Barbara Pym

Author profile

born

in Oswestry, Shropshire, The United Kingdom

June 02, 1913

died

January 11, 1980

gender

female

website

http://www.barbara-pym.org

genre

Humor, Literature & Fiction, Women & Gender Studies

influences

Aldous Huxley, Jane Austen

About this author

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After studying English at St Hilda's College, Oxford, she served in the Women's Royal Naval Service during World War II.

The turning point for Pym came with a famous article in the Times Literary Supplement in which two prominent names, Lord David Cecil and Philip Larkin, nominated her as the most underrated writer of the century. Pym and Larkin had kept up a private correspondence over a period of many years. Her comeback novel, Quartet in Autumn, was nominated for the Booker Prize. Another novel, The Sweet Dove Died, previously rejected by many publishers, was subsequently published to critical acclaim, and several of her previously unpublished novels were published after her death.

Pym worked at the International African Institute in Lond...more

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Barbara Pym's Books

Average rating: 3.97 · 9,053 ratings · 1,106 reviews · 21 distinct works · Similar authors

	Excellent Women 3.94 of 5 stars 3.94 avg rating — 2,447 ratings — published 1952 — 24 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Jane and Prudence 3.97 of 5 stars 3.97 avg rating — 886 ratings — published 1953 — 22 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Some Tame Gazelle 4.01 of 5 stars 4.01 avg rating — 758 ratings — published 1950 — 22 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Quartet In Autumn 3.99 of 5 stars 3.99 avg rating — 801 ratings — published 1977 — 20 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	An Unsuitable Attachment 4.0 of 5 stars 4.00 avg rating — 594 ratings — published 1982 — 10 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	No Fond Return of Love 4.06 of 5 stars 4.06 avg rating — 599 ratings — published 1961 — 15 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Less Than Angels 4.03 of 5 stars 4.03 avg rating — 594 ratings — published 1955 — 19 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Crampton Hodnet 3.99 of 5 stars 3.99 avg rating — 492 ratings — published 1985 — 12 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Glass of Blessings 3.99 of 5 stars 3.99 avg rating — 514 ratings — published 1958 — 22 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Sweet Dove Died 3.92 of 5 stars 3.92 avg rating — 470 ratings — published 1978 — 10 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Barbara Pym…

Quotes by Barbara Pym

“Of course it's alright for librarians to smell of drink.”
― Barbara Pym

tags: librarians

75 people liked it

“She had always been an unashamed reader of novels ...”
― Barbara Pym, Quartet In Autumn

27 people liked it

“I realised that one might love him secretly with no hope of encouragement, which can be very enjoyable for the young or inexperienced.”
― Barbara Pym, Excellent Women

tags: unrequited-love

23 people liked it

See all Barbara Pym's quotes »

Polls

what to read for may 2012 read

Village Witch by Latham Jones, Cassandra

3 votes 50.0%

Crampton Hodnet by Barbara Pym

2 votes 33.3%

The English Village: History and Traditions by Martin Wainwright

1 vote 16.7%

An Irish Country Village by Patrick Taylor

0 votes 0.0%

6 total votes

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