We were delighted to see Colm Tóibín’s recommendation in this weekend’s Guardian of The Good Soldier as a perfect Christmas gift. We would, of course, agree with this choice: The Good Soldier is undoubtedly a masterpiece. This novel, and the Parade’s End series, are by far Ford’s best-known and most studied works.
There is a book I buy as a present that never goes out of fashion.
Colm Tóibín
It is The Good Soldier by Ford Madox Ford
But what about the rest of Ford’s books – many of which are little known, rarely read, and difficult to find? We would love to hear your recommendations, so over the festive break why not let us know your thoughts on the following…
- Apart from Parade’s End and The Good Soldier, which is your favourite Ford book?
- Which book would you recommend next for somebody who has only read The Good Soldier and Parade’s End?
- Which of Ford’s books has been most unfairly overlooked or neglected?
Feel free to email us at fordie@fordmadoxford.org, or use the comments box at the bottom of this page.
We will report back in the New Year. In the meantime, have a very enjoyable festive season (which starts, of course, with Ford’s birthday on 17th December!)
My favourite book after The Good Soldier and Parade’s End – hard to choose one but probably The ‘Half Moon.’
When I recommending books to people who have read little of Ford, I usually suggest the autobiographies – Ancient Lights and Return to Yesterday in particular, for a sense of Ford’s playfulness.
The book I feel is often overlooked/discussed as little more than a ‘bridge’ to Parade’s End is The Marsden Case. I’d also put a vote in for When the Wicked Man .