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A Different Sound: Stories by Mid-Century Women Writers
Elegant, timeless, and an exciting anthology of short stories by mid-century women writers from Britain and Ireland—many being published in America for the first time
These remarkable short stories from the 1940s and 50s depict women and men caught between the pull of personal desires and profound social change. From a remote peninsula in Cornwall to the drawing rooms of the British Raj, domestic arrangements are rewritten, social customs are revoked and new freedoms are embraced.
Selected and introduced by writer and critic Lucy Scholes, Senior Editor at McNally Editions, this collection places works from renowned women writers alongside recently rediscovered voices.
Suffused with tension and longing, the captivating stories collected here from acclaimed as well as lesser-known women writers form a window onto a remarkable era of writing.
These remarkable short stories from the 1940s and 50s depict women and men caught between the pull of personal desires and profound social change. From a remote peninsula in Cornwall to the drawing rooms of the British Raj, domestic arrangements are rewritten, social customs are revoked and new freedoms are embraced.
Selected and introduced by writer and critic Lucy Scholes, Senior Editor at McNally Editions, this collection places works from renowned women writers alongside recently rediscovered voices.
Suffused with tension and longing, the captivating stories collected here from acclaimed as well as lesser-known women writers form a window onto a remarkable era of writing.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 26, 2023
19 people are currently reading
405 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
December 1, 2023
I love this period of women's writing and there are some big names here: Elizabeths Bowen and Taylor, Daphne du Maurier, Sylvia Townsend Warner, Stella Gibbons. So it's disappointing that the collection ends up feeling a bit flat and I'd say that's down to the selection of stories.
Any anthology stands or falls on its variety and range: it feels uneven that we have some very long tales from Bowen and du Maurier that are, respectively, not the most representative (Bowen) and widely known: du Maurier's 'The Birds'. 'Summer Night' doesn't showcase Bowen's distinctive modernist style at all.
The standout piece is 'The Land Girl' by Diana Gardner with a vibrant sense of voice and agency freed by WW2. Attia Hosain's 'The First Party' is a nice attempt to include a non-white author but the story itself feels unfinished and leans heavily into racial stereotypes on both sides. We end with a gently subversive piece from Elizabeth Taylor, a hugely under looked writer in my view.
I wanted this to be a more exciting and revelatory collection: instead it feels a bit tame and muted.
Any anthology stands or falls on its variety and range: it feels uneven that we have some very long tales from Bowen and du Maurier that are, respectively, not the most representative (Bowen) and widely known: du Maurier's 'The Birds'. 'Summer Night' doesn't showcase Bowen's distinctive modernist style at all.
The standout piece is 'The Land Girl' by Diana Gardner with a vibrant sense of voice and agency freed by WW2. Attia Hosain's 'The First Party' is a nice attempt to include a non-white author but the story itself feels unfinished and leans heavily into racial stereotypes on both sides. We end with a gently subversive piece from Elizabeth Taylor, a hugely under looked writer in my view.
I wanted this to be a more exciting and revelatory collection: instead it feels a bit tame and muted.
March 2, 2024
A collection of 11 short stories written by women last century between 1940 and 1961. The most famous story included is ‘The Birds’ by Daphne du Maurier. Other well known writers like Elizabeth Bowen, Elizabeth Taylor and Stella Gibbons. My two favourite stories were ‘The Skylight’ by Penelope Mortimer about a mother and young son locked out of their French holiday home and ‘Three Miles Up’ by Elizabeth Jane Howard, a strange and atmospheric story about two men on a canal boat holiday. I really enjoyed this collection, it’s an interesting range of styles and themes.
February 11, 2023
I picked this up as it featured two of my favourite authors, Elizabeth Taylor (Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont) and Stella Gibbons (Cold Comfort Farm). A collection of short stories from female authors of the 1940s and 50s, I hoped it would serve as an introduction to other authors whose work I might like, and it exceeded my expectations. Covering a range of genres, from romance to the supernatural, they give glimpses into the daily lives of their characters which are startlingly relatable today; the stiflingness of marriage and motherhood and attempting to escape it, issues with identity in cross-cultural marriages, waiting for the latest government advice to come through on the radio while trying to stop a threat from coming inside the house. A delightful taster that has left me hungry for more.
January 28, 2024
I received a free digital review copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Why did I choose to read and review this anthology? In university, I signed up for Victorian literature, multicultural literature, and short story courses. They all turned out to be focused on women’s writing. So, when I saw this anthology on NetGalley I requested it because I was eager to revisit it, to see how this conversation has changed and how it has stayed the same. Overall, as a group of stories, I liked this book. There were lots of 5-star stories. The atmospheric settings and the way the character’s inner worlds were described made me feel connected to the plots and characters. However, some stories didn’t evoke anything, and overall I wished that more of the themes had been explicitly empowering and uplifting.
