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Elizabeth and Her German Garden

Elizabeth von Arnim,

Elizabeth Jane Howard (Introduction)

Start date: September 1, 2021

Finish date: September 30, 2021

Discussion: Short Story Classics

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Jan 01, 2024 Sara rated it really liked it

Shelves: classics, 19th-century-literature, kindle-purchase, nature, rural-life, gardening, germany

Presented in the form of diary entries, Elizabeth and Her German Garden is a delightful exercise in perfect prose description and perfunctory humor. The almost mocking remarks (mocking of both self and others) come across as so natural as to make you feel you are sitting in the garden and Elizabeth is holding conversation with you.

I was having a great deal of difficulty thinking how to convey how delicious this book is, and then it occurred to me that Elizabeth could do a much better job than I Presented in the form of diary entries, Elizabeth and Her German Garden is a delightful exercise in perfect prose description and perfunctory humor. The almost mocking remarks (mocking of both self and others) come across as so natural as to make you feel you are sitting in the garden and Elizabeth is holding conversation with you.

I was having a great deal of difficulty thinking how to convey how delicious this book is, and then it occurred to me that Elizabeth could do a much better job than I…so

The people round about are persuaded that I am, to put it as kindly as possible, exceedingly eccentric, for the news has travelled that I spend the day out of doors with a book, and that no mortal eye has ever yet seen me sew or cook. But why cook when you can get some one to cook for you?

“I enjoyed the winter immensely,” I persisted when they were a little quieter; “I sleighed and skated, and then there were the children, and shelves and shelves full of” I was going to say books, but stopped. Reading is an occupation for men; for women it is a reprehensible waste of time.

A woman’s tongue is a deadly weapon and the most difficult thing in the world to keep in order, and things slip off it with a facility nothing short of appalling at the very moment when it ought to be most quiet.

What a comfort it is to have such wells of wisdom constantly at my disposal! Anybody can have a husband, but to few is it given to have a sage, and the combination of both is as rare as it is useful.

It is much easier, and often more pleasant, to be a warning than an example, and governesses are but women, and women are sometimes foolish, and when you want to be foolish it must be annoying to have to be wise.

I certainly prefer buying new rose-trees to new dresses, if I cannot comfortably have both; and I see a time coming when the passion for my garden will have taken such a hold on me that I shall not only entirely cease buying more clothes, but begin to sell those that I already have.

It seems so greedy to have so much loveliness to oneself–but kindred spirits are so very, very rare; I might almost as well cry for the moon.

Elizabeth Von Arnim is a kindred spirit. Don't miss her. ...more

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Jun 26, 2019 Audrey rated it liked it · review of another edition

I really enjoyed all the parts about Elizabeth and her gardening. I can picture her garden in my mind and it was beautiful. There are however a few parts I did not like. Firstly, Man of Wrath. I find him annoying whenever he entered the picture and cannot agree with anything he said. Secondly, Irais and Minora. Gosh I hated when so many pages were spent talking about them and their silly "feud". Both were as annoying as Man of Wrath and when they were around, there was not a single mention about ...more

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