Favourite 20th Century British Classics

[@unaffiliatedwealth1798]

Reading is the key to learning. It's a pity people don't read as much as they used to before the Internet.

[@marichristian1072]

I'm a Barbara Pym addict. I read all of her works once a year. They bring calm, joy, and laughter in our troubled times.

[@HannahsBooks]

How wonderful! I am especially excited about the new biography of Pym coming out in the spring. Please please do a whole Twentieth Century month (like JA July and Victober). I love that idea and can’t wait to put together a TBR-maybe some Woolf and some Mitford sisters?

[@katiejlumsden]

I would like to do one, I think - maybe next year, we'll see!

[@thelifeandtimesofjames4273]

Erm. Sold on Angela Carter who I have never heard of. Sounds very unique. Many thanks for the heads up.

[@katiejlumsden]

She's great!

[@MLLatUtube]

Lots of titles for my TBR - I agree about Dorothy Sayers. Her later books especially Gaudy Night are among my all-time favorite books.

[@katiejlumsden]

I must read something by her :)

[@JentheLibrarianreads]

I’ve never read any Angela Carter, but given how much I really like weird books I feel like I may enjoy her writing ☺️

[@katiejlumsden]

Oh I think you'd rather enjoy Angela Carter! I recommend starting with The Bloody Chamber.

[@marichristian1072]

As much as I like all things Gothic, I find Angela Carter's works mediocre. I'm reading Bram Stoker's "Dracula" for the first time and am impressed with the quality of the writing.

[@searchanddiscover]

Nancy Mitford is another worth trying. Like a cross between pym and wodehouse.

[@katiejlumsden]

Sounds like my kind of author!

[@jonathanumbriaco175]

Thank you for taking the time to make this video. P.J. Wodehouse was really interesting to hear about - most of these authors I had not heard of before so thank you for the introduction to them and your experience with their work. I also was intrigued by H.G. Wells realist fiction as well from your video!

[@katiejlumsden]

P.G. Wodehouse is really great! H.G. Wells's realist novels are great too.

[@laracroft1829]

Thank you for making this video. There are some authors here new to me. I love your enthusiasm. I just realized you’re getting close to 15 k subscribers. So happy your channel continues growing.

[@katiejlumsden]

Thanks :)

[@atticustheanglophile5319]

Yay 😃 Agatha Christie! can’t wait til the new Death on the Nile comes out this year. And OMG Daphne du Maurier, I love her name. Rebecca’s so great.

[@katiejlumsden]

Agatha Christie is amazing :) As is Daphne Du Maurier!

[@michaelrumney6167]

Good video with a wide ranging selection, thank goodness P G Wodehouse got a mention.

[@katiejlumsden]

Thanks :)

[@scallydandlingaboutthebooks]

Lots of favourites here. I was thrilled to see Patrick Hamilton on your list. I think he is exceptional and less well known than he should be. I had forgotten Monica Dickens completely till now. I remember reading One Pair of Hands and One Pair of Feet with my mother sometime in the 1970s! If I was recommending some for you to try (if you haven't already) I'd pick Rosamond Lehmann, Sylvia Townsend-Warner and the three wonderful Elizabeths (Von Arnim, Bowen and Taylor).

[@katiejlumsden]

Patrick Hamilton is great! I really need to read more by him. I haven't read any of those at the end, so I'll have to :)

[@mysunnyreadingcorner6777]

I agree with many of your choices, especially E.M. Forster. So much looking forward to your Forster video 😊 Further books by British 20th century authors I enjoyed in the last few years: The Secret Garden (not sure whether it counts as Victorian), The Diary of a Provincial Lady, some of Elizabeth von Arnim's books

[@katiejlumsden]

Thanks! I do like The Secret Garden, though I haven't read it for ages.

[@judipfancuff1839]

I just want to thank you for turning me on to Elizabeth Gaskell. I’ve been reading her books back-to-back. Started with Wives and Daughters, then Cranford and then my favorite so far, North and South. I just love the combination of beautifully drawn characters, humor and progressive social insights. Love her even more than Jane Austen. Can’t believe I’m saying that, but it’s true.

[@judipfancuff1839]

Sorry about attaching this to your vlog on 20th century classics! :-)

[@katiejlumsden]

Thanks! Gaskell is so great, and I'm glad you've been enjoying her work; I just love her!

[@leonief8066]

Great selection, thanks!

[@katiejlumsden]

Thanks :)

[@CharlieBrookReads]

Such a great list ...I have written lots down. ❤️ Thank you for sharing xx

[@katiejlumsden]

Thanks Charlie!

[@jamestong8080]

I find it amazing how many of my favorite books and authors you included. I am very surprised that you did not include Iris Murdoch, She always reminds me of Dickens. Try her! Start with The Sea, The Sea.

[@katiejlumsden]

So, I have read Under the Net by her but it's been about ten years and I barely remember it! I must read more by her.

[@sarahel19]

Great list, thank you for all your recommandations. There are a lot of authors that I need to get to, especially Barbara Pym. I plan to begin with Excellent Women which seems to be a good choice.

[@katiejlumsden]

Thanks! Parbara Pym is great.

[@RaineyDayReads]

This was fascinating, Katie! I’ve actually never heard of any of HG Wells realist fiction. I also NEED to try Barbara Pym. I always say that but I never do.

[@katiejlumsden]

You do - Barbara Pym is so good!

[@gingerladd6900]

I LOVE most of those books. Keep reading the Lucia series, you are in for a treat! Can I recommend A Glass of Blessings, by Barbara Pym,

[@katiejlumsden]

Barbara Pym's definitely an author I want to read in full one day :)

[@johnsaxongitno4life588]

Fantastic video love it keeps up your amazing work xx

[@katiejlumsden]

Thanks!

[@marty9011]

Agatha Christie wrote non-crime books under the name Mary Westmacott. They are worth reading. They are about relationships without a murder.

[@katiejlumsden]

I definitely want to read them sometime!

[@katietatey]

I've never read any Agatha Christie but I have seen Murder on the Orient Express and now I think I might want to try a few of her books. I read Howard's End a couple of months ago and I loved it! I want to read Maurice.

[@katiejlumsden]

Highly recommend Agatha Christie and Maurice!

[@SpinstersLibrary]

Thank you for this! I love 20th century literature and there were so many books you talked about that I hadn't heard of but sound so intriguing. Barbara Pym is one author I really want to explore, I have a feeling I am going to like her work. I also think I'll probably enjoy P.G. Wodehouse, I definitely need more light-hearted 20th century literature in my life :D E.M. Forster is amazing, I am so sad I've finished all his books now. The two books you mentioned are my favourites of his too. Have you read John Wyndham? I know you're not a huge dystopian reader but I think you'd enjoy his prose and characterisation

[@katiejlumsden]

P.G. Wodehouse is GREAT fun - I think you'd enjoy him, and Barbara Pym too. So, I've read The Crystalids by John Wyndahm, which I really enjoyed - I must read more by him.

[@prufrockj.a8532]

Rattigan's After the Dance and The Deep Blue Sea are also amazing!

[@katiejlumsden]

I definitely need to read/see more by him :)

[@GunpowderFictionPlot]

I love this video. So many books you don't see discussed on BookTube. I laughed when you compared Wodehouse and Christie, because it surprised me, but i completely see where you're coming from and agree. Very surprised you haven't read more Orwell. He has some good and very short ones for when you want something new.

[@katiejlumsden]

Yeah, I really need to read Animal Farm - has been on my list for ages!

[@GunpowderFictionPlot]

@@katiejlumsden animal farm is fantastic, but if you liked themes in The Road to Wigan Pier and The Raggered Trousered Philanthropists, you should add Down and out in Paris and London and Keep the Aspidistra Flying to your TBR.

[@lucyrutherford]

I've been keen for a while to read more classics from that 30s-60s kind of period so this video is perfect, so many authors to get me started :) The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald is one I really enjoyed, published in 1978 but set in the 50s. I also adore Nancy Mitford and I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith.

[@katiejlumsden]

Thanks, Lucy! I do love the 30s-60s period, so interesting. I must read some Nancy Mitford, and The Bookshop sounds fun too!

[@mame-musing]

@Lucy Rutherford Yes, The Bookshop was so good. I also really liked the movie with Bill Nighy (sorry, I can’t remember who played the female lead 🤦‍♀️).

[@MrToryhere]

Anthony Powell’s 5 pre-War novels are also very good.

[@thomasjoseph4718]

The film of the "Go Between" with Julie Christie and Alan Bates is great !

[@orthiasbooks7115]

i really loved young anne as well !! all of dorothy whipple's works are so great - I think they were sisters is my favourite : )

[@katiejlumsden]

I really loved Young Anne.

[@lisasstitchingandsuch]

We share quite a few favourite modern authors :) So I will recommend Jane Gardam to you and I recommend starting with Old Filth. It's a book about "looking back" which I think I've heard you say you like. it's about colonial Britain, WW2 and then society afterwards. But despite the heavy topics it's delightful to read and not a chunker at only 300 pages. By the time you're done you will definitely want to read the next one The Man in the Wooden Hat because it's about his wife and you will have questions.

[@katiejlumsden]

I've heard very things about Old Filth - definitely one on my list :)

[@lorrainetaylor9852]

I would recommend the Sword of Honour trilogy by Evelyn Waugh - also the mini series with Daniel Craig before he was famous!

[@katiejlumsden]

Thanks - I do want to read more by him!

[@lilsvintageworld]

I adored this video!!! You mentioned so many great books and authors!! Could I recommend that you pick up some Elizabeth Taylor? And Dorothy L Sayers too?? Fab video...as always x

[@johncrwarner]

Dorothy L. Sayers - I only know her through the Lord Peter novels but they are great and my sort of "go to" novels for relaxing.

[@katiejlumsden]

Thanks, Lil! I definitely need to read Elizabeth Taylor and Dorothy L. Sayers!

[@dariusdaguerre3535]

You should read Laurens van der Post's _A Mantis Carol._ It is the true story of a Quaker family who, in the 1930s, if memory serves, rescue a pygmy from a circus and how he influences their lives and particularly the life of the daughter, who tells her family history to VDP because she read one of his books about Africa and wanted to understand the man's culture. VDP was a Jungian analyst, and the narrative turns on many instances of synchronicity that symbolize the transformations in their spiritual lives. VDP's prose is rather purple, but I love purple prose and the story is moving nand beautiful.

[@novellenovels]

I appreciate these recommendations as I’m not great on 20th century British classics 😊

[@katiejlumsden]

Thanks, Emily!

[@juliequick5526]

There are quite a few writers here that I need to look for and quite a few that are very dear to me too! Persephone seem to lead me to a lot of lesser known gems, but I recommend you look at the PD James Adam Dalgliesh books. The later ones are extremely well written imo and closer to literary fiction that the average police procedural. Agatha Christie remains my all time fave though in the genre!

[@katiejlumsden]

So, I've read Death Comes to Pemberly by P.D. James and didn't like it, and it's really put me off her - but I wonder if that's just the Austen connection and I might like her other stuff!

[@ألاءعبدالله-ز6ج]

All through the video I was thinking about P. G. Wodehouse.. and he finally came at the very end =) I also like E.M. Delafield and Elizabeth von Arnim. I am quite happy to know that H. G. Wells has written novels that are not sience fiction because I haven't been able to get into any of them, so I will try and start with the novel you mentioned. Thanks for the video and waiting for your other video

[@knittingbooksetc.2810]

Alaa Abduallah Same here, l actually asked aloud about Evelyn Waugh and P.G.Wodehouse. When I was young I watched the tv series with Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, who is forever Bertie Wooster for me, rather than Dr. House.

