Thirkelled!

    I've now read the three books by Angela Thirkell I was talking about a few days ago, and what delights they are! Briefly, the novels are charming romantic comedies, very funny indeed in places, warm and comfortable reading; I greatly enjoyed them both, but High Rising was my favourite by a short head over Wild Strawberries.

    From its main character, novelist Laura Morland - writer of "good bad books"- she of the ever-tumbling hairpins and the railway-obsessed son Tony ("an exhaustion to the spirit"), to the sybilline mutterings of Stoker the cook-housekeeper, the stalwart, tweedy Dr. Ford, the loquacious historian George Knox, Laura's ever-reliable secretary Anne Todd - all play their part in what amounts to a storm in a prettily painted teacup which threatens the quiet life of High and Low Rising.

    I loved the confiding, conversational style, the genial tone, the odd 'airy gesture' on the part of the author - it's a fun book and a diverting one.

    Angela Thirkell's memoir Three Houses reminded me of Gwen Raverat's Period Piece - A Cambridge Childhood which is a similarly joyous piece of writing. Reminiscing on the homes she knew well in her childhood - her own and those of her grandparents in the country and in town - it's a nostalgic book about "golden unhastening days" when time "had no value", a contented child's view of her small, happy corner of the world, albeit one peopled with the great and the good of the day.

    Geranium Cat mentioned in her comment on my earlier post that a good companion read to Three Houses would be Diana Holman Hunt's My Grandmothers and I, and I think she's quite right - both writers being granddaughters of Pre-Raphaelite painters, there is much common ground. Similarly, I'd also recommend Judith Flanders's book A Circle of Sisters: Alice Kipling, Georgiana Burne-Jones, Agnes Poynter and Louisa Baldwin, and - for a glimpse of another part of this 'picture' - Josceline Dimbleby's A Profound Secret: May Gaskell, her daughter Amy, and Edward Burne-Jones.

Comments

[Chloe]

I liked High Rising so much I wrote to Persephone books and suggested they published it, an idea that they replied to, but gave it short shrift indeed. That was me told. But glad I'm not the only one

[Margaret W.]

Wonderful review. I think you would enjoy Demon in the House. It is very short. Tony, Laura, Donk, George, etc. all return. Tony seems to be somewhat controversial (with readers) but I just *love* him. There is a sweet scene when Tony explains to his mother the reason for Master Wesendonk's tears.

I have _Circle of Sisters_ and _May and Amy_ in my TBR pile. It seems like I never get around to reading non-fiction -- maybe over Christmas break.

[Deborah]

These will definitely go on my Christmas list! Thank you for so many bookish delights this year that would otherwise have slipped passed. Through you I discovered the wonderful Linda Gillard, "Alys,Always" and have just finished "Night Waking", which I loved. Many thanks.

[Cornflower]

I'm so glad to hear that - thankyou, Deborah!

[Cornflower]

I thought Tony was fun and I do wonder how his character develops in subsequent books, so many thanks for that recommendation, Margaret.

[Cornflower]

I think Persephone have missed a trick there, Chloe; I loved it!

[Annette]

How lovely to read your Angela Thirkell post. I love rereading her novels but thought I might be on my own in this pursuit. Thanks for the company!

[Helen]

I think you'll find you're not the only one to be given short shrift by Nicola, Chloe.
She has strong views and is unused to being questioned or contradicted.