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Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
Miss Pettigrew, an approaching-middle-age governess, was accustomed to a household of unruly English children. When her employment agency sends her to the wrong address, her life takes an unexpected turn. The alluring nightclub singer, Delysia LaFosse, becomes her new employer, and Miss Pettigrew encounters a kind of glamour that she had only met before at the movies. Over...more
Paperback, 234 pages
Published
April 1st 2008
by Persephone Books
(first published 1938)
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I bought this book after having seen the movie and, as is so often the case, the book is much, much better than the film. While I enjoyed the movie very much, I loved this book and flew through it.
Miss Pettigrew has been repressed and oppressed and one day, after meeting Delysia LaFosse, throws her convictions to the wind and decides to enjoy herself. She has the best time of her life, makes tons of new friends, becomes a sort of "fixer" for Delysia and her degenerate c...more
Miss Pettigrew has been repressed and oppressed and one day, after meeting Delysia LaFosse, throws her convictions to the wind and decides to enjoy herself. She has the best time of her life, makes tons of new friends, becomes a sort of "fixer" for Delysia and her degenerate c...more
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Rating Clarification: 3.5 Stars
This is a seriously old fashioned and charming adult fairy tale, and I mean that in the best way. Reading it is much like being transported into one of those classic black and white comedies starring Myrna Loy or Cary Grant; very stylish, slapdash and engaging, but with little substance. I feel that the recent movie adaptation added that much needed substance perfectly, which is why I'll classify the book version of Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day much...more
This is a seriously old fashioned and charming adult fairy tale, and I mean that in the best way. Reading it is much like being transported into one of those classic black and white comedies starring Myrna Loy or Cary Grant; very stylish, slapdash and engaging, but with little substance. I feel that the recent movie adaptation added that much needed substance perfectly, which is why I'll classify the book version of Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day much...more
A charming novel written in 1938 about a frumpy, down on her luck governess who’s sent by mistake to apply for a job as a lady's maid for a singer. The singer immediately takes her into her confidence and Miss Pettigrew spends the next 24 hours helping the lovely artiste and her friends with their love lives, being made over and being surprised at her own attractiveness, going to a party and night club, and emerging with a new life. The original pen and ink drawings add to the appeal.
There'...more
There'...more
A charming bit of fluff, a period piece with the class blinders might one expect, utterly, utterly beguiling.
I was supposed to be doing homework, but I chose to spend an hour finishing Miss Pettigrew instead. I regret nothing.
The book is charming, and so is the movie. See and read both versions for full appreciation - read the book because it's fun, silly, and just a nice read overall. This was chick lit before chick lit was even a real genre. If that makes sense at all. See the movie because Frances McDormand is Miss Pettigrew, and it is perfect. The film also features Lee Pace, aka Clive Owen'...more
The book is charming, and so is the movie. See and read both versions for full appreciation - read the book because it's fun, silly, and just a nice read overall. This was chick lit before chick lit was even a real genre. If that makes sense at all. See the movie because Frances McDormand is Miss Pettigrew, and it is perfect. The film also features Lee Pace, aka Clive Owen'...more
I feel elated! All I wanted from life was a book about people whom I liked, people with whom I could possibly identify with. I wanted to look at a character and see their admirable qualities reflected in me. This is that book.
The movie is beautiful, sweet and romantic, ao I doubted the source material, especially given my recent experences. But oh, I was wrong! I should have trusted this author and this book.
This story is by a woman, about women and for women. It's empowering, and it...more
The movie is beautiful, sweet and romantic, ao I doubted the source material, especially given my recent experences. But oh, I was wrong! I should have trusted this author and this book.
This story is by a woman, about women and for women. It's empowering, and it...more
Picked up at charity shop in excellent condition with plain gray cover which caught my eye. A ladies book, written in 1938, it's the story of a well-brought up but unemployed governess who by chance fals in with the in-crowd of her day - for a day! A day that changes her unhappy life for ever. Easy read - nice finish. For interest, the author, Winifred Watson, wrote 6 successful books before 1941: was bombed out of her home in London: never wrote again in her remaining 60 years -'the moment had ...more
A delightful fairy tale set in London in the 30s, about Guinevere Pettigrew, who is approaching middle age without a job or money or family or friends, and who thinks she is destined for the workhouse. But then, through a mistake of her employment agency, she arrives at the apartment of the glamorous singer Delysia Lafosse, and within the course of a day, her fortunes have magically changed forever.
