A Peaceful Retirement: The twelfth novel in the Fairacre series

Fairacre #20

by Miss Read

Miss Read looks forward to her retirement - but it doesn't go quite as planned...

When Miss Read took early retirement, she anticipated days of relaxation and calm. She couldn't have been more wrong! Instead she finds herself as busy and in demand as on holiday in Florence, helping with church and school affairs and offering a kindly ear to her eccentric neighbours.

As village life continues as always, Miss Read embarks on a local project and discovers a new talent, opening up an exciting chapter in her life.

Genres: Fiction, British Literature, Historical Fiction, Humor, Adult Fiction, Cozy, Novels

196 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Dora Jessie Saint MBE née Shafe (born 17 April 1913), best known by the pen name Miss Read, was an English novelist, by profession a schoolmistress. Her pseudonym was derived from her mother's maiden name. In 1940 she married her husband, Douglas, a former headmaster. The couple had a daughter, Jill. She began writing for several journals after World War II and worked as a scriptwriter for the BBC.

She wrote a series of novels from 1955 to 1996. Her work centred on two fictional English villages, Fairacre and Thrush Green. The principal character in the Fairacre books, "Miss Read", is an unmarried schoolteacher in a small village school, an acerbic and yet compassionate observer of village life. Miss Read's novels are wry regional social comedies, laced with gentle humour and subtle social commentary. Miss Read is also a keen observer of nature and the changing seasons.

Her most direct influence is from Jane Austen, although her work also bears similarities to the social comedies of manners written in the 1920s and 1930s, and in particular the work of Barbara Pym. Miss Read's work has influenced a number of writers in her own turn, including the American writer Jan Karon. The musician Enya has a track on her Watermark album named after the book Miss Clare Remembers, and one on her Shepherd Moons album named after No Holly for Miss Quinn.

In 1996 she retired. In 1998 she was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for her services to literature. She died 7 April, 2012 in Shefford Woodlands.

Reviews

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you know Miss Read — or the village of Fairacre — you can guess that Miss Read’s retirement is anything but peaceful!

After decades of teaching, Miss Read has taken retirement due to her health. As so often happens, she is busier than ever dealing with the troubles of friends and neighbors. And I should be as heartbroken as I was at penultimate novel, Fairwell to Fairacre, but somehow I am not. That’s because not much of consequence happens here: Mrs. Pringle’s perpetually a harridan, Henry Mawne and his spoiled wife remain at odds, best friend Amy continues to matchmake her friend, and John Jenkins still suffers from an unrequited love for Miss Read. There were some amusing episodes, but only one thing of real note — and I won’t spoil the book by giving that away. Let’s just say the series goes full circle. I can’t decide if I would have been better off skipping the final novel or not.

That’s not to say that I’m not sad. “Miss Read” (pseudonym for the late Dora Jessie Saint, a schoolmistress turned author) is no more, so, consequently, there will be no more books about Fairacre. How I shall miss it! Spending time with the gentle Miss Read was such a distraction from our faster, more malign world. But I will never forget Miss Read or her creations of the villages of Fairacre or Thrush Green.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice end to the series. I’ll miss these characters, even the redoubtable Mrs Pringle. I think Bob Willet is my favorite character of the series. I wish we had got more of Joseph Coggs growing up in real time. I have a feeling he is going to grow up to be a good man, despite his father, and it would have been fun to see that. I like Miss Read’s friendship with John. Amy definitely grew on me through the series too. Since Miss Read wrote the series over such a long time, there are some inconsistencies but it is still a lovely and gentle peep into 20th century rural English life.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thirty years ago when my life was hectic with small children, working, and library school, spending a few minutes with Miss Read in Fairacre was a tranquil mini-vacation for me. Also the problems of the Fairacre school often mirrored situations in our own rural schools. I liked the Fairacre books much more than the Thrush Green novels, but I read them all. And now Miss Read has retired at roughly the same time as I. I just plain ENJOY these books, don't know how else to put it. I've always been glad she remains unabashedly MISS Read, but I guess I would forgive her if she succumbs to John's proposals, at least if it means there will more Miss Read books!

[Marie Shirley Griffin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely wrap up to a darling series

Marie's Read (Marie Shirley Griffin)

I have thoroughly enjoyed this series (no murders, no sexual content, no bad language - a really nice change of pace).

Life in a small English village as seen through the eyes of their school teacher over many many years.

Villages, towns, etc. always have more or less the same type of folks with relatively the same issues, but this series is so nicely done, that you just can't help but caring how things turn out.

There are a few surprises, but it's just peaceful, gentle reading. Good for the soul in this day and age when politicians are at each other's throats and millions of people are trying to find homes in countries far from theirs due to war and the kind of atrocious behavior we thought we would never see again once WWII was over.

Just goes to prove that those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it.

Too bad we can't live more like most of the folks in the series, neighbors helping neighbors, people truly caring about each other.

[Libbeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember reading loads of Miss Read's books (real name Dora Saint) in the eighties and even before then, before my records began. I must have been delighted to stumble across this in the local library in 2002 and how strange to find the headmistress had finally reached retirement. I seem to have known her all my life.

[Anjanette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartwarming. Comfortable. Sweet. A darn great ending to a darn great series.

[Wendy]

The perfect read for a recently retired English teacher-especially one who enjoys a delightful cup of tea and meandering through a garden!

[Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think that Miss Read's earlier books were much better. The later ones became very formulaic and didn't move on chronologically. 'A Peaceful Retirement' was published in 1996, there didn't seem to be anything to date the events but Joseph Coggins was still at the village school where he started in 1955, this would make the date of the novel 1961/2. My problem is that there is a story line of holidays to Florence and other more modern things like out of town supermarkets which didn't exist in 1961. If she had made an effort to set the story in the early 60s it would have made all the difference. I read 'Village School' as part of my GCE studies in the 1960s.

[Laura Bang · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short goodbye to the Fairacre series. I am so relieved that Miss Read remains a happy spinster to the end (despite John Jenkins' continued proposals).

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Farewell to Fairacre back in 2012. I was usually thorough in researching books, but somehow I thought it was the last book in the series. Only this year (TEN YEARS LATER) did I realize that A Peaceful Retirement existed and was the actual last Fairacre book.

Uh...? Better late than never?!

Getting to visit Miss Read after all these years was good for my soul. It brought back memories of reading these books as a teenager and sincerely admiring her staunch refusal to marry. (Yes, I have since realized I'm gay...) In fact, this entire book I was panicking that after all this time Miss Read would marry. Her friend John proposes to her every time they hang out. Honestly, the gall of him irked me. She may have valued their friendship, but I wanted her to give him the boot. Oh well.

Miss Read, I love you. Maybe I should give Thrush Green another go now...

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I realize I'm reading this series backward, but having just started teaching again in midlife, the timing is good, and the tone is cozy and right.

[Soujanya Murali · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know what was the best part of this book? Nothing really happens :) It is just a passing account of Miss.Read's days right after her retirement and how she comes to terms with the reality and her misplaced expectations.

This book is the last in the Fairacre series written by Dora Jessie. Miss.Read happens to be her pseudonym derived from her mother's maiden name. How lovely!

I came across this series in the blog of a beloved bookstagrammer I follow and when I saw it on the library stand the other day, I immediately jumped at the chance to read it. These books are pretty vintage and hard to get your hands on.

Fairacre is a small idyllic English village and Miss.Read happens to be the headmistress of the village school. The whole series is set in the same village and introduces us to a plethora of characters. I got a peek into all their lives in this last installment, when Miss.Read finally retires and looks forward to living a quiet life without much demands on her time. But little does she know that she will get pulled into the lives of her neighbours and friends. The solitude which she pines for comes only in passing when she is intentional about setting her boundaries and when it does, she basks in it. Much like the English sun.

What I liked is the rural setting, the ordinary lives narrated in a very charming way, the spirit of independence in Miss.Read's character, John being nice and all and of course the prospect of retirement.

At the current stage of my life, when I have hundreds of things plaguing my attention, I find the prospect of sitting on a garden seat - mid morning, reading a Miss.Read book - in mild sun, with not a single care on my mind - the ultimate luxury! So when I picked this book, my thoughts were to indulge in that dream a little ahead of time through the author's eyes and I wasn't disappointed at all!

It was a quick read which I could finish over the weekend and it brought me so much joy and contentment. I am almost tempted to hunt down and read all the books in this series now, but let's see.

A surprising 4 star review from me. This one gave me exactly what I needed right now - a quiet, charming read :)

[Sukhi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, man. It's over. I finished reading the Fairacre series! It was SO good, you guys!

In this book, our beloved Miss Read has begun her retirement. It's not what you expect. She is as busy as ever, and she thought her retirement was supposed to be "peaceful."

I loved this book, and I loved reading this series. The experience of picking up and finishing this book was a bittersweet one to me because it means the end of a gorgeous reading experience. I will never again get to experience the pleasure of discovering new stories and characters from Fairacre ever again.

I feel like I learned so much about life, and about meeting the challenges of life with grace and dignity. There is so much wisdom, so much perseverance, and so much wealth of knowledge about life in these books. Reading each book gave me a sense of calm, and helped to put things in perspective for me. I feel like I learned real life lessons through the reading of these books.

Miss Read is a really unconventional protagonist when you compare her to other female leads. For one thing, she is a single, independent woman, and she has never had the inclination to be anyone but herself. She is uninterested in marriage and she fights against any attempt to box her in to getting married. Even her best friend, Amy, is unable and unwilling to see that Miss Read is happy living on her own. Dolly Clare, Miss Read's partner teacher and long time friend, was also single - although there's a story there. If you want to see a positive example of women who can live their own lives without judging others for their choices, Miss Read and Dolly Clare are perfect role models. I would love for young girls and women to read these books just so that they can see an alternative view of life's pleasures and the choices that one can make.

On the other hand, Amy, Mrs. Pringle, and almost everyone else in the book (and series) that is married is hell bent intent on getting Miss Read married. I love that Miss Read never capitulates. She never gives in, and she is never bitter about it in the long-term. Her observations about the state of marriage and her own self-chosen spinsterhood are clear, and cut right to the bone of the issue.

Other than the characters, I will also miss all the beautiful and evocative descriptions of nature ever-present in the books. Miss Read is a keen observer of her surroundings. Her life is dictated by the seasons, and she thoroughly enjoys each one. We are, all of us, effected by the seasons, but it's easy to forget the role that nature plays in our lives at times. I loved these details. They struck a chord with me, and they were part of the charm of the books.

Long story short - I am happy-sad that I finished reading this book. I will, of course, reread the entire series almost immediately. I say almost immediately because there's a chance that I will try reading the Thrush Green series. If that doesn't work for me, then I'll be right back to Fairacre as soon as possible. (I might have to also try Jan Karon's Mitford series.)

[Pamela Shropshire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miss Read having retired because of a couple of strokes, finds herself a bit at loose ends. It isn’t that she can’t find sufficient activities to keep her busy — someone is constantly asking her to join this group or volunteer for this charity. As an introvert (she never uses that term, but she definitely is one), she doesn’t want to get swept up into activities that bring her in contact with lots of people and certainly not strangers!

One of the chores she accepted — and thoroughly enjoyed — was updating the pamphlet about the attractions of the local church. A longtime reader of diaries like Parson Woodforde and Francis Kilvert, she toys with the idea of keeping a diary suitable for publication some day. The problem is finding enough to say!

Meanwhile she continues to receive proposals of marriage from John Jenkins, and although she is truly fond of him, she is determined to remain single. Henry Mawne, too, is interested in Miss Read, although he gets snapped up by a cousin of his late wife.

At last, John suggests Miss Read try her hand at writing a novel about something she knows. 😉 We know how that turns out.

A lovely, gentle end to a lovely, gentle series.

[Ginny · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Miss Read books are light, quick reads. She's been a school teacher in Fairacre for many years and teaching is her life's passion. But in this book, Miss Read has already had her retirement party, forced into it because of a slight stroke. She has recovered and is looking for a peaceful retirement, to rest, read, do a little gardening and enjoy life. This is a story about life and how it just takes over and happens and it's never exactly the way you planned. What seems like interuptions at first, actually become the pulse of her life's routine. I like Miss Read and I like this story of life in her English village.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Fairacre series ends as Miss Read finds new possibilities in retirement, including an ardent suitor whose company she enjoys. Familiar characters make their bows as life and the seasons continue in the English countryside and the villages of Fairacre and Beech Green

[Mrsgaskell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book from the library sale table over three years ago. In view of the title I decided to set it aside for the first day of my retirement. Finally that day arrived and I was pleased to be able to pick up this gentle pleasant book. The last in the Fairacre series, it tells of Miss Read’s early retirement due to a minor stroke. A former headmistress, she plans for quiet time relishing the opportunity for some solitude but soon finds herself as busy as ever. Friends and neighbours are determined that she won’t find herself lonely and at loose ends. The book was delightful and surprisingly humourous. It made me feel nostalgic for simpler times, if indeed this gentle world ever existed, even in small English villages like Beech Green. Countless cups of tea were poured and so was the occasional glass of sherry. I loved it and also enjoyed the lovely line drawings.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A Peaceful Retirement", the last in the Fairacre series by Miss Read is, as always... a very peaceful novel, but not a soporific one. Miss Read, the schoolmistress of Fairacre, has retired and is busy organizing her newfound leisure.

This character is the kind of person one would love to have as a friend: thoughtful, interesting, generous, and an expert in gentle satire. I adored this series, and especially appreciated the beautiful descriptions of nature through the seasons, the countryside of the past, in an English village, as seen through Miss Read's eyes. A genteel and pastoral 20th century social history.

I would recommend the audiobooks, beautifully read, to anyone who wants a truly relaxing experience.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like me, and many others, Miss Read found her days of retirement filled with activities and offers from friends to partake in many volunteer opportunities. Couple this with a serious suitor for our retired school teacher, and she started looking for activities to "complete" her in mental rather than physical ways. She began by redoing a church tour pamphlet, which led to thoughts of recording memories of her local friends and acquaintances. Inspired by her suitor to write what she knew best, she set pen to paper, and began the Miss Read stories! What a delightful way to end and begin at the same time! Oh, how I loved these stories!

[Jenny Sanders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Galloped through this during a night of insomnia. A treat to read a book at one sitting even if you would rather be asleep. However, 'Miss Read' is just the ticket for a gentle meander through Cotswold life with her quirky characters beautifully depicted without the feeling that she is ever trying too hard to make the reader laugh, cry or empathise.

I'm not sure whether I have read this one before but it's particularly satisfying to follow another chapter in the now retired headmistress's life, yearning for time to herself and yet recognising that village life seldom allows that luxury for any of its residents.

[Kathleen Herb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had never heard of the “Fairacre” books, but came upon this one on one of the “Cheap Books” sites. I love England, and as I’m a former teacher who retired fairly recently, this sounded like a good bet. Miss Read is your typical, slightly “set in her ways” old teacher, wh has very set ways on how she wants to live her life. After retirement, having had one or two ischemic strokes, she is called on by many people in the village for committees, clubs, and other endeavors. As well, she has a suitor who is constantly trying for marriage! It’s a fun, peaceful read about English village life.

[VaLinda Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book in the library. I was heading to my part time job, which allows me to read a lot and I wanted something, didn’t know what. It looked simple and a fast read. I also realized that this is the 20th book in the series. Still, I’ll catch up later, but in the meantime, it’s a great story of small town life with the usual suspects, gossiping women and one poor man who continues to ask Miss Read to marry him. Poor thing, she turns him down every time. Almost finished and I’m really enjoying it.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been aware of Miss Read for years but this was the first one I ever read. Charming, humorous, tidy story of Miss Read retiring from teaching to happily settle down in the darling village of Fairacre. She has many friends, and even a suitor, and is exploring activities to throw herself into. Her suitor proposes at least weekly but Miss Read is very happily single, thank you. I can see where the Miss Read novels would be a comfort to pick up now and then.

[Leila Kern · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the twentieth book and last of the Fairacre Village series! I feel like I have lost my oldest friend knowing that there is not a book to continue the series! I have thoroughly enjoyed this series. It has kept me entertained throughout the series. I certainly wish I could find a village like Fairacre to live in. Simple yet not so simple; easy to become lost yet not so easy to become lost. Good bye dear friend!

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

How did I miss this last Fairacre book? Well, I had a five year old, and the Lexington Library didn't buy it so I didn't know it existed. But Miss Read, in retirement, is still providing endless cups of tea and advice to friends and fighting off elderly suitors while looking for a fulfilling amusement. One of the suitors sets her on the right path - can you guess what it is?

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miss Read is once more delightful as she goes through a new phase in her life. I believe this is the last in a wonderful series, a cozy village story, without any murder to solve, just people to know . Although some of the mores are a bit dated, the unfolding of events and human nature is timeless and a real treat.

[Lee at ReadWriteWish · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy this as much as I thought I would. I was just wanting something sweet and peaceful and I thought this would be it. I thought I didn't want much of a plot, but apparently a complete lack of plot doesn't work...

[Iru Sai · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am finally done. Fairacre Series was so endearing. Loved all the 20 books in this series. They literally turned my year into a comforting one and I am so looking forward to reading Thrush Green in the coming year.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A relaxing read. Rather like one of the many soothing cups of tea which the heroine serves her friends.

[Andria · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book could have been combined with farewell to fairacre and it would have made both so much better.