The Cut Finger by Frances Bellerby: The thing that I liked most about this story was the cozy, protected feeling that surrounds the child protagonist, from her family interactions to her cheerful acceptance of life as it comes to her, because she is loved. Frances Bellerby’s descriptions of the child’s internal and external world made me feel like I was seeing the world like a child again. It made me want to watch for other works by Bellerby. Rating: 5/5
Summer Night by Elizabeth Bowen: Elizabeth Bowen’s descriptions of scenes are sharp with light and sound and create a feeling of tension and negative anticipation. Likewise, the characters’ situations and actions are trivial in themselves, but the effect these things have on others is amplified and unpredictable. The quickly changing settings, characters, and moods made it difficult for me to read and parts of the plot were a bit tedious. I had to reread parts when I lost the plot and I found this story difficult to finish. Rating 3/5
The Birds by Daphne du Maurier: A capable man, who objectively should succeed, is frustrated by limitations beyond his control and the inadequate or poorly timed actions of others. I enjoyed it, but it was enough. I don’t think I would read it again in a longer format, and overall, from a present-day perspective, the concept has been revisited many times in books and movies. If you like survival, man-against-nature stories you might enjoy it. Rating: 4/5
The Land Girl by Diana Gardner: A temporary worker is staying on a farm with a middle-aged couple, but there is a lot of tension between her and the woman of the house. The story is narrated in first-person by the temporary worker and she is not very articulate or mature when it comes to emotions, conflict, or decision-making. The story was maddening and unsatisfying and I didn’t enjoy it, but at least it evoked a strong reaction. Rating: 4/5
Listen to the Magnolias by Stella Gibbons: This is such a cozy story. An elderly woman who lost her husband is anxiously preparing her house to temporarily house a group of American soldiers. If you have ever hosted guests, or if you are a person who gets anxious waiting for something, you will find this very relatable. I’m giving this a 5/5 because it was a delightful, amusing story. Rating: 5/5
Shocking Weather, Isn’t It? by Inez Holden: We follow a woman as she visits her cousin on two occasions, years apart. If you ever considered that some people are not suited to the circumstances of their life, but would flourish in a different situation, you will find this story interesting. My main criticism is that nothing much happened and it lacked the immersiveness of some of the other stories. Rating: 3/5
The First Party by Attia Hosain: A refreshingly honest perspective of Western culture told through the eyes of a newcomer, who is a new bride, originally from India. She feels socially awkward at a party and has trouble tolerating the unfamiliar actions and attitudes of her new community. I was born in North America, but I’m very reserved and an introvert. I often find myself repulsed by loud, extroverted people who demand that I interact differently than I am accustomed. I often feel ostracized when people don’t include me in the way I want to be included. So, it was easy for me to empathize. Rating: 5/5
Three Miles Up by Elizabeth Jane Howard: A purely entertaining spooky story about two friends on a boat trip. It starts with Wind in the Willows vibes, but strange and mysterious things soon begin to happen. Rating: 4/5
The Skylight by Penelope Mortimer: The weight of responsibility pushes a mother into a precarious situation. If you have been solely responsible for the safety of a child, or have ever thought that you have to do everything by yourself, you will relate to the protagonist in this story. The most striking thing about this story was the rich, but succinct, characterization of every character in the story. Rating: 5/5
The Thames Spread Out by Elizabeth Taylor: We meet Rose during a natural disaster and she seems mostly unphased by her situation, but it causes her to reevaluate the decisions that led her to be so isolated. This is an uplifting story that shows us it’s never too late to do something new. The descriptions of the natural and manmade environments are also lovely to read. Rating: 5/5
Scorched Earth Policy by Sylvia Townsend Warner: A cozy short story about a couple who are dedicated to a cause that gives them a sense of purpose. I liked this story because they were so joyfully faithful and humble in their work. Rating: 5/5
Why did I choose to read and review this anthology? In university, I signed up for Victorian literature, multicultural literature, and short story courses. They all turned out to be focused on women’s writing. So, when I saw this anthology on NetGalley I requested it because I was eager to revisit it, to see how this conversation has changed and how it has stayed the same. Overall, as a group of stories, I liked this book. There were lots of 5-star stories. The atmospheric settings and the way the character’s inner worlds were described made me feel connected to the plots and characters. However, some stories didn’t evoke anything, and overall I wished that more of the themes had been explicitly empowering and uplifting.
The Cut Finger by Frances Bellerby: The thing that I liked most about this story was the cozy, protected feeling that surrounds the child protagonist, from her family interactions to her cheerful acceptance of life as it comes to her, because she is loved. Frances Bellerby’s descriptions of the child’s internal and external world made me feel like I was seeing the world like a child again. It made me want to watch for other works by Bellerby. Rating: 5/5
Summer Night by Elizabeth Bowen: Elizabeth Bowen’s descriptions of scenes are sharp with light and sound and create a feeling of tension and negative anticipation. Likewise, the characters’ situations and actions are trivial in themselves, but the effect these things have on others is amplified and unpredictable. The quickly changing settings, characters, and moods made it difficult for me to read and parts of the plot were a bit tedious. I had to reread parts when I lost the plot and I found this story difficult to finish. Rating 3/5
The Birds by Daphne du Maurier: A capable man, who objectively should succeed, is frustrated by limitations beyond his control and the inadequate or poorly timed actions of others. I enjoyed it, but it was enough. I don’t think I would read it again in a longer format, and overall, from a present-day perspective, the concept has been revisited many times in books and movies. If you like survival, man-against-nature stories you might enjoy it. Rating: 4/5
The Land Girl by Diana Gardner: A temporary worker is staying on a farm with a middle-aged couple, but there is a lot of tension between her and the woman of the house. The story is narrated in first-person by the temporary worker and she is not very articulate or mature when it comes to emotions, conflict, or decision-making. The story was maddening and unsatisfying and I didn’t enjoy it, but at least it evoked a strong reaction. Rating: 4/5
Listen to the Magnolias by Stella Gibbons: This is such a cozy story. An elderly woman who lost her husband is anxiously preparing her house to temporarily house a group of American soldiers. If you have ever hosted guests, or if you are a person who gets anxious waiting for something, you will find this very relatable. I’m giving this a 5/5 because it was a delightful, amusing story. Rating: 5/5