[@katiejlumsden]

Thanks, E.M. Delafield and Elizabeth von Arnim sound interesting! I love P.G. Wodehouse so much. Definitely recommend H.G. Wells's realist novels - I prefer them to his sci fi, and find the characterisation in his realist works much stronger.

[@teaspoones]

I enjoyed this one so much! I usually read more 19th century fiction but I love Monica Dickens (okay I’ve read Mariana but bought two of her other books) and read my first Barbara Pym this year. Definitely need to read more by her and more Wells and try Dorothy Whipple and so many more!

[@katiejlumsden]

Monica Dickens and Barbara Pym are both great!

[@thomasjoseph4718]

I enjoyed the list but there was a surprising omission - Somerset Maugham - I like all his books but particularly his numerous short stories. The other writer which I would recommend is A.J. Cronin. I would be interested in hearing your opinion.

[@katiejlumsden]

I haven't read any Somerset Maugham or A.J. Cronin yet, but I'm sure I will someday!

[@teanlit2949]

I've never read anything from Agatha Christie but ever since her Doctor Who episode, I've been tempted.

[@katiejlumsden]

She's great!

[@lizlittle1641]

I love Agatha Christie and all her mysteries. Also Rebecca, it is excellent!

[@katiejlumsden]

Agatha Christie is great!

[@reader4532]

Re Orwell, just read Keep the Aspidistras Flying and loved it. Must get to Wigan Pier. Seeing Powell and Orwell on your list reminded me that apparently they were friends; supposedly Erridge in the Dance has some of Orwell's personality. Which makes me laugh. I recommend Grahame Greene if you haven't tried him..The End of the Affair, perhaps.

[@knittingbooksetc.2810]

Reader453 Graham Greene has always the same effect on me. I start reading a book and feel it doesn’t interest me and it’s a bit boring. Half an hour in and I am unable to put it down. Great writer.

[@katiejlumsden]

I must read more Orwell. Grahame Greene is on my list, though I haven't read anything by him yet.

[@FatRonaldo1]

There’s an excellent book series featuring Miss Pettigrew’s grandson Peter

[@mame-musing]

Hmmm, “Mid-Century May”? This a wonderful treasure trove of titles.💛

[@katiejlumsden]

Haha I could easily fill the whole year with readathons!

[@susprime7018]

I loved Wide Sargasso Sea, go Bertha. I loved Eyelyn Waugh, his library is at the University of Texas, but according to his son's biography, they have not done much with it.

[@katiejlumsden]

Evelyn Waugh is such an interesting author.

[@johncrwarner]

"Kipps" Great Expectations but what would happen in reality - brilliant description and I laughed out loud at that. E. F. Benson also wrote ghost stories which I haven't checked out - but his social satires are brilliant.

[@katiejlumsden]

Kipps is great! E.F. Benson stories sound fun too; I'll have to look into them.

[@gaildoughty6799]

I can highly recommend Decline and Fall by Waugh. It’s a parody (fun and not ugly) of Nicholas Nickleby and is truly hilarious. Also consider more E. F. Benson. His ghost stories are true classics and some of the non-Lucia novels are well worth reading.

[@katiejlumsden]

I have read Decline and Fall and did enjoy it - I just didn't have a chance to mention all the Evelyn Waugh I've read here!

[@lesliegb5543]

Thank you Katie - I’ve read Rebecca which I loved and have My Cousin Rachel on my TBR. I love EM Forster and still want to read A Passage to India. I would like to read Barbara Pym and I can’t believe I’ve never read Agatha Christie which I need to do. Have you read any W Somerset Maugham? The Painted Veil was excellent. I recently listened to the audio book narrated by Sophie Ward that I highly recommend. As always I appreciate your booktube recommendations.

[@katiejlumsden]

Agatha Christie is so great! I haven't read any Maughan yet, but I'd like to.

[@marty9011]

I enjoy Barbara Pym's books too & have till now never met anyone who has read her !

[@katiejlumsden]

She's great!

[@locutusdborg126]

A wonderful review. Couple things: I believe The GO-BETWEEN was "borrowed" by Ian McEwan forAtonement, and you must read A Passage to India.

[@katiejlumsden]

I have read a Passage to India - really love it, just love some other Forester more! I'm not a massive fan of Ian McEwan, but I do hear good things about Atonement.

[@BabyTables]

Have you read E. M. Forster's short stories? I found them inventive, thought-provoking, and weird in a good way. I read them probably 5 years ago now and there are atmospheres and settings from them that still come to mind fairly regularly -- which is pretty memorable/lasting for short stories in my opinion!

[@katiejlumsden]

I haven't but I must!

[@knittingbooksetc.2810]

The Loved One by E. Waugh is so funny.

[@tokyochemist]

I hated that book and didn't crack a smile once. But I can tell he's a talented writer. Can you think of another book I should read by him instead?

[@knittingbooksetc.2810]

tokyochemist It’s been a long while since I read something by him, but I remember enjoying the writing of Brideshead Revisited. There’s a scene in which I felt totally immersed in as if I were another character in the book. I also liked Decline and Fall, but I can’t remember anything about it. 😱

[@tokyochemist]

@@knittingbooksetc.2810 Yeah it seems like I'll have to go for his most famous book. Thanks for the reply!

[@HannahsBooks]

Knitting, Books, etc. I loved that book-and I started reading it randomly, knowing nothing about it and its humor. What a wonderful surprise!

[@katiejlumsden]

I have read The Loved One, though it's not my favourite. Highly recommend Vile Bodies!

[@launchedathousand]

The only authors I've read from this list is Agatha Christie but Daphne Du Maurier and E.M Foster are authors I want to get to eventually. The only George Orwell I've read is Animal Farm which I recommend. Also Dodie Smith who wrote the 101 Dalmatians novel in the 50s which is a great children's classic and different from the movie.

[@katiejlumsden]

They're great authors! I have read I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith, but I must confess, controversially, I didn't like it!

[@RubenDario-hr4iq]

Death of the Heart by Elisabeth Bowen is a superb coming of age story.

[@katiejlumsden]

Thanks for the recommendations!

[@marichristian1072]

What a superb novel. I've read it twice now despite the fact that the ending is like a dagger to the heart. " To the North" is another Bowen novel I'd recommend.

[@searchanddiscover]

You should check out furrowed middlebrow which is very similar to persephone books and virago and has really good titles as well. Have you ever read georgette heyer? I never really hear her talked about much on KZbin but she is sort of the Agatha christie of Regency romance.

[@katiejlumsden]

Thanks! I've heard of Furrowed Middlebrow and must look into them - Georgette Heyer sounds good too!

[@ReadABookGem]

Thank you so much for this list of recommendations. So many of these authors I haven't read anything by yet so it is really useful hearing which books of theirs are particularly good to start with 😊

[@katiejlumsden]

Thanks Gemma :)

[@hassanhh344]

Thanks

[@katiejlumsden]

Thanks!

[@eyrecester]

I’d hazard to recommend Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children (1981) 😁 Otherwise, great video as always, Katie! Lots of books to add to me pile.

[@katiejlumsden]

I have indeed read Midnight's Children - studied it at uni and loved it!

[@mysticmeadowshomestead6209]

Although you made it clear that this was not an exhaustive list, I was surprised you didn't include DL Sayers. If you haven't read any of her books - you really will enjoy them. Same style as Christie (IMO better written). Her main character is Lord Peter Wimsey. After many short stories with LPW, ("The Nine Tailors" one of my favs) she then created Harriet Vane. Lord Peter falls in love with Harriet, who is accused of murdering her ex-boyfriend ("Strong Poison") and it is up to LPW to find the real killer before she is hung. Many delightful reads and an equally delightful BBC series. A few of my favs are: AChristie's, "The Tuesday Night Murder Club." PGWodehouse, "The Code of the Woosters." BBC made a series called, "The Wodehouse Playhouse" that stays true to the books and is delightful when you feel too tired to read and just want to be entertained. I thumbs upped this (and many) videos. I subbed some time back although I don't usually comment.

