Nancy Mitford

[stainesmassif]

Has anyone read Highland Fling, Wigs on the Green or The Blessing? am looking for a birthday present, have read Love in a Cold Climate, Pursuit of Love and Don't tell Alfred. How do the first 3 compare?

[stainesmassif]

anyone?

[Portofino]

I've read The Blessing and enjoyed it very much.

[stainesmassif]

same family? or completely different story?

[cockles]

Blessing is different family but same genre and they turn up later in Dont tell Alfred.

[TondelayoSchwarzkopf]

I love Nancy Mitford so much. Cannot help you have only read LICC / POL and The Blessing in descending order of greatness.

[TondelayoSchwarzkopf]

Sorry - saw you have not read The Blessing. In which case do.

[onimolap]

I've read Highland Fling; liked it, but not as much as the main Fanny books and The Blessing. I thought those 4 were all just fabulous.

[SuePurblybilt]

The Blessing is good, haven't found the other two yet.

[stainesmassif]

Oh bother. I've ordered highland fling and wigs on the green. I should've bought them for myself and sent my friend the fanny books. And now I want the blessing!

[anonymousbird]

Are they good? have never read one, I think I need to give Nancy a go!

What is the best one to start off with for a Nancy Newbie?
(Apols for hijack, but this is one of those things I have been meaning to do for ages.....)

[TondelayoSchwarzkopf]

Love in a Cold Climate is the best one to start off with.

[RosieMBanks]

I have read most of NM's books, and 'The Blessing' is one of my favourites - some wonderful characters and it is very funny.
The earlier books are worth reading, but I agree with onimolap re the four best books - 'The Pursuit of Love', 'Love in A Cold Climate', 'Don't Tell Alfred' and 'The Blessing'. Anonymousbird, if you like the novels you might end up on a long reading journey....after Nancy's novels, there is all her non-fiction, then you have everything Jessica Mitford wrote including the wonderful 'Hons and Rebels',and all the various Mitford collected letters, biographies and autobiographies, including Deborah Devonshire's books...I have several shelves filled with Mitford books! I envy you having them all to discover!

[onimolap]

There's also Pigeon Pie ( which sort of goes with Highland Fling). Again, I liked it but not as much as the Fanny books.

[stainesmassif]

I didn't get on with the collected letters, but that may be the fault of my baby brain. However I did go on to read the biography of 'the bolter'. Vg.

[onimolap]

There's also Pigeon Pie ( which sort of goes with Highland Fling). Again, I liked it but not as much as the Fanny books.

[corygal]

The Blessing is a superb - and oddly modern -tale of a manipulative child who tries to keep his split parents split - for the presents and social benefits. Don't Tell Alfred is quite funny too, but neither is a patch on the Fanny books.

However, they're both still Nancy, albeit a but watered down.

BUT if you want Mitford that's as good as her best fiction, read The Sun King and Madame de Pompadour, her history books.

[stainesmassif]

corygal - that's what i like about her, i find so much of her writing a mix of modern and a glimpse into the past. and so funny, obvs.

[maandpa]

They are very good!!!!

[RosieMBanks]

I found this archive recording of Nancy Mitford talking on a BBC programme, and was fascinated to hear her speak. link

[maandpa]

Thank you for the link. I listened to her, and yes it is fascinating to hear her talk. I'm crossing my fingers that someone will give me the book of letters between her and Evelyn Waugh, another of my favourite authors!