Beryl Bainbridge

I assume she's got some fans in this group, although I've never actually met anyone who's heard of or read something by her (something that I haven't forced upon them, anyway).

I love her dearly, and have for years, starting with the Bottle Factory Outing. I liked them all except the one about Hitler. She is super clever.

I have Young Adolf but I haven't read it yet. Just out of curiosity, what didn't you like about it?

I didn't want to read it. I was afraid of a sympathetic treatment of him.

Young Adolf must be in the alternate history category, since he obviously didn't come to Liverpool to live, ever.

I stumbled upon this thread, but the information about various books by Beryl Bainbridge does make me want to check at least one book out from the Free Library of Philadelphia.

Actually, Hitler did have a half brother in Liverpool, so it is possible but by no means proved.

http://www.merseysidetoday.co.uk/hitler.php

I borrowed According to Queeney and Young Adolph from the library, and I have to say that I was unimpressed by both of them. Young Adolph did nothing to change anyone's unfavorable opinion of Hitler, while still making him an understandable but flawed human.

According to Queeney didn't do much for me, either. Generally I like historical fiction, but this one was uninspired.

I would suggest that you try Injury Time, The Dressmaker and The Bottle Factory Outing. I think they were all better than Queeney. ( I haven't read Young Adolf). There is a British film of The Dressmaker, also.

I think she's fantastic ... I've read and really enjoyed her Birthday Boys, about the tragic Scott polar expedition, Every man for himself, about the Titanic sinking, and Master Georgie, which deals with the Crimean war ... I also have some of her other books on my TBR pile.

I really enjoyed Birthday Boys, I let a friend borrow it and it was never returned >:-( I'll have to get another copy soon. I'm reading Watson's Apology right now and enjoying it. It's about a parson who returns home from church one Sunday and bludgeons his wife of 30 years to death. One wonders if he apologized before or after...

Hi! I just joined the group and it was fun reading your different opinions on Beryl Bainbridge. I have both The Birthday boys and Master Georgie on my to read list..

I have just finished reading Master Georgie for the Orange January challenge. It was my first Bainbridge and whilst I did like the narrative, I did feel that I was left wanting for more after the end. More information about the characters, their desires and intentions. I felt it finished rather abruptly, but maybe that was the whole purpose!