The new film of Miss Pettigrew is charming, but takes a lot of liberties with the plo...more
The new film of Miss Pettigrew is charming, but takes a lot of liberties with the plo...more
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, written in the 1930's, has the feeling of a great old movie: nostalgic, retro, and classic. The book follows Miss Pettigrew, a middle-aged London governess, as she is send by her governess agency to the wrong address to the home of night club singer/actress Delysia LaFosse, who is having some troubles keeping her head on straight and managing her three relationships. As the story unfolds, Miss Pettigrew fends off Delysia's many boyfriends, smokes cigars, gets a ...more
(I'll admit it: I saw the movie first. Sometimes these things can't be helped.)
Everything about this book was delightful and frothy. My copy has a lovely painting on the cover, a brief history of the novel and its reprinting on the back, the original illustrations throughout, a glowing introduction from a long time-fan... and the novel itself.
Miss Pettigrew is described as living a Cinderella story, and that's pretty much dead on. She's a dowdy, cowed governess who isn...more
Everything about this book was delightful and frothy. My copy has a lovely painting on the cover, a brief history of the novel and its reprinting on the back, the original illustrations throughout, a glowing introduction from a long time-fan... and the novel itself.
Miss Pettigrew is described as living a Cinderella story, and that's pretty much dead on. She's a dowdy, cowed governess who isn...more
"Sie schien ihre geborgte Pracht mit einem Blick zu durchschauen"
Die Gouvernante Miss Pettigrew hat ein Problem: Sie ist hungrig, pleite und wieder mal ihren Job los. Wenn sie ihrer Hauswirtin die Miete nicht bis zum Abend bringt, ist sie auch noch Obdachlos. Mit diesem Wissen im Gepäck, klingelt sie nach einem Stoßgebet bei Miss LaFosse, ihrer letzten Hoffnung auf eine Anstellung.
Kaum tritt sie über die Schwelle der mondänen Schauspielerin, wird sie Teil ihrer glamourö...more
Die Gouvernante Miss Pettigrew hat ein Problem: Sie ist hungrig, pleite und wieder mal ihren Job los. Wenn sie ihrer Hauswirtin die Miete nicht bis zum Abend bringt, ist sie auch noch Obdachlos. Mit diesem Wissen im Gepäck, klingelt sie nach einem Stoßgebet bei Miss LaFosse, ihrer letzten Hoffnung auf eine Anstellung.
Kaum tritt sie über die Schwelle der mondänen Schauspielerin, wird sie Teil ihrer glamourö...more
This is another rare book where I prefer the movie. The prose is fun and easy to read, but I am glad that in the movie we don't get to hear Miss Pettigrew's thoughts, because I didn't like her character as much in the book. I do feel sorry for her because of her downtrodden existence, but she comes across as a sort of Forrest Gump character who manages to solve all sorts of problems by sheer accident, or by simply saying something when she isn't really sure what is going on. Also, the book is ti...more
Miss Pettigrew, righteous and dowdy governess, is on the verge of landing in the workhouse. When Miss Pettigrew arrives at the door of Miss LaFosse, she is anticipating a job interview. What she gets instead is an absolute whirlwind of a day among the charming and worldly Miss LaFosse’s friends – and somehow Miss Pettigrew just keeps getting things RIGHT. She saves the day, over and over, using her own good sense and the breadth of her romantic film knowledge.
Following Miss Pettigrew t...more
Following Miss Pettigrew t...more
This book is GREAT! Tons of fun and a perfect summer read. I find myself laughing out loud.
I notice that it is "now a movie film" and Francis McDormand plays Miss P. I would have cast Emma Thompson, but still... And for Miss LaFosse, I'd have the woman that played Miss Crabtree on The Little Rascals. I don't want this book to end. It's such a reliable, pleasant entertainment...
I love how the author develops the dramatic tension by having Miss P struggle to set...more
I notice that it is "now a movie film" and Francis McDormand plays Miss P. I would have cast Emma Thompson, but still... And for Miss LaFosse, I'd have the woman that played Miss Crabtree on The Little Rascals. I don't want this book to end. It's such a reliable, pleasant entertainment...
