old fashioned gentle books

[mumwon]

Talking on another topic 2 of us mentioned "Mrs Harris goes to Paris" a lovely uplifting old fashioned book - ia there any books that other people like - either as a child or as an adult that you can suggest & tell us about them - briefly!
Mrs Harris is about an old fashioned char who saves & goes to Paris to buy Dior dress
& "Family at One end Street" children's story about a family with several dc before the ww2

Norah Lofts isn't a gentle read by any means but is a somewhat forgotten but fantastic writer of historical fiction.

Brilliant books

Anybody remember Dame Ngaio Marsh? She wrote thrillers and crime novels. I really enjoyed them - I found them on the ward bookshelves in a psych hospital where I was working in the early 80s. I also read quite a few Ian Flemings from the same musty shelves. Great adventures, but he was a terrible writer!

I thought this thread was moving to Books section. I will ask for it to be moved.
MN told me they can only move it if requested by OP

I adore many of the books already mentioned so popped in to recommend Eva Rice - modern writer who sets hers books in the 1950s and manages somehow to capture that elegant, old fashioned feel beautifully. The Lost Art Of Keeping Secrets is her debut novel and it’s a joy to read.

The flambards trilogy and the Veronica at the wells books were my favourite as a child
As an adult I have read and reread Precious Bane by Mary Webb

The delightful Our Spoons Came From Woolworths by Barbara Comyns and also Sisters By A River, both absolute gems.
The Flight of The Maidens - Jane Gardam. Also Bilgewater and A Long Way From Verona
Nina Bawden - A Little Love, A Little Learning
Lorna Sage - Bad Blood
Now In November - Josephine Johnson
Stella Gibbons' Cold Comfort Farm, she also wrote Nightingale Woods which was another fantastic story I was sad to finish.

A lot of my favourite books are published by Virago, who seem to specialise in books by female authors. Some are older novels and therefore don't have references to iPads, Fitbits or selfies. But so so well written and still focusing on the kind of trials of life that are pretty well eternal.

I loved the Wouldbegoods by E Nesbit. A group of children who really want and try to be good but always end up in some kind of trouble. My kids also loved them. Same guy who wrote the Railway Children which is another beautiful classic.
Also the My Naughty Little Sister books, as a pp mentioned. Gorgeous.

I haven't RTWT but I recently loved "Dear Mrs Bird". WW2 set.

Steuckbylightning, Edith Nesbit, very interesting woman.

I'm glad someone else remembers Milly Molly Mandy - I loved it but I always assumed it was a bit niche as none of my friends had heard of it as a child

The Pullein-Thompson sisters wrote lots of books about horses and the adventures had with them, featuring 50s(?) teenagers in gentle bucolic settings.

As a primary aged child I loved the Animal Ark series, about a girl growing up with vets for parents and finding ways to help animals.

Has anyone read Lucy Mangan’s Bookworm?

I love all books by Miss Read. The Fairacre and Thrush Green novels. Gentle, comforting and lovely stories

I have - is on my bookshelf. Loved reading it - there were many books in it that I read when I was growing up.

Avocados I remember the Pullein-Thompson sisters (Josephine and Christine?), also Ruby Ferguson's Jill pony books. I loved them when I read them as a child in the 1960s.

Eva Ibbotson has some fantastic gentle books. I love her stuff.

I haven't RTFT so apologies if I'm repeating, but I remember loving A Necklace of Raindrops (Joan Aiken)

Yes Eva Ibbotson's more adult books are fantastic.

@BertrandRussell, yes, both me and DP have read it. Love Lucy Mangan, loved the book. We went to her talk at Durham Book Festival, she was just how I thought (hoped) she’d be.

I Love reading Rosamunde Pilcher novels, pure escapism in either Scotland or Cornwall

Also love Just William and Georgette Heyer (especially Cotillion), also Madeleine Brent novels set in far away places in the past with usual events.

For those interested in romance and adventure, Helen Mcinnes good but not all happy endings and sometimes didactic (when she moved on to Cold War adventures). North from Rome good one to start with.

Meant to say unusual events. Thanks for thread, I have investigated a dozen, ordered samples and the Monica journalist one as print copy. Happy reading!

Sorry, I haven't read the full thread (although I intend to).
Just wanted to mention Peepo for tots and the Alfie and Annie Rose books

I got the Monica Dickens ‘One pair of feet’ as an audiobook because this thread reminded me how much I’d liked her books. I’m enjoying listening to it, but had forgotten that there’s some language and attitudes that are, shall we say, ‘of their time’.

Anything by Rosamunde Pilcher,I love her books(I have all of them).They're like sinking into a comfy armchair in you comfiest clothes and slippers.

Also Laurie Lee. Especially Cider with Rosie.

Another vote for the blue castle. My favourite book. So joyous.....,eventually!