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Started this on my lunch break today and have fallen head over heels in love with Mantel's writing once more. ❤️ She truly was one of the greatest writers of our time! I loved her Cromwell trilogy, and this is my first time reading her shorter fiction! 💕📚 I think I may have to pick up A Place of Greater Safety soon, which is her novel about the French Revolution! Anyone else read this book and love it as much as I do?

Fiction, but largely autobiographical. Mantel was such an interesting woman and just an amazing writer. These stories are excellent. If you‘ve not read her yet, Wolf Hall is probably the best place to start (loved that trilogy), but I also enjoyed her memoir Giving Up the Ghost. Glad I still have a few of her books left to read.

Hilary Mantel‘s grandfather was from the drowned village of Derwent. She mentions this in the preface of this collection and it plays a part in her story “The Clean Slate.” I‘d never heard of this so had to do a bit of research. Fascinating! Love when books do that. I guess that the remnants of the village emerged during the dry summer of 2018 (article link in comments below).

Description of Suzy in the story, King Billy Is A Gentleman.

I am only 11 pages in and the am reading short story King Billy is a Gentleman .I am in awe of her use of language & literary devices. The characters come totally alive. Her descriptions & the actions of her characters encapsulates their character/ characteristics. #stories

#weeklyforecast

I‘ve never read Mantel before, so when news of her death arrived, I snapped this up to remedy my failing. I didn‘t give these stories the attention they deserved, as I was distracted while listening, but those I focused on were quite good. I look forward to eventually getting to Wolf Hall (which has been on my Nook for a while).

Morning coffee with Mantel. Awoke to the sad news of her passing. Such a brilliant writer. Look forward to reading these stories drawn from Mantel‘s childhood in the north of England.