The Good Companions

A rather long but entertaining novel about a travelling (interwar) theatre troupe. Not memorable for me, but enjoyable episodes and worth the read.

J.B.Priestley's 1929 novel "The Good Companions" concerns an unlikely group of people who are thrown together in a travelling concert party ("The Good Companions"). The character portraits and general style of writing reminded me somewhat of Charles Dickens, and it was obvious that Priestley greatly enjoyed writing the novel.

Maybe not great literature but I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a book so much.

Great fun. 'Romp' springs to mind. Unjustly slighted by the fans of great literature.

Set in England during the 1920s, "The Good Companions" follows the adventures, antics and disappointments of a troupe of thespians as they sing, dance, drink and squabble their way from theatre to theatre.

I saw a play of this book at the Theatre by the lake in Keswick a few years ago.

386. The Good Companions, by J. B. Priestley (read 5 Jul 1951)(James Tait Black Memorial fiction prize for 1929) I read this book between June 19, 1951, and July 5, 1951, but my only comment thereon was on June 21, 1951, when I said: "Reading in The Good Companions. I suppose they call it a good book but it is very so-soey. 'Paints quite a picture' they say I guess. So what?" I was moved to read the book because it was listed under "Suggestions for Further Reading" on page 1261 of The College Survey of English Literature Shorter Edition published in 1947 by Harcourt, Brace and Company and edited by B. J. Whiting, Fred B. Millett, Alexander M. Witherspoon, Arthur Palmer Hudson, Edward Wagenknecht, and Louis Untermeyer.