What a charming little novel...

Mrs. Harris is an English cleaning woman who becomes obsessed with owning a Dior dress after spotting two in an employer's closet. After scrimping and saving she manages to achieve her goal, though the task is not as simple as she originally anticipates.

The book reads very much like a screwball comedy but has a bittersweet lesson behind the humor. Mrs. Harris has become a new favorite literary character of mine. Luckily Gallico continues her adventures in a series of three subsequent novels. ( )

I first had to read this slim paperback in high school - it was required reading for English. I love it then, and I love it now. I don't really read it right through any more. It's one of those books I like to pick up, flick through and read my favourite bits: the Paris lovers, the damaged Dior dress, and so on. I may never read it right through again, despite the fact that, in my paperback version, it's only 117 pages long. But then, I don't have to read it all again, really. ( )

A wonderful little story about a middle-aged cleaning woman who saves up her money for a trip to Paris to buy an expensive Dior dress--not really to wear, but simply so she can own a beautiful thing. Circumstances sort of go wrong. But friendship and love redeem all. **** ( )