My Favorite Elizabeth Goudge Books

Elizabeth Goudge (1900-1984) was an English writer of novels and children's fiction. While her books could not be classed as "Christian fiction" (Thank goodness!), her stories are often interwoven with Christian themes, which is what makes them so powerful. 

I read my first Goudge book in 1988 (The Scent of Water), but did not become a devoted fan until I read The Dean's Watch several years later. By that time I'd weaned myself away from romance novels and was ready for love stories with more stubstance to them. In some ways her writings are anti-romance because they take a very serious, "unfluffy" view of love. 

Here are my four favorite stand-alone titles, followed by her most famous trilogy. Sadly, the prices for these at Amazon are quite high (with the exception of Green Dolphin Street); I purchased all of my copies of these books through other online bookstores.

The Dean's Watch - If I could have only one Goudge book, it would be this one. Adam Ayscough is a man who struggles to relate to people and learns that loving others comes at a high cost. (This is the theme of almost every Goudge title!) My 2012 review is here.

The Rosemary Tree - Vicar John Wentworth seems to be failing at everything. But in this novel he grows in his understanding of what it means to live well. (Reviewed here)

Island Magic - This story takes place on the Channel islands and tells the tale of a couple with five children in dire circumstances. Can their love survive all the challenges? (Reviewed here)

Green Dolphin Street - Sisters Marianne and Marguerite compete for the love of young William Ozanne. Neither of them could have predicted the earth-shattering results of the choice he makes. (Reviewed here)

The Eliot Family Trilogy: 

The Bird in the Tree (reviewed here)

Pilgrim's Inn (reviewed here)

The Heart of the Family. I did not review this when I read it in 2019 because it was my least favorite of the three, but I'm eager to re-read it since a book blogger friend once expressed her very high opinion of it. (She wrote: "I have found some readers are not as fond of The Heart of the Family as the other two, but I adore it. I think it particularly speaks to those who are older or who have suffered deeply.")  

If you are looking for light romance, you will be disappointed. But if you are wanting to read books that will train your heart to love more deeply, then Goudge will definitely nudge you in the right direction.

Blessings,

Old Herbaceous by Reginald Arkell

Herbert Pinnegar was born in the 1860s. He was an orphan with a lame leg and didn’t seem to have any prospect for a happy future. But with a lot of hard work and the gracious gift of a few generous friends, he makes a way for himself as the head gardener of an English manor house. This is the story of his friendship with the lady of the house and how his devotion to her was rewarded throughout his lifetime.

He is in his eighties when the story begins, sitting by his cottage window looking over the gardens he used to tend. He wonders that gardeners who earn more than he ever did somehow seemed to care less about making things look their best. He never felt that he was just a paid man working for a wage. He felt that the place was his – and so it was, in a manner of speaking…. People said that big gardens were finished; that everything belonged to everybody and nothing to anybody. He didn’t believe that. The world started with a garden and a thing that had been going all that time wouldn’t end so easily.

Old Herbaceous is not a “Christian” book by any means. The narrative makes it clear that Pinnegar is not a church-goer (much to the chagrin of a long line of village vicars), but there are many episodes of grace that make it a delight. First there is his adoptive mother. Then the school teacher, Mary Brain, who teaches him to identify and love wild flowers. Then there is Mrs. Charteris. And the elderly lawyer, Mr. Billiter. Pinnegar’s life is an uphill climb all the way, but these men and women demonstrate a kindness and generosity that fortify him for the challenges.

The writing is delightful. As a young boy, Herbert enters a bouquet in a flower show. While he waits for the judges to make their decision, he sees the most lovely, laughing lady – not a day over eighteen. Young Herbert stood in the center of the tent with his mouth wide open and promptly fell in love, for ever and ever, amen.

Later, when he leaves school and needs employment, he is hired by this lady and her husband to work as an under-gardener. He knew much more than she did about plants, but she reveled in teaching him their Latin names; and, so, his puppy love develops into an enduring friendship that is one of the mainstays of the book. 

Not only is this a gardener’s memoir of his work and relationships, but it is also gives a glimpse of what it was like to live through various historical events, including two world wars. As WWII approaches, we read: Of course, it had all happened before, but Mr. Pinnegar, now nearing seventy, wasn’t quite the man he had been twenty-five years ago. In those days he had taken on every job that was going – carried the village on his shoulders; even found it in his heart to laugh when they dug up the flowers and planted potatoes along the borders. But not this time. He began to feel a fierce resentment against everything and everybody mixed up in this mad endeavor to the destroy the gracious pattern of the world he had known…

This is easily one of the sweetest books I’ve ever read, but not sickeningly so. Plenty of pathos and sadness balance out the moments of charity and beauty. Best of all, you don’t have to know a thing about gardening to love this book.

Blessings,

Reading Year in Review 2025

In spite of the fact that my brain was in a fog (teaching overload) for almost six months this year, I managed to squeeze in quite a few reading gems. Here is the list: 

Favorite re-read: Charlotte's Web audiobook (read perfectly by E.B. White)

Biggest effort, but worth it: Metamorphoses by Ovid (review forthcoming)

Favorite light reads: Elizabeth Caddell's Wayne Family series (reviewed here)

Favorite book by a new-to-me author: Old Herbaceous by Reginald Arkell (1881-1959). I cried buckets of tears over this bittersweet fictional memoir. (review forthcoming)

Best non-fiction: John Oswalt's audiobook on the book of Isaiah, and Pages from a WWII Chaplain's Diary (reviewed here.)  And, although I'm not finished with it, Gerald Wilson's NIV commentary on the Psalms brought me many hours of delight.

Favorite mystery: Surfeit of Lampreys by Ngaio Marsh (Inspector Alleyn #10), reviewed here.

The novel that made my blood run cold: Address Unknown (letters exchanged before WWII between a Jewish American and his German friend from 1932-1934.)

The book that lived rent-free in my brain for weeks: Beauty by Roger Scruton (A difficult book that I'll be reviewing next month.) 

The book that delighted me quite unexpectedly: Cinderella (29 Different Versions)

Honorable mention goes to a YouTube channel that I've really enjoyed, The Commonplace with Autumn Kerr. Although my homeschooling days are over, I enjoy her wonderful book recommendations. (Also, her emphasis on how to live like a human in a digital world.)

Here is the list of all the books I read in 2025: Goodreads link

What about you? What were your favorite books of 2025?

Blessings,

Reminiscing about Books #4

2010 was a good year for accumulating new favorites. It was the first year I read D.E. Stevenson. Winter and Rough Weather is the third in a trilogy, but stood up on its own. I've read almost 40 of her novels since then and very few have disappointed. I even own 20 of her audiobooks! She is light without being fluffy, which gives me a good break from heavier reading.

I'd read some C.S. Lewis by this time, but when a friend loaned me Experiment in Criticism. I was so enamored that I shamelessly underlined fifty percent of it. (Of course, I bought her a replacement copy.) I wrote a review here.

Also that year, I read Peter Pan, and was absolutely charmed. (Reviewed here)

Two Catholic novels stretched me in good ways: Canticle for Liebowitz by Walter M. Miller and Silence by Shusako Endo. In my review of Silence, I explain how I've learned to appreciate the gravitas that Catholic authors bring to their fiction. Canticle for Liebowitz (reviewed here) turned me into a die-hard dystopian novel fan.

Another delighful discovery was Wednesday Wars, YA fiction by Gary Schmidt (a living author, for a change), which I reviewed here. 

Any thoughts on these authors or titles?

Blessings, 

"Adventures Among Books" by Andrew Lang

Andrew Lang (1844-1912) was a journalist, novelist and literary critic, who is most remembered for the twelve volumes of fairy tales that he did in collaboration with his wife. (Ten of them are free for Kindle as well as dozens of other books he wrote.) Knowing his literary bent, I was intrigued to see this collection of essays on bookish subjects. I will be highlighting only the first essay, which was by far my favorite in the book.

Lang calls this essay his literary biography saying that he has a much easier time remembering books than he does people. He writes, Some are soldiers from the cradle, some merchants, some orators; nothing but the love of books was the gift given to me by the fairies.

From an early age he was surrounded by books and those who loved to read them. He remembers “reading” Midsummer Night’s Dream as a small boy in a candlelit room where someone was playing the piano; he was sitting by the fire looking at an edition with pictures of fairies in it. The fairies seemed to come out of Shakespeare’s dream into the music and the firelight… It seemed an enchanted glimpse of Paradise.

At age four he began to teach himself to read by picking out the words and letters of a poem he had heard so often that he had it memorized: Elegy on the Death andBurial of Cock Robin. At age nine, he read his first novel, which was Jane Eyre. This was a creepy tale for a boy of nine, and Rochester was a mystery, St. John a bore. But the lonely girl in her despair, when something came into her room, and her days of starvation at school, and the terrible first Mrs. Rochester, were never to be forgotten.

He tells how he hated Greek until he discovered Homer. The very sound of the hexameter, that long, inimitable roll of the most various music, was enough to win the heart, even if the words were not understood. But the words proved unexpectedly easy to understand, full as they are of all nobility, all tenderness, all courage, courtesy, and romance…. After once being initiated into the mysteries of Greece by Homer, the work of Greek was no longer tedious.

He summarizes his love of all things Greek by writing, We cannot find any wisdom more wise than that which bids us do what men may and bear what men must. Such are the lessons of the Greeks, of the people who tried all things, in the morning of the world, and who still speak to us of what they tried in words which are the sum of human gaiety and gloom, of grief and triumph, hope and despair. The world, since their day, has but followed in the same round, which only seems new: has only made the same experiments and failed with the same failure, but less gallantly and less gloriously.

“AdventuresAmong Books” was written in 1872 when Lang was still a young man. Near the end of the essay, he writes about how he became interested in folklore and anthropology. Little did he know that his most memorable life’s work would grow out of that interest. The first “Fairy Book” was published in 1889.

Blessings,

Family Sabbatical by Carol Ryrie Brink

I read Caddie Woodlawn to my boys when they were young, but was unfamiliar with Brink’s other books until I saw the Ridgeway Family titles available through Kindle Unlimited. I enjoyed the first book, Family Grandstand, immensely because it showed a regular family with its ups and down. Since it was written in the 1950’s the kids were expected to be respectful to each other and to their parents no matter how grumpy they were feeling. (What a novel idea!!) Although there was the underlying expectation that they would be well-behaved, they got into plenty of scrapes and were never sickeningly sweet. I enjoyed every bit of it.

I wasn’t so sure about the second book, Family Sabbatical, because the first half was rather silly. Professor Ridgeway has taken his family to France for six months so that he can do research. The kids must adapt to living in hotels and are horrified when their father hires a governess to teach them French. They end up teaching her a lot of American slang and learn next to nothing. Then they have a Halloween party complete with a house of horrors. I was okay with that, but not thrilled.

The second half, however, completely made up for the first. To avoid spoilers, I will just say that the youngest sibling loses one of her precious treasures and the other two children do their best to console and comfort her. All this happens at Christmas time so there are a lot of sweet moments. There’s even a mysterious princess living in their hotel. It was “magical” without any spells or potions. In every sentence Brink conveys the beauty of imagination and of self-giving love. I shed quite a few tears over those last chapters.

Highly recommended if you are fans of family fiction such as All-of-a-Kind Family, Betsy and Tacy, and the Little House books.

(I am just sorry that the newest book covers for this series are so hideous!)

P.S. This title is also available at Internet Archive.

Blessings,

The Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers

I have long heard of The Riddle of the Sands as one of the first thrillers, and was intrigued that the British newspaper, The Guardian, has listed it as one of the best ten spy novels of all time. I may have even tried to read it before, but got lost in the technical information about sailing. Listening to the audiobook made all the difference.

The book begins with Charles Carruthers, a bored young man looking for a way to fill up his vacation time before going back to work in the Foreign Office. He receives a message from Arthur Davies, a university acquaintance, inviting him on a yachting holiday in the Baltic Sea. When he arrives with all of his baggage, he discovers that the “yacht” is a tiny disheveled boat and that the holiday is not going to be at all as he expected. In fact, he and Davies are in for the adventure of their lives.

As they explore the Frisian Islands off the coast of Germany, they stumble upon some suspicious activities that seem to point to a possible German invasion of England. (As I read, I assumed, of course, that this novel was written during WWI or WWII, but was surprised to discover it was written in 1903 at a time when nobody considered that a possibility. No wonder it was a thriller!)

I could not put this book down. It’s a good thing my husband was travelling while I listened because I would have ignored him for the three days that I carried my cell phone around with me to finish it. The narration by Anton Lesser was stellar. His inflections were outstanding. When the dialogue called for whispering, heavy breathing, dry wit, male/female voices, or foreign accents, he did it all with perfection. He had me hanging on every word – even the “boring” bits about boating!

I was intrigued not only by the book but by its author’s interesting history. He was born in London in 1870, grew up in England, and served in the Second Boer War (1899-1902). Later he became disenchanted with British Imperialism and became involved in Irish republicanism (a movement to free Ireland from British rule), even smuggling guns into Ireland in 1914. Although he served England during WW1, he was later blacklisted by the British for his support of the IRA, even being called “the mischief-making murderous renegade” by Winston Churchill. In the end, he was shot by a firing squad, not for his anti-British activities, but for being caught carrying a pistol, which was in violation of the Emergency Powers Resolution. He was fifty-two years old.

Blessings,

The Wayne Family Trilogy by Elizabeth Cadell

Elizabeth Cadell (1903-1989) was a British writer of light, clean love stories. Usually I'm not a fan of straight romance novels, but occasionally I'll read one to take a break from heavier fare. This series was unexpectedly delightful.

In the first book, The Lark Shall Sing, Lucille Wayne has decided to sell the family home, and her decision brings her five siblings from near and far to protest the action. The mayhem that ensues is hilarious. Cadell does a wonderful job of describing each sibling, and I couldn't help loving Julia, bibliophile and "ugly duckling" of the family. There is a fairytale quality to the story with characters who appear "out of the blue" to help make the satisfying resolution possible; I enjoyed both Pietro and Miss Cornhill as much as the regular members of the Wayne family. The inevitable romance was not front and center.

The second book, The Blue Sky of Spring, takes place a year later and its tone is not as jovial. In fact, instead of the family antics of the first book, this one includes a mystery regarding a spinster who dies suddenly after trying to change her will. A romance is predominant, but not annoyingly so. It was a pleasure to spend more time with each member of the family, watching them grow through the stresses and strains of their shared lives. 

The third and final book, Six Impossible Things, happens ten years later, which allows you to see young Julia all grown up. She has just returned from Italy where she has been studying piano under the famous "Albano". Nicholas, her older brother, fails to see how she has bloomed from an awkward youngster into a charming young woman. A large part of the story is their growing understanding of each other. Yes, there is the requisite romance, but quite a lot of other subplots as well. I loved the emphasis on community and the ties that bind people together. 

The only downside to the series was the occasional light swearing, but that did not keep me from enjoying the many afternoons I spent with the wild and wonderful Waynes. (I read these books through my Kindle Unlimited subscription, which I got for three months for 99 cents!)

Blessings,

To Be Where You Are by Jan Karon

Although Karon originally planned to end the Mitford books with book 9, Light from Heaven, she kindly graced us with several follow-up novels. Books 10 and 11 focused on Father Tim (travelling to Mississippi and to Ireland, respectively). Book 12, Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good, took us back to Mitford and re-introduced all her beloved characters. Books 13 and 14 focus on Father Tim’s adopted son’s marriage and career. But most of the rest of the Mitford crowd shows up in all their glory and humanity. To Be Where You Are (#14) is the last and longest in the series (450 pages), and does its best to tie up loose ends.

The writing is always good. It is amazing how Karon gives each character his or her own way of speaking – not just their accent, but also their vocabulary. Then there are the literary nuggets “hidden” throughout the novel that make lit lovers’ hearts sing. I chortled on page 44 when Father Tim ruminated on a past experience: “He had been there, done that, and upon arriving home, caked with mud, half-starved and exhausted, he had agreed with his wife in what the raven had so judiciously quoted.” (a sly reference to Edgar Allen Poe’s famous poem). Later as the police chief instructs Coot Hendricks on how to act like Santa for the Christmas parade, he tells him to touch the side of his nose, which fans of “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” will understand perfectly. Finally, she definitely had my number when she mentions the drool-worthy Library of America editions of favorite authors on page 343. (Have you ever seen those????? They are gorgeous hard covers with ribbon markers that fit perfectly in the palm of your hand. A book lover's dream.)

I know I say this in every review, but Jan Karon is one of the few authors of light fiction who capably adds heft to her work by showing both the joy and suffering of human existence. She also succeeds in weaving faith into her stories without giving easy, pat answers. The fact that the story ends at Christmas makes it especially poignant, and it also brings wonderful closure. As Father Tim and Cynthia read their Christmas cards to each other, we hear bits and pieces about the friends we met in the novels that took place outside of Mitford (Whitecap Island, Holly Springs, The Blue Ridge Mountains, and Ireland).

This was the perfect ending to the Mitford series.

Blessings,

In the Company of Others by Jan Karon

From what I’ve picked up from other people’s reviews, Jan Karon originally planned to stop writing the Mitford books with book nine, Light from Heaven. Her next project was the Father Tim novels of which there are two, Home to Holly Springs and In the Company of Others.

I was forewarned that these latter books were not as cozy as the original Mitford books so I was not shocked when some dark family secrets were revealed in Home to Holly Springs, a book with tells the backstory of Father Tim’s childhood. In the Company of Others was not nearly as somber. Yes, there is plenty of heartache, but, as always, Karon skillfully interweaves hope throughout the narrative. In this second Father Tim novel, he and Cynthia finally go on a long-awaited trip to Ireland. Because Cynthia injures her ankle, they cannot do all the touring they had planned and, hence, the story takes place almost completely in the inn where they are staying.

The writing is excellent as usual. Cynthia sat reading amid a wave of books washed onto the shore of the duvet. He was stashed in the wing chair, imbibing his own pleasures. And there are nods to many favorite authors. At one point, Father Tim remembers that Dorothy Sayers said, Where Christ is, cheerfulness will keep breaking in. [This was] a description, in toto, of the woman who shared his bed.

More than any other book this one is a tribute to Cynthia: her tender heart toward those who are suffering, her upbeat look at life’s challenges, and her giftedness as an artist.

The following paragraph shows a glimpse of their delightful banter. 

“You love me,” she said, amazed and certain. It was like her to say such things, completely out of the blue.

“I’ve always loved you,” he said, “From the time I was born.”

“How did you manage that?”

“I think I came into the world seeking something not absolutely tied to this earthly realm. Your open mind, your curiosity, your reverence promised that and drew me in.” He put is arm around her, felt the cool of her flesh against his.

“My mother had it, you have it,” he said. “She took the red dirt and made gardens that people came from miles around to see. No earthmoving equipment, just a wheelbarrow and shovel. No money, just hard work, ingenuity, and passion. All the time, everywhere you go, you know how to make something out of what most people see as nothing. You’ve made something out of me.”

“No, sweetheart, you were quite the finished product.”

“Never. I was an overworked, underfeeling man growing old alone. I thank you for teaching me not to fear intimacy; for making me do this thing we call marriage.”

“I made you do it?”

“I quit, but you didn’t. Of course I was praying you wouldn’t, but I fully expected you to.” He put his hand under her chin and lifted her face to his and kissed her. "Happy birthday, glimmering girl. Sorry it’s been such a hassle.”

“It isn’t such a hassle, really. It’s just life – quirky and scary and lovely and immense.”

I’ve been re-reading all the Mitford novels this year, but this was one I’d missed before. So glad to have found it.

Blessings,

Set in Silver by C.N. Williamson

I thought I knew all the vintage authors worth reading, but thanks to a friend at Goodreads, I discovered the Williamson writing team. Charles (1859-1920) was a “motoring journalist” at a time when it was still a novelty to own a car. His wife, Alice, turned his travelogues into romance novels, which explains why much of the stories are embedded in facts about quaint, historic English towns.

Set in Silver is a far-fetched comedy of errors that was perfectly delightful. It’s a love story in two senses. First, it’s the tale of a man who comes back to England after many years and rediscovers his passion for the country of his birth. Second, it is the traditional yarn of boy-meets-girl.

I’m prejudiced toward British writers and the Williamsons did not disappoint. The novel was loaded with literary references to Greek mythology, literary classics and the Bible. It was not Christian by any stretch of the imagination (Lionel’s sister is annoyingly religious), but if you know the Bible, the off-hand allusions to scriptural passages were often laugh-out-loud-funny. The frequent references to Arthurian legends were also a big plus for me. (It’s amazing to think that this “light” novel was written with the expectation that people would catch all these references, which they still did in 1909.)

Even though I could hardly put this book down, it took almost a week to read. It was 400 pages on my Kindle and I refused to skim over the descriptive passages (except for the last 40 pages when I just couldn’t wait a second longer to see how it was all going to turn out).

If you like a good vintage novel that is more lighthearted than sappy, this should do the trick. It had me smiling from start to finish. And it’s free for Kindle. 

Blessings,

A Fugue in Time by Rummer Godden

What a strange and delightful book! It tells the story of a house that has sheltered three generations of the Dane family. The book opens during WWII as Sir Roland looks back over his life and over the century that his family has lived in the house at 99 Wiltshire Place. People are randomly introduced, but are fleshed out as the novel progresses. There are Griselda and John, Roland’s parents. Of their nine children, only three play a major part in the narrative. Another member of this second generation is Lark, an adopted orphan. Finally come Grizel and Pax (the third generation).

Another major character in the book is the house itself. It seems to hold the memories and conversations of all who have lived there. These voices sometimes talk to Roland, which may be disconcerting to some readers, but I found it intriguing. Take this paragraph which describes a young woman (granddaughter to John and grandniece to Roland) who comes for a visit:  

It seemed to her all at once that the house was immensely bigger than she had first thought; it had, she glimpsed, a common life far greater than the individual little lives that were her grandfather and herself. It held them both. He was dead, she was alive, but there was no difference between them in the house. Grizel did not like that. She was insistent. ‘No. No,’ she cried. ‘He is dead, It is I, Grizel, who am alive.’ Then her cheeks warmed. It was as if someone had coldly remarked, ‘What a clamor you make, Grizel.’ 

It can be confusing because the narrative is not told in a linear fashion, but jumps back and forth between time frames; you only know when a particular episode takes place by paying attention to the names given to the servants or to Sir Roland. (He is young “Roly” as a boy, and grows into “Rollo” as a young man. At the end of his life, he is referred to as “Rolls.”)

Being musically challenged, I did not know the significance of the word fugue in the title, but other reviewers helped me see Godden’s genius in using it. Sara (at Goodreads) explains, “A fugue is a musical movement in which melodic lines run independently but also merge to create a harmony…. Godden has created a fugue in her novel, telling individual stories, with individual voices, but layering them atop one another to show both the passage of time and the continuity of time, simultaneously.”

It's complicated, but patient reading brings rich dividends. The writing is lovely. For example, the empty nursery is described not as “vacant” but as a place with a sense of an inner cheerful life of its own like the sound of the sea, once known to the shell, that always remains.