Shocking Weather, Isn’t It? by Inez Holden: We follow a woman as she visits her cousin on two occasions, years apart. If you ever considered that some people are not suited to the circumstances of their life, but would flourish in a different situation, you will find this story interesting. My main criticism is that nothing much happened and it lacked the immersiveness of some of the other stories. Rating: 3/5
The First Party by Attia Hosain: A refreshingly honest perspective of Western culture told through the eyes of a newcomer, who is a new bride, originally from India. She feels socially awkward at a party and has trouble tolerating the unfamiliar actions and attitudes of her new community. I was born in North America, but I’m very reserved and an introvert. I often find myself repulsed by loud, extroverted people who demand that I interact differently than I am accustomed. I often feel ostracized when people don’t include me in the way I want to be included. So, it was easy for me to empathize. Rating: 5/5
Three Miles Up by Elizabeth Jane Howard: A purely entertaining spooky story about two friends on a boat trip. It starts with Wind in the Willows vibes, but strange and mysterious things soon begin to happen. Rating: 4/5
The Skylight by Penelope Mortimer: The weight of responsibility pushes a mother into a precarious situation. If you have been solely responsible for the safety of a child, or have ever thought that you have to do everything by yourself, you will relate to the protagonist in this story. The most striking thing about this story was the rich, but succinct, characterization of every character in the story. Rating: 5/5
The Thames Spread Out by Elizabeth Taylor: We meet Rose during a natural disaster and she seems mostly unphased by her situation, but it causes her to reevaluate the decisions that led her to be so isolated. This is an uplifting story that shows us it’s never too late to do something new. The descriptions of the natural and manmade environments are also lovely to read. Rating: 5/5
Scorched Earth Policy by Sylvia Townsend Warner: A cozy short story about a couple who are dedicated to a cause that gives them a sense of purpose. I liked this story because they were so joyfully faithful and humble in their work. Rating: 5/5
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April 23, 2024This was such a solid collection with a great mix of voices and stories. I'm not quite sure about how cohesive the collection feels as a whole, but I appreciated each individual piece, and thus the collective of them all.
April 26, 2024
This is a fascinating collection of short stories, all written by women and originally published in the 1940s and 50s. When I saw the list of authors included in the book, there were several I’d already read, others I’d heard of but never read, and a few that were completely new to me. There are eleven stories in total and as always when writing about collections like this, I’ll have more to say about some of them than others!
There’s only one story in this collection that I’ve read before – and that’s The Birds by Daphne du Maurier. As she’s one of my favourite authors, I decided to read it again and found it just as wonderful and atmospheric as I did the first time. Even if you’ve seen the Hitchcock film, I would still recommend reading the story which is quite different in several ways.
Elizabeth Jane Howard is an author I’m familiar with through her Cazalet Chronicles (I’ve read the first two books in the series and am planning to read the others) and she is represented here with Three Miles Up, an eerie story in which two men are taking a trip through the countryside on a canal boat when they encounter a young woman called Sharon. Once Sharon joins them on the boat, things begin to go wrong and they find themselves sailing up a canal that doesn’t appear on any maps. I loved this one, although I wasn’t aware that Howard wrote ghost stories so it wasn’t what I’d expected at all.
The other two authors I’ve read previously are Stella Gibbons and Elizabeth Taylor. The Gibbons story, Listen to the Magnolias, is set during the war and involves an elderly widow nervously awaiting the arrival of five American soldiers who will be billeted in her home, while Taylor’s The Thames Spread Out follows a woman who is trapped upstairs in her house during a flood while swans swim at the bottom of her staircase. I liked both of these, particularly the second.
Apart from The Birds, my favourite story in the book turned out to be The Skylight by Penelope Mortimer, in which a woman and her young son rent a house in a remote area of France but arrive to find the doors all locked and no sign of the owners. The only point of access is an open skylight in the roof and the mother makes a decision she quickly comes to regret. Mortimer creates a real sense of fear and tension in this story and I couldn’t wait to reach the end to find out if everything was going to be okay!
Considering the publication dates, the Second World War naturally plays a part in many of these stories – I’ve already mentioned the Stella Gibbons, but another is Diana Gardner’s wonderful story, The Land Girl, about a young woman placed on a farm as a Land Girl who takes an instant dislike to the woman whose home she is staying in and decides, out of spite and jealousy, to cause trouble for her.
The stories above are the ones that really stood out for me in this collection, but I enjoyed all of them to some extent, apart from maybe Elizabeth Bowen’s Summer Night which I found well written but confusing due to the structure and changing perpectives. I was also slightly disappointed by Sylvia Townsend Warner’s Scorched Earth Policy about an elderly couple preparing for a wartime invasion, simply because it was too short for any real plot or character development. It was nice to discover some authors I’d never come across before, though: Frances Bellerby, who in The Cut Finger tells the story of a little girl learning some important lessons about the world; Inez Holden whose Shocking Weather, Isn’t It? follows a woman who visits her cousin in various different places over the years; and Attia Hosain who explores the feelings of a newly married woman struggling to fit in with her husband’s friends in The First Party.
I can definitely recommend this collection; I found something to interest me in every story, even the ones I didn’t enjoy as much. I also now have a list of authors I need to explore further!
There’s only one story in this collection that I’ve read before – and that’s The Birds by Daphne du Maurier. As she’s one of my favourite authors, I decided to read it again and found it just as wonderful and atmospheric as I did the first time. Even if you’ve seen the Hitchcock film, I would still recommend reading the story which is quite different in several ways.
Elizabeth Jane Howard is an author I’m familiar with through her Cazalet Chronicles (I’ve read the first two books in the series and am planning to read the others) and she is represented here with Three Miles Up, an eerie story in which two men are taking a trip through the countryside on a canal boat when they encounter a young woman called Sharon. Once Sharon joins them on the boat, things begin to go wrong and they find themselves sailing up a canal that doesn’t appear on any maps. I loved this one, although I wasn’t aware that Howard wrote ghost stories so it wasn’t what I’d expected at all.
The other two authors I’ve read previously are Stella Gibbons and Elizabeth Taylor. The Gibbons story, Listen to the Magnolias, is set during the war and involves an elderly widow nervously awaiting the arrival of five American soldiers who will be billeted in her home, while Taylor’s The Thames Spread Out follows a woman who is trapped upstairs in her house during a flood while swans swim at the bottom of her staircase. I liked both of these, particularly the second.
Apart from The Birds, my favourite story in the book turned out to be The Skylight by Penelope Mortimer, in which a woman and her young son rent a house in a remote area of France but arrive to find the doors all locked and no sign of the owners. The only point of access is an open skylight in the roof and the mother makes a decision she quickly comes to regret. Mortimer creates a real sense of fear and tension in this story and I couldn’t wait to reach the end to find out if everything was going to be okay!
Considering the publication dates, the Second World War naturally plays a part in many of these stories – I’ve already mentioned the Stella Gibbons, but another is Diana Gardner’s wonderful story, The Land Girl, about a young woman placed on a farm as a Land Girl who takes an instant dislike to the woman whose home she is staying in and decides, out of spite and jealousy, to cause trouble for her.
The stories above are the ones that really stood out for me in this collection, but I enjoyed all of them to some extent, apart from maybe Elizabeth Bowen’s Summer Night which I found well written but confusing due to the structure and changing perpectives. I was also slightly disappointed by Sylvia Townsend Warner’s Scorched Earth Policy about an elderly couple preparing for a wartime invasion, simply because it was too short for any real plot or character development. It was nice to discover some authors I’d never come across before, though: Frances Bellerby, who in The Cut Finger tells the story of a little girl learning some important lessons about the world; Inez Holden whose Shocking Weather, Isn’t It? follows a woman who visits her cousin in various different places over the years; and Attia Hosain who explores the feelings of a newly married woman struggling to fit in with her husband’s friends in The First Party.
I can definitely recommend this collection; I found something to interest me in every story, even the ones I didn’t enjoy as much. I also now have a list of authors I need to explore further!
October 30, 2024
3.8 stars
The Birds and The Skylight were by far the best in this collection, but I also enjoyed Listen to the Magnolias and The Land Girl. Overall, relatively good reads.
The Birds and The Skylight were by far the best in this collection, but I also enjoyed Listen to the Magnolias and The Land Girl. Overall, relatively good reads.
February 12, 2024
This is a really nicely cohesive group of stories. There are some very familiar names and stories (Daphne Du Maurier, the Birds) and some less so, but perhaps due to the period and origin focused on, the settings and general mood flow well. It’s hard to pick a favorite!
May 6, 2023
I find short stories memorable; something condensed about the plot.
December 5, 2023
Lucy Scholes does so much work to bring “forgotten” female writers into public consciousness. I am particularly thankful to her for ensuring the republishing of Kay Dick’s unnerving novel, They. With A Different Sound, she has put together a fantastic primer for those interested in discovering some underrated women storytellers.
The collection opens with The Cut Finger by Frances Bellerby, a devastating little story about a lonely young girl accompanying her mother and father to the seaside, in the hopes of curing her father’s illness.
I found Summer Night by Elizabeth Bowen a little disorienting; I’m not sure if I would have fully followed what was going on if I hadn’t read Scholes’ introduction. The story tells the story of one summer evening from different perspectives.
I loved Daphne du Maurier’s short stories; she is an absolute master of the form. I revisit her stories frequently, and it was a joy to re-read The Birds in this collection.
I had never read Diana Gardner before, and I adored her story, The Land Girl. A young lady goes to live with an older farming couple, and takes a strong dislike to the wife. The ending to this story had me laughing out loud.
Stella Gibbons is probably best known for Cold Comfort Farm, but she was an unbelievably prolific poet, novelist, and short story writer. Her story in this collection, Listen to the Magnolias, is absolutely beautiful. An older woman anxiously awaits the arrival of American soldiers who will be living with her. The ending made me cry. I also see that there isn’t currently a collection of Gibbons’s short fiction in print, which hopefully Scholes can rectify!
Inez Holden’s story, ‘Shocking Weather, Isn’t It?’, is another gem, in which a woman visits her cousin in various locations throughout his outrageous life. Attia Hosain’s The First Party is an engaging story of a newly-married woman feeling completely out of place at a party.
Three Miles Up by Elizabeth Jane Howard is one of my all-time favorite stories. Again, Howard is probably best known for her many novels, but I adore her short story collection, Mr Wrong. Three Miles Up is one of the finest examples of uncanny fiction I’ve ever read, in which two men take a vacation on a canal boat. Things get very strange when a young girl shows up. Another haunting ending.
To continue my enthusing, The Skylight by Penelope Mortimer is another incredible story. A woman shows up to a French villa, but cannot get inside. As her young son becomes impatient, she seeks access in a risky way. Mortimer is another master of short fiction, and her collection Saturday Lunch with the Brownings is phenomenal.
To my shame, I have not read nearly enough Elizabeth Taylor, and her story, The Thames Spread Out, has encouraged me to fix this. A woman waits for her married lover while the downstairs of her house floods. Again, this story has a perfect ending.
Scorched Earth Policy, a brief story by Sylvia Townsend-Warner closes out this wonderful collection. An older couple, who have spent the war hoarding supplies, prepare to bring things to a close.
I raced through this collection, mainly because every time I finished one story, I got excited to start the next. A Different Sound is a collection that is absolutely in my wheelhouse, and the writing is impeccable. All these stories have incredible endings. I hope this collection introduces people to the valuable work of these wonderful writers.
The collection opens with The Cut Finger by Frances Bellerby, a devastating little story about a lonely young girl accompanying her mother and father to the seaside, in the hopes of curing her father’s illness.
I found Summer Night by Elizabeth Bowen a little disorienting; I’m not sure if I would have fully followed what was going on if I hadn’t read Scholes’ introduction. The story tells the story of one summer evening from different perspectives.
I loved Daphne du Maurier’s short stories; she is an absolute master of the form. I revisit her stories frequently, and it was a joy to re-read The Birds in this collection.
I had never read Diana Gardner before, and I adored her story, The Land Girl. A young lady goes to live with an older farming couple, and takes a strong dislike to the wife. The ending to this story had me laughing out loud.
Stella Gibbons is probably best known for Cold Comfort Farm, but she was an unbelievably prolific poet, novelist, and short story writer. Her story in this collection, Listen to the Magnolias, is absolutely beautiful. An older woman anxiously awaits the arrival of American soldiers who will be living with her. The ending made me cry. I also see that there isn’t currently a collection of Gibbons’s short fiction in print, which hopefully Scholes can rectify!
Inez Holden’s story, ‘Shocking Weather, Isn’t It?’, is another gem, in which a woman visits her cousin in various locations throughout his outrageous life. Attia Hosain’s The First Party is an engaging story of a newly-married woman feeling completely out of place at a party.
Three Miles Up by Elizabeth Jane Howard is one of my all-time favorite stories. Again, Howard is probably best known for her many novels, but I adore her short story collection, Mr Wrong. Three Miles Up is one of the finest examples of uncanny fiction I’ve ever read, in which two men take a vacation on a canal boat. Things get very strange when a young girl shows up. Another haunting ending.
To continue my enthusing, The Skylight by Penelope Mortimer is another incredible story. A woman shows up to a French villa, but cannot get inside. As her young son becomes impatient, she seeks access in a risky way. Mortimer is another master of short fiction, and her collection Saturday Lunch with the Brownings is phenomenal.
To my shame, I have not read nearly enough Elizabeth Taylor, and her story, The Thames Spread Out, has encouraged me to fix this. A woman waits for her married lover while the downstairs of her house floods. Again, this story has a perfect ending.
Scorched Earth Policy, a brief story by Sylvia Townsend-Warner closes out this wonderful collection. An older couple, who have spent the war hoarding supplies, prepare to bring things to a close.
I raced through this collection, mainly because every time I finished one story, I got excited to start the next. A Different Sound is a collection that is absolutely in my wheelhouse, and the writing is impeccable. All these stories have incredible endings. I hope this collection introduces people to the valuable work of these wonderful writers.
August 1, 2023
Wow. A very pleasurable good read. 4.5 stars, so 5 stars in my book! 🙂 🙃
A collection of short stories from female writers in the 1940s and 1950s chosen by Lucy Scholes, a book reviewer/critic who lives in London. I know her from her book reviews in The Paris Review which I always enjoy reading (https://www.theparisreview.org/author...). She also writes for the NYR Daily, the Financial Times, The New York Times Book Review, and Literary Hub, among other publications. Her collection is published by the Pushkin Press. Oddly enough, just about 3 days ago I read her review of a book I absolutely loved (and that I read this week), ‘The Fortnight in September’ by R. C. Sherriff. What a nice coincidence!
There are 11 stories in this collection, and I started in the middle of the collection. Early on I thought the stories were either quite good or just ‘meh’, but it must have been the order I had chosen for my overall rating at that time which was certain 3 stars and above but not five-star territory. Well that all changed when I got to ‘The Land Girl’ by Diana Gardner. Holy smokes. One of the best short stories I have ever read. And then it was just one good read after another. I certainly want to look up several of these authors who I had not heard of and dip into their oeuvre.
Here are the stories in the order I read them in and my ratings. Oh, and there’s a short story by Stella Gibbons in the mix and that was damn good!!! 🙂 🙃
1. Shocking Weather by Inez Holden — 3 stars
2. The Cut Finger by Frances Bellerby — 4 stars
3. Summer Night by Elizabeth Bowen — 2.5 stars
4. Scorched Earth Policy by Sylvia Townsend Warner — 4 stars
5. Three Miles Up by Elizabeth Jane Howard — 2.5 stars
6. The Land Girl by Diana Gardner — 5 stars
7. Listen to the Magnolias by Stella Gibbons — 5 stars
8. The First Party by Attia Hosain — 4 stars
9. The Skylight by Penelope Mortimer — 4.5 stars
10. The Birds by Daphne du Maurier — 4 stars
11. The Thames Spread Out by Elizabeth Taylor — 4.5 stars
Note:
• Just keeps on getting better with this book! Came to find out from the inner back sleeve of the dust jacket that Lucy Scholes is now Senior Editor at McNally Editions, a series of paperbacks devoted to hidden gems (https://www.mcnallyeditions.com ). Good God — many of them look very interesting...Christmas in July!!! 🙂 🙃
Reviews:
• https://jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2023...
• https://www.observerbd.com/details.ph...
• There are also reviews in The Telegraph and the Times Literary Supplement (UK periodicals), but one needs a subscription to read them, and I don’t have one....
This will probably be in the top 5 books I will have read this year...I didn’t expect it would be this frigging good! Please consider reading it!!! 🙂 🙃
A collection of short stories from female writers in the 1940s and 1950s chosen by Lucy Scholes, a book reviewer/critic who lives in London. I know her from her book reviews in The Paris Review which I always enjoy reading (https://www.theparisreview.org/author...). She also writes for the NYR Daily, the Financial Times, The New York Times Book Review, and Literary Hub, among other publications. Her collection is published by the Pushkin Press. Oddly enough, just about 3 days ago I read her review of a book I absolutely loved (and that I read this week), ‘The Fortnight in September’ by R. C. Sherriff. What a nice coincidence!
There are 11 stories in this collection, and I started in the middle of the collection. Early on I thought the stories were either quite good or just ‘meh’, but it must have been the order I had chosen for my overall rating at that time which was certain 3 stars and above but not five-star territory. Well that all changed when I got to ‘The Land Girl’ by Diana Gardner. Holy smokes. One of the best short stories I have ever read. And then it was just one good read after another. I certainly want to look up several of these authors who I had not heard of and dip into their oeuvre.
Here are the stories in the order I read them in and my ratings. Oh, and there’s a short story by Stella Gibbons in the mix and that was damn good!!! 🙂 🙃
1. Shocking Weather by Inez Holden — 3 stars
2. The Cut Finger by Frances Bellerby — 4 stars
3. Summer Night by Elizabeth Bowen — 2.5 stars
4. Scorched Earth Policy by Sylvia Townsend Warner — 4 stars
5. Three Miles Up by Elizabeth Jane Howard — 2.5 stars
6. The Land Girl by Diana Gardner — 5 stars
7. Listen to the Magnolias by Stella Gibbons — 5 stars
8. The First Party by Attia Hosain — 4 stars
9. The Skylight by Penelope Mortimer — 4.5 stars
10. The Birds by Daphne du Maurier — 4 stars
11. The Thames Spread Out by Elizabeth Taylor — 4.5 stars
Note:
• Just keeps on getting better with this book! Came to find out from the inner back sleeve of the dust jacket that Lucy Scholes is now Senior Editor at McNally Editions, a series of paperbacks devoted to hidden gems (https://www.mcnallyeditions.com ). Good God — many of them look very interesting...Christmas in July!!! 🙂 🙃
Reviews:
• https://jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2023...
• https://www.observerbd.com/details.ph...
• There are also reviews in The Telegraph and the Times Literary Supplement (UK periodicals), but one needs a subscription to read them, and I don’t have one....
This will probably be in the top 5 books I will have read this year...I didn’t expect it would be this frigging good! Please consider reading it!!! 🙂 🙃
July 12, 2023
Compiled and introduced by the editor and literary critic Lucy Scholes, A Different Sound showcases a range of short stories by mid-20th century women writers – an anthology so far up my street that it practically knocked on my door and invited itself in for tea…
Scholes’ choice of writers ranges from the familiar (Elizabeth Bowen, Elizabeth Taylor and Daphne du Maurier) to the lesser known (Attia Hosain, Frances Bellerby and Inez Holden). While others, such as Elizabeth Jane Howard, Penelope Mortimer and Stella Gibbons, are probably better known for novels than short fiction, their stories are excellent and do not disappoint. This is a terrific collection of pieces, enabling readers to reacquaint themselves with familiar favourites while also making some new discoveries. (As ever with these anthologies, I won’t try to cover every story included here; instead, my aim is to give you a flavour of the collection and a few overarching themes.)
Unsurprisingly, given the time period, war features in several of these stories, from Diana Gardner’s striking tale of The Land Girl, who cruelly takes her revenge on the family she is billeted with, to Sylvia Townsend Warner’s Scorched Earth Policy, in which an elderly couple push wartime measures to an extreme. But the most chilling example alludes to war in a metaphorical way, echoing aerial attacks during the Blitz and hinting at potential threats on the horizon, particularly from the Cold War brewing in the East…
In Daphne du Maurier’s terrifying story The Birds, farm worker Nat Hocken (still feeling the effects of an old injury from the war) must protect his family when the natural world hits back. After a long, mild autumn, the weather in Britain suddenly changes in early December when a bitter wind sweeps in from the East – a development Nat notices from his home on the south coast. For some reason, the dramatic change in weather unsettles all the birds, prompting thousands of different species – from blue tits and wrens to gulls and gannets – to flock together, patrolling the skies and attacking individuals on sight.
The birds were circling still, above the fields. Mostly herring gull, but the black-headed gull amongst them. Usually they kept apart. Now they were united. Some bond had brought them together.
It was the black-backed gull that attacked the smaller birds, and even new-born lambs, so he’d heard […] They were coming in towards the farm. They were circling lower in the sky, and the black-backed gulls were to the front, the black-backed gulls were leading. The farm, then, was their target. They were making for the farm. (p. 99)
To read the rest of my review, please visit:
https://jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2023...
Scholes’ choice of writers ranges from the familiar (Elizabeth Bowen, Elizabeth Taylor and Daphne du Maurier) to the lesser known (Attia Hosain, Frances Bellerby and Inez Holden). While others, such as Elizabeth Jane Howard, Penelope Mortimer and Stella Gibbons, are probably better known for novels than short fiction, their stories are excellent and do not disappoint. This is a terrific collection of pieces, enabling readers to reacquaint themselves with familiar favourites while also making some new discoveries. (As ever with these anthologies, I won’t try to cover every story included here; instead, my aim is to give you a flavour of the collection and a few overarching themes.)
Unsurprisingly, given the time period, war features in several of these stories, from Diana Gardner’s striking tale of The Land Girl, who cruelly takes her revenge on the family she is billeted with, to Sylvia Townsend Warner’s Scorched Earth Policy, in which an elderly couple push wartime measures to an extreme. But the most chilling example alludes to war in a metaphorical way, echoing aerial attacks during the Blitz and hinting at potential threats on the horizon, particularly from the Cold War brewing in the East…
In Daphne du Maurier’s terrifying story The Birds, farm worker Nat Hocken (still feeling the effects of an old injury from the war) must protect his family when the natural world hits back. After a long, mild autumn, the weather in Britain suddenly changes in early December when a bitter wind sweeps in from the East – a development Nat notices from his home on the south coast. For some reason, the dramatic change in weather unsettles all the birds, prompting thousands of different species – from blue tits and wrens to gulls and gannets – to flock together, patrolling the skies and attacking individuals on sight.
The birds were circling still, above the fields. Mostly herring gull, but the black-headed gull amongst them. Usually they kept apart. Now they were united. Some bond had brought them together.
It was the black-backed gull that attacked the smaller birds, and even new-born lambs, so he’d heard […] They were coming in towards the farm. They were circling lower in the sky, and the black-backed gulls were to the front, the black-backed gulls were leading. The farm, then, was their target. They were making for the farm. (p. 99)
To read the rest of my review, please visit:
https://jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2023...
May 15, 2024
I was unfamiliar with Lucy Scholes, the editor of A Different Sound: Stories by Mid-century Women Writers, as I was with most of the collected short stories’ writers. My loss. These stories don’t depend on international plots or eviscerations or DNA for interest; they are largely about people, who (amazing as it seems) haven’t changed that much in the last 50 or 100 years. They are uniformly well-written, although a few are a little flowery and one or two others are too metaphysical (symbolic? ambiguous?) for my taste. But there are three winners: “The Birds,” “The Skylight,” and “Three Miles Up.” Many readers are familiar with the movie based on duMaurier’s birds; on the one hand the written story, as is almost invariably the case, is better, but on the other hand I couldn’t reread it because my phobia about depictions of animal suffering has worsened steadily over the decades. “The Skylight” was very unsettling even for a childless person.
But the star of the book (and the reason for the 5th ⭐️ in my rating) was Elizabeth Jane Howard’s “Three Miles Up.” Sans gore, sexual violations, or cannibals it managed to be the most memorably horrifying story I have ever read … and we’re talking thousands of books here. Without Howard’s contribution I’d have given A Different Sound a solid 4⭐️. With it I would rate any collection 5⭐️ and I enthusiastically recommend this book.
WARNING: I’d advise bird lovers against the duMaurier.
But the star of the book (and the reason for the 5th ⭐️ in my rating) was Elizabeth Jane Howard’s “Three Miles Up.” Sans gore, sexual violations, or cannibals it managed to be the most memorably horrifying story I have ever read … and we’re talking thousands of books here. Without Howard’s contribution I’d have given A Different Sound a solid 4⭐️. With it I would rate any collection 5⭐️ and I enthusiastically recommend this book.
WARNING: I’d advise bird lovers against the duMaurier.
March 6, 2024
3.5/5
I was hesitant as to what rating I should give this as a couple of the stories were definitely 5 stars from me but others fell a little flat in comparison. I've gone for in the middle. Wish I could give it 3.5 because three seems a bit harsh but I wouldn't say my overall experience was quite a four star.
I absolutely adored:
- The Birds
- The Land Girl
- The First Party
- The Skylight
I still thoroughly enjoyed reading 'A Different Sound' but I did feel myself rushing through some of the ones that didn't catch my attention as much. Back to the positives! I've been a big Du Maurier fan for years so her inclusion was what first sparked my interest but I really enjoyed discovering some new female writers from this time period. I enjoyed the thematic tensions between the anxiety of the war an the continued anxiety of being a woman in the world. Particularly in the Land Girl there is a push back against the popular wartime image of women buckling down to support the men and pushing their own concerns aside. I loved seeing the portrayal of a selfish woman it was a really interesting contrast to other texts I've read set in similar times.
I would still highly recommend reading A Different Sound as a chance to explore a lot of different writing styles and discover some lesser published writers. I certainly found some gems!
I was hesitant as to what rating I should give this as a couple of the stories were definitely 5 stars from me but others fell a little flat in comparison. I've gone for in the middle. Wish I could give it 3.5 because three seems a bit harsh but I wouldn't say my overall experience was quite a four star.
I absolutely adored:
- The Birds
- The Land Girl
- The First Party
- The Skylight
I still thoroughly enjoyed reading 'A Different Sound' but I did feel myself rushing through some of the ones that didn't catch my attention as much. Back to the positives! I've been a big Du Maurier fan for years so her inclusion was what first sparked my interest but I really enjoyed discovering some new female writers from this time period. I enjoyed the thematic tensions between the anxiety of the war an the continued anxiety of being a woman in the world. Particularly in the Land Girl there is a push back against the popular wartime image of women buckling down to support the men and pushing their own concerns aside. I loved seeing the portrayal of a selfish woman it was a really interesting contrast to other texts I've read set in similar times.
I would still highly recommend reading A Different Sound as a chance to explore a lot of different writing styles and discover some lesser published writers. I certainly found some gems!
May 16, 2024
A Different Sound: Stories by Mid-century Women Writers
What it says on the tin, a collection of short stories by mid-century women writers, including many prominent names that weren't so prominent once.
This small collection is well curated; all of the stories demonstrate raw talent and honed skills but one or two did feel like a slog to get through. du Mauriers The Birds was probably my favourite, along with Diana Gardener's The Land Girl, Attia Hosain's The First Party, and Elizabeth Taylor's The Thames Spread Out.
A fun mix that gives a taste of the of talent and styles of women writers who made a name for themselves in the mid-century.
What it says on the tin, a collection of short stories by mid-century women writers, including many prominent names that weren't so prominent once.
This small collection is well curated; all of the stories demonstrate raw talent and honed skills but one or two did feel like a slog to get through. du Mauriers The Birds was probably my favourite, along with Diana Gardener's The Land Girl, Attia Hosain's The First Party, and Elizabeth Taylor's The Thames Spread Out.
A fun mix that gives a taste of the of talent and styles of women writers who made a name for themselves in the mid-century.
