Would you expect to see a People’s Friend annual 1998 in an expensive holiday home?

[ThePieceHall]

As per the title, DD2 and I are staying in an expensive holiday home on the coast in North Yorkshire. The bookshelf is the tiredest and saddest I have ever seen. There is actually a People’s Friend annual from 1998. The weather has been glorious and we have been on the Blue Flag beach for hours every day so we have not had to open the really tired and dated jigsaws. Thankfully. Would I be unreasonable to point out to the hosting company that a little bit of investment and a little bit of respect for paying holidaymakers would not go amiss?

I’d be absolutely fine with it. I like a holiday bookshelf. I’d be keen to contribute by buying equally random contributions in local charity shops to leave behind (authorised biography of David Dickinson… first novel written by ‘local author’ in which romance blooms during the Falklands War… ) also I would read it. 20 stories! What’s not to like?

I’ve not explored the environs of the cooker, because single parent and holiday. So not doing it. I will investigate tomorrow and report back.

I do enjoy looking at old magazines and books. But I've said you are not unreasonable as overall I would expect some newer ones and some good quality games in there as well if they are stocking things.

It's just a book of short stories.
What's wrong with that?
Do you never buy secondhand books?

I think I would rather read The People’s Friend than a David Dickinson autobiography. That is just a crime against publishing and literature.

I think op is just keen to show how cool and down with her bad self she is… and so not conventional… and maybe a bit cool and wild!!

Perhaps some of the paying holiday makers renting the expensive holiday home would enjoy the People’s Friend annual from 1998?

Leave them a shit review, that’ll learn them.

Same. It’s impossible to predict what people would like to read and also people are very funny about loads of books seeing it as clutter. Are there local guidebooks? Are the games complete?

YABU, have you honestly got nothing better to worry about? Take your own books if needed.

A bit cool? Just a ‘bit’?

I was being facetious. There are local maps from the 90s, flyers for long defunct attractions, comics from 15 years ago, well read books, probably an old copy of The People’s Friend or it’s French equivalent.

I love a holiday bookshelf full of random old stuff!

Gosh that would really take me back in time. I would enjoy looking at that.
And a jigsaw is a jigsaw is a jigsaw to me. I'm not proud. I enjoy doing any.

I'm now going to use one of the vastly overused MN favourite phrases that I hate: Aren't you being a bit judgemental OP ?

It’s alive and well OP if you’d like to subscribe.. https://www.thepeoplesfriend.co.uk/

My mum had that! They're just full of short stories, nothing wrong with that! Brought back memories that has.

Nope, totally not got anything better to worry about. I am so lucky. And even more blessed to have a shelf full of The People’s Friend annuals that are 20 to 30 years old. My life is complete now. I will count my blessings. And never complain about anything ever again. I’m sure that I could find a nice little homily about this in one of The People’s Friends books here. They are so morally right and uplifting.

I think it's brilliant that the People’s Friend is being discussed on Mumsnet. This has diverged from the original OP's post but interesting to chat about. I am probably the target age group of its readers but I wonder who are the demographic who read it regularly. Don't know anyone my age who reads it, but it seems to sell well in the magazine section of the local supermarkets.

I can screenshot a few stories for you?

She's a paying guest, of course she's 'entitled' 😂

The Riches of Love. Now that's the kind of short story you read to get yourself in the mood for some summer night lovin'

So kind. I can’t actually believe that it’s still going. Every day is a school day. Personally, I would rather have a subscription to a daily enema. But, you know, horses for courses.

Happy to screen shot all of the stories if you find yourself unable to sleep.

Some of the story titles sound a little racy for People's Friend 😉

Not if the jigsaws have the obligatory one to two pieces missing. And you have an autistic child. Personally, I hate jigsaws. I would rather read The People’s Friend. Heck, I’d probably rather do five billion Lego sets than do a jigsaws. Little Miss loves both. Look, I’m being really tongue in cheek. I give no shits really about the contents of the book shelves as I am so up myself (thank you, previous poster) that I was arrogant enough to bring my own. Because I’m a dick like that. But I do think it’s a pretty poor show to be renting out a holiday home for mega-quids and be treating holidaymakers with such contempt. I could go to a charity shop and kit out a decent and contemporary book shelf, plus games, for less than £50. I would consider this a good investment.

Aww my mum used to buy me a People's Friend annual for my Christmas stocking (I was very much an adult by this point) so I would love to come across that.

I remember a story about a 'clootie dumpling' which was a sort of Christmas pudding / cake that required multiple fiddly steps to produce. The townspeople ganged up on the poor young fiancée who was trying to create one to impress her in-laws-to-be and it ended up being a disaster. But she prevailed thanks to keeping her head and turning an unsuccessful cake into a successful something else. Whereupon everyone declared that she was the ideal match for her betrothed (and everyone clapped).

I'd have read that while munching on a bag of chocolate coins and a satsuma :)

Jo