Wednesday, August 31, 2011

THE PROVINCIAL LADY IN AMERICA - Delafield - Book Review


After reading three of E.M. Delafield's "Provincial Lady" diary books, I'm thinking the BBC should produce a television series based on these light hearted stories (written in the 1930's) so that we could all settle down to watch on a Sunday night via our local PBS stations.  I'm not good at casting (except I've always thought Gabriel Byrne would have been the best Sirius Black in the Harry Potter movies) so I don't have a particular actress in mind (any thoughts, please share).

Written in diary format, our "PL"observes all the goings on with her dry humor comments thrown in for a bit of a laugh. This time, PL is on her way to America for a book tour.  We're never told what the book is about (or her name, for that matter) but it is fun to read her interactions  with the various people she meets while touring.

Sprinkled throughout the book is a series of queries and  memo's to herself, such as this one: "Take cast-iron resolution before I sleep never to make either of the dear children subjects of long conversations with strangers. ( Mem: To let Robert (husband) know of this resolution, as feel sure he would approve of it.)

The Provincial Lady in America was the perfect book following the serious read about William Pitt the Younger.

As an aside, I bought a used copy of this book through Abe Books.  But when I opened the book and saw "DISCARDED" in big bold letters, I gasped.  What?! Discarded?! That kind of hurt my feelings--the book condition was almost perfect and the story delightful.  Well, all I can say is thank the dear  heavens for Abe's and all those glorious second-hand bookstore owners.  Discarded indeed.


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