Really really the best books evah

[mrsalexanderarmstrong]

I have just read The Pursuit of Happiness and am now on Love in a Cold Climate. They are just delicious and I thoroughly recommend them to you all.

By Nancy Mitford btw.

Honestly if you haven't read them go immediately to Waterstones and snap them up. Totally cheering and utterly absorbing.

[mrsalexanderarmstrong]

oops of course I meant The Pursuit of LOVE, the pursuit of happiness is something entirely different.

Silly me.

[chegirl]

I loved LIACC but havent read Pusuit of Love. I am looking for something to read so thanks for the tip

Have you ever read any Barbra Comyns?

Fantastic.

[mrsalexanderarmstrong]

Oo no never heard of Barbra Comyns, what's she done? More 1930's end of era stuff?

[fishie]

oh i love barbara comyns too chegirl. have you tried this? mary norton not borrowers. not as edgy as babs but very good, shame she didn't write more.

[chegirl]

Its quite hard to tell when some of her novels are set. Some are def set in turn of century but others are more vague.

She isnt anything like Ms Mitford TBH but has an eccentric style that you might like. You may also hate her but its worth a punt hey?

Sisters by a River
The Skin Chairs
Our Spoons Came from Woolworths (my fav)
Touch of Mistletoe
Birds in Tiny Cages
The Juniper Tree
The House of Dolls
Mr Fox
The Vets Daughter (made into musical but not my fav)

I adore her. She writes in the first person (is that right - she writes as if she is the main protaganist?) The main charater is almost always slightly bemused by life, caught up in circumstances and often has a past that is hinted at.

It might drive you bonkers but I LOVE her stuff. You can pick up some of her stuff on Amazon but some is out of print

[JackieNo]

I really agree with the Mitford stuff. V good. I love EF Benson's Mapp and Lucia books - have just re-read them for the umpteenth time.

[Vulgar]

Chegirl - I LOVE Barbara Comyns too. I only discovered her a couple of months ago. so far I've read: "ours spoons can from woolworths", "sisters by a river", "The Vet's daughter" and "house of dolls"

I can't understand why many of her books are out of print, she's brilliant!

[chegirl]

Hurray! Other people like her too YAY

I think i have them all now. Ebay is good hunting ground.

fishie thanks for that, I am always looking for new authors. I am so picky!

[Vulgar]

Fishie - I've read that Mary norton short story book too. Very good

[mrsalexanderarmstrong]

Right, thanks chegirl, will deffo try to get hold of Barbs' books. Sound great.

I so love LIACC and Persuit that I immediately want to read them again.

Am tragic.

[Vulgar]

no you're not - you've given me two titles to look forward to and that's good. I'm sooo fed up of disappointing books.

BTW. I think "Our Spoons Came from Woolworths' is my fave Barbara Comyns too. I would recommend reading this one first.

[elkiedee]

How wonderful to see so many other Barbara Comyns fans - I loved Our Spoons Came from Wooldowrths too. There's also Who Was Changed and Who Was Dead. I'd say mid 20th century for most of her early ones (set in the 30s, 40s and 50s), she also published two or three towards the end of her life after she was rediscovered and reprinted by Virago.

Another writer about quirky aristocratic types who was rediscovered by Virago in the 1980s was Mollie Keane (aka M J Farrell).

[chegirl]

Oh yes I LOVE who was changed and who was dead. Fantasically quirky and morbid.

I love the way BC includes things in her books in a quiet way. A couple of her books have children in them that turn out to be mixed race. It is never shouted, its quietly hinted at. I find it charming (obviously my kids are mixed race )

She also deals with tragedy and misfortune in a matter of fact way. Its so hard to decribe but I am sure you will get what I mean if you love her too.

[Poppity]

I don't know if she is actually similar having not read any of these, but I love Katherine Mansfield for her quiet style. It's always a little wistful. Have any of you read her? Are they along those lines?
I'm going to investigate all these, thanks for the reading tips all!

[nkf]

I've never heard of this writer, Barbara Comyns. What is she like?

[chegirl]

nfk hmmmm. IMO her style is best described as eccentric. She writes in a naive way but is very sharp.

Her stories often feature single women with a tragic/unhappy past but this is hinted at rather than made a feature.

Oh I dont know - you will have to read one of her books

I would be interested to read what other fans think. How would you describe her work? descriptions.

[chegirl]

I just thought -

Anyone read the Rose Franken, Claudia and David books?

I read the first few and really liked them. Dont think they are literary gems but had a quirky charm too.

[Worldsworstmummy]

If you like Nancy Mitford, then you might well enjoy her sisters memoirs, Jessica Mitford, can't remember the title, where you get a rl low down on the characters.

[elkiedee]

I love Kaherine Mansfield as well as Barbara Comyns and Nancy Mitford, but I wouldn't describe any as similar though I'd recommend all of their work.

The Jessica Mitford memoir which I also love is Hons and Rebels.

[chegirl]

Me too. Just read it again.