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Mr Doubler Begins Again
Not every journey takes you far from home…
Mr Doubler lives all alone at Mirth Farm, on top of a hill.
Back when she was around, Doubler’s wife was always surrounded by friends. But Doubler is different. The only company he needs are his potato plants and his housekeeper, Mrs Millwood, who visits every day.
So when Mrs Millwood is taken ill, it ruins everything – and Doubler begins to worry that he might have lost his way. But could the kindness of strangers be enough to bring him down from the hill?
Mr Doubler lives all alone at Mirth Farm, on top of a hill.
Back when she was around, Doubler’s wife was always surrounded by friends. But Doubler is different. The only company he needs are his potato plants and his housekeeper, Mrs Millwood, who visits every day.
So when Mrs Millwood is taken ill, it ruins everything – and Doubler begins to worry that he might have lost his way. But could the kindness of strangers be enough to bring him down from the hill?
384 pages, Hardcover
First published January 24, 2019
117 people are currently reading
905 people want to read
About the author
Seni Glaister
3 books24 followersSeni Glaister worked as a bookseller for much of her career before founding WeFiFo, the social dining platform, in 2016. Her first novel, The Museum of Things Left Behind, was published in 2015. She lives on a farm in West Sussex with her husband and children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 206 reviews
January 25, 2019
Book Reviewed by Stacey on www.whisperingstories.com
Mr Doubler is an elderly, proud man who lives alone on his little plot of land at the top of a hill at Mirth Farm. He has lived all alone since his wife died and has been determined never to leave the farm again. To get the things he needs that he can’t grow on the farm he has his housekeeper Mrs Millwood bring them when she comes to clean.
Mr Doubler is a potato connoisseur and loves everything about them. He doesn’t run the biggest potato farm but he sure knows that his potatoes are the best. The biggest potato grower owns the land surrounding his farm, Mr Peele and he wants to buy Mirth Farm. Mr Doubler will never sell and especially not to a man like Peele.
Mr Doubler is happy living on his own, he likes his own company and that of his potatoes. He doesn’t like crowds or many people for that fact. He likes living a simple life and wants to see out his years just as he has been doing for the last few – Alone.
He does have two children who visit now and again, Julian and Camilla. Whilst Camilla wants what’s best for her dad, Julian is very vocal about his father selling the farm and even offers to do all the work for him. Still, Mr Doubler won’t shift.
When Mrs Millwood takes ill, Mr Doubler realises just how much she does for him and not only that, how much he enjoys her company and the little talks they have. He soon begins to realise that he needs to go down his hill and into the village where people are and just maybe he might like what he sees and who he meets.
Mr Doubler Begins Again is an unusual book. I’ve never read a book where potatoes are featured so heavily, this isn’t a bad thing as I love potatoes too. Just like Mr Doubler they can be mashed, boiled, roasted or even fried and I will eat them. The book also taught me a thing or two about potatoes and about cheddar cheese – Go figure!
Mr Doubler is a lovely sweet man who since his wife died has come to enjoy his own company and you get the sense that he may have hidden away from the world to protect himself from others. Getting attached to people and then losing them hurts. Grief can make you want to seek solitude.
The book has so cleverly been written, it’s a bit like a self-help book written in a fictional story as you see the world through the eyes of Mr Doubler and you get to share his journey of re-discovery.
The book was extremely sweet and easy to read and I have to mention the cover as I find it quite elegant. It’s not often I read books featuring an elderly character but the few I have, including this one, have been fascinating to read, heart-warming and so poignant too. I also love the conversations between Mr Doubler and Mrs Millwood, she is such an inspiring lady.
Please don’t be put off by the potatoes or that the book is about an elderly gentleman, but embrace them both and give this book a read. Put simply, this book was a sheer delight to read and I enjoyed every single page.
Mr Doubler is an elderly, proud man who lives alone on his little plot of land at the top of a hill at Mirth Farm. He has lived all alone since his wife died and has been determined never to leave the farm again. To get the things he needs that he can’t grow on the farm he has his housekeeper Mrs Millwood bring them when she comes to clean.
Mr Doubler is a potato connoisseur and loves everything about them. He doesn’t run the biggest potato farm but he sure knows that his potatoes are the best. The biggest potato grower owns the land surrounding his farm, Mr Peele and he wants to buy Mirth Farm. Mr Doubler will never sell and especially not to a man like Peele.
Mr Doubler is happy living on his own, he likes his own company and that of his potatoes. He doesn’t like crowds or many people for that fact. He likes living a simple life and wants to see out his years just as he has been doing for the last few – Alone.
He does have two children who visit now and again, Julian and Camilla. Whilst Camilla wants what’s best for her dad, Julian is very vocal about his father selling the farm and even offers to do all the work for him. Still, Mr Doubler won’t shift.
When Mrs Millwood takes ill, Mr Doubler realises just how much she does for him and not only that, how much he enjoys her company and the little talks they have. He soon begins to realise that he needs to go down his hill and into the village where people are and just maybe he might like what he sees and who he meets.