I love how the author develops the dramatic tension by having Miss P struggle to set...more
Miss Pettigrew has spent her life serving other people’s children. She has been starved of both nourishment and love, and now has lost another position. She’s down to her last hope when divine intervention sends her to Miss LaFosse. Miss Delysia LaFosse is a singer with the unfortunate problem of having too many suitors and not enough willpower. From the moment of Miss Pettigrew’s arrival, she begins to aid Miss LaFosse in getting her life straightened out. In return, Miss LaFosse introduce...more
Had I not loved the movie quite so much, I'm sure I could have given this a higher rating. Backwards, I know--everyone is supposed to like the book better than the movie.
However--a lot of the ideas in the book seem very dated in today's world. I'm not one for "politically correct," but I was slightly uncomfortable with the mild prejudice against Jews and Italians, and the acceptability of men "knocking" their women about to keep them in line.
One ...more
However--a lot of the ideas in the book seem very dated in today's world. I'm not one for "politically correct," but I was slightly uncomfortable with the mild prejudice against Jews and Italians, and the acceptability of men "knocking" their women about to keep them in line.
One ...more
"'Such a day!'" said Miss LaFosse. 'Everything went wrong and everything went right. But I daren't think what would have happened if you hadn't come.'"
Three stars because this book is like treating yourself with a cappucino. It is all froth and adventure...
...but there is a part of me that is wondering whether to agree with all of it. Miss Pettigrew has spent her life as a nursery governess, shut in, supposedly by the principles of virtue. Then one day,...more
Three stars because this book is like treating yourself with a cappucino. It is all froth and adventure...
...but there is a part of me that is wondering whether to agree with all of it. Miss Pettigrew has spent her life as a nursery governess, shut in, supposedly by the principles of virtue. Then one day,...more
This was such a great book. Not great literature, not a transforming moment in my life, not a book which I will never be the same for having read but it was fun. A modern and warmhearted fairytale. A downtrodden, sad spinster who is too drab to be tragic and lives too understated to be able to feel despair suddenly, by a whole stream of 'by chances' and accidents and even misunderstandings whilst having overdone her new discovery of cocktails finds hope, a future and friendship. I was recommende...more
Delightful confection, published in 1938 but recently reissued by Persephone Classics, a publisher devoted to "forgotten" 20th century books by women writers.Good for them! Both charmingly old fashioned and shockingly modern, the novel follow nearly 24 hours in the life of Guinevere Pettigrew, an impoverished and desperate spinster. Packed off on a last-chance job interview by her callous employment agency, Miss Pettigrew finds herself on the doorstep of the glamorously immoral DeLysia...more
My first thought when I finished this novel was: I'm going to buy this book.
My second thought was: I want to live in this book.
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day is a very simple, very neat, very dialog-heavy book spanning a little over 200 pages. There are several characters you get to know throughout the book, but the most prominent are Miss LaFosse and Miss Guinevere Pettigrew.
There are no two characters more different. Miss LaFosse is everything you picture ...more
My second thought was: I want to live in this book.
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day is a very simple, very neat, very dialog-heavy book spanning a little over 200 pages. There are several characters you get to know throughout the book, but the most prominent are Miss LaFosse and Miss Guinevere Pettigrew.
There are no two characters more different. Miss LaFosse is everything you picture ...more
“[She:] sat in a taxi with a strange man and he had the effrontery to put his arm round her. … She had never been so wicked in her life and she had never been so happy.”
“Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day” is another bookclub selection. In truth, I was going to skip it.
But I decided to pick it up, at the last minute. And I have to admit: Winifred Watson’s 1938 novel is so lively, it’s near impossible not to love it. It reminds me almost of a scandalous version of Jane Austen’...more
“Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day” is another bookclub selection. In truth, I was going to skip it.
But I decided to pick it up, at the last minute. And I have to admit: Winifred Watson’s 1938 novel is so lively, it’s near impossible not to love it. It reminds me almost of a scandalous version of Jane Austen’...more
Miss Pettigrew is what we would call in present day language a loser. She can't hold down a job, doesn't have enough money to pay her bills, and she has no prospects of either a career or a good marriage. The agency she works for as a nanny is not interested in sending her for any further assignments, but she hears of one and goes in place of the woman they wish to send. However, this is the first of many misunderstandings which lead Miss Pettigrew down the path to finding out what it really ...more
I have so many good things to say about this sweet, charming, hilarious, and poignant little book! It's got to be one of my favorites this year so far.
Miss Pettigrew is a governess who can't hold a job and is now at her wits end. In hopes of a new position, Miss Pettigrew is sent by her agency to an upscale neighborhood but instead of a house full of unruly children, Miss Pettigrew finds herself helping the lovely Miss Delysia LaFosse (a beautiful nightclub singer) who needs help ma...more
Miss Pettigrew is a governess who can't hold a job and is now at her wits end. In hopes of a new position, Miss Pettigrew is sent by her agency to an upscale neighborhood but instead of a house full of unruly children, Miss Pettigrew finds herself helping the lovely Miss Delysia LaFosse (a beautiful nightclub singer) who needs help ma...more
Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day by Winifred Watson is a delightful Cinderella story in which the heroine is "middle aged." Truly, the wost thing I can say about this book is that near the end you find out that this middle aged women is actually only 40! Now, I know that 40 is half of 80 which kind of makes 40 in the middle. However, this book was written in 1938, so allowances must be made for the attitudes of the time. Miss Pettigrew is a less than stellar unemployed governess who arri...more
I went into Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day expecting it to be similar to the movie, and boy was I surprised. This story is quite different from the movie version and in such a great way. The characters - they all very different intentions and personalities. I wonder why Hollywood decided to change them as they did?
For example, Delysia Lafosse, the woman Miss Pettigrew goes to find work from, is a completely different person in the book. The movie makes her seem stupid with medium tal...more
For example, Delysia Lafosse, the woman Miss Pettigrew goes to find work from, is a completely different person in the book. The movie makes her seem stupid with medium tal...more
A fun dance through London in 1938 (when this was written), this is the story of a middle-aged, down on her luck governess who has the chance to live the high life one day and late into the night (until 3:47 am at least).
It reminded me a lot of Jeeves & Wooster, or even Nick & Nora (but set in London) but from a women's perspective - and not so upper class. It was really a charming story, and I can see why it was rediscovered and reprinted by Persephone Classics.
A couple ...more
It reminded me a lot of Jeeves & Wooster, or even Nick & Nora (but set in London) but from a women's perspective - and not so upper class. It was really a charming story, and I can see why it was rediscovered and reprinted by Persephone Classics.
A couple ...more
Naughty but sweet as pie, this book was an incredibly pleasant surprise. This wasn't on my radar at all; I've never seen the movie, and didn't even know it was based on a book at all. I picked it up completely at random, because I thought the cover was cute. But I ended up being totally captivated, to the extent where I'm considering putting this in my favorites list now. The (unbelievably implausible) plot involves a virginal, drab and ultra-proper middle aged British governess, circa the 30...more
The Cinderella story of Miss Pettigrew is absolutely delightful to read as Winifred Watson handles it so well. The tale of the eponymous heroine, a middle aged spinster who is treated to an experience of how the other half live when she is accidentally sent to apply for a job at the wrong address and is then adopted by beautiful nightclub singer Miss LaFosse, could easily have been sickly sweet and sentimental. Equally, the storyline lends itself to cruel humour at the expense of Miss Pettigre...more
Added 8/31/11
_Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day_ by Winifred Watson (first published in 1938)
8/31/11: At Netflix I'm renting the DVD of the movie adapted from this book.
Movie: "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day" (2008)
Netflix: http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Miss_P...
"When her gruff demeanor costs her yet another nanny position, desperate Guinevere Pettigrew (Frances McDormand) wangles a job as the assistant of an aspiring American actress (Amy...more
_Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day_ by Winifred Watson (first published in 1938)
8/31/11: At Netflix I'm renting the DVD of the movie adapted from this book.
Movie: "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day" (2008)
Netflix: http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/Miss_P...
"When her gruff demeanor costs her yet another nanny position, desperate Guinevere Pettigrew (Frances McDormand) wangles a job as the assistant of an aspiring American actress (Amy...more
I had never heard of this book before someone recommended the movie version to me. I didn't really care for the movie--I thought the ending was ridiculous--and wanted to read the book just to see how much better it was than the movie. And of course, the book is light years better than the movie (and now that I've read it, I'm amazed that anyone thought Frances McDormand was a good choice to play Miss Pettigrew). This book is as charming, light, and effortless as a flute of champagne. It is an ho...more
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“Odd, said Miss Pettigrew conversationally, 'the undermining effect of flowers on a woman's common sense.”
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