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Thrush Green #11
Celebrations at Thrush Green
The author of Village School returns to the old-fashioned, close-knit English village of Thrush Green for its centennial celebration--and some unexpected discoveries. 15,000 first printing.
151 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1992
81 people are currently reading
359 people want to read
About the author
Miss Read
158 books514 followersDora Jessie Saint MBE née Shafe (born 17 April 1913), best known by the pen name Miss Read, was an English novelist, by profession a schoolmistress. Her pseudonym was derived from her mother's maiden name. In 1940 she married her husband, Douglas, a former headmaster. The couple had a daughter, Jill. She began writing for several journals after World War II and worked as a scriptwriter for the BBC.
She wrote a series of novels from 1955 to 1996. Her work centred on two fictional English villages, Fairacre and Thrush Green. The principal character in the Fairacre books, "Miss Read", is an unmarried schoolteacher in a small village school, an acerbic and yet compassionate observer of village life. Miss Read's novels are wry regional social comedies, laced with gentle humour and subtle social commentary. Miss Read is also a keen observer of nature and the changing seasons.
Her most direct influence is from Jane Austen, although her work also bears similarities to the social comedies of manners written in the 1920s and 1930s, and in particular the work of Barbara Pym. Miss Read's work has influenced a number of writers in her own turn, including the American writer Jan Karon. The musician Enya has a track on her Watermark album named after the book Miss Clare Remembers, and one on her Shepherd Moons album named after No Holly for Miss Quinn.
In 1996 she retired. In 1998 she was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for her services to literature. She died 7 April, 2012 in Shefford Woodlands.
She wrote a series of novels from 1955 to 1996. Her work centred on two fictional English villages, Fairacre and Thrush Green. The principal character in the Fairacre books, "Miss Read", is an unmarried schoolteacher in a small village school, an acerbic and yet compassionate observer of village life. Miss Read's novels are wry regional social comedies, laced with gentle humour and subtle social commentary. Miss Read is also a keen observer of nature and the changing seasons.
Her most direct influence is from Jane Austen, although her work also bears similarities to the social comedies of manners written in the 1920s and 1930s, and in particular the work of Barbara Pym. Miss Read's work has influenced a number of writers in her own turn, including the American writer Jan Karon. The musician Enya has a track on her Watermark album named after the book Miss Clare Remembers, and one on her Shepherd Moons album named after No Holly for Miss Quinn.
In 1996 she retired. In 1998 she was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for her services to literature. She died 7 April, 2012 in Shefford Woodlands.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
November 12, 2024
When things get dark in real life, I return to Thrush Green. Harold Shoesmith has the first portable phone with pushbuttons, and the Rector can't figure out how to use it. 1991 doesn't seem like that long ago, but 33 years ago in a small English village was a different world.
I had a nice time visiting these people.
I had a nice time visiting these people.
January 23, 2021
Sorry to say this one was not my favorite of the Thrush Green series, probably just me but I had a hard time connecting to the story lines.
April 11, 2019
There's such a disconnect in my mind between the atmosphere of these books and their actual setting. They feel like depictions of the 1950s or 60s. But this one is actually set in 1992. Crazy. But it does make sentences like the following one more relatable: "She departed to the kitchen, leaving Charles to watch a television programme about inter-planetary warfare which might have appealed to prep-school boys, Dimity supposed, but which she deplored."
It messes with my mental picture of Thrush Green to be told that some of its inhabitants are into Star Trek: The Next Generation (or something similar). :)
A few other gems of writing:
Mr. Jones, who rather fancied himself as a medical man, a sort of hedge-doctor, told the assembled company that you could blast gallstones into dust with a few shots of laser rays, but you had to be careful that they didn't damage the red corpuscles.
Blinded with such sophisticated knowledge the company dropped the subject of gall bladders and their treatment, but all agreed that Mrs. Bailey 'would have to watch it' when she came out of hospital.
'If she ever does,' said Albert lugubriously. He liked to have the last word.
------------------------------------
A toddler was sitting on the grass beside a young girl. Winnie recognized them as part of the large Cooke family, noted in the district for fecundity and a distaste for orthodox matrimony.
(Elegantly worded sarcasm tends to amuse me.)
It messes with my mental picture of Thrush Green to be told that some of its inhabitants are into Star Trek: The Next Generation (or something similar). :)
A few other gems of writing:
Mr. Jones, who rather fancied himself as a medical man, a sort of hedge-doctor, told the assembled company that you could blast gallstones into dust with a few shots of laser rays, but you had to be careful that they didn't damage the red corpuscles.
