Old Wives’ Tale - Background Information

[Deborah, Moderator]

Put any research/ background information here

[Trev]

Here is a short biography of Arnold Bennett.

https://www.britannica.com/biography/...

[Trev]

The Arnold Bennett society promotes the works of the author and holds regular events as well as producing newsletters. You can find its website here….

https://www.arnoldbennettsociety.org.uk/

Contained within the website are many examples of quotes from famous people about Arnold Bennet’s work. You will be able to find this one at the moment.

’ When Laurence Olivier was interviewed by Sheridan Morley, Noel Coward’s biographer, Olivier said this:

‘[Noel] gave me a sense of balance, of right and wrong. He would make me read; I never used to read anything at all. I remember he said, “Right, my boy, Wuthering Heights, Of Human Bondage and The Old Wives Tale. That’ll do, those are three of the best. Read them”. I did.’

Source: AB Society member Professor John Bourne.’

For anyone new to the works of Arnold Bennett, it might be useful to look at the link which describes the ‘five towns’ as many of his books, including ‘The Old Wives’ Tale’ are at least partially set there.

The ‘Bursley Trail’ link includes a You Tube video of the area as it looks in the recent past. It also describes where places in his novels are actually located.

[Robin P, Moderator]

I didn't realize the Five Towns were so close in name and description to the real ones. I bet you could retrace the various routes of the books, unless new highways have changed everything.

[Trev]

The link below provides more detail about Arnold Bennett and his connection with the ‘Potteries.’ He was born in Hanley which appears as ‘Hanbridge’ in his novels. ‘The Old Wives Tale’ is partially set in Bursley which in real life is the town of Burslem.

Click the town links to get more details of each town as well as maps and photographs of the areas mentioned in Bennett’s novels.

http://www.thepotteries.org/bennett.html

[Deborah, Moderator]

In this weeks chapters you will read about a bone shaker which is a bicycle

[Lori, Moderator]

Deborah wrote: "In this weeks chapters you will read about a bone shaker which is a bicycle"

Thanks, I wondered what that was. I thought they'd rigged up some kind of weird cart.

[Trev]

A little bit more info on the boneshaker.

http://museumcollections.hullcc.gov.u...

[Robin P, Moderator]

I just looked up about Bennett's personal life because from the descriptions in this section, I thought he must have had children - but apparently not!

[Alex]

Robin P wrote: "I just looked up about Bennett's personal life because from the descriptions in this section, I thought he must have had children - but apparently not!"

That's rather a surprise for me too. His descriptions of family life and the behaviour of children is spot on a lot of the time. He must have been in the company of families and children to be able to write like that.