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Excellent Women
'I'm a huge fan of Barbara Pym' Richard Osman
Series: Virago Modern Classics
Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.
Check link for latest rating. ( 19,831 ratings, 2,897 reviews)
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Format: Hardback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
This book may appeal to you if you enjoy British satire and keen observations on post-war social dynamics. You might appreciate the witty portrayal of a woman's life in a seemingly mundane setting, woven with humour and a subtle exploration of gender and relationships. It's perfect for those who appreciate the charm of domestic fiction with a touch of irony.
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See moreProbably Pym's most famous novel 'I'd sooner read a new Barbara Pym than a new Jane Austen' Philip Larkin
Probably Pym's most famous novel 'I'd sooner read a new Barbara Pym than a new Jane Austen' Philip Larkin
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
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Description
Cover design by Orla Kiely
Mildred Lathbury is one of those excellent women who is often taken for granted. She is a godsend, capable of dealing with most of the stock situations of life - birth, marriage, death, the successful jumble sales, the garden fete spoilt by bad weather.
As such, though, she often gets herself embroiled in other people’s lives - and especially those of her glamorous new neighbours, the Napiers, whose marriage seems to be on the rocks. One cannot take sides in these matters, though it is tricky, especially when Mildred, teetering on the edge of spinsterhood, has a soft spot for dashing young Rockingham Napier.
This is Barbara Pym's world at its funniest and most touching.
Series: Virago Modern Classics
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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Excellent Women by Barbara Pym is celebrated for its high comedy and is considered one of the finest examples in the genre. Critics, like Marghanita Laski, highlight its universal appeal, assuring readers of its enjoyment. Jilly Cooper praises the novel for its comforting, visionary qualities, noting how it resonates with humour and familiarity akin to meeting an old friend.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781844085262
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 03 July 2008
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Virago Press Ltd
Contributors:
- Introduction by Alexander McCall Smith
- Introduction by Alexander McCall Smith
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 25.0mm
Width: 135.0mm
Height: 205.0mm
Weight: 450g
Pages: 304
About the Author
Barbara Pym was born in Shropshire and educated at St Hilda's College, Oxford. When in 1977 the TLS asked critics to name the most underrated authors of the past 75 years, only Pym was named twice. Her novels are characterised by what Anne Tyler has called 'the heartbreaking silliness of everyday life'. She died in 1980.
Also by Barbara Pym
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Excellent Women
INTRODUCED BY ALEXANDER McCALL SMITH 'I'm a huge fan of Barbara Pym' - RICHARD OSMAN Mildred Lathbury is one of those excellent women who are often taken for granted. She is a godsend, 'capable of dealing with most of the stock situations or even the great moments of life - birth, marriage, death, the successful jumble sale, the garden fete...PaperbackSold Out -
Some Tame Gazelle
INTRODUCED BY MAVIS CHEEK I'm a huge fan of Barbara Pym - Richard Osman She is the rarest of treasures; she reminds us of the heartbreaking silliness of everyday life - Anne Tyler Together yet alone, the Misses Bede occupy the central crossroads of parish life. Harriet, plump, elegant and jolly, likes nothing better than to make a fuss of...PaperbackSold Out -
Crampton Hodnet
INTRODUCED BY LOUIS DE BERNIERES 'I'm a huge fan of Barbara Pym' — RICHARD OSMAN 'I'd sooner read a new Barbara Pym than a new Jane Austen' — PHILIP LARKIN Crampton Hodnet features the formidable Miss Doggett, who fills her life by hosting tea parties for young academics and acting as a watchdog for the morals of North Oxford. Anthea,...PaperbackSold Out -
Jane And Prudence
By the New York Times Bestselling Author Introduced by Jilly Cooper 'I'm a huge fan of Barbara Pym' - Richard Osman 'I devoured all her books, but Jane and Prudence remains my favourite' - Jilly Cooper 'Barbara Pym is the rarest of treasures; she reminds us of the heartbreaking silliness of everyday life' - Anne Tyler If Jane Cleveland and...PaperbackSold Out -
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An Academic Question
INTRODUCED BY KATE SAUNDERS 'I'm a huge fan of Barbara Pym' RICHARD OSMAN 'My favourite writer . . . I pick up her books with joy' JILLY COOPER 'Beneath the gentle surfaces of her novels is a slow-building comedy, salt wit in a saline drip' NEW YORK TIMES In a provincial university town, Caro Grimstone, a dissatisfied faculty wife, becomes...PaperbackSold Out -
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