Blinded with such sophisticated knowledge the company dropped the subject of gall bladders and their treatment, but all agreed that Mrs. Bailey 'would have to watch it' when she came out of hospital.
'If she ever does,' said Albert lugubriously. He liked to have the last word.
------------------------------------
A toddler was sitting on the grass beside a young girl. Winnie recognized them as part of the large Cooke family, noted in the district for fecundity and a distaste for orthodox matrimony.
(Elegantly worded sarcasm tends to amuse me.)
March 20, 2019
This book is a bit shorter than most, and centers around a few events that Thrush Green finds worthy of celebrating. At the same time, we catch up with our oldest friends and become acquainted with new ones.
The school at Thrush Green is soon to be 100 years; not long after it was learned that it was 100 years ago that Nathanael Patten, Thrush Green’s most famous son, left for his mission work in Africa. It was there that Harold Shoosmith first saw the results of that work, and consent, decided to retire to Thrush Green.
One of the things I enjoy so much about this series is how aware of nature it feels. If you think about it, weather and the changing seasons do have a great deal of impact in our everyday lives from how you dress to how you plan your week and so much more. People in densely-populated cities might not think of rain as anything but a nuisance, but to country folk, rain is a promise of green grass and trees and gardens producing flowers and vegetables. That's what Miss Read imparts to her readers.
I'm getting close to the end of the series, but I know I will read it again in a few years, just like going to visit old friends who have moved away.
The school at Thrush Green is soon to be 100 years; not long after it was learned that it was 100 years ago that Nathanael Patten, Thrush Green’s most famous son, left for his mission work in Africa. It was there that Harold Shoosmith first saw the results of that work, and consent, decided to retire to Thrush Green.
One of the things I enjoy so much about this series is how aware of nature it feels. If you think about it, weather and the changing seasons do have a great deal of impact in our everyday lives from how you dress to how you plan your week and so much more. People in densely-populated cities might not think of rain as anything but a nuisance, but to country folk, rain is a promise of green grass and trees and gardens producing flowers and vegetables. That's what Miss Read imparts to her readers.
I'm getting close to the end of the series, but I know I will read it again in a few years, just like going to visit old friends who have moved away.
July 16, 2017
Re-read as audiobook.
December 27, 2018
This was a very undemanding book to read over the Christmas period, but the plot points were even less interesting than usual. I’ve never been able to understand the excitement about Thrush Green’s Nathaniel Patten - the Victorian missionary who brings Christianity to a village in Africa. I just fail to understand why Harold Shoosmith finds him to be such a moving and inspirational figure. (I suspect that Christian missionaries have definitely suffered from a loss of ‘status’ in the last 50 years.) Anyway, the ‘action’ in this novel revolves around the discovery of some letters between Patten and his rich benefactor - with a few romantic titbits thrown in, revolving around the two men’s ancestors. The village school is also celebrating its 100th anniversary, which gives Thrush Green the excuse to hold a village-wide celebration involving former teachers Dorothy Watson and Agnes Fogerty.
It’s a tranquil world to visit for a few hours of pleasant reading, but this was not one of the more memorable instalments from Thrush Green. A weak three stars from me.
It’s a tranquil world to visit for a few hours of pleasant reading, but this was not one of the more memorable instalments from Thrush Green. A weak three stars from me.
May 4, 2021
A charming addition to the Thrush Green series. I especially enjoyed Harold's and Charles's investigation into some historical members of their community, expanding on a previous storyline. There are only two more books left in this series for me to read for the first time, but I have a feeling this series rewards rereading, especially since I've been taking it slowly, over 4 years. I love the slow sweetness of small-town life Miss Read describes in these novels.
August 16, 2014
I'm going to do a combined review for all the remaining Thrush Green books (with the exception of Christmas) because although they are all excellent, they are also all basically the same, in the way that episodes of The Archers are all the same. So, still worth reading; but hard to differentiate one book from another.
The attraction comes from seeing the seasons ebb and flow, and picking up the stories of the characters. There are changes - characters die, babies are born, houses are built, newcomers arrive, people retire, fall ill and/or become increasingly eccentric. There is no reference to events in the outside world - the importance is attached to events in the local community. And those events are rarely dramatic (this isn't Midsomer). They are real.
Anybody who is considering relocating to a village should read these books to get an idea of what they would be moving to. And anybody who thinks these books are unrealistic, or sentimental, has either never lived in a village, or didn't join in properly when they did!
The attraction comes from seeing the seasons ebb and flow, and picking up the stories of the characters. There are changes - characters die, babies are born, houses are built, newcomers arrive, people retire, fall ill and/or become increasingly eccentric. There is no reference to events in the outside world - the importance is attached to events in the local community. And those events are rarely dramatic (this isn't Midsomer). They are real.
