The glory of unmarried freedom in Paris, in Elaine Dundy’s The Dud Avocado

I used to own Elaine Dundy's The Dud Avocado in my twenties, but I don’t think I ever read it properly, and it disappeared from sight in a house move. Oh how foolish I was, because – now that I’ve paid it proper attention - this stunning classic is superbly written and fizzing with good-natured life. I … Continue reading The glory of unmarried freedom in Paris, in Elaine Dundy’s The Dud Avocado →

The scandal of drinking tea in John Galt’s Annals of the Parish

I adore John Galt's early 19th-century Scottish fiction. Back from my holidays, today’s letter in my A-Z of Really Like This Book podcasts is G, so I am delighted to go back 200 years, to return to the work of this Scottish novelist and friend of Lord Byron. His novel Annals of the Parish (1821) is a gentle and quietly funny … Continue reading The scandal of drinking tea in John Galt’s Annals of the Parish →

E R Punshon’s Crossword Mystery

In E R Punshon's Crossword Mystery, Mr George Winterton, a stockbroker and monomaniac on the subject of the gold standard, is in fear of his life. His brother has recently drowned, all his comfort in the peace of the English coastal bay which they own has been ruined, and he has demanded personal protection from … Continue reading E R Punshon’s Crossword Mystery →