The Old Wives' Tale, Arnold Bennett - Book Review

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0:00 - Finished!
0:27 - The Story
3:03 - Arnold Bennett
5:15 - My feelings
8:40 - A boring excerpt
10:55 - Recommendations

[@cynthia2767]

Always enjoyable listening to you talk about books and your personal experiences. Interesting omelet ingredients!

[@grantlovesbooks]

Thanks Cynthia! I'm happy you liked the video, I've been having a hard time keeping up with a weekly schedule recently. That omelet was quite off the cuff, I could probably do better than that if I spent some time thinking about it. (Some of the things I've tried in omelets over the years doesn't bear thinking about!)

[@nikkivenable1856]

I've never heard of this one! I love a slow burn of a book, Grant. Well, I'm off to have a great Goddamn day. 🤣

[@grantlovesbooks]

I have to admit, it sat on the shelf for a long while before I got the courage to commit. But I am very happy I put the time in, it really does deserve the time and effort!

[@yvonnekoopman8598]

Thanks Grant. This one sounds intriging. BTW, the book can be downloaded from The Gutenberg Project and exists in audio form on YT. I don't think I will have much luck finding a used copy in North Texas. I picked up a used copy of Angle of Repose for a couple of bucks after watching your video so I guess you never know. Ah, the thrill of the hunt! All the best in your studies.

[@grantlovesbooks]

Thanks Yvonne, I do like the Gutenberg Project, especially for books for school, but for my own sake I have to have a real paper copy in my hand. I hope Angle of Repose turns out well for you, I read it such a long time ago, I really don't even remember how I feel about it. Hope you are well, happy hunting!

[@donnyetta]

oh, I have this book. About two sisters. I look forward to watching this one, now.

[@grantlovesbooks]

Hope you enjoyed it!

[@RaysDad]

I read the The Old Wives' Tale about 10 years ago and don't remember it as being overly long. I trusted Arnold Bennett and turned myself over to him, letting him tell his story in his own way. Read that way the book teaches quite a bit about life, including the pacing, and the consequences of choices. So much of the lives of Constance and Sophia was what they didn't do -- a valuable lesson. Towards the end the sisters are growing old and it's hard for the reader to accept that their lives are almost over.

[@grantlovesbooks]

Hello Ray, I'm happy to hear someone else enjoyed reading The Old Wives' Tale as much as I did. The end was more than a little heart-breaking, the two old sisters with their dogs at war with their slack servant. I always love those novels, just life, that's all we get. Even though they can sometimes be a bit of a chore to get through. Have you read The Makioka Sisters? I think you will like it.

[@RaysDad]

@@grantlovesbooks All I know about The Makioka Sisters is what I just read in Wikipedia. It does seem to have a lot in common with The Old Wives' Tale, and perhaps some of Jane Austen's books. I will certainly read it -- Japanese culture is awesome!

[@grantlovesbooks]

@@RaysDad I have a feeling you will enjoy it. It was my favourite book of 2023.

[@scottgraham1143]

I learned about Bennett's huge popularity when reading John Carey's The Intellectuals and the Masses, and how the Modernists hated him.

[@grantlovesbooks]

It does feel like a throwback to Tolstoy. But I don't see anything wrong with that. This is the only Bennett I have ever read. I do think it is a great book. I always thing we have to make some allowances for the authors of these big books. We might roll our eyes at the length, but they had to sit down and write the monster. I don't suppose someone who was writing like Dickens would be published today, but I think that has to do with modern reading habits, rather than literary quality.

[@grantlovesbooks]

I just checked the John Cary book you mentioned, it looks quite good. Would you recommend it?

[@scottgraham1143]

@@grantlovesbooks I picked it up in a second hand book shop because it looked interesting, but wasn't expecting the explosive content. Not to give anything away, but there was a lot more to the early twentieth century British intellectual scene than experimental writing.

[@grantlovesbooks]

@@scottgraham1143 Absolutely, I feel that people would enjoy literature a Lot more if they had a Little more patience. They can't all be short punchy books. There is something to a lengthy, gradual build up. The bit where they travel to see the execution! The whole last book where the two sisters have become old ladies, so fantastic. It's really is a great one. And I'll read that instead of Ulysses any day.