Anybody who is considering relocating to a village should read these books to get an idea of what they would be moving to. And anybody who thinks these books are unrealistic, or sentimental, has either never lived in a village, or didn't join in properly when they did!
November 13, 2018
This was missing many of the usual characters and the story went back to the founder of Thrush Green, which is what began the series. I've grown to love the characters so much, I want to know what is going on with them, not the statue in the middle of the green!
July 13, 2014
Not one of my favorites...too much about Nathaniel Patten.
September 13, 2018
Another delightful entry in the Thrush Green series. Not my favorite, but still lots to enjoy. The town rallies around Harold Shoosmith's plan to honor one of Thrush Green's Victorian heroes, missionary Nathaniel Patten. As Harold researches Patten's life, diaries and letters surface that add to his admiration for him.
"The first days of the New Year were mild and still. . . It was a time to relish one's home. In the dark of the year, when curtains were drawn between four and five, and the long evening stretched ahead, the people of Thrush Green turned to their fires, books knitting, needlework, and, sometimes, television to amuse themselves. Domestic comforts became doubly precious: a warm bed, a hot drink, the snugness of curtains shut against the night's chill, all brought comfort in the dismal days of January." (p. 124)
"The first days of the New Year were mild and still. . . It was a time to relish one's home. In the dark of the year, when curtains were drawn between four and five, and the long evening stretched ahead, the people of Thrush Green turned to their fires, books knitting, needlework, and, sometimes, television to amuse themselves. Domestic comforts became doubly precious: a warm bed, a hot drink, the snugness of curtains shut against the night's chill, all brought comfort in the dismal days of January." (p. 124)
November 19, 2018
The last couple Thrush Green books, while still very enjoyable, have heavily involved a certain character that was really getting on my nerves. I'm so happy that that was not the case with Celebrations at Thrush Green. Maybe it was that she was not in the book much or just that Miss Read really focused on the upcoming celebrations that were take place. Whatever it was, I thoroughly enjoyed this one and am looking forward to reading the last Thrush Green book next month.
June 15, 2023
A pleasant visit with old friends, though a couple of Thrush Green residents were oddly missing. If you enjoyed the rest of the series, you'll enjoy this light, sweet addition.
July 13, 2024
Lovely as always.
March 23, 2025
This book (or the previous) has a weird timing mistake- she says the rector and Harold meet Nathaniel's granddaughter "some 20 years before" which is much too long... The series starts with Joan's son as a 6 year old and in the next book he's 12 - only 6 years has passed. So the granddaughter would have been 14, not 28.
January 1, 2019
I adore Miss Read's books. I collected them all before the internet came along, when they could be very hard to find, and they have pride of place on my good bookshelves, along with Maud Lovelace and Gladys Tabor. Unfortunately, I just can't love this one.
These books tell the story of people in small villages in England - ordinary people with simple lives. They're loosely held together by a particular thread - a problem at the village school, someone retiring or moving into the area - small but vital threads that give the narrative form. Their strength is the wonderful sense of place and also the really distinct characters the author creates.
Unfortunately this book centers on Harold Shoesmith and his great interest in a long-dead resident of Thrush Green. It's unfortunate because Harold never makes sense to me, I never feel I understand him or see into his feelings or mind at all. While I could immediately sit down with Agnes. the Vicar, Mrs. Pringle or Miss Read and have an interesting conversation, Harold and I would be stuck with only niceties about the weather or the garden. He's just not a real person. And I don't find myself caring much about Nathaniel Patten either.
I hate to give any Miss Read book only two stars, but I have to be honest with myself. If you like simple stories about real people you must try these books, but please don't start here. I rather favor the Fairacre series, except for those times when I think Thrush Green is more fun. So try either. lol But do read them.
These books tell the story of people in small villages in England - ordinary people with simple lives. They're loosely held together by a particular thread - a problem at the village school, someone retiring or moving into the area - small but vital threads that give the narrative form. Their strength is the wonderful sense of place and also the really distinct characters the author creates.
Unfortunately this book centers on Harold Shoesmith and his great interest in a long-dead resident of Thrush Green. It's unfortunate because Harold never makes sense to me, I never feel I understand him or see into his feelings or mind at all. While I could immediately sit down with Agnes. the Vicar, Mrs. Pringle or Miss Read and have an interesting conversation, Harold and I would be stuck with only niceties about the weather or the garden. He's just not a real person. And I don't find myself caring much about Nathaniel Patten either.
I hate to give any Miss Read book only two stars, but I have to be honest with myself. If you like simple stories about real people you must try these books, but please don't start here. I rather favor the Fairacre series, except for those times when I think Thrush Green is more fun. So try either. lol But do read them.
August 7, 2013
Another wonderful book about the every day lives of the villagers of Thrush Green. I find these books deeply refreshing.
April 19, 2022
"Our thirty-second Miss Read novel takes us back to her most popular village of Thrust Green, where all kinds of special plans and celebrations are under way. A statue of Nathaniel Patten has graced the village green for years, but little is known of the town's most distinguished son until an unexpected letter arrives. When the correspondence shows that one hundred years have passed since the opening of Nathaniel Patten's mission school in Africa, coinciding with the centenary of Thrush Green's own village school, the townsfolk decide to combine the festivities for a very special celebration indeed.
"But plans for the festivities are pocked with anxieties. Winnie Bailey's health is not as good as it should be; retired school teachers Dorothy Watson and Agnes Fogerty worry that the new headmaster, Alan Lester, might be overly ambitious; and Harold Shoosmith fears that his appeal for the African mission will not be adequately supported. However, when the long-anticipated day arrives, events culminate in more than one cause for rejoicing.
"With this delightful story of the Cotswold village and its much-loved residents, Miss Read's warm and humorous observation of the drama of country life will captivate her many readers once again.
"The book is complemented as always by John S. Goodall's delightful line drawings."
~~front flap
While a journey to Thrush Green is always warm and comforting, I thought this book wasn't quite up to the standards of previous books. There were fewer glimpses into the hearts and minds of the residents and the plot was a bit superficial compared to previous novels.
"But plans for the festivities are pocked with anxieties. Winnie Bailey's health is not as good as it should be; retired school teachers Dorothy Watson and Agnes Fogerty worry that the new headmaster, Alan Lester, might be overly ambitious; and Harold Shoosmith fears that his appeal for the African mission will not be adequately supported. However, when the long-anticipated day arrives, events culminate in more than one cause for rejoicing.
"With this delightful story of the Cotswold village and its much-loved residents, Miss Read's warm and humorous observation of the drama of country life will captivate her many readers once again.
"The book is complemented as always by John S. Goodall's delightful line drawings."
~~front flap
While a journey to Thrush Green is always warm and comforting, I thought this book wasn't quite up to the standards of previous books. There were fewer glimpses into the hearts and minds of the residents and the plot was a bit superficial compared to previous novels.
July 27, 2017
I found this little gem on my first visit to a Bangalore institution - Blossom Bookstore! It is a perfect example of why I love British literature and authors. They are masters at describing the gentle pace of life in an English village and in making the mundane interesting.
This is my first Thrush Green book and I will most certainly seek out the rest. Miss Read does a fantastic job of describing life in an English village, focusing in this book on two events that bring the villagers together in celebration. These are ordinary people, going about their lives as best they can - good, decent folk ( a decided rarity these days!), striving to be kind, helpful and charitable. They write letters of invitation and Thank you notes, tend their gardens, have endless cups of tea, make jams and preserves, go to church, visit friends and on occasion indulge in friendly gossip! No Midsomer Murders vibe here!
There is a particular charm in the deceptive simplicity of their lives and Miss Read's gentle use of language goes a long way in enhancing that charm. And yet her gentle tone doesn't preclude insight into the characters and attitudes of the people who live and love in Thrush Green. Through skilful use of dialogue she highlights human foibles while sketching a pretty tableau of village life. An added attraction are the sweet illustrations by John S. Goodall!
A cosy, comforting read that is guaranteed to uplift a troubled heart. A book that made me believe again in the 'goodness' of people - always a good thing!
This is my first Thrush Green book and I will most certainly seek out the rest. Miss Read does a fantastic job of describing life in an English village, focusing in this book on two events that bring the villagers together in celebration. These are ordinary people, going about their lives as best they can - good, decent folk ( a decided rarity these days!), striving to be kind, helpful and charitable. They write letters of invitation and Thank you notes, tend their gardens, have endless cups of tea, make jams and preserves, go to church, visit friends and on occasion indulge in friendly gossip! No Midsomer Murders vibe here!
There is a particular charm in the deceptive simplicity of their lives and Miss Read's gentle use of language goes a long way in enhancing that charm. And yet her gentle tone doesn't preclude insight into the characters and attitudes of the people who live and love in Thrush Green. Through skilful use of dialogue she highlights human foibles while sketching a pretty tableau of village life. An added attraction are the sweet illustrations by John S. Goodall!
A cosy, comforting read that is guaranteed to uplift a troubled heart. A book that made me believe again in the 'goodness' of people - always a good thing!
July 11, 2019
I hate to write these words: I have Miss Read fatigue.
I'm reading too many Thrush Green books in a row. That's something I can control, but library holds becoming available and a friend's loan of four books happened concurrently.
It has been a bit odd (and a bit of a let-down) that this book in the Thrush Green series and a print book I'm reading in the Fairacre series, Village Centenary, both have the celebration of 100 years of a village school. It's a peculiar reading experience to move back and forth between them. One is audio, which I listen to while I task, and the other print, which I read before bed and other spare moments.
Still, I enjoyed listening to this one. It just didn't sparkle for me, like some previous books have.
I'm reading too many Thrush Green books in a row. That's something I can control, but library holds becoming available and a friend's loan of four books happened concurrently.
It has been a bit odd (and a bit of a let-down) that this book in the Thrush Green series and a print book I'm reading in the Fairacre series, Village Centenary, both have the celebration of 100 years of a village school. It's a peculiar reading experience to move back and forth between them. One is audio, which I listen to while I task, and the other print, which I read before bed and other spare moments.
Still, I enjoyed listening to this one. It just didn't sparkle for me, like some previous books have.
October 12, 2018
Thrush Green residents have discovered two reasons to celebrate - both their village school opened 100 years ago as well as Nathaniel Patten's mission school in Africa. Long lost letters from Patten have recently been discovered which help people to learn more about the man. Plans are being made for an October celebration to honor both centenary occasions. Many people get involved in sharing ideas of how best to combine the festivities with equal attention. This is a great story about why we remember the past and the importance of communities gathering together for special events.
October 25, 2020
I enjoyed this book but not with the same sense of satisfaction I derived from other works by this author. When finished, I thought it had the feel of a book written more to placate an agent or publisher than to tell a story the author had to relate. But it was still a Miss Read book, and I greatly appreciated its normalcy and serenity, especially at the end of this horrible year of 2020 with its isolating pandemic and divisive politics.
January 15, 2024
I enjoyed reading this book just as I've enjoyed reading every single one of Miss Read's novels (and sadly, I've only a few of the Fairacre series to go!) however, with just a single story line this one was, in my humble opinion, a little less interesting than usual. Having said that, it still managed to wreath me in a satisfyingly warm glow as I turned the pages on these cold and dark January evenings!
November 25, 2025
Comforting books are written by Miss Read. I feel like I am visiting Trush Green or talking to a dear friend who lives there. I am catching up with the people...my friends! This issue is a history lesson. We learn about the missionary boy and the old vicar. We meet new people related to the old ones. The youth are left out, though. I fear we are coming to the end of the Thrush Green stories and to the Fairacre ones, as well. I may have to start over!
August 8, 2019
In the eleventh book of the Thrush Green Village series, the centenary celebration of both the Thrush Green school and Nathaniel Patten, a missionary to Africa who had grown in Thrush Green. The villagers plan a joint celebration for both. I am transported back to this village and feel like I know each of the villagers well with their little quirks. I will miss a Thrush Green when I complete the series.
April 13, 2020
Just the kind of sweet, gentle story I needed at this time . ALL of the Fair acres and Thrush Green books are pleasant easy reading. I have read several of them and enjoy this kind of small village life story occasionally VERY light reading After reading one I look forward to another but generally with something a little deeper in between.
December 22, 2020
I was a bit disappointed in this edition of the Thrush Green Books. I am a dyed in the wool fan of Miss Read, and have all her books. That said, you can imagine how surprised I am to find this book less than perfect. It seemed short and lacking in contact. I hate to use the term but it was like she phoned it in. The next one looks good and thick, I can only hope this one was an aberration.
April 19, 2022
You can sense in this book that the series is slowly nearing its end. "Celebrations at Thrush Green" is of course another piece of gorgeous writing and perfect narration, even if it's one of the shorter books in the series. I wish I could read the life stories of Thrush Green's lovely inhabitants forever. I feel genuinely sad that I have only two more books to read in the series.
December 25, 2025
Thrush Green tentatively entering the modern world of 1992 doesn't lack any of the charm of the earlier stories. I enjoy being taken away to a gentler time and place with the endearing characters of Thrush Green. I missed 2 of the earlier books but recently bought them and will enjoy going back and reading them after the Holidays. Take me away, Miss Read.
April 23, 2018
Information about Nathaniel Patten is discovered and there are preparations made for both the 100th anniversary of the school and the anniversary of Nathaniel's mission in Africa. Winnie is ill and Mrs. Gibbons proves herself to be quite nasty. More of the same type of thing but it's still good.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews