i've just discovered nancy mitford.....

[stainesmassif]

and i love her. can anyone recommend similar writing? my appetite has been whetted...

[TheGreatScootini]

Julian Fellowes writes about that 'set' of people iyswim.I enjoyed 'Past imperfect' but is not exactly in the style of Nancy Mitford.

However I can reccomend biographies like 'The Mitford Girls' about Nancy and her sisters-really fascinating and I dont normally like anything but fiction.Actually I became quite obsessed with the Mitfords for a while!

[GetOrfMoiLand]

Agree with the Mitford Girls by Mary Lovell. Also try reading anything written by Deborah Devonshire, her sister, who has a couple of anthologies of essays.

Also, letters of all 6 Mitford sisters, edited by Charlotte Mosley, is very good. As is letters between Nancy M and Evelyn Waugh.

Agree her writing is wonderful, I adore Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate.

[moshchops]

I too like Nancy Mitford writing style. But I must admit my preference when it comes to the Mitford Girls was Jessica.
One of the best books I have read was the Mitford Girls.

[theyoungvisiter]

I LOOOOOOOOOOVE Nancy Mitford! Which ones have you read? My favourite is probably The Blessing. Her biographies are rather funny too, the Madame de Pompadour one was damningly reviewed at the time as Uncle Matthew at the court of Versailles, which it is, but that's what's so endearing about it.

Evelyn Waugh is quite similar (and a friend, obviously!).

Jessica Mitford's Hons and Rebels is great, and gives her side of the story. Her other writing is more political.

There are lots of biogs of Nancy but I quite like the one by her friend Harold Acton, it's very affectionate.

[TheGreatScootini]

Oh yes, I've got that letters book.
Brideshead revisited is a great book, OP might like that, though heavier going than Nancy Mitford.

My favourite is Debo (but only really because she is the Duchess of Devonshire and I grew up near Chatsworth, plus my Dad worked there for a bit and now we all get to swim for a quid in the lovely staff pool on the estate anytime we want )

[theyoungvisiter]

Quite agree, Brideshead Revisited is a great book. Scoop and Vile Bodies are also classics.

[GetOrfMoiLand]

I love Chatsworth, I went there for the first time this summer, I was amazed at how relaxed the gardens and park were, the grounds are obviously used regularly by local families, there were loads of children paddling in the waterfall, boys playing ball etc. The place had a lovely, welcoming atmosphere.

Deborah Devonshire's collection of letters with Patrick Leigh Fermor is excellent as well. As is Decca - her anthology of letters.

[preciouslillywhite]

love the Mitfords, specially Nancy and Decca. And Brideshead Revisited is in my top 10...

another one along similar lines- though a bit heavy going- is Anthony Powell's Dance to the Music of Time. Just brilliant.

[shonaspurtle]

Evelyn Waugh and look out Lord Berner's autobiographies. He was also a friend and inspired one the characters in Love in a Cold Climate.

[CornishKK]

Me too, love, love Nancy Mitford

Check out Persephone Books for lots of period female writers www.persephonebooks.co.uk/

Another good one is The Constant Nymph, Margaret Kennedy. Or The Go Between by L P Hartley.

I quite liked the tv adaptation of Love in a Cold Climate - good girls night in, kids in bed, bar of Galaxy Cookie, bottle of wine fodder.

[shonaspurtle]

Berners' not Berner's

[fishie]

elizabeth jane howard isn't quite as good but better than most alternatives. evelyn waugh i like scoop best. try also stella gibson, cold comfort farm for spoofing fun.

i didn't like the mitford girls book, author's impression. the letters are far better for fun and judging.

[choosyfloosy]

Can't think of anyone really who writes like Nancy Mitford...

have you already read Cold Comfort Farm?

And just possibly Diary of a Country Lady (and all the sequels) by E M Delafield.

You might also like The Happy Prisoner by Monica Dickens.

[choosyfloosy]

I thought the recent TV adaptation was utterly dread. All those reaction shots of people laughing, as if people would need help to see the jokes. The whole point of NM's writing is you NEVER get reaction shots; most of her dialogue is actually monologue, with the other part of the conversation happening in your own head.

I was interested to see a biography recently of Irina somebody who was supposed to have been the original of the Bolter and a maneater. I just couldn't get on with it because in the photos she looked exactly like Arthur Scargill.

[TheGreatScootini]

I liked the TV version of Love in a cold climate too, was brill.And I have the original Brideshead Revisted series on DVD.I watch it when I am poorly and it always makes me feel better.

Chatsworth is fabbo.The Farm and adventure playground are great for kids and the house, gardens and park are well worth going to.Can highly reccomend going when its all trimmed up for Christmas.I go every November and come away feeling insanely festive and full of drive to get ready for Christmas (and also insanely jealous because I want to live at Chatsworth )

[TheGreatScootini]

at Arthur Scargill.

[stainesmassif]

well, i think i need to get myself over to amazon, don't i. have just finished Pursuit of Love. and before that I inhaled Love in a Cold Climate.
In response, I have read some Evelyn Waugh (years ago, can't remember much, though i suspect that i wasn't as sophisticated as i thought i was, so a lot probably went over my head), have also read cold comfort farm, and loved it.

i feel a mitford obsession coming on. thanks for the tips!

[stainesmassif]

ps, i picked up diary of a nobody yesterday in cancer research, loving that too.

[choosyfloosy]

The Bolter addressing the NUM

[Georgimama]

I've met Deborah Mitford (aka the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire) - she admired DS.

[MayorNaze]

laurie graham is a bit similar - try the unfortunates. or a book by eva rice, the title of whic now escapes me.

nowt as good as the originals though. try hons and rebels, tis also fab

[CJCregg]

I would second Hons and Rebels - Decca was also one of my favourites, though the letters put me off a bit, especially when she had those rows with Nancy and Diana. Nancy's death in Paris was heartbreaking, and her 'Fabrice' betraying her ...

[MayorNaze]

letters between 6 sisters is fascinating - a real insight into the historical sigificance as well as their personal realtionships