A House in the Country Starting thoughts/discussion questions

[Tania]

We'll be reading this in October. All welcome.

[Antoinette]

I’m in. I’m looking forward to the discussion. Thanks Tania.

[Gina]

Thanks again for organizing, Tania! I changed the dates on our bookshelf so this book displays as our October read if anyone else wants to join. :)

[Tania]

Thanks Gina. Nearlly picked it up today, but I thought I'd wait till the beginning of the month. Not long after all.

[Antoinette]

I went ahead and started the book. Keeping notes as I go. Looking forward to everyone’s thoughts:)

[Dianne]

Starting mine this weekend :)

[Tania]

I'm starting this one now. : )

[Tania]

I must say, I do find the aunt, Miss Ambleside, by turns hillarious and infuriating. I found the part with her and Felicity very funny, but I'm not sure that my sympathies lie with either; they both seem to be selfish but in different ways. I think on balance, I'd rather have niether of them in my life.

[Antoinette]

Totally agree, Tania. I felt the aunt did lend humour to the book, so for that I was accepting of her. Felicity so annoyed me, I wanted to just shake her. The author has certainly depicted her characters well.

[Tania]

Yes, Felicity is becoming more and more irritating; utterly selfish, but I don't think oblivious. She knows full well what she is up to; quite happy to use up other peoples rations and get them to clean up after her.

[Tania]

It does seem to have a strongly anti war message, which is quite unusual in novels written while the war is still ongoing. I have read diaries raging against it, (Most notably Where Stands a Wingèd Sentry), and I've read anti war novels written after the war, but I can't think of one quite so bent on pointing out the futility of war that was written during it.

It is reminding me of the prologue of The Sweet and Twenties by Beverley Nichols where he talks of the state burial of the Unknown Warrior at Westminster Abbey on Armistice day. A day of hope for the people who attended. Written in the 50's looking back on the 20's he says a second Unknown Warrior following WW2, would be "An act of irony too bitter to contemplate."

[Antoinette]

Exactly, Tania. I picked up on the anti war message. I found it surprising as when this book was published, the war was still going on. In the preface, Jocelyn Playfair’s radical ideas are referred to. I did assume that she was anti war and this of course came out in the book. She was making her ideas known with the philosophizing that is quite heavy handed at times.
I have never read Beverley Nichols. Sounds like I should add him to my TBR.
Feel free to suggest which I should read.

[Tania]

I tend to save the preface/introduction until I have finished, too often the have given away major plot points, so I haven't read that yet. I agree that the philosophising is rather heavy-handed; it has definitely slowed down my reading of this book. It's less compelling than most of the Persephone books.

As for Beverley Nichols, my favourite remains Merry Hall and it's sequels, but I did find The Sweet and Twenties fascinating. Must pick up some more of his soon. I plan to read Village in a Valley before the year is out.

[Antoinette]

I usually do the same- read the preface after finishing the book. The philosophizing did slow down the book. It’s probably the first time with a Persephone book that I stopped to complain to my husband while I was reading. It’s a fine line when writing if your purpose is to shove your beliefs down a reader’s throat. It may work for some people- for me, it definitely puts me off.

Thanks for your reading recommendations!

[Antoinette]

Tania,
Do you ever listen to Tea or Books? Simon Thomas loves Beverley Nichols as well:)

[Tania]

Yes, my favourite podcast, I even prefer it to 'Backlisted', though I am aware that Backlisted is much more professional. When lockdown started, I went back and re-listened to all the old episodes and found it such a comfort; at the very beginning I found it hard to concentrate on any books, but these were soothing, like sinking into a cosy book. I think I probably picked up Merry Hall on his recommendation, but on his blog 'Stuck in a Book', rather than the podcast.

[Antoinette]

My favourite podcast as well:) I, too, prefer it to Backlisted and like you, during lockdown went back and listened to all the episodes. We really are on the same wave length. I actually listen to some episodes again after I have finished a book they have talked about. They have such soothing voices. And yes, I follow the blog as well. Here I thought I was unique. Lol

[Tania]

Yep, I do that too. It's interesting to hear what they have to say about a book you've since become familiar with. Have you tried the Slightly Foxed podcast? They're always interesting.

[Antoinette]

Yes, I listen to that one too. You are my podcast twin.

[Gina]

I'm still finishing this one up. On page 142, it mentions that "the Brent girl" was leaving that day. My reaction: "Yesss!"

[Tania]

😀 I had much the same reaction.

[Kim]

I can’t find a book by Beverley Nichols by this title, I had some books about gardens by him. I have A House in the Country by Ruth Adams. 🤷🏻‍♀️Help?

[Tania]

Hi Kim. There are books he wrote about buying a house in the country, but not called that, (unless it was an American title). The first was the Allways trilogy starting with Down the Garden Path then the Merry Hall trilogy. There are also the garden books, Garden Open Today/Garden Open Tomorrow or The Gift of a Garden, or Some Flowers Remembered. There is a bibliography of his books here, hopefully that can jog your memory. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bever...