Mr Doubler Begins Again is an unusual book. I’ve never read a book where potatoes are featured so heavily, this isn’t a bad thing as I love potatoes too. Just like Mr Doubler they can be mashed, boiled, roasted or even fried and I will eat them. The book also taught me a thing or two about potatoes and about cheddar cheese – Go figure!
Mr Doubler is a lovely sweet man who since his wife died has come to enjoy his own company and you get the sense that he may have hidden away from the world to protect himself from others. Getting attached to people and then losing them hurts. Grief can make you want to seek solitude.
The book has so cleverly been written, it’s a bit like a self-help book written in a fictional story as you see the world through the eyes of Mr Doubler and you get to share his journey of re-discovery.
The book was extremely sweet and easy to read and I have to mention the cover as I find it quite elegant. It’s not often I read books featuring an elderly character but the few I have, including this one, have been fascinating to read, heart-warming and so poignant too. I also love the conversations between Mr Doubler and Mrs Millwood, she is such an inspiring lady.
Please don’t be put off by the potatoes or that the book is about an elderly gentleman, but embrace them both and give this book a read. Put simply, this book was a sheer delight to read and I enjoyed every single page.
April 6, 2025
Rok z hakiem trwa już moje osobiste polowanie - usilna pogoń za grzejącymi serducho tytułami z fabułą zdominowaną przez seniorów. Po zebraniu pokaźnej grupy faworytów, potencjał kolejnych (mimo iż zaprawiony solidną dawką nadziei) jawi mi się wcale nie tak kolorowo. Tym większy dług wdzięczności żywię wobec tej nienazwanej siły, która pokierowała mnie odpowiednio w czasie i przestrzeni (przypadkowy poranek, czwarty dzień tygodnia, market pochodzenia francuskiego). NIGDY i NIGDZIE nie zetknęłam się choćby z samą okładką mojego kolejnego ulubieńca (...spoiler?). A z ręką na sercu przyznać trzeba, że nie wyobrażam sobie lepszej fabuły z kategorii "skrojona na miarę", niż ta zaserwowana przez Seni Glaister. Nadwarzywo, niekwestionowany lider kulinarny - jego wysokość ziemniak. Kolejny męski bohater, z którym jestem w stanie empatyzować bez mrugnięcia okiem, nie zważając na różnicę dzielących nas dwóch pokoleń. Niespieszne rozważania, niedający się zetrzeć uśmiech typu "wzruszony" i odrobina pokrzepienia. Doubler dał mi wszystko to, co jego poprzednicy - Ove, Harold Fry i samozwańczy detektywi z Czwartkowego Klubu Zbrodni. "Kolejny raz", a jednak inaczej, choć nadal tak samo dobrze. Kto wie, czy nie najlepiej (drogi panie D., pozdrawiam z przepaści).
December 7, 2018
I have to admit that the past few months have been difficult for me, with bereavements and illness and a general madness surrounding me. I'm often wary of books labelled up as 'up lit', I don't like twee or overly sweet stories but was determined that I needed a story to lift me.
Within the first few pages of Mr Doubler Begins Again I knew I'd found a book to soothe and to heal. I fell completely head over heels in love with Doubler, and have been utterly bewitched by this author's incredible writing.
Mr Doubler lives alone on Mirth Farm. He's an expert potato grower; not the biggest, but he knows he is the best. The biggest potato grower; Mr Peele is desperate to buy Mirth Farm. Peele's land surrounds the farm and he is determined to incorporate it into his empire. Doubler is going nowhere. He is happy and content at Mirth Farm; experimenting with different potato processes and living quietly on his own.
Doubler has two grown up children; Julian and Camilla, who seem to lay all the blame for losing their mother as teenagers at their father's feet. The only person who Doubler regularly chooses to spend time with is his cleaner, Mrs Millwood. Every day they sit down to lunch together. Doubler eats potatoes whilst Mrs Millwood chooses cheese sandwiches and apples. Doubler never hesitates to pour scorn on her food choices, but Mrs Millwood has endless wise words in response.
When Mrs Millwood is taken ill, Doubler begins to realise just how much he depended on her presence, on her advice and her words of wisdom. They speak regularly on the telephone whilst Mrs Millwood receives treatment in the hospital.
Mrs Millwood is possibly one of the most beautifully created characters I've discovered for many years. Seni Glaister gives her some exquisite and perfect narrative, I was totally blown away by her description of marriage;
"I like to imagine our marriage was a little like a hand-knitted blanket. It was a glorious thing to behold, full of intricate pattern and a multitude of colours and so very beautiful to examine in detail. Towards the top, there were a few dropped stitches and a few holes, and maybe the colours weren't quite so bright, and maybe the needlecraft was a bit patchy, but it never unravelled. It still worked as a blanket. It was a lovely thing to look at, and it kept us warm, held us together. And it's so much better to look at the beginning bits and stroke the colours and talk about the love and the joy that went into creating it rather than to focus on the last few rows."
