Archive for January, 2009

The Pursuit of Love

Thursday, January 22nd, 2009 | British Literature | No Comments

This is actually the prequel to Nancy Mitford’s book below - I’ve read them in the wrong order. I actually liked this one a little better; it had more heart. The theme which came across to me was that life really doesn’t turn out the way you expect - which is definitely the case in my life.

The same narrator as the other book, this time describing the family she grew up in, her cousins’ family - aristocratic, old-fashioned, and highly eccentric.  Linda plans to marry a “Hon”, but ends up falling in love with unsuitable people, marrying them, and leaving them for other unsuitable people. The narrator on the other hand has an ordinary marriage and children. The difference - a few months of golden happiness versus everyday bread and butter contentment - is quite striking. And of course it doesn’t turn out well for Linda.

I really enjoyed this description of life between the wars. There’s a telling dialogue where the characters say that history won’t remember they existed, that the two wars will merge and their generation will be forgotten; and in a way I think that is true.

Love in a Cold Climate

Thursday, January 15th, 2009 | British Literature | No Comments

Nancy Mitford’s satirical novel is a great read, with a mock-earnest highly British feel like Evelyn Waugh, or even Wodehouse’s stories. It’s all about the aristocrats between the two wars, their eccentricities and their ridiculously narrow views on life. Very easy to laugh at others, but perhaps even easier to laugh at oneself - for Mitford was recording her own life through this and her other stories.

In this one, the narrator tells about Polly, who marries her uncle and her mother’s lover; the new heir to replace Polly, an over the top gay man; and a variety of other relatives who place curses on the neighbours, rule India, or support failed royalty. Actually it’s sort of like Cold Comfort Farm, among aristocrats.

Mitford’s writing is sharp without being nasty, amused rather than angry, which makes it amusing to read. I liked this and I’ll have to search out her other stories.

The Chimney Sweeper’s Boy

Monday, January 12th, 2009 | British Literature | No Comments

Barbara Vine is the other name of Ruth Rendell when she’s not writing straight mysteries. This was more like literary fiction with a twist. A famous author dies and his family discovers he had a false name and therefore identity, and begin to discover who he really was.

The study of the man and the family - his wife and two daughters - is well done and fascinating. Unfortunately, “who he really was” is somehow not that incredible or exciting - it’s the big climax at the end which was predictable. I was hoping for a bigger pay-off, not only in regards to the man’s past, but in terms of the whole family. On the other hand, it was compulsively readable and quite thought-provoking. It’s interesting how RR/BV often writes such unpleasant characters. Are people in her life like that or is she just fascinated by them?

Waterlog/Wildwood

Wednesday, January 7th, 2009 | British Literature | No Comments

These two non-fiction books by Roger Deakin are lovely to read. They’re stories of a man encountering wild life in Britain, the wild life of the woods or the water. Both places are full of animal, bird and insect life, as well as plants, and an assortment of interesting people as well. Each place is relevant to what human beings are all about, so you could say that they’re spiritual books, a different sort of spirit rooted firmly to this earth, now.
The chapters don’t lead anywhere in particular - there’s no climax, no shocking surprises. While they’re calm, there is an undercurrent of sadness at what is being lost thoughtlessly - space, pristine beauty, life. So many plants and creatures becoming extinct to particular areas. The other sadness is the knowledge that Roger Deakin died from a brain tumour, after Wildwoods was published. He lived in a moated old building on a walnut farm and began a charity to save old apple orchards. He travelled - some of his travels to discover the origin of the apple are found in Wildwoods - and he had a son. He also began a movement to really experience wild places, with an entire “wild swimming” craze coming from Waterlog - which is his better book, probably because he was sick while finishing Wildwoods. I really enjoyed both these books.

 

 

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