As the end of the year fast approaches, this is just a quick reminder that it’s time to dust off your William Trevor books (or buy or borrow them) in preparation for “A Year with William Trevor”, which kicks off in January 2023.
Together with Cathy from 746 Books, we will be working our way through Trevor’s extensive backlist. Our proposed reading schedule is below. We’ll be posting our reviews in the first week of every month. I am aiming to publish my first one on the first Saturday of January.
Please feel free to join along. You don’t need to follow our schedule. Just read whatever Trevors you can lay your hands on and let us know using the hashtag #WilliamTrevor2023. I’m looking forward to seeing what everyone reads and having some good online chats about his work.
Here’s the proposed schedule:
| MONTH | CATHY | KIM |
| JAN | The Old Boys | Cheating at Canasta (short stories) |
| FEB | The Boarding House | Mrs Eckdorf in O’Neill’s Hotel |
| MAR | The Love Department | Miss Gomez and the Brethren |
| APR | The Hill Bachelors (short stories) | Elizabeth Alone |
| MAY | Nights at the Alexandra | The Children of Dynmouth |
| JUN | Felicia’s Journey | A Bit on the Side (short stories) |
| JUL | Death in Summer | Other People’s Worlds |
| AUG | The Mark-2 Wife (short stories) | Fools of Fortune |
| SEP | The Story of Lucy Gault | The Silence in the Garden |
| OCT | Excursions in the Real World (memoir) | After Rain (short stories) |
| NOV | Two Lives | Two Lives |
| DEC | Last Stories | The Dressmaker’s Child |
And here’s a gallery of all the books I am planning to read. I think these Penguin covers are just gorgeous:
For inspiration on what to read, please check out my original post announcing this year-long read-a-long.
Reading Matters 
I’m looking forward to this. I’ve read most of Trevor’s novels and short stories, but never Fools of Fortune which is listed in 1001 Books. So I’ve just ordered it!
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I’m really looking forward to that one!
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Have you read it? The description sounds a bit grim…
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No, it’s in my schedule for August.
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So the ones on your side are ones you haven’t read, or are some of them re-reads?
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They are all ones I haven’t read. The ones I have read are here: https://readingmattersblog.com/category/author/william-trevor-author-name/
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Ah, I should have looked that up…
A feast of reading then!
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I’m a bit hazy on William Trevor but will investigate. Also, I totally agree with your comment regarding the Penguin book covers – glorious photography!
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Be great to have you join in!
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I’m in! The first book I could get my hands on in the New Year is “Love and Summer” so best wishes for the festive season and here’s to great reading in 2023 – Gretchen.
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Brilliant! That’s a great book about small town village life.
I hope you have a good wonderful festive season too x
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Thank you!
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Have posted my initial reading for the New Year and gave A Year With William Trevor a mention as I start ‘Love and Summer’ and inserted a promo pic in my side widget 🙂
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Excellent! I’m away visiting family so am behind in my reading. I need to dig out my first WT for the year and get cracking!
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Well, I just might see about picking up at least one of these, but no promises, okay?
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No worries! You have a whole year, so there’s no rush. If you have time and there’s a book that appeals, it would be great to have you join in. The year is about sharing our love for William Trevor and encouraging others to give him a try.
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Well, you’ve already accomplished the latter, since I’m encouraged to try one of his books!
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Will try to read at least something . I knw I have a little Penguin 60s for a start in my collection.
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You have a whole year, Sue, so there’s no rush. Be great to have you join in if you can squeeze in your little Penguin 60!
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I have one review of a Trevor short story on my site … and I said then I wanted to read more. I have an old friend who’s been a fan of his for a long time.
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I’ll be reading as many of the short stories with you as I can. I’m really looking forward to it. Thanks Kim & Cathy.
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PS I love the new B&W covers for the Trevor’s.
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The covers are gorgeous, aren’t they? I wish they would do something like this for Jennifer Johnston’s work, which really deserves a much wider audience. The covers of her books look like cheesy romances and are quite off-putting – and not at all indicative of the brilliant content!
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Excellent. Be great to have you along for the ride!
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I received a copy of Old Boys just yesterday in a secret Santa parcel so I am all ready for January. I have read several novels by William Trevor, most recently The Boarding House, but I am looking forward to the excuse of exploring his short stories. Really looking forward to this event.
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That was a very timely gift, Ali! Old Boys is good fun, so I’m sure you will enjoy it.
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Despite my reservations about challenges, this looks like one I could get behind. The only Trevor I actually own – The Story of Lucy Gault – doesn’t actually make the cut, I notice!
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That’s because I have already read it… in fact, it was my first WT and I adored it. It’s the book that made me interested in reading more of his work, so you’ve got a good one there!
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I know! Happy to re-read it during the year.
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