Mrs. Tim of the Regiment (1932)

Made me laugh at times. It was a good book for a lazy vacation in Cape Cod. ( )

This is such a good book- a real comfort-read. I read it because I loved Miss Buncle's Book and I wanted that same witty and easy story. I agree wholeheartedly with the previously posted reviews and there's not much I could add. The book is a good escape from the complications of modern life. ( )

Mrs Tim's diary is a lovely account of life as an officer's wife in the 1930s. A fictionalised and expanded-upon version of Stevenson's own diaries, it's charming and humorous, and full of wonderful characters. Hester Christie is simultaneously very practical and switched-on, and completely oblivious to some of the undercurrents swirling around her. Her family and friends are (mostly) lovely, and her descriptions of all their (mostly) quiet, domestic adventures are most pleasing to read.

I particularly liked this style of humour:
"'I suppose you'll have no further use for us after Friday,' Guthrie says, looking up from a plate piled with bacon, and running with tomato juice. 'Once that husband of yours is here, we lesser mortals will have to take a back seat.'
I reply primly that Tim and I are old married folk, and completely inured to each other's charms.
'Look at her, mother - she's blushing,' says the dreadful man with a grin.
'I'm not blushing,' I retort indignantly. 'My skin is so fair that when I eat tomatoes they show through.'" (p. 297)

Those who enjoyed Diary of a Provincial Lady, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, Stevenson's own Miss Buncle's Book or anything by Barbara Pym should definitely track down a copy of Mrs Tim at the earliest possible moment. I really hope that the remaining Mrs Tim books are reprinted. ( )

Mrs. Tim of the Regiment is a novel about the adventures of Hester Christie, army wife and mother. The book covers a period of six months, starting with the family’s move to Scotland (and all the headaches that that entails) and culminating with a fortnight in the Highlands, during which time Hester plays fairy godmother to a number of couples.

Mrs. Tim was based on the diary that DE Stevenson kept; she was herself an army wife, and when she showed her diary to a friend, the friend suggested that she spruce things up and publish it. Therefore, Hester’s “voice” is very much like what DE Stevenson was like—her wit sparkles, and her characters jump off the page (even the family car has a name and personality!). As Hester says, her sense of humor is “obstreperous,”—but obstreperous in a good way! Although written 70 years ago, the novel reads as though written just yesterday—it’s that fresh and relevant even today. In some ways, Hester’s diary reminds me of Bridget Jones’s Diary, if Bridget had been a 1920s military wife…

The novel focuses on the daily, trivial things, but the climax of the book (if you can call in that} happens in June, when Hester takes Betty to the Highlands. There’s almost a magical feel to the book as Hester both intentionally and unintentionally tries to fix things. Add in the legend of two long-dead lovers and a family feud (a la Romeo and Juliet), and you’ve got the makings of a memorable holiday. Mrs. Tim of the Regiment is the first in a quartet, though the other three books are sadly out of print and ridiculously expensive to buy online. I hope Bloomsbury will get around to reprinting them soon, because Mrs. Tim of the Regiment is a wholly enjoyable book. ( )

This is a perfect book. Mrs Tim is just the kind of person you'd want as a friend and lovely endearing Captain Morley as a besotted and rich and glamorous admirer. And that's not to forget Captain Tim himself (very British and rather sweet), two endearing children and a nostalgic life where everyone seemed to have more time and Cassandra their very unreliable motor car. Bliss!