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Desirable Residences and Other Stories
For some years after his death in 1940, E.F. Benson was a forgotten man of English letters, remembered only by a few enthusiasts of his supernatural fiction. But over the last decade this has all changed, as successful TV adaptations of his comic masterpieces, the "Mapp and Lucia" stories,
have transformed his reputation and led to the reissue of his best comic novels. Now, Jack Adrian, an authority on twentieth-century popular fiction, has brought together twenty-six of Benson's delightful short stories, some of which are newly discovered, and most of which have never been published
in book form.
In Desirable Residences we find all of Benson's archetypical characters--absurd, gossipy socialites, appalling meddlers, and hapless males--sketched with a fine satirical wit, and juxtaposed in hilarious short stories. Benson's typical tale involves the humorous misadventures of his sorry,
but lovable crew of main characters. One story relates the catastrophe which ensues when a pair of misogynistic bachelors mistakenly think they have solved their domestic problems by investing in the latest household appliances ("electricity," they hoped, would "take the place of a staff of greedy,
incompetent females"). Adrian includes several of Benson's society stories (such as "The Drawing Room Bureau," in which a feud develops between two fashionable women over who will be able to divulge the most classified information from their "sources" at the War Office), and four depicting "The
Diversions of Amy Bondham," a meddlesome social climber who is revived on her death bed when her husband reads to her the lineage of the Duke she has just visited. A typically pointed Benson passage has Amy complaining of the dreary social "There had been so many pianists, so many singers,
so many operations, and though a play by West African cannibals was a novelty, there would be risks in asking these artists to her house....She would never forgive herself if any of her guests were killed or eaten." Benson's taste for the bizarre is well represented, and the collection includes
three of his ghost stories (which he like to call "spook stories"). Throughout, Benson creates memorable, often absurd characters--from the unfortunate Miss Mapp (featured in the title story) to the priceless Dodo to humorous hypochondriacs like Dicky Pepys and Bertram Potter.
Like his dozens of novels, these stories show Benson to be a master of many genres--from the society spoof to the chilling supernatural tale. These never-before-collected stories will only increase the burgeoning popularity of this once forgotten author.
have transformed his reputation and led to the reissue of his best comic novels. Now, Jack Adrian, an authority on twentieth-century popular fiction, has brought together twenty-six of Benson's delightful short stories, some of which are newly discovered, and most of which have never been published
in book form.
In Desirable Residences we find all of Benson's archetypical characters--absurd, gossipy socialites, appalling meddlers, and hapless males--sketched with a fine satirical wit, and juxtaposed in hilarious short stories. Benson's typical tale involves the humorous misadventures of his sorry,
but lovable crew of main characters. One story relates the catastrophe which ensues when a pair of misogynistic bachelors mistakenly think they have solved their domestic problems by investing in the latest household appliances ("electricity," they hoped, would "take the place of a staff of greedy,
incompetent females"). Adrian includes several of Benson's society stories (such as "The Drawing Room Bureau," in which a feud develops between two fashionable women over who will be able to divulge the most classified information from their "sources" at the War Office), and four depicting "The
Diversions of Amy Bondham," a meddlesome social climber who is revived on her death bed when her husband reads to her the lineage of the Duke she has just visited. A typically pointed Benson passage has Amy complaining of the dreary social "There had been so many pianists, so many singers,
so many operations, and though a play by West African cannibals was a novelty, there would be risks in asking these artists to her house....She would never forgive herself if any of her guests were killed or eaten." Benson's taste for the bizarre is well represented, and the collection includes
three of his ghost stories (which he like to call "spook stories"). Throughout, Benson creates memorable, often absurd characters--from the unfortunate Miss Mapp (featured in the title story) to the priceless Dodo to humorous hypochondriacs like Dicky Pepys and Bertram Potter.
Like his dozens of novels, these stories show Benson to be a master of many genres--from the society spoof to the chilling supernatural tale. These never-before-collected stories will only increase the burgeoning popularity of this once forgotten author.
292 pages, Paperback
First published September 5, 1991
63 people want to read
About the author
E.F. Benson
1,027 books354 followersEdward Frederic "E. F." Benson was an English novelist, biographer, memoirist, archaeologist and short story writer.
E. F. Benson was the younger brother of A.C. Benson, who wrote the words to "Land of Hope and Glory", Robert Hugh Benson, author of several novels and Roman Catholic apologetic works, and Margaret Benson, an author and amateur Egyptologist.
Benson died during 1940 of throat cancer at the University College Hospital, London. He is buried in the cemetery at Rye, East Sussex.
Last paragraph from Wikipedia
E. F. Benson was the younger brother of A.C. Benson, who wrote the words to "Land of Hope and Glory", Robert Hugh Benson, author of several novels and Roman Catholic apologetic works, and Margaret Benson, an author and amateur Egyptologist.
Benson died during 1940 of throat cancer at the University College Hospital, London. He is buried in the cemetery at Rye, East Sussex.
Last paragraph from Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 2, 2014
Some sort of attempt to sell fans of Benson's "Lucia" on his other short fiction. Of the two presumptively lost and rediscovered stories here, the title one is a lightly reworked episode, perhaps an earlier draft, of a chapter in one of the books - so no real revelations.
However, the collection is grouped by Benson's many other styles, all of which were new to me. The "spook" stories of various supernatural happenings were well-crafted and engaging, not that I will seek out any more, and some of his other comedic social commentary, for example on the never outdated topic of dietary and medicinal faddism, is good for several laughs (or at least amused smiles).
We can loosely generalize that career short story writers for the many weekly and monthly periodicals of the early 20th century were not-infrequently inspired journeyman writers comparable to the better television writers or our time - a nice glimpse into the entertainment of a century ago.
However, the collection is grouped by Benson's many other styles, all of which were new to me. The "spook" stories of various supernatural happenings were well-crafted and engaging, not that I will seek out any more, and some of his other comedic social commentary, for example on the never outdated topic of dietary and medicinal faddism, is good for several laughs (or at least amused smiles).
We can loosely generalize that career short story writers for the many weekly and monthly periodicals of the early 20th century were not-infrequently inspired journeyman writers comparable to the better television writers or our time - a nice glimpse into the entertainment of a century ago.
May 25, 2012
I really rate this at least 3.5 stars. It is an interesting collection of short stories of E.F. Benson. I have still not fully discovered the works of this man, but was glad to find this collection. The stories have quite a range and were written between the 1890s and 1930s. Most have a very episodic feel and are connected to his longer works. Benson's writing is very sharp and satirical and plainly displays a society that tends toward calm, cool, and even cruel. And honestly one of the best of these, and perhaps not so cruel, is the title story, a Miss Mapp tale.
June 6, 2010
Jack Adrian, who assembled this collection from the pages of various magazines in which the stories were originally published, notes that plotting was not Benson's strong point. True enough. These stories are anecdotes, redolent of the era in which they were written (from the late 1890s to the early 1930s), and the world of the upper middle class Englishfolk they concern. Pleasant, at times amusing, but not deeply engaging.
June 10, 2016
At much as I love Mr. Benson's novels - and I really do - when it comes to the short story, well, he's no Saki...
March 31, 2023
I'm a huge fan of the Mapp and Lucia stories by this author, however, this collection of short stories began to feel a bit formulaic. Benson only writes about similar types of topics, and many had a "same song, different dance" feel. I did enjoy many of them, but I read them spread out over several months which I would recommend. One final note, the story for which this book is named is included in one of the other Mapp and Lucia stories, and this just appears to be a different draft of it.
November 6, 2011
A mixed bag of Benson short stories. The "new" MIss Mapp story will not be new for many of the fans of Mapp and Lucia since it is now included in many of the compilations of that series. The Dodo stories can be hard sledging for those who are not already deeply steeped in Dodo-ism and the Spook Stories are not, in the opinion of this reviewer, among his "spookiest." The Amy Bondham stories are best read in light of Benson's fascination with social climbers (see The Freaks of Mayfair.)
On the other hand there are some real gems among the stories collected here and some, including The Superannuation Department, AD 1945 and The Satyr's Sandals, remind the reader that the walls between genres were far more permeable in Benson's times than they are today.
Not, I think, the best place to start Benson had one never read him before but a welcome addition to the libraries of Benson enthusiasts.
On the other hand there are some real gems among the stories collected here and some, including The Superannuation Department, AD 1945 and The Satyr's Sandals, remind the reader that the walls between genres were far more permeable in Benson's times than they are today.
Not, I think, the best place to start Benson had one never read him before but a welcome addition to the libraries of Benson enthusiasts.
December 7, 2014
This is a collection of 27 of E.F. Benson's short stories, published from 1896 to 1935. There is one Miss Mapp short story, which is delightful. A few others follow the genre of the scheming social climbing females that inhabit Benson's world. There is a sampling of some of his ghost stories, and amusing science fiction story, and a couple of mysteries. The rest are rather pedestrian stories about fairly normal people encountering everyday problems. It is certainly representative of his body of work, but not always the best.
June 10, 2017
I discovered E.F.Benson has written many more books and stories than I'd realized. The spooky stories in this volume were a revelation to me, nor was I familiar with the "Dodo" series. I see I have a lot more reading to do.
December 1, 2014
A collection of short stories grouped into various themes. The society stories are early versions of material, much of which was reworked for use in the Mapp and Lucia series. Some odd and poor stories in the "Crank" and "Ghost" story sections.
July 29, 2015
A delightful (and horrifying) set of stories from the master! Charming, funny.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews