Scenes From Metropolitan Life

by William Cooper

Genres: Fiction, Novels

214 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1982

About the author

H.S. Hoff (William Cooper) was an English novelist, born in Crewe. After graduating from Christ's College, Cambridge in 1933 he became a science teacher in Leicester, an experience on which he seems to have drawn for his novel, Scenes from Provincial Life. Hoff served in the Royal Air Force in World War II, and later became a civil servant, associating closely with C. P. Snow, who appears in light disguise as Robert in Scenes from Provincial Life and its sequels. After retiring he held an academic position with Syracuse University, New York, lecturing on English literature to its students in London.

Hoff wrote four novels between 1934 and 1946 under his own name but made his reputation with his first novel under the pen name William Cooper, Scenes from Provincial Life (1950), the first of five more or less autobiographical novels published over the ensuing half century.

Hoff wrote 17 novels in all as well as short stories, two plays and a biography of his friend C.P.Snow. In 1971 he published an account of the trial of the Hosein brothers.

[from Wikipedia]

Reviews

[Liz Chapman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book reads like an modern version of a 1950s film . Having been brought up in the 50 s just after the war it brought back many memories. The men were like Jo and Robert and the women were tied to the home by their Fathers . For some it was marriage , children and being kept by a husband. Indeed some husbands wouldn't allow their wife to work as he considered himself the breadwinner. Times were changing and women after the war wanted careers and their own lives . I do remember how much they smoked including pipes . Jo and Robert seemed to live in their own little bubbles quite oblivious of some of the world around them . Maybe it was the war or their upbringing but they had no idea how to treat a woman . They seemed perplexed and chose the wrong girl each time and wondered why it always went wrong . I look forward to reading the next book in the series . PS is Jo just this side of being gay? It was illegal in those times so any feelings he might have had would be kept very quiet. myrtle certainly did an about turn with Headlamps!!