What would the Marlows be reading now?

[jackmerlin.livejournal.com]

I found myself pondering this in between my summer holiday reading. One of the favourite features of the AF books is the references to books the characters are reading / have read; and many people, like myself, seem to have tried new authors simply because Nicola was reading them.
Although the series crept into the eighties most of the books they mention are from previous decades, apart perhaps from Nicola's book token buy in RAH? So, I started to wonder, if AF had kept writing until the present day, what books would the Marlows be reading now?
Would Karen have found escape from her own strained family set-up in the dysfunctional families of Anne Tyler?
Would Ginty have adored the Hunger Games, seen herself as Catniss and enjoyed lots of lovely fantasies about hiding out in a cave with Patrick, nursing his injuries and kissing him as much as possible?
Would Nicola have enjoyed the archeological detective stories of Elizabeth Peters? Presumably she'd have been keen on Patrick O' Brien, as AF was.
I don't suppose Rowan gets much time to read - a page or two of a Dick Francis or one of his successors, before falling asleep at night. What might she take on holiday if she ever gets the chance?
And Rose, having read everything in the Trennels playroom, will be a fan of Jacquelin Wilson. Will Chas like Harry Potter?
I'm stuck on Lawrie. I'm thinking she might be into some of the Youtubers' spin-off books; that's if she ever has time to read any more, what with spending all her time on Youtube watching make-up videos?

I'd be interested to know what other books people think they might be reading now?

Comments

Never mind watching make-up videos

[jinty]

I suspect Lawrie would have become an early YouTube star, a Zoella in the AF universe! Much to the disgust of the rest of her family of course.

Re: Never mind watching make-up videos

[jackmerlin.livejournal.com]

Yes, she so would! I wonder how long Trennels and Kingscote would resist getting wi-fi.
Presumably, she might also read a lot of actor's autobiographies.

What would the Marlows be reading now

[barbara j. schwartz (from livejournal.com)]

I'm certain that both Rowan and Nicola would be reading Elizabeth George's novels about Sir Thomas Lynley and his star crossed friends. These are nominally detective stories but address class and racial tensions while giving an accurate picture of contemporary England. "Tommy" Lynley, while not as sporting, evokes Lord Peter Wimsey in a highly satisfactory fashion.

Re: What would the Marlows be reading now

[jackmerlin.livejournal.com]

I haven't come across them, so I'll add them to my reading list!
I think Nicola might like Bernard Cornwell - Sharpe for an army based perspective on Hornblower's period, and the Uhtred stories which do have a certain amount of Viking sea-going, and I think she'd have liked Uhtred.
I can't decide if she would have liked Flashman as she got older. She'd have appreciated the history, but would she ever get over being repelled by his character?

Re: What would the Marlows be reading now

[(Anonymous)]

sorry forgot my username:

Everyone's got to love Flash Harry! Didn't the young Queen Victoria rather fancy him? (Although I enthused about "Flashman's Lady" when my cousin bought a copy at an Op Shop, I don't think she touched it after that - although she doesn't like history as a subject).

Seriously, though, I think George MacDonald Fraser gives the Flashman character enough self awareness that he actually stops being repellant and becomes likeable - yes, he's a cad and a bounder, but he knows it. There are also enough redeeming moments when serious comments are made, that you see a graver and more mature Flashman.

And, the books are rather well written.

Re: What would the Marlows be reading now

[jackmerlin.livejournal.com]

Agree with all of that, and also he's very good at pointing out other peoples' hypocrisy.
I'm not sure if Nicola at fourteen is ready for an anti-hero. I can imagine Tim enjoying them very much indeed though. And possibly Nicola reads one on Tim's recommendation and ends up even more puzzled by Tim's world-view than she already was.....

Re: What would the Marlows be reading now

[(Anonymous)]

Yes, you're completely right about them not really being suitable for the fourteen year old Nicola. Flashman is written as a rather complex, yet fully fleshed and believable character, and completely of his time. Thinking about them, I felt inspired to re-read them, but then I was concerned that maybe my tastes have changed since I read them and i would find them slightly disappointing. This is the same reason I have put off re-reading "I, Claudius." I know they're not the same but when I tried to re-read some of Jame A Michener, I found I couldn't.

Actually, too, thinking about Flashman: I have it wrong. He called himself Flashie, I think. Flash Harry was George Cole from St Trinians.