Diary of a Provincial Lady in Around the World in 80 Books

Jan 01, 2022 Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: the-classics-club

A woman living in the provinces keeps a daily journal of her activities with her husband, her two children, and her household staff. It’s delightfully amusing, told with clever wit and humor. Though it was written a hundred years ago, I can see that I would love to be friends with the provincial lady.

February 28th

Notice, and am gratified by, appearance of large clump of crocuses near the front gate. Should like to make whimsical and charming reference to these… but am interrupted by Cook, saying ...more

6 likes · Like · see review

Oct 17, 2009 SarahC rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, and-anglophiles

I once again enjoyed time reading Delafield's Provincial Lady (this is my second shot). I think the fun is, even though she was a 1930's English lady, she wasn't provincial and she was very modern. She generously shares with you in her diary all that is wrong, right, funny,frustrating, domestic, and adventurous in her life. Sometimes I could swear I thought those same thoughts before. There is so much good about this novel. It is a generous book -- Provincial Lady wants to take you right along w ...more

5 likes · Like · see review

Aug 20, 2011 mstan rated it liked it

Shelves: british, src-winter-2011-12

This is a funny, entertaining, light portrait of an aspiring 'taitai' (what refers to a lady/wife of leisure in Singapore)-wannabe in England in the 20s/30s. The Provincial Lady tries (unsuccessfully) not to overspend, and to hide her expenditure on frivolous articles of clothing from her uncommunicative husband; she also tries to juggle her housemaid/cook-woes together with the demands of rearing children who have been conveniently placed in the care of a boarding school and a French governess ...more

1 like · Like · see review

May 07, 2018 Lisa of Hopewell rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-in-2018, peresphone-books

What a hoot! I love it when books stand the test of time, don’t you? Written in the 1920s and published in 1930, this fictitious diary relates the day-to-day life and often unspoken (well, un-speakable!) thoughts of the wife of business manager at a somewhat large Stately home estate in Southern England, owned by Lady Box. Portsmouth is the nearest city–hence “Provincial.”

Here are her thoughts on arriving at a function at Lady B’s….

“Received by Lady B. …surrounded by a bevy of equally bejeweled ...more

Like · see review

Jun 29, 2009 Elizabeth rated it liked it

Shelves: england, france, europe, classics, fiction

I whipped through this book in a few hours. It's cute, witty, with a great sort of a sardonic temper that I enjoy riding along with. It kind of reminded me of Bridget Jones, only a married 1930s version with two kids and a laconic husband, which actually kind of fits Mr. Darcy's profile. I love reading the author's inner monologue: a series of notes about what she chose "not" to say during Lady B's provocations. It was also delightful to see her break down and go shopping whenever a situation go ...more

Like · see review

Feb 24, 2012 Mary rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: autobiography, british, humour, classic-british, re-reading, non-fiction

So many parts of this classic are certainly worth quoting but then I’d have to basically be reproducing the entire text .
So many times she makes light of out of very trying situations and it’s so relatable and moving . More frequently , a tea spurting out of one’s nose while laughing , experience.

Like · see review