Reading Daphne backwards

   

     The suggestion Twyla Tharp makes in her book The Creative Habit about reading an author's work in reverse chronological order is one that interests me, so I've decided to try it. I had to find someone whose books appealed and whom I hadn't read and I've chosen Daphne du Maurier.

    According to her entry on Wikipedia, Daphne wrote fifteen novels and several collections of short stories. I have read Margaret Forster's biography Daphne Du Maurier, and The "Rebecca" Notebook: And Other Memories, which I may revisit, then there's Justine Picardie's novel Daphne, and others - if I want to read around a bit - (and do visit Justine's new blog, by the way), but Daphne's novels themselves ended with Rule Britannia in 1972 which I note got very mixed reviews and which in quality is not representative of her work as a whole.

     The idea is a slow discovery, not a rapid race-through, with the aim of identifying themes, philosophy and style, but seen from the point of view of the "finished article" rather than beginning with the comparatively unformed hand. An experiment, then, and for no reason other than it might be worth trying to see if Ms. Tharp is on to something, but one which could yield interesting results. Simon's going to have a go, too, so we shall be comparing notes, and if anyone can think of a catchier title for this exercise, please let me know!

Comments

[Margaret Powling]

Oh dearie me, this may work for you (reading in reverse chronological order, the last first and so on) but I just didn't get on with Rule Britannia. Indeed, I gave up 1/2 way through. But it will be an interesting experiment, will it not?

[ros]

I feel it ought to be called 'Enhpad' but that really is unpronounceable.

[Lesley]

I remember a number of years ago, going through all Daphne's books. Funnily enough, the one I didn't get on with was "Jamaica Inn". I found I quite enjoyed "Rule Britannia" though.

[Megan]

I have really been enjoying your comments on Twyla Tharp's book and now I desperately want to read it. I think it is an interesting idea to read the books in reverse chronology.

[Lee]

Curiously, I have recently bought "The House on the Strand" after a recommendation. I have never read this later novel so maybe I will start with this (since "Rule Britannia" has such mixed reviews) and then re read a few of the earlier ones that I have. Enhapd sounds a good name - tho Endaph may be easier to pronounce. Will be interested in the responses to this type of reading.

[Lyn Baines]

I enjoyed Rule Brittania very much. I only read it a couple of years ago when Virago reprinted it. Most of DDM's other novels I read as a teenager & have fond memories of Rebecca,House on the Strand, Frenchman's Creek & My Cousin Rachel. I hope you enjoy the project.

[Lindsay]

This strikes me as a completely barking idea, but I wish you well of it!! Tharp could dance brilliantly, and was a wonderful choreographer, but it seems to me that she's left the rails on this one! If books are not a sequence, why not read them in any order you choose? Some novelists mature, some start well and then fall off, some go aup and down - I think it's more important to identify a good "entry book", one which will maximise your chances of enjoyment, while getting you used to the foibles of the particualr author - and probably the only way to find onw of those is through recommendation. I can see no rationalisation for backwards-ness? But apropos my mother's and my views of du Maurier (coming up soon in a post about books for Venice), I look forward to hearing how you get on.

[adele geras]

I, too, think Twyla has lost the plot on this one. I am with Lindsay... I'd start with 'Rebecca' which is fantastic and go from there...and her short stories are terrific too. Good luck, Cornflower. I'm sure she's a writer you'll enjoy.

[Simon Thomas]

Oo, are we starting, Karen? I'm afraid my boxset of Daphne hasn't arrived yet... I ordered it on Thursday night, so goodness knows when it'll come. I don't think The Book People like delivering on Saturdays... I might have to run to catch up with you a bit later...

[justine picardie]

Hello everyone -- glad to hear you're reading Daphne du Maurier (in whichever direction!). A brief note on reading backwards, which I refer to in 'Daphne': Emily Dickinson once mentioned that she sometimes read poetry backwards -- literally -- so that the lines would be reversed. Janet Gezari -- who has edited Emily Bronte's poetry, and has an interesting new book out about it called "Last Things", suggests that Emily Dickinson might have read Emily Bronte backwards. I use this idea in "Daphne"... I know it sounds mad, but it's oddly revealing. So the line from Emily Bronte's poem, that Daphne used as the title for her first novel, "The Loving Spirit", goes like this:
"The loving spirit lingers long..."
Which would be reversed to:
"Long lingers spirit loving."
OK, I admit it, the "the" gets lost.

[Nan]

Sort of like reading a blog new to old. When I find a new one, that's just what I do.

[Danielle]

What an interesting approach to reading an author's work. I've been working my way slowly through Daphne's novels, and have been reading them here and there (though in no particular order). I also read the Forster bio. After reading so much abut Justine Picardie's book I finally broke down and ordered it from the UK, which will no doubt spur another round of novel reading (maybe with some Brontes thrown in!). Anyway, I'm looking forward to your posts!