Folio Archives 232: Excellent Women by Barbara Pym 2005
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1wcarter
Excellent Women by Barbara Pym 2005
This is a very gentle book, but one that keeps you reading on to explore further into the life of the heroine, Mildred. Set in London just after World War Two, at a time when rationing and bombed buildings were common, it follows the life of a spinster in her early 30s who has to navigate a world of too few men and too many minor crises that are all helped along by a good cup of tea.
The women in the tale organise the flowers for church fairs, help their neighbours, undertake good works and are in every way excellent – but vaguely discontent, as they follow any vague sense of romance with eager interest. It is a charming story, and well worth reading.
Beautifully illustrated with seven full colour paintings by Debra McFarlane, the 206 page book is introduced by A. N. Wilson. It is bound in pale pink cloth blocked on all sides with images in brown, orange and gilt. The endpapers and slipcase (26x15.7cm.) are both mid-brown.
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
This is a very gentle book, but one that keeps you reading on to explore further into the life of the heroine, Mildred. Set in London just after World War Two, at a time when rationing and bombed buildings were common, it follows the life of a spinster in her early 30s who has to navigate a world of too few men and too many minor crises that are all helped along by a good cup of tea.
The women in the tale organise the flowers for church fairs, help their neighbours, undertake good works and are in every way excellent – but vaguely discontent, as they follow any vague sense of romance with eager interest. It is a charming story, and well worth reading.
Beautifully illustrated with seven full colour paintings by Debra McFarlane, the 206 page book is introduced by A. N. Wilson. It is bound in pale pink cloth blocked on all sides with images in brown, orange and gilt. The endpapers and slipcase (26x15.7cm.) are both mid-brown.
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
2folio_books
>1 wcarter:
I plucked this from the bookshelf only yesterday, considering what my next read should be. It's on the shortlist.
I plucked this from the bookshelf only yesterday, considering what my next read should be. It's on the shortlist.
3CarltonC
>1 wcarter: Another excellent descriptive article.
This is one of my favourite Folios, as Pym lived at the bottom of our hill.
This is one of my favourite Folios, as Pym lived at the bottom of our hill.
5Hamwick
>1 wcarter: thank you for sharing. Along with the quality of the books, this is what I like about Folio, so many interesting books that I would not normally have considered. This one looks like a nice pleasant read with some very nice artwork.
6SinsenKrysset
An article about the author in TLS:
https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/adventures-of-miss-barbara-pym-paula-byrne-bo...
https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/adventures-of-miss-barbara-pym-paula-byrne-bo...
7TabbyTom
Thanks to Warwick Carter for starting his thread. It was this Folio edition that first prompted me to read Pym: since then I've read a few more. It surprises me how she maintains our interest in the kind of lives that Warwick describes.
