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Claire Ivins's avatar

Penelope Fitzgerald is my Queen. Due a re-read any day now. Thanks for all the great recommendations!

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Life in Victoriana's avatar

*idolise! Baby typing there 🤣.

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Life in Victoriana's avatar

This was such a fun read, thank you! What a lovely photo of Daisy (congratulations! I have a 1-year-old and a 3-year-old and they idolose their grandmas 🥰), and I really enjoyed your London rickshaw race story. Great list of book recommendations, some of which I've read and loved and others I'll be attempting to add to my reading list for 2025.

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Despina Kay's avatar

Ok this was fun to read and I love the pictures of all the "firsts."

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June Girvin's avatar

Ooh, all those books that sound so up my street! I hope you're enjoying the Ruth Galloway stories - although I think she continued them for at least one and maybe two books too many, the on and off thing between Ruth and Nelson kept me reading. I am one of many (late) middle aged women who fell for Nelson along with Ruth.

I've also discovered Nina Bawden - if you haven't read The Grain of Truth, it's so worth it. And all hail to someone else who didn't enjoy In Memoriam. It did nothing for me either. Happy New Year, Sarah and I look forward to reading your posts through next year. Also - the rickshaw!! What an adventure!

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Sarah Harkness's avatar

I feel guilty about In Memoriam...so many deaths...and then I looked at the Winchester College WW1 Boards and realised she wasn't exaggerating...but even so, it seemed a cheap way of using them?

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June Girvin's avatar

I just thought others had done it better.

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Jules's avatar

Fantastic to hear your reading recommendations. (By the way I think that apart from being a brilliant read, your own book has one of the best cover designs I've ever seen.)

Lovely roundup of your year. The pic of Daisy is lovely 😍

Congrats on a very successful year, apart from the poorly foot. Looking forward to your next article. Love them all, and I learn so much from them. All the best for 2025 Sarah! 💛

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Sarah Harkness's avatar

Thanks Jules, it's a mutual admiration society! You definitely count as one of my best Substack friends...

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Diary of a Lady Traveler's avatar

What a year!!! And I’m so impressed that you made it through 100 books!

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Sarah Harkness's avatar

If only I could remember them all!

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Diary of a Lady Traveler's avatar

I received a reading journal as a Christmas gift, and I’m determined (for the first time in my life) to use it! I wish I’d done it my whole life.

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Katy Sammons's avatar

Some great suggestions here for the TBR! Happy new year!

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Jill Swenson's avatar

Congrats on all the first except the broken bone in your foot

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Dec 30
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Sarah Harkness's avatar

And to you. Can we find a London lunch date again?

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