Battles at Thrush Green & Return to (Omibus) [Paperback] by Miss Read

by Miss Read

380 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

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

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love all these books. I can't even review them because, like with Agatha Christie's books, my love is uncritical and wide open. They are kind of like Agatha Christies, without the murders. That is it. The Miss Read books are cozies without the crime.

[Stacie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful as always! I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and the village-setting. My copy had several typos, which is annoying and a tiny bit distracting, but, overall, it was a fun and relaxing read, quite humorous at times. Recommended!

[Debby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking forward to the next one "Return to Thrush Green.

[Susan Mansfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it. The characters, the struggles and joys, the sorrow and humour. The characters are like dear friends. Some very moving moments all handled magnificently by Miss Read.

[Karen Lie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just love this series!