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A Season In England
'P. H. Newby . . . is, I think, by a long way the most gifted English writer to appear since the beginning of the Second World War.' Anthony West, The New Yorker The story of the Nashes, P. H. Newby's A Season in England brilliantly tackles, with freshness, insight and humour, the ancient theme of a young man in revolt against his parents. Narrated by the son's friend, Tom Passmore, it is the story of how after Guy's death, he is left to try and explain to Guy's parents how he had come, unawares to them, to marry the exotic and temperamental Greek girl, Renee. Passmore conceives it to be his duty to bring about reconciliation, to move them all away from misunderstanding toward forgiveness. But this mission is complicated by the extraordinary attraction that Renee holds for him, and the ever surprising Nashes.
First published January 1, 1951
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About the author
P.H. Newby
32 books22 followersPercy Howard Newby CBE (25 June 1918 – 6 September 1997) was an English novelist and broadcasting administrator. He was the first winner of the Booker Prize, his novel Something to Answer For having received the inaugural award in 1969.
Early life
P.H. Newby, known as Howard Newby, was born in Crowborough, Sussex on 25 June 1918 and was educated at Hanley Castle Grammar School in Worcestershire, and St Paul's College of Education in Cheltenham. In October 1939 he was sent to France to serve in World War II as a private in the Royal Army Medical Corps. His unit was one of the last to be evacuated. Afterwards he was sent to the Middle East and served in the Egyptian desert.
Career
Newby was released from military service in December 1942, and then taught English Literature at King Fouad University in Cairo until 1946.
From 1949 to 1978 he was employed by the BBC, beginning as a radio producer and going on to become successively Controller of the Third Programme and Radio Three, Director of Programmes (Radio), and finally Managing Director, BBC Radio.
His first novel, A Journey into the Interior, was published in 1946. He then returned to England to write. In the same year he was given an Atlantic Award in literature, and two years thence he received the Somerset Maugham Prize.
He was awarded a CBE for his work as Managing Director of BBC Radio.
Author, friend and colleague Anthony Thwaite in his obituary states: "P. H. Newby was one of the best English novelists of the second half of the century."
Early life
P.H. Newby, known as Howard Newby, was born in Crowborough, Sussex on 25 June 1918 and was educated at Hanley Castle Grammar School in Worcestershire, and St Paul's College of Education in Cheltenham. In October 1939 he was sent to France to serve in World War II as a private in the Royal Army Medical Corps. His unit was one of the last to be evacuated. Afterwards he was sent to the Middle East and served in the Egyptian desert.
Career
Newby was released from military service in December 1942, and then taught English Literature at King Fouad University in Cairo until 1946.
From 1949 to 1978 he was employed by the BBC, beginning as a radio producer and going on to become successively Controller of the Third Programme and Radio Three, Director of Programmes (Radio), and finally Managing Director, BBC Radio.
His first novel, A Journey into the Interior, was published in 1946. He then returned to England to write. In the same year he was given an Atlantic Award in literature, and two years thence he received the Somerset Maugham Prize.
He was awarded a CBE for his work as Managing Director of BBC Radio.
Author, friend and colleague Anthony Thwaite in his obituary states: "P. H. Newby was one of the best English novelists of the second half of the century."
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April 25, 2025
A Season in England is a quiet triumph—an elegantly crafted novel that explores post-war English life with grace, intelligence, and a subtle emotional depth. Best known for his work set in the Middle East, Newby here turns his attention inward, offering a thoughtful, often wryly humorous depiction of a nation—and a man—adjusting to change.
The novel follows a middle-aged civil servant returning to the English countryside after years abroad. What unfolds is not a grand drama but a deeply human story, filled with finely observed moments, understated tensions, and beautifully drawn characters. Newby’s protagonist grapples with questions of home, belonging, and personal renewal, themes that resonate far beyond the novel’s modest setting.
What makes A Season in England so remarkable is Newby’s tone: compassionate yet clear-eyed, amused yet never mocking. His prose is unshowy but lyrical, full of quiet wit and a deep understanding of human frailty. The English landscape is evoked with loving precision—never sentimental, but full of texture and meaning.
Though rooted in its time, the novel feels timeless in its emotional truth. It captures the peculiar melancholy of returning to a familiar place that no longer fits, and the bittersweet joy of rediscovering one's own rhythms.
A Season in England is a novel for readers who appreciate nuance, atmosphere, and the quiet pleasures of a story that unfolds with the confidence of a master. A beautiful, reflective book—genuinely moving and warmly recommended.
The novel follows a middle-aged civil servant returning to the English countryside after years abroad. What unfolds is not a grand drama but a deeply human story, filled with finely observed moments, understated tensions, and beautifully drawn characters. Newby’s protagonist grapples with questions of home, belonging, and personal renewal, themes that resonate far beyond the novel’s modest setting.
What makes A Season in England so remarkable is Newby’s tone: compassionate yet clear-eyed, amused yet never mocking. His prose is unshowy but lyrical, full of quiet wit and a deep understanding of human frailty. The English landscape is evoked with loving precision—never sentimental, but full of texture and meaning.
Though rooted in its time, the novel feels timeless in its emotional truth. It captures the peculiar melancholy of returning to a familiar place that no longer fits, and the bittersweet joy of rediscovering one's own rhythms.
A Season in England is a novel for readers who appreciate nuance, atmosphere, and the quiet pleasures of a story that unfolds with the confidence of a master. A beautiful, reflective book—genuinely moving and warmly recommended.
Displaying 1 of 1 review