This is a very small book of five short stories all touching on the theme of love by William Trevor. It is one of 20 altogether published by Penguin in their Great Loves series. There are five stories one set in London and the others in Ireland. They are beautifully written and wonderfully observed.

My personal favourite was No 4 'Honeymoon in Tramore'. The touching story of someone who had so little and now by some mischance feels that he has so much.

This is a small bag or pocket sized book, very light, ideal for offering for as an International Bookring.
Please PM me if you are interested

The Great Loves Series by Penguin
"United by the theme of love, the writings in the "Great Loves" series span over two thousand years and vastly different worlds. Readers will be introduced to love's endlessly fascinating possibilities and extremities: romantic love, platonic love, erotic love, gay love, virginal love, adulterous love, parental love, filial love, nostalgic love, unrequited love, illicit love, not to mention lost love, twisted and obsessional love... "



Paperback
Weight 60 gms,
Pages 132

International Bookring

Please Journal the book when you receive it.
Ask the next participant for their mailing details.
Journal again when finished, please keep no longer than one month.
If you have a problem with this contact Cassiopaeia.
Send on to the next on the list. If you encounter problems, let me know.
Please make a note on your JE to say when and how it was sent on.

Participants

Jinglefish, Woking, Surrey, UK
AliceF, Coventry, UK
Amanida, Chertsey, Surrey, UK
Plum-crazy, Brighouse, W. Yorkshire, UK
Iojima, Rémuzat, Rhône-Alpes, France
okyrhoe, Athens, Greece
Scoobs-buddy, Kentucky, US
Pooker3, Winnipeg, Canada
kobie03, Lewins Cove, Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada
Stellarv, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ~ Book is here ~
Triscani, Rio de Janerio, Brazil
Return to Cassiopaeia, Cardiff, Wales

Ready to travel, waiting for address.

This bookring has now started.
Sent today by Ist Class post to Jinglefish.
Hoping this book travels safely to all participants.

This book has indeed arrived here safely today. Will be into this in the next day or so. Thanks Cassiopaeia.

Finished this now and thoroughly enjoyed the stories. They are beautifully written and the characters are wonderfully believable. My personal favourite was "Lovers In Their Time" closely followed by "Honeymoon in Tramore". The first story, "The Day We Got Drunk on Cake, reminded me of Evelyn Waugh's "Vile Bodies" - same era, similar style of speech etc.

Will post this to AliceF tomorrow as I already have her address.

Thank you Cassiopaeia for sharing this delightful book.

Gratefully received by post yesterday from Jinglefish: will read soon; thanks!

I tried, I tried... several times (which is why it's been with me so long)... but this simply wasn't for me: sorry for the delay. Will post to Amanida as soon as she sends me her address.

Posted to Amanida yesterday.

Got it, thanks! Will finish my current book then start this one.

I found a relaxing and peaceful quality to William Trevor's writing and I enjoyed the way he captured bygone behaviours and attitudes. I'm not sure which was my favourite - I liked them all, except for perhaps "The day we got drunk on cake".
Will be in the post to Plum-crazy tomorrow.

This arrived safely this morning.....along with 6 other books - looks like the housework will be on hold for the next few days, I've got a lot of reading to do!

What a lovely quick read!

Five bittersweet love stories (my favourite being "Lovers of their time")set in a time when attitudes to love, romance & sex were very different to those of today....but in many ways things never change!

Thanks for sharing this Cassiopaeia, it's not a book I would have normally chosen for myself & I would have missed a little treat!

Packed up & ready to be posted to Iojima.

Released as part of the 2008 KEEP THEM MOVING Challenge (#5)

Arrived yesterday. Since it's short, I may tuck it in before finishing my current read.

An echo of the others: Beautifully written and observed. To okyrhoe next.

Arrived in my p.o.box today.
Thanks Cassiopaeia for including me in the ring, and Iojima for posting it to me!

I've read The Story of Lucy Gault and liked it very much, I hope the writing here is as good.

The beauty of these stories is that they convey emotional depth without being wordy. William Trevor is a master at uncovering the complexities of human relationships hidden behind the mundane activities of the characters, even though the characters themselves say very little. I am not sure I always side with the narrative point of view (resignation/acceptance of the character's fate), but I do enjoy the way the author succinctly describes the internal workings of these characters. There is an honesty here, in that the author lets his characters decide for themselves, rather than directing their actions for the sake of a 'complete' ending, or for bringing a conclusion to a thematic statement.

If you like this collection, I recommend W. Trevor's short novel The Story of Lucy Gault (2002).

Its here! Just finished the book I was reading so will begin reading tonight

These were nice stories to distract myself with, nothing heavy but a pleasant read- thanks for sharing!

RELEASE NOTES:

on its way to Pooker3

Your bodily secrets are safe with me in Winnipeg!

I'm just finishing up with one ring book and I know another is already on its way so I hope to get this one read and on its way soon. Thanks Scoobs-buddy and all who preceded. :)

When I started to read the first story in this book, I did not like it much and I considered sending the book off to the next in line unread. But, it's such a tiny book and only five stories, so I figured it wouldn't kill me to finish it. Well am I glad I did! The second story, "Lovers of Their Time" is wonderful. It may be one of the best stories I've read in *my* time. :)

Now I'm kicking myself that I've sent two other William Trevor books off into the wild without having read *them*.

Thanks Cassiopaeia for sending this one out to open my eyes. I'll definitely be looking for more of this author's work.

I've pm'd kobie03 and will send this book on its way as soon as I have her address.

ETA: On its way to kobie03 today (April 29/08)

Book arrived today. I love short stories, I can read this with the other rings I have. Thanks for sharing.

Enjoyed these love stories, my favorite Lovers in Their Time. Thanks for sharing.

Air mailed today to Stellarv.

Just got here! I'll read ASAP.