Ladies of Letters...and More

by Lou Wakefield, Carole Hayman, Patricia Routledge (Narrator)

Patricia Routledge is Vera Small and Prunella Scales is her bosom buddy Irene Spencer. The two pass their time in regular correspondence and not an even goes by that is left unrecorded by the ladies of letters. They begin with a cheerful exchange of recipes but it's not long before all kinds of intimacies are imparted. Firstly there are the usual family problems to discuss, then there are the accusations of alcoholism and mental illness which the two bat at each other like ping pong balls. Often critical of each other (though always in a loving, caring way - of course) their hilarious put-downs create a wonderful insight into the ups and downs of family life today.

Genres: Audiobook, Fiction

4 pages, Audio Cassette

First published July 3, 2000

Reviews

[Hilary · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read half way through and gave up. There were some funny parts, I love the idea of telling a story through letters and I imagine Prunella Scales reading this on the radio version would have added much to my enjoyment and enhanced the humour no end.

I really didn't like the way these two women treated each other, despite becoming such close friends through correspondence to the point they seemed dependent on each other they would still in almost every letter have a dig or sarcastic remark to put the other person down. I wouldn't want to continue any relationship or friendship with anyone who spoke to me like that so found it hard to follow their 'friendship'. I appreciate that was part of the humour for this book but it wasn't for me.

[Sibyl · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'd caught a few minutes of this, many years ago, on the radio late at night - and found it slightly amusing.

It doesn't translate at all well to the printed page: the humour is excruciatingly laboured. The situations the 'Ladies' get into are extremely far-fetched, and I had trouble suspending disbelief.

Also if authors are going to create gay characters solely in order to send them up, I would rather it was done with a little more wit/affection/originality.

One to avoid I'd say. I only succumbed because it was a discarded library book on sale for 20p. It's going straight to Oxfam, this morning.

[Amy6959 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious!!