E F Benson, The Money Market

This is a very early E F Benson novel, published long before his Edwardian and post-First World War triumphs would appear, but it shows signs that the experienced Bensonite can recognise as an indication of future sublimity. It’s a Victorian novelette, that in any other hands would never have made it out of the cheap … Continue reading E F Benson, The Money Market →

The shrine of Beverley Nichols: should one worship?

I must be one of the last people among the middlebrow fanciers to have read Beverley Nichols. He is perfect bedtime reading: light, frivolous, witty, of an earlier period so there won't be anything nasty in the woodshed, and unexpectedly moving. I first noticed his existence in a delightfully poisonous parody in Leonard Russell's immortal … Continue reading The shrine of Beverley Nichols: should one worship? →

E F Benson and Dodo’s Daughter

This time in the Really Like This Book podcast scripts catch-up I’m reading a novel of utter frivolity. It’s called Dodo’s Daughter, and is a sequel to the earlier and unforgettably frivolous novel of Edwardian society life, Dodo. Dodo is a ditzy lady, invented by that great chronicler of society silliness, E F Benson. Nowadays … Continue reading E F Benson and Dodo’s Daughter →

Saki’s When William Came

When William Came by Saki (H H Munro) is a complicated novel. On the face of it, it’s a straight propagandist story at the peak of the anti-German pre-First World War war fever craze, to warn the British to start preparing for war and get the young men into the army as soon as possible. … Continue reading Saki’s When William Came →

Glorious snobbery at village scale: E F Benson’s Queen Lucia

The immortal E F Benson begins this podcast scripts catch-up from Really Like this Book, loosely based on the English country village. I wanted to collect together novels that showed different aspects of an English village in fiction, to see how a village was used, and what the village actually was. Benson's undying contribution to this … Continue reading Glorious snobbery at village scale: E F Benson’s Queen Lucia →

1950s county family looks nervously at social change: Jane Hervey’s Vain Shadow

If you like E F Benson’s petty bitchery, and the psychological dissection of Barbara Pym's novels, you will love Jane Hervey’s Vain Shadow, first published in 1963. It is now a Persephone reprint in its demurely anonymous grey cover, now synonymous with a certain type of novel, recovered from the past, for middle-class readers. Virago … Continue reading 1950s county family looks nervously at social change: Jane Hervey’s Vain Shadow →

A G Macdonell and England, Their England

Today’s letter in the Really Like This Book's podcast script rerun is M. A G Macdonell’s England, Their England, from 1933, is a satirical novel about English society, and has long had a grip on my understanding of the English. I was (am) a hybrid Anglo-Scot, never quite accepted by my Scottish school-friends or my English cousins … Continue reading A G Macdonell and England, Their England →

Rachel Ferguson’s Celebrated Sequels

I posted a blog on Rachel Ferguson's 1934 book of parodies, Celebrated Sequels, on Vulpes Libris. Those pilloried and adored by the superb writer of The Brontes Went to Woolworths include E F Benson, Elizabeth Von Arnim, H G Wells, Sinclair Lewis, Mrs Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch, Louisa M Alcott, Beverley Nichols and E … Continue reading Rachel Ferguson’s Celebrated Sequels →

Mrs Ames: not Lucia

E F Benson was stretching his talons in this novel. You'd think, from first glance, that this was a tryout for Mapp and Lucia. Although it's from 1912, there are dinner party wars, stunts to bring the other middle-class and servanted neighbours on side, and hurried impromptu fancy-dress ball preparations. But Mrs Ames is not … Continue reading Mrs Ames: not Lucia →

Not so much the books I bought, but WHY

I read a lot of book blog posts gloating about bookish treasure finds, but I’m more interested in finding out why they spend the money, not what it was on. This is my most recent tally, which cost me £24.50, very good value. The proprietor held me in conversation on the merits of Ian Dury, with which I … Continue reading Not so much the books I bought, but WHY →