#chiltern publishing

[priestoholic]

[bookworm-returning]

My two books from Arthur Conan Doyle 🥰 I’m very happy with them, they’re so pretty!

[groovy-lady]

Yaaaaay I finally got Moby Dick by Herman Melville!!!!

[abybweisse]

Book haul at HPB

First, here's a pic of everything.

Here, you can see each of the P. G. Wodehouse titles I got. Never bought Jeeves and Wooster books before, but this should be a great read. The BBC series was hilarious, what I recall seeing when I was a kid. Always adored Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry; in fact, I already have books written by them, too. Also got a couple Jane Austen titles and a Fyodor Dostoevsky that are part of a special edition series.

Then I got a bunch of books in this gorgeous special edition collection by Chiltern Publishing. I already had Jane Eyre and a couple other titles in this series, so I hope I don't have any extra copies of anything. I don't think so, but I'll have to unbox my books to find out for sure. I'm a bit worried that I might already have a copy of Wuthering Heights....

And then these books that are more random. I already had books 1 and 2 of Parasyte, so now I also have book 3. Then I already had Baking Yesteryear by B. Dylan Hollis, but this is a signed copy! The Philip Pullman book is a collection of his essays about the writing process. The Devil's Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce is considered by some to be one of the 100 greatest masterpieces of American literature. And then Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is the one book I actually went there for. 😅 Too bad they didn't have a pretty copy, but that's ok. Maybe Chiltern will release one later. 🤔

[theblurbwitchproject]

Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner

Published: January 1, 1926 Publisher: Chatto & Windus

The Author

Sylvia Townsend Warner was born in Middlesex, England, in 1893. As a child she was homeschooled after being kicked out of nursery school for mimicking her teachers. Lolly Willowes was her debut novel, published in 1926, and from this work onwards Warner focused on subverting societal norms; later heavily using the themes of rejecting the Church, a need for female empowerment, and independence in her works.* Warner eventually met Valentine Ackland, the two women falling in love and moving in together in 1930. Despite her clear literary skill, she remained a somewhat ghostly and marginal presence in the English literary landscape*. Scholarship and commentary on Townsend’s work has burgeoned over the last twenty years, and as of 2021 all her novels were in print simultaneously for the first time.

˗ˏˋ ´ˎ˗

The Story

Lolly Willowes, always so gentle and accommodating, suddenly announces that she is moving, alone, to the countryside. To her overbearing family in London, it is a disturbing and inexplicable act of defiance. But Lolly will not be swayed, and in the depths of the English countryside she gradually discovers not only freedom and independence, but also, unexpectedly, her true vocation.

˗ˏˋ ´ˎ˗

The Vibe: satirical, city life to country village, whimisical, pagan villagers, deals with the devil, nature appreciation, living authentically

The Style: comedy of manners, wry humour, feminist, social critique

Trigger Warnings: parental death

˗ˏˋ ´ˎ˗

The Review

Lolly Willowes; or The Loving Huntsman was written by Sylvia Townsend Warner and published in 1926. It is an early feminist classic that was written, as Warner said, because she “happened to find very agreeable thin lined paper in a job lot”. It’s a novel I’m genuinely surprised isn’t discussed morewidely in online reading circles, especially with the increased interest in witches and paganism that has boomed in recent years.

I’m always reticent to share reviews of classic books; what on earth could I possibly add that hasn’t been said more succinctly and more thoughtfully by any number of people before me? However, I absolutely adored this book and wanted to share my appreciation in a small way.

“One doesn’t become a witch to run around being harmful, or to run around being helpful either, a district visitor on a broomstick. It’s to escape all that - to have a life of one’s own, not an existence doled out to by others.”

First and foremost, Lolly Willowes is an examination (and rejection) of traditional Edwardian gender roles. Laura Willowes lives with her loving father at their family home in Somerset. Early in the novel in the wake of her father’s death, Laura finds her life turned upside down as she is forced to move to London to live with her brother Henry and his family. She is naturally absorbed by the household, becoming “Aunt Lolly” after a mispronunciation by her niece. I found it poignant that while living in London Laura is not able to live authentically, and is not even referred to by her actual name. She becomes “of use” to her family, but begins to become weary of the role that she is forced into. The novel is split into three sections, with the first building the examination of the need for single women to remain under the guardianship of a male family member.

During her time at her brother’s house, Laura creates small rebellions from this lifestyle in the form of “impulses of secrecy”, at one point exttravagantly buying out all the Chrysanthemums at a florist and purchasing a guide book and map of the location that the flowers were grown (somewhere in the Chiltern Hills northwest of London). While poring over her map and guide book, Laura appears to come back to herself as she imagines living enveloped in this countryside idyll. In another moment of impulse, Laura announces to her family that she will be moving to Great Mop, a small village in the Chiltern Hills. She is adamant about her choice, and going completely against social expectation, moves there alone.

“When she had come to the top of the Ridge she stopped, with difficulty holding herself upright. She felt the wind swoop down close to the earth. The moon was out hunting overhead, her pack of black and white hounds ranged over the sky. Moon and wind and clouds hunted an invisible quarry. The wind routed through the woods. Laura from the hill-top heard the various surrounding woods cry out with different voices.”

Nature itself has a huge presence in this story, from references to bodies, particularly female ones, in relation to nature and returning to their most essential forms, to the comparison between the natural world vs. cities and the expectations of living in “civilised” society. The descriptive passages about nature truly speak to Townsend’s deep love of the natural world. They are so evocative, they really make you feel the appreciation and awe that Laura felt whenever she explored the area around Great Mop. I wanted to move out to the countryside and explore just like she did.

Rudely, Laura’s nephew Titus decides that he would like to move to Great Mop too. This intrusion is too much for Laura, who tires very quickly of becoming socially and domestically relied upon once again. The book gets truly witchy (and hilarious) when she makes a pact with Satan in order to get rid of Titus through a series of worsening annoyances (Titus being chased by a swarm of wasps is a stand-out moment). This was my very favourite section of the story, especially so as her familiar, a kitten she names Vinegar, appears suddenly in her house, and she is invited to a witches Sabbath attended by other towns-people. It is during the sabbath that Laura truly comes into her own, as she decides that this form of socialising and expectation is absolutely not for her either. “’How are you enjoying your first Sabbath, Miss Willowes?’ he said. ‘Not at all,’ answered Laura, and turned her back on him.” She knows what she wants and will no longer entertain social pressure.

Laura is very much a reflection of Warner herself, who was left devastated after the death of her father. Like Laura, Warner also worked in a munitions factory during the First World War, and I feel that the transference of these major imformative moments brings and extra life to Laura that I personally found very moving. The fusion of very “real” details like this with the supernatural elements of the story give it an extra level of heart that makes the examination of gender roles all the more affecting. Warner put so much of herself into this novel.

The role of women, spinsters and widows is expertly addressed with her final discussion with Satan, who, unlike the fake representation of him at the sabbat, is not horned and oh so evil, but looks like a regular country gent. Even in this scene Satan remains an ambiguous character; is he really there to help or is he just another male figure taking control of women? The reader is able to make up their mind on that one.

“And think, Satan, what a compliment you pay her, pursuing her soul, lying in wait for it, following it through all its windings, crafty and patient and secret like a gentleman out killing tigers. Her soul - when no one else would give a look at her body even! And they are all so accustomed, so sure of her! They say: “Dear Lolly! What shall we give her for her birthday this year? Perhaps a hot-water bottle. Or what about a nice black lace scarf? Or a new workbox? Her only one is nearly worn out.” But you say: “Come here, my bird! I will give you the dangerous black night to stretch your wings in, and poisonous berries to feed on, and a nest made of bones and thorns, perched high up in danger where no one can climb to it.”

Lolly Willowes is a wonderful novel of living authentically and embracing ones own individuality and freedom. It did well in England when it was first released, but even better in France and the US (which is somewhat surprising given the subject matter; it would likely be banned pretty fast in many states if it was released in the US today). If you enjoy Jane Austen’s fantastic prose, I’m certain you will enjoy Sylvia Townsend Warner’s style just as much. If you haven’t already, please pick up this fabulous book and enjoy!

Rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕

[Goodreads]

[olko71]

New Post has been published on All about business online

New Post has been published on https://yaroreviews.info/2024/01/lner-train-drivers-call-off-five-days-of-strikes

LNER train drivers call off five days of strikes

PA Media

Train drivers’ union Aslef has called off five consecutive days of strikes on LNER services that were set to begin next month.

The action affecting LNER, which operates on the East Coast Mainline, was scheduled to start on 5 February.

However, walkouts by train drivers for many rail operators will still take place between 30 January and 5 February in a row over pay and conditions.

LNER drivers will join in one day of strikes during that period.

A source told the BBC that Aslef had called off the extra five days of action because LNER had told the union that it no longer intended to put minimum service levels (MSLs) in place.

LNER had planned to implement the measure on 2 February, during a period of widespread strike action that will affect 16 train operators.

Under new laws, employers can require staff who are planning to walkout to provide 40% of timetabled rail services.

On Thursday last week, Rail Minister Huw Merriman said the government hoped the minimum service levels would be implemented, but it was “a matter for the employers”.

A spokesperson for LNER, said: “We welcome news that the threat of extended disruption to our services has been lifted.

“We encourage Aslef to work with us to find a way to end this long running dispute which only damages the rail industry.”

When are train drivers going on strike?

Rolling strikes that will affect different operators each day are still due to start on 30 January.

However, as things stand, it appears that none of the train operating companies will seek to impose minimum service levels.

The strikes will affect the following companies based in England:

Tuesday 30 January: Southeastern, Southern, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Thameslink, South Western Railway and SWR Island Line

Wednesday 31 January: Northern Trains, Transpennine Express

Friday 2 February: Greater Anglia, C2C, LNER

Saturday 3 February: West Midlands Trains, Avanti West Coast, East Midlands Railway

Monday 5 February: Great Western, CrossCountry, Chiltern

Union members will also refuse to work overtime from Monday 29 January until Tuesday 6 February.

ScotRail and Transport for Wales are not included in the dispute.

Related Topics

Rail travel

More on this story

When are train drivers going on strike?

7 days ago

New train strike dates announced by drivers’ union

7 days ago

[tigerpetalpress]

Review: Emma

Emma by Jane Austen ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 4.5 out of 5. I, embarrassingly, have two copies of this book. I bought an absolutely beautiful copy (Chiltern Publishing) from The Owl and the Cat Bookery, but then I saw the entire boxed set of Jane Austen works (Arcturus) at Coles. I didn’t want to break up the set, and I don’t want to resell the other book, since it was quite expensive, so I’m hoping to…

[forestraydentists]

Periodontal Treatment Marylebone

In the heart of London, close to the elegant district of Marylebone, Forest & Ray Dental Practice offers world-class periodontal treatment. With the goal of restoring and maintaining the health of your gums, Forest & Ray utilizes modern techniques and a caring approach for comprehensive periodontal care.

Periodontal disease, commonly known as gum disease, can lead to discomfort and significant health issues if not addressed promptly. Forest & Ray private dentist London offers a range of services for periodontal conditions, including non-surgical treatments, periodontal surgery, as well as scaling and root planing, often termed as 'deep clean'. Regular periodontal maintenance programs are also provided to ensure the ongoing health of your gums and overall oral health.

Post your visit to Forest & Ray, there's much to explore in Marylebone. This district boasts of illustrious landmarks such as the world-renowned Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, where visitors can see life-like figures of their favourite celebrities. The Wallace Collection, a magnificent museum showcasing fine arts and artifacts, offers a cultural retreat.

Nestled amidst these attractions is the beautiful Regent's Park, home to the ZSL London Zoo and an array of scenic walkways. For music lovers, the Royal Academy of Music Museum is a must-visit, offering an immersive journey through the history of music.

Marylebone also caters to shopping enthusiasts with Marylebone High Street, lined with chic boutiques, and the iconic Selfridges department store close by. Food lovers can enjoy the culinary delights of the district, particularly in the charming setting of the Chiltern Firehouse.

With Forest & Ray Dental private dentist Marylebone, your periodontal care is not just a routine health check but also an opportunity to delve into the historic charm and cultural richness of one of London's most refined districts.

Originally published here: https://forestray.dentist/general-dentistry-london/periodontal-treatment/marylebone/

[ayyponine]

weekend 2 electric boogaloo

not a long weekend but still, ever since moving out of my moms house and into the city centre im like i need to GO OUT and DO STUFF. i gotta LIVE

SAT: early morning market sampling/grocery run ft. empty park - biked to rommelmarket and bought a bunch of stuff also had my first pack of fries in???? years probably - visit to local library which is a converted 17th c monastery hence this typa floors - chamber carillon/percussion/vocals/various other instrument performance at a different oldass church conversion - too good to go panos dinner and some rest - visiting artists' ateliers 1. at a place where i might fuck around & join a figure drawing session some time next month 2. on a converted house boat studio where i chatted w the people fr ages and had a great time actually

SUN: work :/ highly spirited colleague came back frm week long holiday though plus our numbers were superb i was so so tired though oh my god. and evening was tv time w my mom <3

MON: more too good to go as a little treat bc that stuff is wild! plus wanted to enjoy shopping so went fr some dresses at a really fancy boutique but could only manage one before feeling massively ugly so i didn't want to try anymore. mostly stuck to lookin at books (ilu petite passport, chiltern classics w florals and gilded sides and p much anything luster publishing puts out thx). wanted to visit an exhibit in the crypt of this basilica but that section's apparently closed on monday rip. finally bought pillows for my living room. might catch up on bridgerton next and chill out until warm dinner, late shower, and then it's back into the work week babes

[inkishkingdoms]

Sughero Café and Bistró

This is my new favorite caffe and bookish place! A friend opened a bistro and cafe and I am super excited for him!

He wanted to have books in his place and guess who went to find some good used novels? Me! If I could, I would look for more Chiltern Publishing classics, because they totally match the aesthetics. The color palette 🎨 and the love I have for this place.

Help me help this friend! Let’s make sure that this picture is seen by everybody ❤️❤️ he deserves success and more beautiful 😻 classic books! I can get the books for him! And it will be a surprised! 😍😍😍

I accept donations through Ko-Fi ❤️❤️

[e-louise-bates]

The only problem with receiving these absolutely gorgeous editions of Jane Austen is that now I want the rest of her books in the same edition.

[bookworm-returning]

Currently I’m reading “The Hound of the Baskervilles” by Arthur Conan Doyle 🥰 I’ve been a fan of the show “Sherlock” (Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman) and when I saw this book, I couldn’t leave it behind! (Together with it’s brother “The adventures of Sherlock Holmes”)

[groovy-lady]

I’m also considering Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell and The Turn of the Screw by Henry James and possibly Tess of the d’Ubervilles by Thomas Hardy.

What do y’all think?

[abybweisse]

HPB haul from 9/22/23

Back on the 22nd last month, I made another run to Half Price Books.

I've never read or watched The Handmaid's Tale, so here's a chance to read it, at least. I've watched The Princess Bride many times, but I've never read it, so when I saw this I had to get a copy. And I'm hoping the cult, serial killer, and Tesla books come in handy for Black Butler analysis. I recently teased about Scalzi's latest book here, but it honestly sounds like a fun read, so I picked up a copy of that, too.

Flame Tree publishing puts out some effing beautiful book editions and journals. The copy of Moby Dick at the top, the two small myth books to the lower right, and the two journals (one is open) are all by Flame Tree. They publish all those lovely Epic Tales, Gothic Fantasy, and Classic Stories books I have a large collection of, too. The smaller copy of Moby Dick is from that other large collection I've been buying up, published by Chiltern. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is part of the Chartwell editions I've started collecting. The Homer box set is quite nice, and I also broke down and bought these Jane Austen and Shakespeare paper dolls with sticker sets.

I'm just not sure what to do with the dolls. I might place them on sturdy backing, cut them out, and give them supports to stand on the shelves.

Also hoping the Arthurian myth and Egyptian myth books might prove useful in Black Butler analysis, though I do have other books about those topics.