One reviewer calls it a feminist book, but I beg to differ. Yes, one of the women in the family chafed at the marital yoke and wished she had never had any children. But the two unhappiest characters are those who have shut themselves out of relationships to stay “safe.” Grizel and Pax must decide if they will choose safety and order over the potential discomforts of joining their lives together.

This is a unique book that must be read slowly. Its beauty brought tears to my eyes more than once. 

Blessings,

What I Read and Watched in August

I've been too busy recently to do these recaps, but this month I watched two movies that were too good not to mention. A Hidden Life  tells the true story of Franz Jagerstatter (an Austrian who refused to pledge allegience to Hitler), and shows the terrible consequences he suffered. It is beautifully filmed (though the constant shots of windows and doorways seemed a bit quirky at times) and very harrowing. We had to spread it out - an hour a night for three nights. Not exactly a "feel-good" movie, but our hearts were strengthened after viewing it. 

No Highway in the Sky is an underrated gem that we found on YouTube with Jimmy Stewart as the proverbial "absent-minded professor." But this is no comedy. Theodore Honey is a widower. He is an aeronautical engineer who believes that a newly manufactured plane has not been tested sufficiently, and he goes to great lengths to prove that it is not safe for flying. There are many poignant moments and wonderful acting by Stewart - and also by Janette Scott (who plays his young daughter) and Glynis Johns and Marlene Dietrich (who both fall for him). The movie was extremely engaging and had a good balance of light and tense moments.

I also finished three books that I've been reading for months: The Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis (Vol. 1), Poems and Letters of Emily Dickinson, and Listening to God in Difficult Times by Kay Arthur (a three month deep dive into the book of Jeremiah.)

I continue to plow through the Mitford series and read books 8 to 10: Shepherds Abiding, Light from Heaven, and Home to Holly Springs. I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook of Agatha Christie's The Secret of Chimneys and C.N. Williamson's vinatage novel, Set in Silver. (review coming soon)

Honorable mention goes to an excellent book I finished in July that will be reviewed here soon: A Fugue in Time by Rumer Godden. 

It was a great month! Has anyone else enjoyed these movies or books?

Blessings,

Two Molly Clavering Novels

I read my first Clavering novel two years ago and I'm not sure why it took so long to get back to her. Now I’m gulping them down one after the other!

Recently I read was Mrs. Lorimer’s Quiet Summer. It was a pleasant surprise to have the protagonist be married and middle aged (but still very much in her prime). Lucy Lorimer has been mellowed by life, and her gentleness and wisdom attract people to her. She’s not perfect though, which makes her very endearing. Clavering’s books remind me a lot of D.E. Stevenson, but she has her own style, which is lovely. The writing is good and, so far, none of the novels have followed a predictable formula.

The next novel I read was Because of Sam. Millie is a widow in impoverished circumstances, but she has her own home and manages to scrape together a living by running a dog kennel. Her pragmatic adult daughter is sometimes a trial to her, but they bungle along as best they can. There is some romance, but it is not the main reason I keep coming back to Clavering. Her heroines are strong without losing their womanliness. The writing is scrumptious and sprinkled with literary references:

Millie walked easily and lightly in the sparkling clean air, enjoying the sensations of having the whole world to herself and of being ridiculously young. Both were illusions, both were wholly delightful, a part of the fine day and the lonely upland place. Cares and troubles fell away from her like Christian’s burden.

Like D.E. Stevenson’s novels, the houses often have their own personality: The front garden on its steep slope seemed to be tumbling downhill to meet one, and behind it the house looked out with a welcoming twinkle from its windows, rather as if it stood on tiptoe to see over the flowers and shrubs. It was a low house, built before the craze for ornate architecture had set in during the nineteenth century, and its proportions and style owed a great deal to the inspiration of the brothers Adam. The door had a bell-shaped fanlight above it, and a large window on either side, matched by the three windows of the upper story. Tall chimneys rising at each end added to its appearance of eager watchfulness.

I was able to read these through my library (Hoopla), but they are not too expensive for Kindle. A lovely way to spend an afternoon!

Blessings,

In This Mountain by Jan Karon (Mitford #7)

I am slowly re-reading the first eight novels in the Mitford series to refresh my memory before tackling the later novels (which I somehow missed). It's a joy to be revisiting these dear literary acquaintances after almost two decades.

Every time I review a Jan Karon book, I reiterate that I don't know of another author of light novels who so deftly weaves together stories of joys mingled with suffering. She manages to write about the Christian life in a way that puts most Christian fiction to shame. Take this conversation between Father Tim and Buck Leeper as an example. Buck and his new wife Pauline came from rough backgrounds, but after putting their faith in Christ, are trying to piece together some of the wreckage from their past. One thing they are attempting to do is find her children (who she gave away at various times when she was too poor or too drunk to take care of them). 

