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Memories: incorporating "Perverse and Foolish" and "Memory in a House"
A bind-up edition of Boston's two memoirs, incorporating Perverse and Foolish and Memory in a House .
- GenresAdultNonfictionMemoir
339 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 1992
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About the author
Lucy M. Boston
34 books110 followersLucy M. Boston (1892–1990), born Lucy Maria Wood, was an English novelist who wrote for children and adults, publishing her work entirely after the age of 60. She is best known for her "Green Knowe" series: six low fantasy children's novels published by Faber between 1954 and 1976. The setting is Green Knowe, an old country manor house based on Boston's Cambridgeshire home at Hemingford Grey. For the fourth book in the series, A Stranger at Green Knowe (1961), she won the annual Carnegie Medal from the Library Association, recognising the year's best children's book by a British subject.[1]
During her long life, she distinguished herself as a writer, mainly of children’s books, and as the creator of a magical garden. She was also an accomplished artist who had studied drawing and painting in Vienna, and a needlewoman who produced a series of patchworks.
During her long life, she distinguished herself as a writer, mainly of children’s books, and as the creator of a magical garden. She was also an accomplished artist who had studied drawing and painting in Vienna, and a needlewoman who produced a series of patchworks.
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February 3, 2016Really two books - Perverse And Foolish: A Memoir Of Childhood And Youth published together with Memory In A House.
I wanted to re-read this to get a sense of Lucy Boston’s wartime concerts for airmen, now that I have an affinity for the RAF in 1943. I also love all the hauntings. I was struck, this time, by a few things I missed last time I read Boston's autobiography —her wonderful blithe naïveté and forward-thinking inherent feminism so early in the 20th century, and the fun that she had – and then, as she aged, a bitterness that somehow glanced off me ten years ago or whenever I first read it. I completely overlooked how the locals had ostracized her in Hemingford Grey throughout the war and beyond, taking her for a spy. And I also overlooked her continuing battles with the local authorities after moving into the Norman house, and her increasing crankiness as an old woman. It makes me sad to be aware of it.
I love that this house is still being lived in and loved by her daughter-in-law. Go read the Green Knowe books now. HUGELY underrated. The Treasure of Green Knowe (originally The Chimneys of Green Knowe)’s 18th century protagonists are 1) blind, and 2) black.
I wanted to re-read this to get a sense of Lucy Boston’s wartime concerts for airmen, now that I have an affinity for the RAF in 1943. I also love all the hauntings. I was struck, this time, by a few things I missed last time I read Boston's autobiography —her wonderful blithe naïveté and forward-thinking inherent feminism so early in the 20th century, and the fun that she had – and then, as she aged, a bitterness that somehow glanced off me ten years ago or whenever I first read it. I completely overlooked how the locals had ostracized her in Hemingford Grey throughout the war and beyond, taking her for a spy. And I also overlooked her continuing battles with the local authorities after moving into the Norman house, and her increasing crankiness as an old woman. It makes me sad to be aware of it.
I love that this house is still being lived in and loved by her daughter-in-law. Go read the Green Knowe books now. HUGELY underrated. The Treasure of Green Knowe (originally The Chimneys of Green Knowe)’s 18th century protagonists are 1) blind, and 2) black.
October 29, 2015
I have loved the Green Knowe books since I first discovered them, at the tender age of 50 or so, too late to raise my own children with them. I wish I could have read these books aloud to my kids, as I did so many hundreds of others, but, alas, said youngsters were grown and gone before Lucy Boston and her wonderful house entered my life.
With my husband recently retired, we are now, in our late middle years, finally able to travel. The first big trip we took, just last summer, was to England, and our best decision, while in England, was to include Hemingford Grey on our itinerary.
The Manor at Hemingford Grey, the Green Knowe of Lucy Boston's books, is as wonderful in reality as it appears to be in her stories. It was raining buckets while we were there, which did not stop us from enjoying the gardens, soggy as they were, while we waited for our tour of the manor to begin.
