It is well-known that Now All Roads Lead to France The Last Years of Edward Thomas, by Matthew Hollis, has had a big tick next to it as one of the books I have been most looking forward to this year and, though not published until August, my proof copy arrived weeks ago.
Faber have very kindly offered to send more advance proof copies to six lucky dovegreyreaders so here is my plan for entry criteria for this one, which is something I don't usually do but this is going to be slightly different.
I wonder if any of you are up for little reading project and would like to read this (veeeeeery slowly) along with me over the next few months and perhaps follow a few literary diversions if the book suggests them??
And would you then like to come back and join in some discussion here, before contributing to dovegreyreader asks... and a chance to put our questions to Matthew Hollis and carry on that conversation in comments??
Having made a start I know we won't be disappointed, there will be plenty to talk about.
You may recall last year I was beguiled and somewhat smitten by Helen Thomas's autobiographical work Under Storm's Wing, creating the impression that all was sweetness and light for Family Thomas when of course the truth seems to be very much at variance with Helen's perspective. I had posted a poem on here on Remembrance Day and was given great pause for thought by Jeannette who elaborated on all this in comments ( Jeannette, your thoughts have stayed in my mind) suggesting reader beware, there are two sides to this story. I decided at that point to call a halt to Under Storm's Wing pending the arrival of this biography, but with the intention of returning to Helen's writing afterwards. sensing that to be better informed would make for an even more fascinating read.
Copies of Now All Roads Lead to France can go worldwide and all a bit of a new departure, but if it works perhaps we could do it more often if you were interested because it occurs to me, after my very excitable read of The Castrato and His Wife by Helen Berry last week, that it would be good to share some of the advance reading in this way, and in the lead up to publication if publishers were willing.
So names in comments if you would be interested in Team ET and we'll take it from there.
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