"A few days ago I asked Pauline to tell me everything she could remember about the boys, like if they had any birthmarks, an' th' color of their eyes."

"Good thinking."

"She couldn't remember the color of their eyes." 

There was a long silence between them.

"When she realized she couldn't remember the color... Buck hunched over, his head in his hands. "It was the alcohol, of course. All those years...."

"Those years are behind you." 

"Yey, they are, thank God." Buck looked at him. "But you pay the consequences."

"True. But now God is in the consequences with you." (p. 83)

I have seen a lot of miracles in my sixty years, but I know that God just as often works through the daily grind of life. I despise books where everyone gets saved and their problems just go away; that is not how real life (or real Christianity) works. Karon beautifully balances the miracles with the uphill climb that life can be.  

In this seventh novel in the series, In This Mountain, Father Tim has a brush with death. Instead of having him say a prayer that erases all the toil of his slow recovery, Karon paints a believable picture of a man who struggles just to get out of bed in the morning and who has to learn all over again how to trust God for every single step he takes. 

As usual I was encouraged by the reference (which appears in almost every Mitford book) of "the prayer that never fails." This is the prayer of surrender, "Thy will be done." Last of all, I enjoy Karon's books for their lovely literary references. When Father Tims meets up with his bishop (and faithful friend of many decades), Karon describes their reunion: "They laughed together, at ease. Few things in life were more consoling than an old friendship in which all the hair, as in the story of the velveteen rabbit, had been rubbed off."

For previous reviews click on these titles: At Home in Mitford (#1), These High, Green Hills (#3), Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good (#12).

Any other Mitford fans out there?

Blessings,

Miracles on Maple Hill by Virginia Sorenson

I started Miracles on Maple Hill many years ago and couldn't get past the heaviness of the first few chapters (which didn't seem appropriate for a children's book). BUT I kept hearing good things about it and am glad that I gave it another try. 

As soon as the story begins, we sense that something is not quite right with Marly's father. We learn later that he was a prisoner of war during WWII and returned with PTSD symptoms. Her mother is moving Marly (age 10), her father, and her older brother Joe to live in the country to aid her father in his recovery. Marly is hoping that the present stresses of her family life will be relieved by this change, but she has no idea of the many good things that are coming her way. 

The word "miracles" in this story can easily be translated as the acts of kindness that bring comfort and peace to this hurting family. This abundance of grace is conveyed through kind neighbors, the beauty of the changing seasons and even, on occasion, from Marly's brother who normally doesn't have time to bother with her. 

This was the 1957 Newbery winner so it assumes that kids were semi-literate and would understand references to Thumbellina, Joseph in the Bible, Shakespeare, etc. It also gives a gentle nod to differences between males and females, which I found refreshing, but which I know would not be acceptable in present-day stories. It also treats kids with respect by not talking down to them about hard subjects. Living in the country Marly discovers some hard realities about life and death. Why are their poisonous plants and mushrooms in the midst of so much glorious beauty? 

Though written for children, I got some strong Wendell Berry vibes with regard to rootedness and the healing power of community. Yes, the beginning is heavy, but it sets up the stage for the miracles that will need to happen to restore Marly's family. It is a beautifully told story and I loved the gentle way it teaches kids that though life can be hard, it can also be very good.

Blessings,

The Duchess of Bloomsbury by Helene Hanff

Consider this a belated review of 84 Charing Cross Road which I enjoyed in 2021 and again in January of this year. I am a fan of epistolary novels so the 20 years of correspondence (1949-1968) between Helene Hanff (book lover from New York) with Frank Doel (a book seller from London) was pure delight.  The audio version is spot on in highlighting their differences of manner. And the 1987 movie, with stellar performances by Anne Bancroft and Anthony Hopkins, is one of my favorites. (You can watch the trailer here.)

Because of her success with the book 84 Charing Cross Road, Helene is finally able to afford a trip to London. The Duchess of Bloomsbury recounts her dream-come-true:

All my life I've wanted to see London. I used to go to English movies just to look at streets with houses like those. Staring at the screen in a dark theatre, I wanted to walk down those streets so badly it gnawed at me like hunger. Sometimes, at home in the evening, reading a casual description of London by Hazlitt or Leigh Hunt, I'd put the book down suddenly, engulfed by a wave of longing that was like homesickness. I wanted to see London the way old people want to see home before they die. 

Marks and Co., the bookshop that had been her main supplier, has closed and so she meets a host of new people who offer to show her the town. She's a bit overwhelmed with the modest fame that her book has brought her and jokingly calls herself "The Duchess of Bloomsbury" since that is where her hotel is located. Many of the characters she meets are as quirky and endearing as she is. 

This is a must for every bibliophile if only to identify with how easy it is to go off on to rabbit trails while reading a good book. Helene remarks that one set of books by Arthur Quiller Couch took her eleven years to read because of all the books she read in between to better understand his comments. She so identifies with Couch that she nicknames him "Q" (which explains the title of her next book, Q's Legacy.) 

I was fascinated by the fact that though she had not read as widely as she would have liked, she had read deeply; My problem is that that while other people are reading fifty books I'm reading one book fifty times. I only stop when at the bottom of page 20, say, I realize I can recite pages 21 and 22 from memory. Then I put the book away for a few years.

I'd love to be able to do that. 

I was able to get these first two books via digital download from my library, but it looks like Q's Legacy may cost me $6!

Blessings,

These High, Green Hills by Jan Karon (Mitford #3)

I thoroughly enjoyed the first two Mitford books, but there is something very special about These High, Green Hills. Maybe it's because I feel like I know the townspeople well enough to really care about them. Or maybe it's because this book (even more than the others) shows deep suffering while still offering plenty of solid hope (not to be confused with fluffy optimism).

The other books hinted at Father Tim's childhood, but Book Three digs a little deeper into that subject and we begin to see some necessary healing take place. In fact, quite a few people in the book are dealing with past hurts.

But it's not primarily a sad book. The Mitford folks band together to support one another. Laughter is interwoven with tears. Written 25 years ago, there are jokes about adapting to life with computers when hardly anyone knew how to use them. Delightful literary references are sprinkled throughout such as C.S. Lewis quotes, snippets of poetry and an occasional quote from The Book of Common Prayer.

Karon has a gift for balancing suffering with hope, and lighthearted banter with more serious conversations. Quite a trick, but the end result is delightful.

Blessings,

The Priorsford Trilogy by O. Douglas

If you are looking for light-hearted (yet literary) domestic fiction, look no further than the writings of Anna Masterson Buchan (1877-1948). She was the sister of John Buchan (famous for his mystery novels), which may be why she used the pen name of O. Douglas.

Penny Plain - Of the eight novels I've read, this is still my favorite. Jean Jardine lives in a small town in Scotland and is bravely raising her three brothers on very little money and lots of love. Delightful references to books, mouthwatering descriptions of tea parties, and a fairy tale ending make this a delightful read. My extended review is here.

Pink Sugar - Kirsty Gilmour is another plucky heroine who is making the best of a tough situation. After the death of her only remaining parent, she moves to a small town in Scotland to begin life anew. A more detailed review is here. (At the time I am writing this post, Pink Sugar is $2.99 for kindle, but can be bought in a bundle of five Buchan novels for just 99 cents.)

Priorsford - Written ten years after Penny Plain, Priorsford doesn't have quite the same "joie de vivre" as the first book. I gave it only two stars, but now I'm wondering if that had something to do with how low-spirited my reading life was during the pandemic.

The House that is Our Own is not an official part of the Priorsford trilogy, but its protagonist travels to Priorsford and meets all the main characters of the previous books so it's a treat for fans of the Priorsford novels to get a glimpse of Jean Jardine twenty years into her marriage. My review is here. 

I am working my way through AMB's canon and look forward to reading the last four novels as well as her two biographical books, "Unforgettable, Unforgotten" and "Farewell to Priorsford." 

Blessings,

At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon (Mitford #1)

I devoured all the Mitford books years ago. According to my book log, I read this first one in 1998. Oddly, I only blogged about one of them (book 12 of 14). I haven't read the last two, so I'm looking forward to that AS SOON AS I re-read the first dozen. 

It was lovely to visit Mitford again this week. In At Home in Mitford, Jan Karon writes charmingly of the trials and tribulations of the folks in a small imaginary town in North Carolina. I wouldn't denigrate it by calling it Christian fiction. Yes, it's clean, and includes talk about God and prayer, but there are no syrupy sweet characters and no easy answers. The main character, Father Timothy, is an Episcopal pastor who has a vibrant faith, but who often struggles with burnout and insecurity. 

And in spite of the light tone (often conveyed through dialogue with hilarious townspeople), Karon manages to pack a lot of suffering into her books. In this one, there is a drug-addicted mom, a woman dying of a heart condition, thwarted love, a prison sentence and a diabetes diagnosis. Yet Karon still manages to deftly weave hope and laughter into each chapter.  

The quirky characters are fleshed out in such a way as to keep them from being caricatures. Take Miss Rose for example. She's a cantankerous nut job who wears a mixture of army surplus and rummage sale clothing and lives in a huge, crumbling house with her husband, Uncle Billy. As the story progresses, we discover that she is bi-polar and makes life miserable for Billy. But he is determined to protect her and love her because "that's what he promised to do." 

It's a lovely book and I can't wait to start the sequel!

P.S. I am stunned at how expensive these are Amazon. Thankfully, I picked up all my copies at thrift stores.

Blessings,