NEVER TOO LATE - ANGELA THIRKELL
Thirkell wrote so many books, all highly entertaining, that I won't review them all, but rather suggest if you like the first you read, look at the list in the book's front and order from the virtual catalog at the library or Amazon. In this novel a loving family copes with a father suffering from memory loss and general frailty, a young girl struggles to find a way to leave her very comforting family nest, and an older couple finds love.
This novel is late Thirkell, 1956 (she died in 1961), but her wit is ever lively. Here's some quotes that made me chuckle. From Mrs. Morland, a writer now in her sixties, "Your son's your son till he gets him a wife.But he goes on expecting you to help him to support all his children all your life." Mr. Choyce, the vicar, talking of the Bishop. "He has found a new hymn by a religious Atheist beginning: "O God, although Thou art not there, Men sing to Thee as if Thou were." And this one, not necessarily funny, but so true of my life: "The reason she was not listening was that Mrs. Morland was involved in a discussion about the way one was always losing things because you put them in a safe place and then you don't know where it is." (Ah Yes Moment for Me!)
Gentle comedy of manners by an author who clearly loves her characters and you will too.
Virtual catalog
Monday, January 10, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
TRUE LOVE AND MARRIAGE IN VENICE
A THOUSAND DAYS IN VENICE (AN UNEXPECTED ROMANCE)-Marlena de Blasi
Charming non-fiction account of a middle-aged American divorcee who receives a telephone call from a man at the next table in a Venetian restaurant asking her to coffee. She refuses four days in a row but finally on her last day in Venice agrees to meet him. He tells her he fell in love with her in December when he saw her at a distance on a previous visit of hers to Venice. Unlikely as all this sounds, it is true, and she takes the plunge, not into the canal, but into love. The book records the first year of their falling in love, her leaving St.Louis, Missouri, to live with him in Venice, their wedding, and subsequent new beginnings together. It is romantic but down-to-earth as they face the adjustment from fairy tale romance to actually living together. Venice is a major player in this story - the people, its history, the infuriating bureaucracy of state and church, the different life views of the Italian worker (Work long enough to buy the grappa but not so long as to miss out on drinking the grappa with co-workers during extended lunch hour. What's the rush?). De Blasi is also a professional chef and includes recipes at book's end. Enchanting reading for all of us who have wished to be swept off our feet with good practical lessons as to how to then sustain and cherish love in marriage. She has also written two follow-up books, so if you like this one, you have two more to enjoy.
Non-Fiction. Rockport Public Library
Charming non-fiction account of a middle-aged American divorcee who receives a telephone call from a man at the next table in a Venetian restaurant asking her to coffee. She refuses four days in a row but finally on her last day in Venice agrees to meet him. He tells her he fell in love with her in December when he saw her at a distance on a previous visit of hers to Venice. Unlikely as all this sounds, it is true, and she takes the plunge, not into the canal, but into love. The book records the first year of their falling in love, her leaving St.Louis, Missouri, to live with him in Venice, their wedding, and subsequent new beginnings together. It is romantic but down-to-earth as they face the adjustment from fairy tale romance to actually living together. Venice is a major player in this story - the people, its history, the infuriating bureaucracy of state and church, the different life views of the Italian worker (Work long enough to buy the grappa but not so long as to miss out on drinking the grappa with co-workers during extended lunch hour. What's the rush?). De Blasi is also a professional chef and includes recipes at book's end. Enchanting reading for all of us who have wished to be swept off our feet with good practical lessons as to how to then sustain and cherish love in marriage. She has also written two follow-up books, so if you like this one, you have two more to enjoy.
