A glimpse of writers' houses

    When I saw the book Writers' Houses mentioned on Eggs on the Roof the other day - and thanks to Oxslip for recommending that lovely site in the first place - I bought a copy sharpish (though I see there are fewer available now and prices are high). It's the sort of book I can't resist, full of fabulous photographs of interiors, and some exteriors, too, rooms full of sunshine or pools of lamplight, books everywhere, desks and treasured possessions, all as though the writers themselves are about to step into the picture at any moment.

    There is Karen Blixen's Danish family home, full of the flowers she loved to arrange, Lawrence Durrell's French house, familiar from some of his writings, Vita Sackville-West's Sissinghurst, Virginia Woolf's Monk's House, and many more, all discovered by author Francesca Premoli-Droulers and photographer Erica Lennard as they travelled across Europe and the United States in search of the 'spirit of place' or genius loci which influenced those whose houses they visited.

    If you click on the picture to enlarge it you'll see, from the top row, left to right:

- the work table in the glassed-in veranda in his house in Sommières near Nîmes at which Lawrence Durrell would make an early start each day

- Vita Sackville-West's writing room cum library in the tower at Sissinghurst

- the "lighthouse", or study of Jean Giono in Manosque, Provence

- the work shed at the Boat House, Laugharne, home to Dylan Thomas

- Karen Blixen's desk at Rungstedlund in Denmark, with the typewriter she brought back from Africa

- Mark Twain's conservatory in Hartford, Connecticut

- the green sitting-room at Virginia Woolf's Monk's House in Rodmell, Suffolk, its table and chairs decorated by Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant

- W.B. Yeats's Thoor Ballylee in Galway, Ireland

- the drawing-room at Marbacka, an estate in western Sweden which was home to Selma Lagerlöf.

Comments

[Catherine]

What a beautiful book, I'm putting it on my wish list.I have visited the home of Karen Blixen in Denmark and Selma Lagerlof in Sweden but regret not buying more bookish memorabilia at the time.I enjoy relaxing with a 'picture book' when I have a spare moment. Thank you for the info.

[Nan]

I so love seeing pictures like this!

[m]

How funny ... none of them seem to share their studies with the ironing board and the laundry pile, and a vacuum cleaner shoved in the corner! Is this where I'm going wrong with the best-seller?

[Charlie]

I'm so glad you love the book as much as I do. There's a wonderful quality to the photographs - no artificial light, no carefully manicured desks, no stage management. The rooms add a whole new dimension to the writers' work.

[Susan in TX]

Love looking at these kinds of books/pictures! Thanks for sharing them with us - I'm going to have to track this one down for relaxing reading...just as soon as things slow down enough to relax. :)

[Deborah]

I found this in France (in the French edition) a few years ago and pounced on - it flipped open at Durrell's house and I had to have it! The kind of book that has gives hours of pleasure every time you dip into it.

[Susan E]

What fun! Thanks for sharing. The only one I've visited is Mark Twain's house in Hartford, which is quite the place.

[Audrey]

I agree with Susan E! I grew up near Hartford and it was a regular school trip. We went back again with some of the nieces and nephews a few years ago and noticed that the stories we remembered hearing as kids, such as a place in the billiard room where Mark would hide his beer when his wife came upstairs, weren't part of the tour anymore. Apparently they've gotten stricter with the literal truth (not as much fun).

[Barbara]

I see none of these writers was starving in a garret!

[Deirdre]

What fun! Another book to look out for! Thanks for telling us about it and the Eggs on the Roof link - fun blog, too!

[Dark Puss]

Like Catherine I too have been to Marbacka, and I think it is highly stage managed! It doesn't mean I didn't like it but it is a piece of theatre.

[Dark Puss]

I see you too approve of "stage management" at least to some extent!

[Delyn]

I'd love to have this book! Sissinghurst is one of my favourite places -always imagined myself sitting in the garden with a book.Karen Blixen's house was equally delightful.
Must put this on my list although I feel I must restrain myself for a while as books keep arriving every day. It's ridiculous! I think I must do a Susan Hill -"Howards End is on the landing" but doubt that I have the will power.