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Book a Week in 2013 - week seventeen


Robin M
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I've been seeing Susan Howatch's name on this board for years and now I've decided I need to read her. Dawn and Jane (and anyone else!) - What do y'all recommend for me to read out of all her books?

 

 

While I have not read every Howatch book, I have read a number. By far my favorites were the Starbridge series of six novels. Here is what Susan wrote about them:

 

Howatch, Susan. The Church of England series: Glittering Images, Ultimate Prizes, Glamorous Powers, Scandalous Risks, Mystical Paths, Absolute Truths. New York: Crest, paperbacks, various dates. Howatch’s six Church of England novels present reality from six different perspectives, so that the same story changes slightly with each novel. Even though these novels annoy me (they’re a little heavy on the psychobabble), I’ve reread them several times because Howatch is dealing with a serious question: can you speak of faith in the languages of psychology, science, and mysticism without altering its nature? And they’re just plain fun. (Howatch also does some serious cribbing from Merton — see the “Religion†section below).

 

That is from a link entitled Our Favorite Books.

 

Here is how I found Howatch: A couple of years ago an old high school friend and I had reconnected via snail mail letters. In a holiday letter she told me that a project for the new year was to reread these six books by Howatch. Then Dawn mentioned the author in one of these threads and someone gave the link to Susan's blog. It seemed like the stars were alignment! She is a fine writer, particularly in her later books that offer historical retellings in new settings and in the above series.

 

Enjoy!

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While I have not read every Howatch book, I have read a number. By far my favorites were the Starbridge series of six novels. Here is what Susan wrote about them:

 

 

 

That is from a link entitled Our Favorite Books.

 

Here is how I found Howatch: A couple of years ago an old high school friend and I had reconnected via snail mail letters. In a holiday letter she told me that a project for the new year was to reread these six books by Howatch. Then Dawn mentioned the author in one of these threads and someone gave the link to Susan's blog. It seemed like the stars were alignment! She is a fine writer, particularly in her later books that offer historical retellings in new settings and in the above series.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

I agree with Jane. Start with Starbridge :-)

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Jane, I have to say that I love your siggy quote. Love it.

 

 

Thanks. My previous signature lines have been math related, but when I stumbled on that Wodehouse line I had to copy it. With the pressure that some young children are under these days, it seems particularly relevant.

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