[literatureaesthetic]

Late mornings & sunsets, coffee, ink stained hands, drowning in words, lost between the pages of a book... a few things that bring me happiness.

What are your hobbies? (Yes, this could include longingly staring at the sky and pondering the beauty of the moon and stars ✨)

Do you spend enough time doing the things that make you happy?

[olko71]

New Post has been published on All about business online

New Post has been published on https://yaroreviews.info/2024/01/new-train-strike-dates-announced-by-aslef-drivers-union

New train strike dates announced by Aslef drivers' union

Getty Images

By Katy Austin

Transport correspondent

A fresh series of strikes has been unveiled by the main train drivers’ union, Aslef, in its long-running pay dispute with 16 train companies.

The stoppages between Tuesday 30 January and Monday 5 February will affect different operators each day.

The drivers will also refuse to work overtime from Monday 29 January until Tuesday 6 February.

The first strike in this dispute by Aslef was in July 2022, and the row is now in its third calendar year.

The Rail Delivery Group – which represents the train operators – said “nobody wins” when strikes take place and called on Aslef to work with them to resolve the dispute.

The Department for Transport have been contacted for comment.

Which train companies are affected on which day?

Tuesday 30 January: Southeastern, Southern, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Thameslink, South Western Railway and SWR Island Line

Wednesday 31 January: Northern Trains, Transpennine Express

Friday 2 February: Greater Anglia, C2C, LNER

Saturday 3 February: West Midlands Trains, Avanti West Coast, East Midlands Railway

Monday 5 February: Great Western, CrossCountry, Chiltern

Operators not involved in industrial action, for example ScotRail and Transport for Wales, should run normal services.

Previously, most of the train companies involved have not been able to run any trains when drivers are on strike. A few have run a limited timetable using managers to drive trains.

There will be no strike action on Thursday 1 February or Sunday 4 February.

Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan accused ministers of not wanting to resolve the dispute, and called for the government and train companies to “come to the table with a realistic offer”.

He added that a new law bringing in Minimum Service Levels “won’t ease industrial strife. It will likely just make it worse.”

This legislation enables employers to require a certain number of staff to work to ensure some service. In the case of passenger rail services, that would be 40% of the timetable.

It is unclear at this point whether any of the train companies will seek to implement them for these strikes. If they do, it appears this would be their first test.

Neil Todd from the Trade Union Law Group at Thompsons Solicitors pointed that although the option was available, there was no requirement for train companies to use Minimum Service Levels.

Plan for 40% of trains to run during strikes

What is the strike about?

The train operators say ways of working need to change for wages to rise, because of the financial challenge facing the industry and in fairness to taxpayers. But Aslef says drivers are being asked to sacrifice working conditions in exchange for a below-inflation wage increase.

In April 2023, Aslef’s executive committee rejected 4% pay rises for two years in a row, on condition that they would accept industry-wide changes to driver training, and negotiate changes to work patterns at individual operators.

There have been no formal talks since.

The government controls how much money is on the table and has the final say over what is offered. Ministers and industry negotiators have continue to urge the union to give members a vote on the latest offer.

Members of the RMT union, which represents tens of thousands of other rail workers, accepted a deal in November. This ended its long-running series of national strikes and gave staff a backdated 5% pay rise for 2022-23.

However, the current year’s pay increase will be subject to changes being negotiated with individual operators. Talks are due to commence next month.

There has not been the same progress in the Aslef dispute, and drivers voted to continue strike action until the spring.

Mr Whelan has repeatedly warned that drivers are in the dispute for the long haul.

A spokesperson for the Rail Delivery Group said drivers had been made an offer which would take base salaries to nearly £65,000 for a four-day week without overtime.

“That is well above the national average and significantly more than many of our passengers that have no option to work from home are paid.

“Instead of staging more damaging industrial action, we call on the Aslef leadership to work with us to resolve this dispute and deliver a fair deal which both rewards our people, and makes the changes needed to make services more reliable.”

The hospitality industry has issued several warnings of the damaging impact of strike action on businesses, particularly in city centres.

How will you be affected by strikes? You can get in touch by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

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