[@katiejlumsden]

Thanks! I really must read some Dorothy L. Sayers - I haven't read anything by her, no, but she's been vaguely on my list for a while.

[@whitneyerin222]

Have you tried any Dawn Powell?

[@katiejlumsden]

I have not!

[@CharlesHeathcote]

Miss Pettigrew lives for a day is a book I have wanted to read for years and just never got around to. The same can be said for EF Benson and PG Wodehouse. Have you read anything by Elizabeth Taylor? I've only recently started to properly explore her work - apparently her novel Palladian was somewhat inspired by Austen. Either way, she's a writer I think you would appreciate if you haven't read her already.

[@katiejlumsden]

I haven't read any Elizabeth Taylor, but sounds like I should!

[@marichristian1072]

She's a wonderful writer. Try Beryl Bainbridge " An Awfully Big Adventure"- both the novel and the film .

[@actual-spinster]

what do you think you'll read next from muriel spark? i love her work sm, i would recommend the girls of slender means probably!

[@katiejlumsden]

I don't know really, so thanks for the recommendation :)

[@knittingbooksetc.2810]

Have you read Agatha Christie’s autobiography? It’s brilliant.

[@katiejlumsden]

I have not, but sounds fun!

[@Alpha-qz8wj]

❣

[@nadia6999]

you should read animal farm!

[@katiejlumsden]

I really should!

[@katietatey]

Wait is it Jean Rhys pronouned like a pair of jeans? I always thought it was pronounced like John! Like, French. OMG! WHoops.

[@MaijaReads]

Jean as a female given name is pronounced like a pair of jeans. /ˈdʒiːn/ Jean as a male given name is pronounced the French way, a bit like Sean. /ʒɒ̃, ʒɑːn/ Hope that helped!

[@katiejlumsden]

Yep, as Maija says!

[@harvester3843]

Hello Katie. Just a short note to say I love your focus and I love your enthusiasm, but I'm not particularly fond of your penchant for jump-cuts. I get that you want everything to flow perfectly, and that you don't want to upload 'outtakes,' but I think everything will flow a lot better if you just recorded live warts and all, and turned out something a little more au naturale, and a little less Max Headroom (I'm not altogether sure you'll even know who that is). Take care, and other than that keep up the good work x

[@katiejlumsden]

Believe me, you don't want me to upload videos without jump-cuts - all my videos would be an hour long and involve me saying the same things five over! I have always felt much more confident with edited videos, so I think I'll stick with that.

[@geoffpoole483]

George Orwell is the most overrated writer in the English language. He was also antisemitic.

[@verabritto9759]

I would like to invite you to read The Painter by Vera Britto - available as an ebook on Amazaon. What is a man to do when he is trapped? - Based on a poignant short story by Aldous Huxley, one of England’s greatest writers It is 1923, and London is home to Rolls-Royce limousines, art snobs and cunning young men trying to better themselves. Some, like the dashing William, climb on the backs of others while friends at the club cheer him on. Some, like Lord Badgery, throw out crumbs of privilege to those eager to lap them up. Yet others, like the down-trodden Jonathan, are dazzled by England's aristocratic circles which he observes with ever widening eyes. What wouldn’t he give to be one of them and to escape his own suffocating circumstances? If he had to pay a high price for acceptance, his greatest dream, would he? Set against the backdrop of the world of painting and fine arts, with real and fictional artists and artworks, one man’s soul is tested. The cinema has not used Huxley’s short story, “The Tillotson Banquet”, but “The Painter” shows how rich and vibrant such a film would be. The story is written in a screenplay format, which author Vera Britto playfully calls a Movie-in-a-Book and shows it is a viable and enjoyable format as any other. With filmmaking’s freedom, she paints in characters and drama to enrich Huxley’s story. Directions for filming and acting will pique the imagination of the reader in a way that prose does not. There is “image” in “imagination”, and page by page this Movie-in-a-Book fills a mental screen. The reader enjoys both a rich interpretation of life in upper class England and the chance to embark on this exciting adventure sitting in the director’s chair.