Merry Hall (Beverley Nichols Trilogy)

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Dust jacket a little sunned and edgeworn, spine very sunned with slight loss to top and small chips to foot. Linda Coyner Senior Women Web 20030721 His books are peopled with village characters, with Nichols himself cast as the English squire. I hope you’re able to find the other volumes in this other trilogy; maybe you’ll be more fortunate than you’re expecting. Gardening aside the (the book has much more to offer than horticultural musings)the characters he creates are glorious.

Nichols isn't just funny-he's wickedly insightful, poking jibes at all the various personality "types" one runs into in the horticulture world. Miss Emily’ keeps popping in and as she was clearly in love with ‘Stebbings’ the previous owner she is horrified at any of the improvements on the house. This is a very nice site and your love of books, particularly as a physical entity, comes through very strongly. He went to school at Marlborough College, and went to Balliol College, Oxford University, and was President of the Oxford Union and editor of Isis.I find his writing such a joy – it’s a pleasure to read and sometimes you just need someone who will make you smile. What makes this book endearing is his obvious love for gardening and the way he describes his experiences in a humorous way.

They're not really my bag, but as an anecdotal meander through the life of someone who led a rich and fascinating life, and who had a keen eye and ear for the ridiculous, it is glorious.My copy in 60 years old – I can’t believe it was published as long ago as 1953 – and yet is in remarkably good condition. Straightforward, arch, and surprisingly sweet, an awesome garden book even for the non-winter months (which is when I think it's more traditional to read them, but so what). I suspect, particularly after the ending of his third book, that he was in fact very reluctant to leave his Tudor cottage although he seemed to have put down new roots in this second property. I am reading James: The Portrait of a Lady for my book group and Nichols is a great relief from page- long paragraphs! I am a huge lover of Beverley’s books – I’d read them all the time if I didn’t think I’d turn into a terrible bore!