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Excellent Women
by
Barbara Pym
Excellent Women is one of Barbara Pym's richest and most amusing high comedies. Mildred Lathbury is a clergyman's daughter and a mild-mannered spinster in 1950s England. She is one of those "excellent women," the smart, supportive, repressed women who men take for granted. As Mildred gets embroiled in the lives of her new neighbors--anthropologist Helena Napier a...more
Paperback, (Penguin Classics), 231 pages
Published
December 26th 2006
by Penguin Classics
(first published 1952)
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Aside from a few differences--living in the 1950s, being British, not being a teacher, being actively involved in church--Mildred Lathbury could easily be me. She's in her early 30s, she's unmarried, people keep telling her about their problems and expecting her to fix them, men think she's in love with them just because she's single, and she prefers living by herself because someone else would just mess everything up.
And here's another thing that I noticed: her friends and neighbor...more
And here's another thing that I noticed: her friends and neighbor...more
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A most excellent book! Full of lots of humor and thoughtfulness--I agree that it's a bit Jane Austen-esque. However, I am not sure that the overall theme is quite so optimistic as Austen's works. I would be very interested to hear from others who have read this book to find out what they think. Did Mildred find a fulfilling life? What was Pym's view of "excellent women"--were they neglected victims or silent heroes? I'm looking forward to reading more of Pym's work. Highly rec...more
I deeply enjoyed this book, but it also hit too close to home. I just ended a relationship with someone who is studying to be a minister, and this novel is about a clergyman's daughter (as I am) who spends much of her time in her church (as I do) and lives vicariously through others' relationships. Everyone expects her to marry the vicar. There is a great deal of subtle, pointed wit about the clergy and the church, and about single women and their propensity to fall in love with clergymen. So......more
Mister Jones
rated it
Recommends it for:
euthanized literary derelicts
Recommended to Mister Jones by:
a creative writing prof who thought it was a great work
Holy Man of Jane Austen's pet terrier!
I read this one a few years ago for a grad school course, and for some aberrant reason, I liked it. Now, however, reading this again, I think I can unequivocally state it was B-O-R-I-N-G.
Mildred Lathbury is this self-conscious noisy ass spinster who devotes a great deal of her time with church functions and musing about herself and others in her circle of acquaintances and friends. After about page 50, I kept wondering if the pace of...more
I read this one a few years ago for a grad school course, and for some aberrant reason, I liked it. Now, however, reading this again, I think I can unequivocally state it was B-O-R-I-N-G.
Mildred Lathbury is this self-conscious noisy ass spinster who devotes a great deal of her time with church functions and musing about herself and others in her circle of acquaintances and friends. After about page 50, I kept wondering if the pace of...more
Paula
rated it
Recommends it for:
Lovers of Literature, and Romance
Recommended to Paula by:
A Book Store Owner who knew of my love for Jane Austen
Shelves:
favorite-books
Warm, witty and wonderful. Pym gives us glimpses of human nature with all its flaws, but with such sympathy that we cannot help but love her characters. The best novels help us to develop our empathy, or what Eliot called "fellow-feeling," toward mankind. Such books teach us to be as forgiving of the flaws of the characters as we are of our own flaws, and so learn empathy toward real people. This is one of those rare books. It give you glimpses of humanity so close to us that we will s...more
Although this wasn't a dashing romantic tale like Jane Eyre or even Pride and Prejudice I thought it was great. It was slow in some areas, but I still found it rich and thrilling.
Everyday life and excursions are related with humor and depth. Church gossip and those "delicate" marital concerns that can arise when laundry is aired publicly, were so hilarious to watch as an outsider along with the protagonist. I found it a bit feminist as well...in the sense that not all wo...more
Everyday life and excursions are related with humor and depth. Church gossip and those "delicate" marital concerns that can arise when laundry is aired publicly, were so hilarious to watch as an outsider along with the protagonist. I found it a bit feminist as well...in the sense that not all wo...more
To me, Barbara Pym is a modern Jane Austen. Scenes of quiet female lives, documented with a quiet wryness that leaves you gasping with laughter. Mildred Lathbury (even the name is priceless) is, I think, my favorite Pym heroine. Typical post-WWII English spinster, child of a vicar, busy doing good (she works for the... Care of Aged Gentlewomen) - yet with her sharply observing eye, and ironic and self-deprecating commentary, Mildred provides another view of her rigid society from her privileged ...more
Wry. Some of the same English farcical pleasures as Connie Willis and Iris Murdoch, though less funny, less philosophical. Despite not being a mystery, the period and the preoccupation with manners and tea and curates might please Miss Marple fans.
NYT commenter:
"Life’s Little Events
Barbara Pym’s works will never leave my household, at least not unless I’m dragged out with them, still clutching the frayed and faded pages. These books matter to me because ...more
NYT commenter:
"Life’s Little Events
Barbara Pym’s works will never leave my household, at least not unless I’m dragged out with them, still clutching the frayed and faded pages. These books matter to me because ...more
I didn't like Excellent Women quite as much as I enjoyed Quartet in Autumn, but I'd still heartily recommend it. Barbara Pym is becoming like a friend to me. She writes very well--and with wonderful wit and originality.
Excellent Women tells the story of Mildred, a single woman in her 30s who spends a great deal of time and energy absorbing and working to solve the problems of those around her. She is one of those "excellent women" whom others seem keen to dump their burdens...more
Excellent Women tells the story of Mildred, a single woman in her 30s who spends a great deal of time and energy absorbing and working to solve the problems of those around her. She is one of those "excellent women" whom others seem keen to dump their burdens...more
Picked this book up at the library after reading a review from the book blog Books and Chocolate. Protagonist is an unmarried spinster named Mildred Lathbury who spends her time attending church services, volunteering at church events such as the jumble sale and Christmas bazaar, and visiting "distressed gentlewomen". She lives alone as both parents are deceased and has a small group of friends. Her life is stable, predictable and uneventful.
Until some strangers come to to...more
Until some strangers come to to...more
Again, I want to give this novel a 3 1/2 -- but for the exact opposite reasons that I gave that rating to Lorrie Moore. I read this novel and Moore's A Gate at the Stairs back-to-back, and they couldn't be more different. Moore's novel is so very contemporary that I doubt it will still be read in 10 years; on the other hand, Pym's novel -- while precisely placed in slightly shabby middle-class post-War London -- has a timeless quality to it. I enjoyed it, but I found it very easy to put down. ...more
I finished it last night (5/5/10)--came home from work, sat on the bed and read the last 1/3 of the book right through before dinner. As I said, I think this was the 5th or 6th reading, and she is a well of joy. EW is probably my favorite next to the trio Crampton Hodnet/Jane & Prudence/Civil to Strangers (which are pretty much permutations of the same hilarious book). The reason I love EW is because of the heroine, Mildred Lathbury, an "excellent woman" of the sort so prevalent at cer...more
It was my good luck to discover this gem of a book in the most unlikely place: a small car wash store! The title and cover drew my attention, and I bought the book on a lark. I loved every page, especially watching protagonist Mildred Lathbury's perceptions of her new and more worldly neighbors, of the church curate, and of her self-perception as one of the "excellent women" whose lives as single women are, according to the married people around her, supposed to revolve around doing go...more
I gave it 5 stars because it was a good story and had lots to think about, from human nature (why does everyone assume an unmarried woman loves to do scutwork? to British terms "pingpong bats" haha to changes in the class system in England after WWII to descriptions of "uninteresting food". To expound on just one, as I've gotten older, I think it's true that the more you do for others, they more they take you for granted, they're not appreciative. I gave it an extra .5 star...more
An interesting look at England shortly after the war but not one I found very identifiable from my own early memories of the 1950's in the American south. I was just a little girl at the time, so that may affect the way I remember those years. Recognizable were the expectations that women should marry and subjugate themselves to their husband's wishes, decisions, and careers, or if one does not marry, one should work in a limited choice of professions, such as secretary, nurse, or teacher. Un...more
Having just finished reading Excellent Women, I am slightly torn about how to rate it. There is no question that I liked it, I'm just not sure how much. I think that the problem is that I never felt myself fully immersed in it--even though I wanted to be. I was conflicted about what I wanted the outcome to be. Should Mildred feel that spinsterhood as a thirty-something is unbearable and not rest until she has found (or someone has found for her) a husband? Will she ever fully enjoy life as a sin...more
A comedy, the kind to make you smile in recognition, roll your eyes in exasperation and inwardly groan! Barbara Pym has a very sharp eye and uses it to great effect in describing characters and depicting their behaviour.
Mildred Lethbridge is a single woman of 30 who lives alone in post war London at a time when many buildings are in ruins and food is being rationed however, the main focus of this book is the everyday social interaction of Mildred with various aquaintances and friend...more
Mildred Lethbridge is a single woman of 30 who lives alone in post war London at a time when many buildings are in ruins and food is being rationed however, the main focus of this book is the everyday social interaction of Mildred with various aquaintances and friend...more
I am honestly not sure what to make of this book. I initially discovered this book (and author) through a random Amazon-crawl, where I assume it was recommended to me based on some of my other highly-rated books. I vaguely remember reading that Excellent Women was satirical, funny, biting, etc., and there were several comparisons to Jane Austen. I don't share the crush that virtually all well-educated white girls seem to have for Jane Austen (despite being a well-educated white girl myself), but...more
BookWorm
rated it
Recommends it for:
women, men, Barbara Pym fans, satire lovers, 1950's period piece
Recommended to BookWorm by:
Michelle Kerns, Book Examiner
This is actually a 3.75 stars review.
Excellent Women is a wonderful social satire on the "plight" of spinsters in post-War (WWII) England. The tale, told through the narrative of Mildred Lathbury, had me laughing out loud many times, but has nevertheless a slight melancholy feel.
The book begins with Mildred finding her new neighbours moving in, and continues to tell the reader about how she becomes embroiled in the marital problems of the Napiers.
Bar...more
Excellent Women is a wonderful social satire on the "plight" of spinsters in post-War (WWII) England. The tale, told through the narrative of Mildred Lathbury, had me laughing out loud many times, but has nevertheless a slight melancholy feel.
The book begins with Mildred finding her new neighbours moving in, and continues to tell the reader about how she becomes embroiled in the marital problems of the Napiers.
Bar...more
I picked up this book because it had an attractive cover and also because in the front Philip Larkin is quoted as saying "I'd sooner read a new Barbara Pym than a new Jane Austen'. Jilly Cooper says her books make her 'roar with laughter'. I think we can see where this going, can't we?
It's a well written book with many astute observations and it's not terrible or anything, it just wasn't my cup of tea. (Incidentally there is a lot of tea-drinking in the book; I wonder if there i...more
It's a well written book with many astute observations and it's not terrible or anything, it just wasn't my cup of tea. (Incidentally there is a lot of tea-drinking in the book; I wonder if there i...more
Our Intrepid Heroine
rated it
I finished Excellent Women during my lunch hour (okay, at my desk when no one else was in the office, but I had five pages left and was not about to leave it).
I expected to be mildly annoyed at the narrator at first. The style was nice and all, but I just knew that she was going to be a fussy spinster who is whisked away by Mr. Darcy or equivalent. I was pleasantly surprised: this book is a few weeks in the life of a 1950's "excellent woman," or a thirtysomething spinster. ...more
I expected to be mildly annoyed at the narrator at first. The style was nice and all, but I just knew that she was going to be a fussy spinster who is whisked away by Mr. Darcy or equivalent. I was pleasantly surprised: this book is a few weeks in the life of a 1950's "excellent woman," or a thirtysomething spinster. ...more
Excellent Women is the kind of book that pulls you into its world and makes you care about its everyday people and their everyday concerns. It's not a book about important events or life-changing emotions, rather it is a quiet, gentle look into one woman's world and how the arrival of new tenants in her building affects her life. The main character, Mildred, is an unassuming woman whose sly, understated humor make the book a delight. And I love that the book is a window onto post-war London and ...more
An extremely high comedy indeed, to the point of being nihilistic and, in my own personal opinion, more than a little... depressing. Excellent Women is a character study rather than a story, and quite a cutting one at that. Being stuck in a rut myself at the time of reading, I suppose I should have picked up something a little more fluffy and uplifting before I tackled this avant garde period novel (considering that the book is set in drab, dreary, post-war 1950s London, a story about a woman ch...more
Well, this was underwhelming but not completely without merit. There was quite a bit of humor, but not enough to make me really laugh. Mildred annoys me because she is so complacent, going along with whatever anyone asks of her. I want to like her--I can appreciate her clever mental quips and observations--but she seems so bland. I also think the ending is odd--it just sort of stops abruptly--but I won't complain too much because I was glad to be done with it!
I don't want to give...more
I don't want to give...more
I had read Barbara Pym years ago - can't remember if it was before I came to live in the US - I think not. I loved her gentle books back then too, they seemed a slightly guilty pleasure - a kind of Jane Austen of the 50's and 60's era.
Barbara Pym lived a life rather like one of her own characters - unmarried and active in her choice - she lived an unfashionable life in a time of heightened attention to 'fashion'. She was ignored in the 60's after some early modest publishing success. Then ...more
Barbara Pym lived a life rather like one of her own characters - unmarried and active in her choice - she lived an unfashionable life in a time of heightened attention to 'fashion'. She was ignored in the 60's after some early modest publishing success. Then ...more
I'm not sure I've ever read Barbara Pym, but this was really a treat. Just so smart-funny, enjoyable -- and still "right on" in a lot of ways. Reminds me of the 90s discussion about the Bettys vs Veronicas (from Archie's gang) (what movie was that from?), how every man wants a Veronica even though the Bettys have much more to offer. I would love to hang out with Mildred (main character), but I'd probably miss out on who she really is, and all her keen observations about those around he...more
The main character in this book is likable Mildred, who is in her thirties and realizes that she is on the brink of spinsterhood. Set in England in the '50s, it was clearly a time when this is something to be ashamed of, but Mildred maintains her dignity, her sense of humor, and her cheerfulness about the situation. She does not despair and she does not chase after any available man (even the vicar, as the entire neighborhood suspects she will). This must have been a very groundbreaking characte...more
I really enjoyed this book about a single woman living alone in 1950s London. She is one of the "excellent women" referred to in the title, a woman who does good works and tries to do the right thing at all times. Yet she finds herself living in contrast to less excellent women, who seem to do what they please.
This was a quiet book, with a dry humor throughout that I really enjoyed.
For example, one of my favorite lines was in the beginning of the book, when Mild...more
This was a quiet book, with a dry humor throughout that I really enjoyed.
For example, one of my favorite lines was in the beginning of the book, when Mild...more
Laura
rated it
Recommends it for:
anyone who likes light, British comedy
Recommended to Laura by:
Susan L.
Enjoyable in that dry way of British comedy. Endless cups of tea and parish goings on. Not laugh-out-loud funny, but contains apt and humorous details throughout that occasionally erupt in vocal appreciation. The humor is ironic, and probably much needed, in its postwar setting. It has very little introspection for a book set mostly in a parish church, and the protagonist doesn't change much at all, but perhaps that's the point in this book--much needed ordinariness a sense of British "mu...more
This was my first Barbara Pym, and it won't be my last. I love her writing, and it really makes me think about the question that's been bothering me lately: what do you have to describe? What do you leave out? Given that choice, Pym always leaves out, to interesting effect. What matters is conversation and character, not whether the coffee offered to the character and later thanked for ever got drunk, or even served.
The only reason for the four stars is that I was a little disappoint...more
The only reason for the four stars is that I was a little disappoint...more
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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 ove...more
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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 ove...more
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“Perhaps there can be too much making of cups of tea, I thought, as I watched Miss Statham filling the heavy teapot. Did we really need a cup of tea? I even said as much to Miss Statham and she looked at me with a hurt, almost angry look, 'Do we need tea? she echoed. 'But Miss Lathbury...' She sounded puzzled and distressed and I began to realise that my question had struck at something deep and fundamental. It was the kind of question that starts a landslide in the mind. I mumbled something about making a joke and that of course one needed tea always, at every hour of the day or night.”
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“I realised that one might love him secretly with no hope of encouragement, which can be very enjoyable for the young or inexperienced.”
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