Non-Fiction. Rockport Public Library
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
NEW YORKER SHORT STORIES FROM ENGLAND, WWII
GOOD EVENING, MRS.CRAVEN: THE WARTIME STORIES OF MOLLIE PANTER-DOWNES
An exquisite book of short stories written from 1939-1944 for The New Yorker by Panter-Downes, who also wrote fortnightly Letters from London from 1939-84. Unlike most NYer stories of today, these are witty, poignant and understandable. (I do like some contemporary NYer stories but many still leave me cold.) The first half are quite funny, even light-hearted, although with the shadow of war and possible invasion ever close. The later stories are more sober, though never without wit. The last set on D Day is extremely touching. The stories chronicle the changes in society, particularly the class structure, that started with the first war and now are being accelerated with the realization that English life will never be the same even after victory. Some welcome this change, and some mourn it (and often the mourners are those from the servant rather than the master class). Her dry humor is a delight, for instance, this from the first story about the meeting of two former lovers: "She felt that age had withered and custom staled Gerald's infinite variety considerably, and she improvised an early appointment at the hairdresser's." I am now interested in finding whatever of her other writings are still in print!
Available from the virtual catalogue
An exquisite book of short stories written from 1939-1944 for The New Yorker by Panter-Downes, who also wrote fortnightly Letters from London from 1939-84. Unlike most NYer stories of today, these are witty, poignant and understandable. (I do like some contemporary NYer stories but many still leave me cold.) The first half are quite funny, even light-hearted, although with the shadow of war and possible invasion ever close. The later stories are more sober, though never without wit. The last set on D Day is extremely touching. The stories chronicle the changes in society, particularly the class structure, that started with the first war and now are being accelerated with the realization that English life will never be the same even after victory. Some welcome this change, and some mourn it (and often the mourners are those from the servant rather than the master class). Her dry humor is a delight, for instance, this from the first story about the meeting of two former lovers: "She felt that age had withered and custom staled Gerald's infinite variety considerably, and she improvised an early appointment at the hairdresser's." I am now interested in finding whatever of her other writings are still in print!
Available from the virtual catalogue
Monday, January 3, 2011
DIVORCEE CONQUERS ALL
EVERY WOMAN FOR HERSELF - Trisha Ashley
Fun, light reading with a quirky cast of characters once more in Yorkshire. The heroine, Charley (for Charlotte) wakes up one morning to the news her husband wants a divorce now. Stunned she agrees to his terms and returns to the family home of her famous writer father The household is run by her sister Em, a great cook and Wiccan poet, who is made furious by father's new mistress. Soon another sister, Anne, a war correspondent now in cancer treatment, returns and brother, Bran, a professor suffering some sort of nervous collapse is brought home to recover. The two small daughters of the mistress complete the menage a whatever. All the children were named after the Brontes in the father's attempt to replicate that family's creativity. There are also two quirky servants and soon a handsome actor-writer with his young daughter move into an adjacent cottage. Romance follows for Charley and Em complicated by love potions from the resident witch (one of the quirky servants). Family secrets are revealed. Although the Prince Charming is over-the-top perfect, the happy ending he precipitates is cheering. I did wonder though what the book would have been like if she had opted for more realistic scenario.
Available Rockport Library
Fun, light reading with a quirky cast of characters once more in Yorkshire. The heroine, Charley (for Charlotte) wakes up one morning to the news her husband wants a divorce now. Stunned she agrees to his terms and returns to the family home of her famous writer father The household is run by her sister Em, a great cook and Wiccan poet, who is made furious by father's new mistress. Soon another sister, Anne, a war correspondent now in cancer treatment, returns and brother, Bran, a professor suffering some sort of nervous collapse is brought home to recover. The two small daughters of the mistress complete the menage a whatever. All the children were named after the Brontes in the father's attempt to replicate that family's creativity. There are also two quirky servants and soon a handsome actor-writer with his young daughter move into an adjacent cottage. Romance follows for Charley and Em complicated by love potions from the resident witch (one of the quirky servants). Family secrets are revealed. Although the Prince Charming is over-the-top perfect, the happy ending he precipitates is cheering. I did wonder though what the book would have been like if she had opted for more realistic scenario.
Available Rockport Library
WITTY VILLAGE NOVEL OF WORLD WAR II
NORTHRIDGE RECTORY - Angela Thirkell
Angela Thirkell wrote about 50 novels, creating the world of Barsetshire where clergy, lords, farmers and most particularly women of all classes keep Britain going through thick and thin. Thirkell has a wry humor that pokes gentle fun at her characters and a way with a plot that keeps the reader engaged even though in some books, such as this one, not too much happens. Written in 1941 the villagers are rallying to beat off an expected invasion while enjoying the presence of all the officers billotted among them, and less so, the evacuees. The book must have raised the morale of its readers during the war and continues to do so now, as one doesn't need to be in a war to suffer from too much Christmas or to enjoy the way a son returning home can turn a room into chaos in a matter of minutes.
Available through virtual catalogue
Angela Thirkell wrote about 50 novels, creating the world of Barsetshire where clergy, lords, farmers and most particularly women of all classes keep Britain going through thick and thin. Thirkell has a wry humor that pokes gentle fun at her characters and a way with a plot that keeps the reader engaged even though in some books, such as this one, not too much happens. Written in 1941 the villagers are rallying to beat off an expected invasion while enjoying the presence of all the officers billotted among them, and less so, the evacuees. The book must have raised the morale of its readers during the war and continues to do so now, as one doesn't need to be in a war to suffer from too much Christmas or to enjoy the way a son returning home can turn a room into chaos in a matter of minutes.
Available through virtual catalogue
VILLAGE NOVEL OF A CHANGING WORLD
A NEST OF MAGPIES - Sybil Marshall
More than a cozy escape this book depicts the changes wrought in an East Anglia village in the 1960s Written in the first person, the heroine, Fran, a middle-aged widow of means, buys back her family home and returns to the village after a long absence. She renews ties with her male step-cousin and engages a childhood friend, and daughter of the original housekeeper, as her housekeeper. She also becomes friend with a newcomer, a glamorous woman who evokes ardor from men and resentment from women. Fran's reflections on class and morals make this book deeper than the usual village romance, and she provides an event-filled plot that keeps you reading to find out what will happen next.
Available Rockport Library
More than a cozy escape this book depicts the changes wrought in an East Anglia village in the 1960s Written in the first person, the heroine, Fran, a middle-aged widow of means, buys back her family home and returns to the village after a long absence. She renews ties with her male step-cousin and engages a childhood friend, and daughter of the original housekeeper, as her housekeeper. She also becomes friend with a newcomer, a glamorous woman who evokes ardor from men and resentment from women. Fran's reflections on class and morals make this book deeper than the usual village romance, and she provides an event-filled plot that keeps you reading to find out what will happen next.
Available Rockport Library
TRAVEL CLASSIC
BETWEEN THE WOODS AND THE WATER - PATRICK LEIGH FERMOR
This is the second book in the account of Fermor's walk from Holland to Constantinople in 1933 at the age of nineteen He wrote the first account A TIME OF GIFTS in 1977 and this one in 1986, the third is still to come. Fermor is now 95 and still writing after living a life full of adventures. Considered a classic of travel writing, the book is dense with descriptions and history making it slow but fascinating reading. Two times -- the time before World War II when he was walking and the post war time when it was written, and in which the reader lives inform the book. I kept wondering what happened especially to the gypsies, the rabbi and rabbinical students,but really to everyone he met along the way. He tells us a few of the afterlives of the people he kept up with, but of the chance acquaintances we can only wonder as to their fates. It is a picture of the world of Hungary, Rumania, and Transylvania, now lost forever.
Available from virtual catalogue. You might want to start with first book A TIME OF GIFTS
This is the second book in the account of Fermor's walk from Holland to Constantinople in 1933 at the age of nineteen He wrote the first account A TIME OF GIFTS in 1977 and this one in 1986, the third is still to come. Fermor is now 95 and still writing after living a life full of adventures. Considered a classic of travel writing, the book is dense with descriptions and history making it slow but fascinating reading. Two times -- the time before World War II when he was walking and the post war time when it was written, and in which the reader lives inform the book. I kept wondering what happened especially to the gypsies, the rabbi and rabbinical students,but really to everyone he met along the way. He tells us a few of the afterlives of the people he kept up with, but of the chance acquaintances we can only wonder as to their fates. It is a picture of the world of Hungary, Rumania, and Transylvania, now lost forever.
Available from virtual catalogue. You might want to start with first book A TIME OF GIFTS
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