Lucy's daughter-in-law, Diana Boston, whose enthusiasm made her own love of the house and admiration for her late mother-in-law readily apparent, directed our tour of the house. Even my husband, who has never read the books, was enthralled by the great age of the house and the history you can sense within its walls. The River Great Ouse, a character in its own right in some of the stories, flowing past the lower end of the gardens, is visible from Tolly's attic windows.
Memories, the book, contains Lucy's two memoirs, Perverse and Foolish, and Memory in a House. I wish I had read Memory in a House before our visit to the Manor at Hemingford Grey. It contains so much detail, so much about the house that I would like to have known before visiting it.
I want to go back! In fact, I can't imagine that anyone reading Memories will not be moved, if they have the means, to make a pilgrimage to Hemingford Grey. The village and the River Great Ouse are lovely, and the old manor house really is as fascinating as it appears to be in Lucy's uniquely descriptive prose.
With my husband recently retired, we are now, in our late middle years, finally able to travel. The first big trip we took, just last summer, was to England, and our best decision, while in England, was to include Hemingford Grey on our itinerary.
The Manor at Hemingford Grey, the Green Knowe of Lucy Boston's books, is as wonderful in reality as it appears to be in her stories. It was raining buckets while we were there, which did not stop us from enjoying the gardens, soggy as they were, while we waited for our tour of the manor to begin.
Lucy's daughter-in-law, Diana Boston, whose enthusiasm made her own love of the house and admiration for her late mother-in-law readily apparent, directed our tour of the house. Even my husband, who has never read the books, was enthralled by the great age of the house and the history you can sense within its walls. The River Great Ouse, a character in its own right in some of the stories, flowing past the lower end of the gardens, is visible from Tolly's attic windows.
Memories, the book, contains Lucy's two memoirs, Perverse and Foolish, and Memory in a House. I wish I had read Memory in a House before our visit to the Manor at Hemingford Grey. It contains so much detail, so much about the house that I would like to have known before visiting it.
I want to go back! In fact, I can't imagine that anyone reading Memories will not be moved, if they have the means, to make a pilgrimage to Hemingford Grey. The village and the River Great Ouse are lovely, and the old manor house really is as fascinating as it appears to be in Lucy's uniquely descriptive prose.
July 27, 2012
My motive for reading this was to see what influenced Boston to write her "Green Knowe" series. A little too little of that included for my taste. However! A few of her real-life inspirations for characters (and, of course, the character of the house) are mentioned, and they are worthwhile. Lucy seems a bit on the crotchety side, but that definitely adds colour. Love that she was 60 before she began writing.
She comes up with a few zingers in this book - I'll include this one just because it's so true.
"An inexperienced girl when she first feels life's hook in her, behaves like a fish on a line. Her reactions are wild, this way and that, and in vain, the hook remains."
She comes up with a few zingers in this book - I'll include this one just because it's so true.
"An inexperienced girl when she first feels life's hook in her, behaves like a fish on a line. Her reactions are wild, this way and that, and in vain, the hook remains."
July 11, 2018
Three stars is generous.
I read The Children of Green Knowe and thought it was a great book. I was curious about the house that inspired it, so decided to read Memory in a House. I got this book because it also includes the author's other memoir, Perverse and Foolish, and I'm glad I did. I enjoyed Perverse and Foolish slightly more than Memory in a House partly because it was interesting to read about the promiscuity of an earlier generation. People seem to think that it wasn't invented until at least the 1960's.
"Memory in a House was all over the place. Too little of it was about what I came for, the history and restoration of the Manor House at Hemingford Grey. Boston's use of her house to host troops during the war was unexpectedly interesting. The side trips to other unrelated topics, four pages on the history of roses and an article from The Cambridge Review on football quoted in its entirety, for example, took me so far afield that it was difficult to bother finishing the book. I was ready to move on to other things. If you should find yourself in the same boat, at least read from Chapter 9 on because it did perk up a little at the end.
I should only read biographies after reading all of an author's books. I only find them a distraction and so many of the authors turn out to have been old curmudgeons.
I read The Children of Green Knowe and thought it was a great book. I was curious about the house that inspired it, so decided to read Memory in a House. I got this book because it also includes the author's other memoir, Perverse and Foolish, and I'm glad I did. I enjoyed Perverse and Foolish slightly more than Memory in a House partly because it was interesting to read about the promiscuity of an earlier generation. People seem to think that it wasn't invented until at least the 1960's.
"Memory in a House was all over the place. Too little of it was about what I came for, the history and restoration of the Manor House at Hemingford Grey. Boston's use of her house to host troops during the war was unexpectedly interesting. The side trips to other unrelated topics, four pages on the history of roses and an article from The Cambridge Review on football quoted in its entirety, for example, took me so far afield that it was difficult to bother finishing the book. I was ready to move on to other things. If you should find yourself in the same boat, at least read from Chapter 9 on because it did perk up a little at the end.
I should only read biographies after reading all of an author's books. I only find them a distraction and so many of the authors turn out to have been old curmudgeons.
March 14, 2024
Great autobiography of the author of the Green Knowe books. Typical Cambridge eccentric of the twentieth century with plenty of amusing tales to tell
November 22, 2011
I bought this book in 2007 when visiting The Manor in 2007 and am sorry that I didn't read it sooner. At the beginning of the book I thought I wouldn't like it but found myself fascinated by Lucy's life and, especially, The Manor. What an amazing lady she was. In visiting The Manor I felt as if I was being taken back into the 12th century when the house was built and in reading the book it was as if I were there again.
I look forward to going to The Manor again. Lucy's daughter-in-law, Diana, was a most generous 'tour guide' as well as giving an insight into Lucy's life.
My one disappointment in 'Memories' was that, apart from in the Introduction by Jill Paton Walsh, where she wrote of Lucy's achievements including a "dazzling collection of masterpiece patchwork quilts", I could find no mention of these wonderful quilts made by her, which are amazing. It is as though Lucy didn't think her work was worthy of a mention.
'Memories' being a compilation of two books, i.e. 'Perverse and Foolish' and 'Memory In a House' takes one on Lucy's lifetime journey.
I look forward to going to The Manor again. Lucy's daughter-in-law, Diana, was a most generous 'tour guide' as well as giving an insight into Lucy's life.
My one disappointment in 'Memories' was that, apart from in the Introduction by Jill Paton Walsh, where she wrote of Lucy's achievements including a "dazzling collection of masterpiece patchwork quilts", I could find no mention of these wonderful quilts made by her, which are amazing. It is as though Lucy didn't think her work was worthy of a mention.
'Memories' being a compilation of two books, i.e. 'Perverse and Foolish' and 'Memory In a House' takes one on Lucy's lifetime journey.
June 23, 2008
Memories is made up of Lucy M. Boston's two memoirs, oncce focussed on her youth and another on the house she restored and wrote about in her children's novels. I found many aspects of the books interesting (especially the contrast between her barren urban and rich countryside childhood experiences) but they did lack a solid focus and tended towards a stream of consciousness style. Despite her candour on many fronts Boston barely mentioned other parts of her life, which contributed to the slightly disjointed feeling. Worth reading if you like the Green Knowe books and want to know more about the house!
December 16, 2012
Especially loved the section on the restoration of her ancient home near Cambridge as well as her story of getting the Carnegie Medal
April 4, 2017
Could not resist peering into the origin of my favorite books from my childhood and from reading to my children. So good to know that the author found magic in the ancient house she inhabited and accepted it as a matter of fact. Green Knowe is real, lives on in my imagination and perhaps in the town of Hemingford Grey.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews