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The Bailey Chronicles #1-3 omnibus
The Bailey Chronicles
This is a story for young women disillusioned with boyfriends and looking out for a more stable companion; for young widows with children and those without; for widows not so young; for a one-parent family; for divorcees with children; for those on the loose; and for dream-shattered women of all ages with hope springing eternal who long to meet up with an ordinary bloke like Bill Bailey.
559 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 1989
1 person is currently reading
141 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Cookson
500 books686 followersCatherine Cookson was born in Tyne Dock, the illegitimate daughter of a poverty-stricken woman, Kate, who Catherine believed was her older sister. Catherine began work in service but eventually moved south to Hastings, where she met and married Tom Cookson, a local grammar-school master.
Although she was originally acclaimed as a regional writer - her novel The Round Tower won the Winifred Holtby Award for the best regional novel of 1968 - her readership quickly spread throughout the world, and her many best-selling novels established her as one of the most popular contemporary woman novelist. She received an OBE in 1985, was created a Dame of the British Empire in 1993, and was appointed an Honorary Fellow of St Hilda's College, Oxford, in 1997.
For many years she lived near Newcastle upon Tyne.
Although she was originally acclaimed as a regional writer - her novel The Round Tower won the Winifred Holtby Award for the best regional novel of 1968 - her readership quickly spread throughout the world, and her many best-selling novels established her as one of the most popular contemporary woman novelist. She received an OBE in 1985, was created a Dame of the British Empire in 1993, and was appointed an Honorary Fellow of St Hilda's College, Oxford, in 1997.
For many years she lived near Newcastle upon Tyne.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
December 12, 2018
Was surprised at how I got so caught up in this book! Had a hard time putting it down at times.
June 14, 2023
Bill Bailey was a middle-of-the-road man. This was until he became a lodger at widow Fiona's house with her three young children. From the very first, he was taken with her.
Fiona and Bill get married and end up adopting little Mamie, whose father worked in construction for Bill. She was but 3 when her parents and older brother were killed in an automobile accident. Yes, times are changing for Bill Bailey and his squad. Fiona's youngest son Willie brings home Sammy Love, a small Irish boy whose mother left him and his da, and ran off with some bloke.
Sammy changes their household even more.
There are 3 books in this one volume:
Bill Bailey
Bill Bailey's Lot
Bill Bailey's Daughter
Told by Catherine Cookson in her wonderful storytelling way. I've owned this book for many, many years. I'll never get tired of it. #TheBaileyChronicles #BillBailey #BillBaileysLot #BillBaileysDaughter #CatherineCookson #FavoriteBooks #HighlyRecommendedBooks
Fiona and Bill get married and end up adopting little Mamie, whose father worked in construction for Bill. She was but 3 when her parents and older brother were killed in an automobile accident. Yes, times are changing for Bill Bailey and his squad. Fiona's youngest son Willie brings home Sammy Love, a small Irish boy whose mother left him and his da, and ran off with some bloke.
Sammy changes their household even more.
There are 3 books in this one volume:
Bill Bailey
Bill Bailey's Lot
Bill Bailey's Daughter
Told by Catherine Cookson in her wonderful storytelling way. I've owned this book for many, many years. I'll never get tired of it. #TheBaileyChronicles #BillBailey #BillBaileysLot #BillBaileysDaughter #CatherineCookson #FavoriteBooks #HighlyRecommendedBooks
July 4, 2022
I loved this book (I rarely give 5 stars…), which is apparently 3 books in one… it’s specific style might not appeal to everyone, but if you enjoy a peek into ‘ordinary’ lives, you’ll enjoy this! Great character development/characters, lots going on, deep and fun/light at the same time, a sweet setting and tender ending.
May 18, 2020
A feel-good book about a family that overcomes obstacles and expands to take in others when they have a need.
January 5, 2023
Just one of those books I found somewhere. Not my usual sort of read, but Cookson drew me into this family and I want it to continue. I want to stay with them.
May 30, 2012
Fiona Nelson, widowed with three children, has taken in a lodger, Bill Bailey, much to the chagrin of her viper-tongued mother. Fiona has to make ends meet someway as she was left badly off after the death of her husband.
Before long Bill captures the hearts of Fiona and all three of her children: Mark, Willie and Katie.
They quickly come to depend on "Mr. Bill" for many things. He brings much happiness into the house.
Bill and Fiona finally marry and he adopts her children along with an orphaned child, Mamie. Mamie was orphaned when her parents were killed in an auto accident leaving Mamie the only survivor of same accident. Bill had taken to the child and wanted to give her a family. Eventually Bill and Fiona have a child of their own, Angela, who has Down's Syndrome.
Bill's business grows when he gets a good contract to build homes and can bring more income to the family and be able to bring more workers into jobs. Although, after slighting a certain young woman who was married to a competitor, he was badly hurt and left in the "tip" dump to be covered with slush and die. Sammy Love found him and saved his life. Sammy is the son of Davey Love, a worker for Bill. Sammy and Davey both live in an unsavory part of town, but Bill fixes that too.
Bill does so much for his family and his friends. There are many other characters in the book that will bring you to know them as much as I did. I felt they were my friends and neighbors too. The Bailey's do so much for all the people they know. You will enjoy this book as much as I did. It is a very good read.
Before long Bill captures the hearts of Fiona and all three of her children: Mark, Willie and Katie.
They quickly come to depend on "Mr. Bill" for many things. He brings much happiness into the house.
Bill and Fiona finally marry and he adopts her children along with an orphaned child, Mamie. Mamie was orphaned when her parents were killed in an auto accident leaving Mamie the only survivor of same accident. Bill had taken to the child and wanted to give her a family. Eventually Bill and Fiona have a child of their own, Angela, who has Down's Syndrome.
Bill's business grows when he gets a good contract to build homes and can bring more income to the family and be able to bring more workers into jobs. Although, after slighting a certain young woman who was married to a competitor, he was badly hurt and left in the "tip" dump to be covered with slush and die. Sammy Love found him and saved his life. Sammy is the son of Davey Love, a worker for Bill. Sammy and Davey both live in an unsavory part of town, but Bill fixes that too.
Bill does so much for his family and his friends. There are many other characters in the book that will bring you to know them as much as I did. I felt they were my friends and neighbors too. The Bailey's do so much for all the people they know. You will enjoy this book as much as I did. It is a very good read.
September 17, 2013
I read Cookson's Love Child and enjoyed it very much. My mom recommended this one. Sorry mom, sorry Ms Cookson. I could not get into this one.
First of all, as an "American English" speaker, I found Bill's thick English Brogue to be distracting. Yes, I get that it's meant to enhance the setting of the story, but I often found myself reading his dialogue 2 and 3 x over (and very slowly) to get the meaning. It became *work* to understand this man! Being a Maeve Binchey fan, I'm not new to reading books where the characters speak differently than myself, but this Bill was over the top!
Secondly, by page 146 I was bored with the story and honestly each evening I had to force myself to pick it up. Maybe it was that it centered around a loving marriage and a house full of kids and THATS MY LIFE. Way too familiar to be entertaining? I felt that if I read about Bill entering the kitchen after work and planting a kiss on his wife, pouring a drink and the two of them having a talk in the sitting room one more time I was going to scream!
First of all, as an "American English" speaker, I found Bill's thick English Brogue to be distracting. Yes, I get that it's meant to enhance the setting of the story, but I often found myself reading his dialogue 2 and 3 x over (and very slowly) to get the meaning. It became *work* to understand this man! Being a Maeve Binchey fan, I'm not new to reading books where the characters speak differently than myself, but this Bill was over the top!
Secondly, by page 146 I was bored with the story and honestly each evening I had to force myself to pick it up. Maybe it was that it centered around a loving marriage and a house full of kids and THATS MY LIFE. Way too familiar to be entertaining? I felt that if I read about Bill entering the kitchen after work and planting a kiss on his wife, pouring a drink and the two of them having a talk in the sitting room one more time I was going to scream!
May 12, 2012
You should read this book because Bill Bailey is one awesome character-he speaks his mind, flaws and all.
I was hesistant at first when I bought this book, but after having read "The Ivy Chronicles" by Karen Quinn a year back- I figured this could also be lively and for once I was right.
Catherine uses numerous characters but all of them have something to do with the main character-Bill.
So, it's like getting many perspectives of the same character with lots of humor, love, concern and though the book ends with the death of Sam's Dad- a good friend of Bill's, somehow the love and hope and joy in his family is still intact.
It is a good family read and that's another reason why I gave it four stars.
I was hesistant at first when I bought this book, but after having read "The Ivy Chronicles" by Karen Quinn a year back- I figured this could also be lively and for once I was right.
Catherine uses numerous characters but all of them have something to do with the main character-Bill.
So, it's like getting many perspectives of the same character with lots of humor, love, concern and though the book ends with the death of Sam's Dad- a good friend of Bill's, somehow the love and hope and joy in his family is still intact.
It is a good family read and that's another reason why I gave it four stars.
June 22, 2010
As in most of Cookson's books she writes with strong female characters overcoming some miserable circumstance or misfortune. I also love the English accents given her characters. If you like books set in old England and well developed characters, you will enjoy books by Catherine Cookson!
This is a compilation of the Bill Bailey stories -- a builder and his family.
This is a compilation of the Bill Bailey stories -- a builder and his family.
May 18, 2012
I read all of Catherine Cookson's books some years ago and enjoyed them immensley. I recently re-read all of them and find that on a second look I found them all so very predictable, and was rather disappointed. However I'm sure that it is my tastes that have changed not the calibre of her story telling.
April 13, 2016
An exceptional experience getting to know this "family", living the roller coaster and most dramatic period in a young family's life. I cried, I laughed, I stayed up too late, not wanting it to end, but not able to wait for the next adventure or resolution of the latest challenge. I will miss them all - it's as if my best friends moved away!
March 11, 2010
This was one of Catherine Cookson's lengthy books that was nice, comfortable reading. Her books are well thought-out, and I can always count on a good story. If you like stories set in England, some historical, some not, you might enjoy Cookson.
July 28, 2015
I also had a hard time with the vernacular and I had no difficulty with any of Maeve Binchy's books. The last half of the book was particularly unfulfilling and the storyline just ends with no real ending!
July 18, 2016
The book is okay. When I'm reading it I'm interested and get lost in it for a couple hours. But, I still don't seem to want to pick it up again after I put it down.
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August 20, 2008F Coo
March 19, 2010
This is such poor writing. Flat characters and boring plot.
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September 5, 2013Here is the concept of love in the Western point of view.
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February 5, 2014lovely
March 1, 2016
The Bailey Chronicles, Catherine Cookson, RDC-M #4-89, 1989. A widow with three small children and a Liverpool builder build a life together. Good.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews