Dorothy Whipple

Oranges you are so right! Giving up Lattes for a while as I have just asked my local bookshop to put their only Persephone book - The Exiles Return by Elisabeth de Waal - to one side for me. I like to support my independent bookshop rather than order direct and can't wait to have my first Persephone book in my hands! Thank you for this thread Duchess though I am not sure my bank balance will agree!

Well, I am starting to look scarily like my mother and fear I have her telephone voice to boot but still got the bum's rush in the shop. Does one have to have a St Hilda's scarf? Or is it St Hugh's? Trying to think of women-only Oxford colleges whose alumnae (no Latin - excuse possibly wrong ending) might snort with derision at plebs who might just be able to read one of their books with their finger going along under each line.

Thanks for the hidden recommendations. Have bought three to start me off.
I love buying new books, it feels like the ultimate decadent treat, better even than clothes or food. Heaven.

I think we need to know the secret of your success Highlandcoo. If I ever go again( unlikely ) I am going to put on my mother's best telephone voice and possibly wear my Glasgow Uni scarf circa 1976.

Loaamina can I come on your march (even though they were nice to me on that one occasion) - I haven't marched anywhere for years

Cannot claim to be young, smartly dressed or with anything resembling a posh accent though

nkf Thank you for the comment. I haven't read any Godden for ages, but will add some of hers to my list, too.

Rather worrying when the list of "books to read or re-read" starts to get long enough to be a short novel!

I've probably read all of Monica Dickens, from One Pair of Hands and all the dozens since. 'The Listeners' is really special - a fictional account of the early days of The Samaritans. Both the PB books by her are good reads, although I found the casual anti-semitism in 'Marianne' rather shocking .

I've just had a peek at her entry on Fantastic Fiction www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/d/monica-dickens/ and it reminded me of her lovely 'World's End' children's series.

Regarding the attitude of PB shop staff: I think we should have a march on Lambs' Conduit Street, Mumsnet scarves aloft, demanding a warm welcome. Although, I cannot say I'm a small woman, rather the contrary, so I won't fit in with the others on this board. I think if you want to fit you should be slim, youngish, smartly dressed and with a posh accent. I don't meet any of those criteria, sadly!

Seriously, the impression I get is that they are first and foremost a mail-order company and the shop side of things is - literally - a distraction.

Oh yes to Frances Hog Burnett, lovely adult books. I thought that adaptation of The Making of a Marchioness was awful though, I was hugely disappointed.

I have Miss Buncle's Married ready, saving it for a treat, can't wait.
will look out Rumer Hidden, hadn't come across her.

Oh yes, Ambridge, I loved Nightingale Wood.

Also enjoyed The Making of a Marchioness - Frances Hodgson Burnett, another Persephone.

Does anyone else wish they published on Kindle too, as well as in their beautiful paperbacks?

I notice that Persephone have 'Miss Buncle Married' on their list. That's on my tbr pile.

Has anyone read any Stella Gibbons, by the way? 'Cold Comfort Farm' is the only one people remember nowadays, but she wrote a massive number of books. I got into her in a big way at one point and picked up quite a lot in second-hand shops. 'Nightingale Wood' and 'Westwood' were reprinted fairly recently; both well worth a read.

As a teenager, I loved Kate and Emma. It seemed so grown up.

I do like Monica Dickens - but I keep going back to 'One Pair of Hands' and 'One Pair of Feet'. I love them.

Rumer Godden also fab. 'Black Narcissus'....

Has anyone read Miss Buncle Married?

They're not similar exactly, More that they are both early 20th century, mid market writers. And both a bit neglected and very very good.

I love her books too. My favourite PB books so far are Miss Buncle's Book and Miss Pettigrew lives for a day. Don't like Monica Dickens though.

nkf I noticed that, too. In The Bookseller, I think. (I sometimes read it in the library to keep up to date with booky things.) I was wondering if Dorothy Whipple's books were similar to Godden's. I've read Greengage Summer, and one or two others.

The Diddakoi was one of my favourite children's books and I still have my copy.

Hijacking the Whipple fan club thread to tell everyone that Rumer Godden's novels are being re-released by Virago.

oh yes and please put Miss Buncle's Book on your next reading lists. Funny, touching and absolutely sweet, can't believe the beeb haven't made a series of them yet!

huge Whipple fan here. I bought copies of Someone at a Distance for my girlfriends this Christmas! Greenbanks is also fabulous.
Can I also recommend Monica Dickens (also from PB). Cracking stories, lots going on and utterly engrossing.

Another Whipple fan here. 'They Knew Mr. Knight' is good too, as is 'High Wages'.

Btw, lovers of Mollie Panter-Downes: you must read 'One Fine Day'. It's a wonderful book.

I think they thought I was too common. By Glasgow standards I am dead classy but I probably sounded a bit too Rab C Nesbit. Being small was a positive advantage. Shop tiny!

That would be nice! A small Scottish woman and a small southern woman... perhaps they just don't like small people?

Lainiekazan- maybe you and I could go to an event together ?