memory of Leo the man, the background of the first half of the 20th century. It's a coming-of-age tale like no other. Even things that can irk me (prologues/epilogues, scenes laden with portent) worked. Excited to discuss! #nyrbbookclub

merelybookish @sprainedbrain @vivastory 3y

batsy Nice review! I'm so behind and only going to start today 🙈 3y

merelybookish @batsy Thanks! It's pretty compelling so probably once you start you will be swept up. 3y

vivastory Great review!I finished this today as well & loved it. I agree about the prologue & epilogue. They usually annoy me, especially epilogues but I thought it was very well done. 3y

merelybookish @vivastory Thanks! Yes epilogues are usually terrible but I feel this one added depth. Marian's interpretation challenges so much. 3y

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The Go-Between | L.P. Hartley

Slowing making my way through our #nyrbbookclub book. Still really enjoying it. I especially like the narrator's dual perspective, what 13 year-old Leo thought, felt & believed at the time versus what adult Leo understands and sees looking back. It makes a seemingly dull topic like cricket become fascinating for all it reveals about Leo then and now. @vivastory @sprainedbrain

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KVanRead

The Go-Between | L.P. Hartley

Hello dear Litsy friends, I‘m back!!!! It hasn‘t been a great Litsy summer for me between my English course (which I loved and will post more about later) and generally more busy times with the reopening. But I‘m having a lazy morning starting this one today and loving it. Looking forward to #NYRBBC discussion!

Megabooks I was wondering where you‘d been! Glad to know you‘re okay! 3y

BarbaraBB So good to see you‘re back!! And you‘re in for a treat with this book! 3y

BookishMarginalia Welcome back! 3y

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KVanRead @Megabooks @BarbaraBB @BookishMarginalia 😘🤗😘🤗😘🤗 3y

vivastory Glad that you're back! Looking forward to your thoughts on the book 📚📚 3y

LeahBergen Hello, hello, hello! 👋🏻 3y

LeahBergen Happy, happy Birthday!! 📚❤️📚❤️ 3y

vivastory Hey, I hope you are doing well. Just a heads-up that I need you to post your nominations for #NYRB by tomorrow (9/5/21) so that the international members will have time to order. Thanks! 3y

slategreyskies Your name came up in the comments on a book I was searching for earlier today. It made me think of you and wonder how you were doing. I hope everything is okay for you. Sending a hug!! ❤️!! 3y

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Leftcoastzen

The Go-Between | L.P. Hartley

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#NYRBBookclub we read sophisticated thrillers , wild SciFi ,cultural criticism & more . Please tell me why the British novel with the theme of a middle class visitor to an Upperclass families house seems to always have such a strong appeal ? What they learn and how they assimilate it , usually changing them forever.I love this novel, a re-read for me.Maybe we will toss that around in our discussion.

Billypar It's interesting how that theme completely dominated literary novels for so much time. Class issues may come up in new novels now, but there's no stock 'story' that recurs like it used to that I can tell. Or if there is, we see it in romance novels maybe. It is interesting to read the nyrb choices and see how many different variations on that theme exist, with some aging better than others. 3y

LeahBergen I don‘t know why but I always seem to love ‘em. 🤣 3y

sarahbarnes Really enjoying it so far as well! 3y

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The Go-Between | L.P. Hartley

Cheap edition, cheap bookmark, cheap mug. But it's all good because I'm 💯 loving this book so far! 🥰
#nyrbbookclub @vivastory @sprainedbrain

sprainedbrain I‘m loving it, too! 3y

LeahBergen 😆😆 Love this post. #CheapCubed 3y

Centique I‘m so excited that people are loving it! 😍 3y

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Billypar I just started it yesterday, but it's got a very promising (and unexpected) beginning! 3y

merelybookish @sprainedbrain It's very immersive! 3y

merelybookish @LeahBergen I like the hashtag. 😂 Of course, normally I'm #fancycubed. 😛 3y

merelybookish @Centique Yes! So good so far! 3y

merelybookish @Billypar Agreed. He pretty much had me with the zodiac signs. 😀 3y

vivastory I'm starting in a couple of days. It's promising that the group seems to enjoy it so far! 3y

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Leftcoastzen

The Go-Between | L.P. Hartley

#NYRBbookclub The reading buddy ! Nacho getting his beauty sleep . #catsoflitsy

peanutnine 😻 3y

LeahBergen Nacho! 😘😘 3y

rubyslippersreads Look at that big bunny foot! 😹 3y

Leftcoastzen @rubyslippersreads he has jumbo big bunny feet 😹 3y

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Leftcoastzen

The Go-Between | L.P. Hartley

Good to be able to browse the library stacks again . Picked up my hold for the #NYRBBookClub .I had read the Go Between so many years ago must reread if I am to join in for the discussion.I‘ve been failing at the discussion portion of the program lately! Will I get to all these ? Who knows , I‘m such an impulsive reader & a flashy , new dust jacket may turn my head ! 😄

vivastory The Walker is really interesting. I'll be curious to see your thoughts. I totally understand about being distracted 😂 3y

Suet624 I have removed myself from the voting portion of the NYRB group, but I keep buying the books that they pick. :) 3y

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DrexEdit

The Go-Between | L.P. Hartley

I'm enjoying this #nyrbbookclub book! I'm not too far in so it's still reading like a turn-of-the-century country manor house weekend story, but from the point of view of a naive schoolboy! I think things are about to get complicated. As things do.

#lunchtimereading

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GatheringBooks

The Go-Between | L.P. Hartley

Skipped another one of the endless family dinner parties to binge-read my non-NYRB edition of our #NYRBBookClub pick for the month of July. Magician, curses/hexes, coming-of-age, summer spent with a schoolmate - what‘s not to love?

vivastory What a wonderful edition! I'm looking forward to diving into this one 3y

merelybookish Your non-NYRB edition is prettier than mine! 😉 And you make it sound so good! 3y

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The Go-Between | L.P. Hartley

#Bookmail! My non-NYRB edition of the next #NYRBbookclub pick has arrived!
And the first line is ???"The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there."
@vivastory @sprainedbrain

Ruthiella That‘s an awesome opening line. 3y

merelybookish @Ruthiella Agreed! I feel like maybe I've heard it before. 3y

GatheringBooks Yay! I also have a non-NYRB edition of our BOTM. 3y

vivastory I just received my copy a few days ago. I'm looking forward to reading it 3y

sisilia The famous opening 🥰 Enjoy the book! 3y

55 likes5 comments

BarbaraBB

The Go-Between | L.P. Hartley

This was a 4⭐️read for me back in 2010. I even can remember a bit, which is quite exceptional. I won‘t reread because I have so many unread books waiting for me but I will be looking forward to the discussion! #NYRBBookClub