Absolutely beautiful words and this wonderful narrative continues throughout the novel. As Doubler begins to interact with people from the community, and they grow to know him, and he learns more about them, Mrs Millwood is there, on the end of the phone line with her constant stream of support and advice to him.
This is a charming, delightful story with a cast of characters that are so very well developed. Whilst it is most certainly a feel-good story, it is never twee, or sugary sweet. Doubler himself is endearing, Mrs Millwood is the perfect friend and the supporting cast are essential to the story.
Mr Doubler Begins Again is funny and compassionately tender. Highly recommended from me
Within the first few pages of Mr Doubler Begins Again I knew I'd found a book to soothe and to heal. I fell completely head over heels in love with Doubler, and have been utterly bewitched by this author's incredible writing.
Mr Doubler lives alone on Mirth Farm. He's an expert potato grower; not the biggest, but he knows he is the best. The biggest potato grower; Mr Peele is desperate to buy Mirth Farm. Peele's land surrounds the farm and he is determined to incorporate it into his empire. Doubler is going nowhere. He is happy and content at Mirth Farm; experimenting with different potato processes and living quietly on his own.
Doubler has two grown up children; Julian and Camilla, who seem to lay all the blame for losing their mother as teenagers at their father's feet. The only person who Doubler regularly chooses to spend time with is his cleaner, Mrs Millwood. Every day they sit down to lunch together. Doubler eats potatoes whilst Mrs Millwood chooses cheese sandwiches and apples. Doubler never hesitates to pour scorn on her food choices, but Mrs Millwood has endless wise words in response.
When Mrs Millwood is taken ill, Doubler begins to realise just how much he depended on her presence, on her advice and her words of wisdom. They speak regularly on the telephone whilst Mrs Millwood receives treatment in the hospital.
Mrs Millwood is possibly one of the most beautifully created characters I've discovered for many years. Seni Glaister gives her some exquisite and perfect narrative, I was totally blown away by her description of marriage;
"I like to imagine our marriage was a little like a hand-knitted blanket. It was a glorious thing to behold, full of intricate pattern and a multitude of colours and so very beautiful to examine in detail. Towards the top, there were a few dropped stitches and a few holes, and maybe the colours weren't quite so bright, and maybe the needlecraft was a bit patchy, but it never unravelled. It still worked as a blanket. It was a lovely thing to look at, and it kept us warm, held us together. And it's so much better to look at the beginning bits and stroke the colours and talk about the love and the joy that went into creating it rather than to focus on the last few rows."
Absolutely beautiful words and this wonderful narrative continues throughout the novel. As Doubler begins to interact with people from the community, and they grow to know him, and he learns more about them, Mrs Millwood is there, on the end of the phone line with her constant stream of support and advice to him.
This is a charming, delightful story with a cast of characters that are so very well developed. Whilst it is most certainly a feel-good story, it is never twee, or sugary sweet. Doubler himself is endearing, Mrs Millwood is the perfect friend and the supporting cast are essential to the story.
Mr Doubler Begins Again is funny and compassionately tender. Highly recommended from me
May 23, 2019
A minha opinião em vídeo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whckT...
January 28, 2019
A wonderfully touching, funny and inspiring book about a man who finds solace in routine, and potatoes!, but once he is coaxed out of his home he realises there's a world out there for him and people he can help, and who can help him!
Mr Doubler lives alone at the top of a hill in Mirth Farm. He seeks to be the best potato grower in the country,and devotes his every waking hour to their care and seeking to find the perfect formula to grow and create the best potatoes. He is visited daily by Mrs Millwood who is his housekeeper and keeps him in check, but she always worries about him.. When she is taken poorly it shakes him as his routine is broken, and her daughter Midge starts to visit to help him and offers him a new perspective on life and asks for his help with her mother so poorly.
What I found striking about this story is the mix of characters that we are introduced to. Many of them are very stubborn and set in their ways, but they have hearts of gold and often aren't appreciated by those closest to them. It takes others to see them for what they are and treat them as real human beings, and it only takes a short time to hear their stories and take their feelings into account. Throughout the book we are aware that some of the characters have bad relationships and feelings towards their children, who have seemingly done little to understand them and though they might perceive what they are doing is best for the elderly parent, it is often not what the parent wanted or had hoped for and they become quite bitter in how they have been treated.
But that doesn't stop them from caring about those around them, and as Mr Doubler finds himself more involved in the community he starts to listen to the stories of people he meets and comes up with the most delightful solutions to problems and giving meaning back to people who have been forgotten about in their retirement. It focuses on their mental health and wellbeing and how being involved and having a purpose gives them pleasure - there's more to life than daytime TV and bingo for these characters!
I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with these characters and loved the charming feel to this story! A delightful read!
Mr Doubler lives alone at the top of a hill in Mirth Farm. He seeks to be the best potato grower in the country,and devotes his every waking hour to their care and seeking to find the perfect formula to grow and create the best potatoes. He is visited daily by Mrs Millwood who is his housekeeper and keeps him in check, but she always worries about him.. When she is taken poorly it shakes him as his routine is broken, and her daughter Midge starts to visit to help him and offers him a new perspective on life and asks for his help with her mother so poorly.
What I found striking about this story is the mix of characters that we are introduced to. Many of them are very stubborn and set in their ways, but they have hearts of gold and often aren't appreciated by those closest to them. It takes others to see them for what they are and treat them as real human beings, and it only takes a short time to hear their stories and take their feelings into account. Throughout the book we are aware that some of the characters have bad relationships and feelings towards their children, who have seemingly done little to understand them and though they might perceive what they are doing is best for the elderly parent, it is often not what the parent wanted or had hoped for and they become quite bitter in how they have been treated.
But that doesn't stop them from caring about those around them, and as Mr Doubler finds himself more involved in the community he starts to listen to the stories of people he meets and comes up with the most delightful solutions to problems and giving meaning back to people who have been forgotten about in their retirement. It focuses on their mental health and wellbeing and how being involved and having a purpose gives them pleasure - there's more to life than daytime TV and bingo for these characters!
I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with these characters and loved the charming feel to this story! A delightful read!
May 17, 2019
Este livro mexeu tanto comigo que nem sei bem como descrever o que ainda sinto. Terno,doce,maravilhoso. Fez-me pensar nas pequenas coisas da vida que realmente importam. Adorei o Senhor Doubler e toda a história. A escritora está mesmo de parabéns, por ter conseguindo escrever um livro destes, que quanto a mim há muito poucos. Simplesmente magnífico.
December 7, 2019
Este livro dá que pensar 🤔
Uma viagem pela mente de várias pessoas que atingiram a terceira idade e após perderem os seus companheiros de uma vida se veem envoltos numa vida que não imaginaram ser o seu futuro. Numa sociedade em que estamos muito envolvidos em viver o presente, serve como uma chamada de atenção para as poucas raízes que vamos plantando durante a nossa vida. Se assim continuarmos que árvores seremos no fim da nossa vida? Não existem árvores sem raízes sólidas para as manter ligadas à terra.
Uma viagem pela mente de várias pessoas que atingiram a terceira idade e após perderem os seus companheiros de uma vida se veem envoltos numa vida que não imaginaram ser o seu futuro. Numa sociedade em que estamos muito envolvidos em viver o presente, serve como uma chamada de atenção para as poucas raízes que vamos plantando durante a nossa vida. Se assim continuarmos que árvores seremos no fim da nossa vida? Não existem árvores sem raízes sólidas para as manter ligadas à terra.
November 6, 2018
Mr Potato Man.
Mr Doubler loves his hilltop farm where for decades he has cultivated potatoes. He lives in solitude but doesn’t feel in the least bit lonely. Indeed, he can even do without the rare chilly visits from his children. The only company he looks forward to is the daily chat with his house cleaner, Mrs Millwood, over a cup of his expertly brewed tea. But when Mrs Millwood’s daughter Midge turns up at his door to tell him her mother is gravely ill in hospital, Doubler finds his cherished routine under threat. However will he cope?
It’s not unusual for British authors to feature cold family relationships in their novels but it never strikes me as particularly convincing as I’ve never come across families like this in real life. The dialogue too is far from believable; all the characters sounding more or less the same and somehow unreal. As the story develops and Doubler learns to socialise, he becomes worryingly close to becoming a kind of Polyanna figure who solves everybody’s problems and, in the process, surprising himself with a new-found confidence.
I absolutely adored Seni Glaister’s debut A Museum of Things Left Behind but I’m afraid I found that this one borders on the twee. I could tell that she’d put her heart into it – but sadly, mine wasn’t.
My thanks to HQ HarperCollins for the review copy courtesy of NetGalley.
Mr Doubler loves his hilltop farm where for decades he has cultivated potatoes. He lives in solitude but doesn’t feel in the least bit lonely. Indeed, he can even do without the rare chilly visits from his children. The only company he looks forward to is the daily chat with his house cleaner, Mrs Millwood, over a cup of his expertly brewed tea. But when Mrs Millwood’s daughter Midge turns up at his door to tell him her mother is gravely ill in hospital, Doubler finds his cherished routine under threat. However will he cope?
It’s not unusual for British authors to feature cold family relationships in their novels but it never strikes me as particularly convincing as I’ve never come across families like this in real life. The dialogue too is far from believable; all the characters sounding more or less the same and somehow unreal. As the story develops and Doubler learns to socialise, he becomes worryingly close to becoming a kind of Polyanna figure who solves everybody’s problems and, in the process, surprising himself with a new-found confidence.
I absolutely adored Seni Glaister’s debut A Museum of Things Left Behind but I’m afraid I found that this one borders on the twee. I could tell that she’d put her heart into it – but sadly, mine wasn’t.
My thanks to HQ HarperCollins for the review copy courtesy of NetGalley.
February 18, 2019
I had doubts when choosing 'Mr Doubler Begins Again', as this book is not a genre that i would usually read. As i am up for trying something different now again, i am so pleased that i did. Despite a slow start, this turned out to be a very enjoyable. The story will remain for sometime in my thoughts. I am not going to write what the story is about as i prefer one to read it for themselves, but i do recommend.
My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for my copy. This is my honest review.
My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for my copy. This is my honest review.
February 2, 2025
Uma história fantástica. Amizade, solidão e entre-ajuda. O senhor Doubler descobre o quão afortunado é por construir um grupo de amigos e conseguir mudar as suas vidas. Tendo como mote de missão as suas batatas acaba por resolver os problemas de solidão, inadaptação e inércia de um grupo bastante peculiar. Apenas achei o final muito precipitado e fiquei desapontada pela falta de sentimentos demonstrada pelo seus filhos.
Certamente uma boa leitura.
Certamente uma boa leitura.
October 16, 2021
Não teve um momento enquanto lia que não sentisse o coração quentinho -- quer dizer, nos capítulos sobre o Julian eu tive vontade de socar o homem, mas tirando isso -- foi incrível. Acho que tive uma experiência tão boa, porque comecei a ler sem saber do que se tratava, real sem expectativa nenhuma, e a cada página me cativava mais por essa historia leve e madura. A acidez 100% ingênua do Sr. Doubler sempre me fazia rir e eu gostei bastante da grande quantidade de diálogos, me encantando principalmente com cada uma das conversas dele com a Sra. Millwood. Amei como os personagens foram desenvolvidos. O final é perfeito.
August 6, 2022
Um livro sobre velhice, solidão e desesperança. Recomendaram-me este livro por ser semelhante a Um homem chamado Ove, mas é bastante mais lento e pouco envolvente.
May 24, 2021
O Senhor Doubler e a Arte de Cultivar Batatas é um livro escrito pela autora inglesa Seni Glaister e traduzido por Ana Filipa Velosa.
Como falar deste livro? Pela capa e título, não fazia ideia do conteúdo abordado. Mas o certo é que, talvez por ser diferente, vi-me curiosa perante o conteúdo. E devo dizer que superou as minhas expetativas.
Com magia, ironia, verdade e sentido de humor, este livro aborda temáticas importantíssimas, que muitas vezes desvalorizamos ou evitamos pensar. De entre estas temáticas, destaco a velhice, a capacidade de amar na velhice, o menosprezo dos filhos que tomam decisões em função dos seus interesses, o cancro, a vida e a morte, Deus, o altruísmo, as convicções, os sonhos, os propósitos…
É impossível ler este livro sem refletir, sem nos colocarmos questões como: a velhice será em si um fim? Serão os filhos um reflexo da educação que receberam ou podem ser simplesmente maus, geneticamente maus? Até que ponto algumas atitudes inadequadas do ser humano nos permitem julgá-lo e condená-lo? O que existe por detrás de alguns comportamentos e formas de vida? Não ignoraremos o que nos rodeia, por ser mais fácil assim e porque observar e intervir dá trabalho? Até que ponto nos poderemos aprisionar dentro de nós mesmos e deixar de ver o que nos rodeia? Será uma pessoa louca pelo facto de as outras a considerarem louca?
Não, não é um livro de autoajuda, tem enredo, tem personagens às quais depressa nos afeiçoamos, outras que nos chocam pelas suas atitudes e pelo facto de parecer que as conhecemos do nosso dia a dia.
É um livro completo. Não tem momentos mortos. Há, isso sim, tempo para refletir, tempo para viver e é impossível não nos comovermos, não darmos uma boa gargalhada. São livros assim que nos deixam com uma autêntica ressaca literária. O que ler a seguir? Como entrar agora noutra história?
Claro, como já se devem ter apercebido, adorei!
“…as nossas lembranças raramente coincidem. Os factos são os mesmos, mas a forma de retê-los depende muito do nosso estado de espírito naquele momento e do uso que damos a essas lembranças…” (pp. 282-283)
Como falar deste livro? Pela capa e título, não fazia ideia do conteúdo abordado. Mas o certo é que, talvez por ser diferente, vi-me curiosa perante o conteúdo. E devo dizer que superou as minhas expetativas.
Com magia, ironia, verdade e sentido de humor, este livro aborda temáticas importantíssimas, que muitas vezes desvalorizamos ou evitamos pensar. De entre estas temáticas, destaco a velhice, a capacidade de amar na velhice, o menosprezo dos filhos que tomam decisões em função dos seus interesses, o cancro, a vida e a morte, Deus, o altruísmo, as convicções, os sonhos, os propósitos…
É impossível ler este livro sem refletir, sem nos colocarmos questões como: a velhice será em si um fim? Serão os filhos um reflexo da educação que receberam ou podem ser simplesmente maus, geneticamente maus? Até que ponto algumas atitudes inadequadas do ser humano nos permitem julgá-lo e condená-lo? O que existe por detrás de alguns comportamentos e formas de vida? Não ignoraremos o que nos rodeia, por ser mais fácil assim e porque observar e intervir dá trabalho? Até que ponto nos poderemos aprisionar dentro de nós mesmos e deixar de ver o que nos rodeia? Será uma pessoa louca pelo facto de as outras a considerarem louca?
Não, não é um livro de autoajuda, tem enredo, tem personagens às quais depressa nos afeiçoamos, outras que nos chocam pelas suas atitudes e pelo facto de parecer que as conhecemos do nosso dia a dia.
É um livro completo. Não tem momentos mortos. Há, isso sim, tempo para refletir, tempo para viver e é impossível não nos comovermos, não darmos uma boa gargalhada. São livros assim que nos deixam com uma autêntica ressaca literária. O que ler a seguir? Como entrar agora noutra história?
Claro, como já se devem ter apercebido, adorei!
“…as nossas lembranças raramente coincidem. Os factos são os mesmos, mas a forma de retê-los depende muito do nosso estado de espírito naquele momento e do uso que damos a essas lembranças…” (pp. 282-283)
January 31, 2019
Doubler is the second largest potato grower in the country. He understands potatoes in a way that potatoes have rarely been understood. He lives in Mirth Farm and never leaves his house and manages to get everything delivered to him. His only companions are his potatoes and his housekeeper Mrs Millwood. This book is about this man. Mr Doubler. It’s his coming of age novel. It’s about his second chance at life.
“…he had not taken a slow slide into solitude. He had decided in fact, the moment his children left home, that he would never leave Mirth Farm again. If you never left, he had persuaded himself, there was no chance that you wouldn’t return”
When Mrs Millwood falls ill, Doubler is forced to go out, maybe make some friends and his life is turned upside down.
Written in a sharp conscience, this book is deep, witty and humorous. The characters are candidly loving and so well crafted. The narrative is heartwarming and the story truly utterly BEAUTIFUL. It’s exactly the kind of book I’m always in search of but rarely find. It’s the kind that’s soothes your soul.
Lastly, Mr. Doubler Begins Again is filled with hope, compassion and friendship. And also, potatoes! Ofcouse, potatoes!
“…he had not taken a slow slide into solitude. He had decided in fact, the moment his children left home, that he would never leave Mirth Farm again. If you never left, he had persuaded himself, there was no chance that you wouldn’t return”
When Mrs Millwood falls ill, Doubler is forced to go out, maybe make some friends and his life is turned upside down.
Written in a sharp conscience, this book is deep, witty and humorous. The characters are candidly loving and so well crafted. The narrative is heartwarming and the story truly utterly BEAUTIFUL. It’s exactly the kind of book I’m always in search of but rarely find. It’s the kind that’s soothes your soul.
Lastly, Mr. Doubler Begins Again is filled with hope, compassion and friendship. And also, potatoes! Ofcouse, potatoes!
October 4, 2024
Een aardappelboer die al 20 jaar z'n erf niet verlaat moet zich aanpassen als z'n huishoudster wordt opgenomen in het ziekenhuis. Huishoudster en haar dochter dwingen hem socialer te worden en het erf af te gaan. Wat volgt is ontroerend verhaal over ouder worden, eenzaamheid maar ook vermogen nieuwe vriendschappen te ontwikkelen. Knappe opbouw waarbij pas tegen het einde duidelijk wordt waarom de boer een kluizenaar werd.
February 16, 2025
Ich hätte gerne noch ein runderes Ende gehabt aber so war es wohl in Ordnung. Mir haben die Gespräche sehr viel Freude bereitet und auch zu sehen, wie ältere Menschen so durch ihren Tag kommen hat mir die Augen geöffnet, dass wir mal öfters unsere Großeltern und Eltern anrufen sollten :)
October 18, 2018
This book is a sheer delight to read. It is uplifting and reminds us all about he importance of friendship, and kindness. This book is definitely one to look out for next year. As I’m sure everyone will be talking about it for a long time.
Not every journey takes you far from home.
Baked, mashed, boiled or fried, Mr Doubler knows his potatoes. But the same can’t be said for people. Since he lost his wife, he’s been on his own at Mirth Farm – and that suits Doubler just fine. Crowds are for other people; the only company he needs are his potato plants and his housekeeper, Mrs Millwood, who visits every day.
Until the day she doesn’t.
With Mrs Millwood missing, Doubler’s routine is plunged into chaos – and, more alone than ever, he begins to worry that he might have lost his way. But could the kindness of strangers be enough to bring him down from the hill?
Not every journey takes you far from home.
Baked, mashed, boiled or fried, Mr Doubler knows his potatoes. But the same can’t be said for people. Since he lost his wife, he’s been on his own at Mirth Farm – and that suits Doubler just fine. Crowds are for other people; the only company he needs are his potato plants and his housekeeper, Mrs Millwood, who visits every day.
Until the day she doesn’t.
With Mrs Millwood missing, Doubler’s routine is plunged into chaos – and, more alone than ever, he begins to worry that he might have lost his way. But could the kindness of strangers be enough to bring him down from the hill?
February 1, 2019
Mr Doubler Begins Again is a heartwarming, quirky read that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Mr Doubler is a character that I initially found quite annoying as I felt he was quite set in his ways and quite condescending whilst talking to people. However as the novel progressed I started to learn more about him, I warmed to him and found his little quirks quite endearing. He’s obviously quite a lonely character which might explain many of his flaws and these become slightly ironed out as he decides to get out to make more friends. His attempts to do this and the friendships he makes were very heartwarming to read about and I found myself really enjoying watching him come out of his shell a little bit.
As the reader finds out within the first few pages, potatoes feature quite heavily in the book with the many different types of potatoes and uses for them being described in detail. While this might sound a little bit weird or boring it is actually far from it and I found it quite fascinating to lead more about potato farming. Mr Doubler, and the author, clearly know their stuff and it’s one of the quirks that makes Mr Doubler quite such a unique character.
The reader goes on a wonderful journey with Mr Doubler as we follow him from a lonely, potato obsessed man to his attempts to get out to socialise and the new friends he makes. It was lovely to go on this journey with him and I found myself quite sad to leave him when the book finishes. I hope that this isn’t the last we see of him as he’s a brilliantly character!
This is the first novel I have read by this author and I’ll look forward to reading more from her in the future. It has been compared to The Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry which I think is accurate as the style of the book was similar, and Mr Doubler is a character that the reader can really get behind like Harold Fry.
Huge thanks to Izzy Smith for inviting me onto the blog tour and to HQ stories for my copy of this book via Netgalley.
Mr Doubler is a character that I initially found quite annoying as I felt he was quite set in his ways and quite condescending whilst talking to people. However as the novel progressed I started to learn more about him, I warmed to him and found his little quirks quite endearing. He’s obviously quite a lonely character which might explain many of his flaws and these become slightly ironed out as he decides to get out to make more friends. His attempts to do this and the friendships he makes were very heartwarming to read about and I found myself really enjoying watching him come out of his shell a little bit.
As the reader finds out within the first few pages, potatoes feature quite heavily in the book with the many different types of potatoes and uses for them being described in detail. While this might sound a little bit weird or boring it is actually far from it and I found it quite fascinating to lead more about potato farming. Mr Doubler, and the author, clearly know their stuff and it’s one of the quirks that makes Mr Doubler quite such a unique character.
The reader goes on a wonderful journey with Mr Doubler as we follow him from a lonely, potato obsessed man to his attempts to get out to socialise and the new friends he makes. It was lovely to go on this journey with him and I found myself quite sad to leave him when the book finishes. I hope that this isn’t the last we see of him as he’s a brilliantly character!
This is the first novel I have read by this author and I’ll look forward to reading more from her in the future. It has been compared to The Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry which I think is accurate as the style of the book was similar, and Mr Doubler is a character that the reader can really get behind like Harold Fry.
Huge thanks to Izzy Smith for inviting me onto the blog tour and to HQ stories for my copy of this book via Netgalley.
September 20, 2019
I laughed - out loud at times.
And I ate every potato recipe I know how to cook.
And I thought about my father. And my mother. And my son.
I thought about legacy. What is my legacy?
And I cried more than I'd expected. But then again, isn't that what good stories are for?
And I ate every potato recipe I know how to cook.
And I thought about my father. And my mother. And my son.
I thought about legacy. What is my legacy?
And I cried more than I'd expected. But then again, isn't that what good stories are for?
December 23, 2022
Una hermosa historia sobre un ermitaño cultivador de papas que no tiene contacto con nadie, excepto con la señora que le hace la limpieza; a diario almuerzan juntos en un acto un tanto ritual. Todo esto cambia cuando la señora Millwood cae enferma. De ahí en más la vida de Doubler se complica al verse obligado a tratar con extraños.
Esta novela trata sobre la soledad de los adultos mayores, la depresión, el desamor de los hijos, la necesidad de compañía, la incapacidad de algunos por entender los sentimientos del otro y de sopesar las razones que tiene cada cual para actuar de una u otra manera. Muchos temas se mezclan y se reconocen como parte de lo que les ocurre a los adultos mayores cuando parece que ya nadie más los necesita, cuando parece que la misión de criar ha terminado y luego se ven invisibilizados en sus necesidades, incluso infantilizados como si de pronto se convirtieran en personas incapaces de entender el mundo que les rodea.
A ratos puede que parezca un poco lenta; podría dar la impresión de que no pasa mucho, pero es que esta es una novela bastante intimista. No es una novela de acción ni de conspiraciones, es solo un relato de sobrevivencia; una mirada a la vida de la gente mayor desde su propia perspectiva.
La antagónica visión del éxito y el fracaso, claramente ilustrada en la conversación que sostienen Doubler con su hijo Julián (capítulo 35), resume de forma clara el ideal de vida del protagonista. Expone lo que para él constituye un éxito y que no tiene que ver, desde luego, con la medida estrictamente financiera que obnubila completamente la estrecha forma de pensar del hijo. Gran parte de la narración tiene que ver con esto, con aquello que los personajes consideran importante en sus vidas en el ocaso en contraste con la limitada mirada de algunos de los hijos que no ven ni tienen ganas de entender lo que piensan y sienten los padres.
September 26, 2019
I'm still wrapping my head on what I think I should say about this book. It made me wanna laugh and it made me wanna cry. This book is just wonderful. It might not have lots of action, but the dialogues and how Doubler changed his behavior and was just feeling better and better throughout the book - thanks to his friends! - is something I'm taking with me. Maybe there's a bit of Doubler inside me, and that I need to see what's outside of my potato farm.
February 29, 2020
Que livro tocante e lindo e cheio de mensagens. Não consigo falar o suficiente para descrever como foi lindo e triste, como alegrou e destruiu o meu coração. Apenas leia, é uma experiencia de vida, de alma, de tudo. Valeu cada palavra lida.
February 17, 2021
Escrita agradável e livro muito gostoso sobre a vida de um homem em busca de um legado, que se recupera do "abismo" com a ajuda de seu amor por batatas, gin e amigos inesperados. Daquele livro que tem persongens que vão deixar saudades.
February 5, 2020
A heart warming story.
May 22, 2020
Loved this book and didn't want it to end. It made me think about my own relationships with family and friends too.
June 15, 2022
An ‘old man, feel good’ sort of story..,.,
about old age, family, friendship and kindness,
with lots of insights into human nature. Overly long, but very touching. 3.5
about old age, family, friendship and kindness,
with lots of insights into human nature. Overly long, but very touching. 3.5
did-not-finish
April 11, 2024I am not sure why, but it bored me. I could see the topics were important, yet I just couldn't get involved.
February 18, 2019
I adore this story. I also love the fact that I am now, courtesy of Mr Doubler somewhat of a potatoe aficionado and thanks to Mrs Millwood also able to debate the pomology of breeding a Granny Smith. I have to admit the latter isn’t completely new to me after reading an excellent novel with the core themes of apple and tree breeding. Anyway, I digress.
At the heart of this tale is a man called Mr Doubler. He lives on an isolated farm, which is surrounded by land owned by rich businessman, who is determined to have the land Doubler lives on too. Mr Doubler has withdrawn since the death of his wife a few decades ago, almost to the point of agoraphobia. The only contact he has to the outside world are the occasional visits from his children and grandchildren, who are trying to force him into selling his land, and Mrs Millwood the woman who cleans his house.
Until Mrs Millwood is unable to come to work Mr Doubler doesn’t realise how much he has come to enjoy their discussions and her company. He retreats even more and neglects himself, but he hasn’t reckoned with the stubbornness of Mrs Millwood and her daughter.
It truly is an adorable, heart-warming and amusing story about loneliness and friendship. It might seem like a contradiction to mention loneliness and amusing in one sentence, but this story highlights the perfect contrast between chosen solitude and the descent into an almost hermit-like existence. It’s a breathe of fresh air that shows the true breadth of human kindness.
It also shows the magnitude of small acts of goodwill. We live in an era that is known for being almost forgetful, neglectful even, to the elderly and the more isolated in our society. Glaister shows the reader what can happen when we pay attention to someone other than ourselves. It’s a beautiful read.
*I received a courtesy copy*
At the heart of this tale is a man called Mr Doubler. He lives on an isolated farm, which is surrounded by land owned by rich businessman, who is determined to have the land Doubler lives on too. Mr Doubler has withdrawn since the death of his wife a few decades ago, almost to the point of agoraphobia. The only contact he has to the outside world are the occasional visits from his children and grandchildren, who are trying to force him into selling his land, and Mrs Millwood the woman who cleans his house.
Until Mrs Millwood is unable to come to work Mr Doubler doesn’t realise how much he has come to enjoy their discussions and her company. He retreats even more and neglects himself, but he hasn’t reckoned with the stubbornness of Mrs Millwood and her daughter.
It truly is an adorable, heart-warming and amusing story about loneliness and friendship. It might seem like a contradiction to mention loneliness and amusing in one sentence, but this story highlights the perfect contrast between chosen solitude and the descent into an almost hermit-like existence. It’s a breathe of fresh air that shows the true breadth of human kindness.
It also shows the magnitude of small acts of goodwill. We live in an era that is known for being almost forgetful, neglectful even, to the elderly and the more isolated in our society. Glaister shows the reader what can happen when we pay attention to someone other than ourselves. It’s a beautiful read.
*I received a courtesy copy*
July 9, 2025
Really enjoyed this book, loved Doubler’s character & the evolving story with Mrs Millwood, her daughter Midge, Olive, Maddie & the Colonel. Had me engrossed from the start & was sad to finish.
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