May 11, 2025
The Cut Finger’ by Frances Bellerby- 4 stars
‘Summer Night’ by Elizabeth Bowen- 2.5 stars
‘The Birds’ by Daphne du Maurier- 5 stars
‘The Land Girl’ by Diana Gardner-5 stars
‘Listen to the Magnolias’ by Stella Gibbons- 5 stars (my absolute favourite)
‘Shocking Weather, Isn’t It?’ by Inez Holden- 3 stars
‘The First Party’ by Attia Hosain-3.5 stars
‘Three Miles Up’ by Elizabeth Jane Howard-3.5 stars
‘The Skylight’ by Penelope Mortimer- 4.5 stars
‘The Thames Spread Out’ by Elizabeth Taylor- close to 5 stars
Scorched Earth Policy’ by Sylvia Townsend Warner-3 stars
Overall, this was the ideal night stand read.
‘Summer Night’ by Elizabeth Bowen- 2.5 stars
‘The Birds’ by Daphne du Maurier- 5 stars
‘The Land Girl’ by Diana Gardner-5 stars
‘Listen to the Magnolias’ by Stella Gibbons- 5 stars (my absolute favourite)
‘Shocking Weather, Isn’t It?’ by Inez Holden- 3 stars
‘The First Party’ by Attia Hosain-3.5 stars
‘Three Miles Up’ by Elizabeth Jane Howard-3.5 stars
‘The Skylight’ by Penelope Mortimer- 4.5 stars
‘The Thames Spread Out’ by Elizabeth Taylor- close to 5 stars
Scorched Earth Policy’ by Sylvia Townsend Warner-3 stars
Overall, this was the ideal night stand read.
March 12, 2024
The stories I loved were:
The Cut Finger, by Frances Bellerby
composition of the interior mind of a child in juxtaposition with their grown ups in the house and how all these drastic things are happening around you but you can only focus on the present
The Birds, Daphne du Maurier
I was instantly submerged into this world, the horror in conjunction with the everyday, the way in which I felt every inch of terror and fear, truly remarkable.
Listen To The Magnolias, Stelle Gibbons
The First Party, Atila Hosain
Three Miles up, Elizabeth Jane Howard
The Cut Finger, by Frances Bellerby
composition of the interior mind of a child in juxtaposition with their grown ups in the house and how all these drastic things are happening around you but you can only focus on the present
The Birds, Daphne du Maurier
I was instantly submerged into this world, the horror in conjunction with the everyday, the way in which I felt every inch of terror and fear, truly remarkable.
Listen To The Magnolias, Stelle Gibbons
The First Party, Atila Hosain
Three Miles up, Elizabeth Jane Howard
September 14, 2024
This was a fantastic collection of short stories written in the mid-twentieth century by amazing women writers. Some were very short and poignant. Others were longer and funny. Some were about families. Others were about single women. And of course there was Birds by Daphne du Maurier. All of them were wonderful.
August 14, 2025
A superbly curated collection of short stories from mid century female writers.
Each one is a little gem of concise storytelling, but
The Land Girl by Diana Gardner and Scorched Earth Policy by Sylvia Townsend Warner are the standouts for me.
Each one is a little gem of concise storytelling, but
The Land Girl by Diana Gardner and Scorched Earth Policy by Sylvia Townsend Warner are the standouts for me.
October 26, 2023
God, "The Birds" is frightening!
May 26, 2024
lucy scholes did a good job selecting these, it is my fault entirely for not liking short stories.
February 10, 2025
Rounded up from 3.5 ⭐️
July 30, 2025
Each story, a pure gem.
October 7, 2025
I truly enjoyed this collection - something about the juxtaposition of these writers - reading The Birds right next to Elizabeth Bowen - that brought out new themes and ideas. I am eager to pursue the unknown (Inez Holden) as much as I loved coming back to what I knew (Elizabeth Taylor). The Elizabeth Jane Howard story Three Miles Up is perfect for Halloween.
February 1, 2024
A really enjoyable collection that not only introduced me to authors I'd flat out never heard of before but perhaps more importantly, encouraged me to keep reading on a handful of authors with whom I've struggled in the past to find the work that truly connects with me.
Standouts for me in the collection:
Frances Bellerby's "Cut finger": a young girl is brought to a seaside town by her parents while her ailing father convalesces, and... administers to 6 pebbles in a pond. Seriously, that's kind of it, but Bellerby had me intrigued by everything unsaid here. Now I'm frustrated by how difficult it is to find an out-of-print collection of more of her fiction.
Elizabeth Bowen's "Summer night": this seems like it's maybe a fairly famous piece by Bowen, but i had never encountered it. Seemingly simultaneously about both war and infidelity, the action here is spread across a few households, and yet in a larger sense, much of it seems to go on in the dark (blindness, nighttime roads, one’s inescapable self). Light and lightness are at a premium, and it’s tough to say which character is best off. Here we have one of the cheerier fellows: “Robinson laughed again, this time much more naturally; he emitted a sound like that from inside a furnace inside which something is being consumed.” In another home, a group of family members desperately cling to the piece of the truth that is rightfully theirs, all the while hungering for more. For young and old alike, objects here are forever being sullied and stripped of their original meaning by forces beyond their control, a feeling as resonant in 2024 as it was in its creation in 1941. “And to wrap the burning child up did not put out the fire. You cannot look at the sky without seeing the shadow, the men destroying each other. What is the matter tonight - is there a battle? This is a threatened night.” One likely hopes to be most like blind Queenie in our own endeavors and yet probably fears we are most like her brother, helpless but to call out his enemies and then pray to not meet them again in “the trap-like size of this town.”
Stella Gibbons's "Listen to the Magnolias" introduces us to the “exotic horror” of american soldiers being billeted in an aging english widow’s home. Another story with a subtle sneaky power to it, both in its humor, as the woman lies in bed listening to all of the men snore, as well as in its final brief but heartwarming reveal. There was a sly sweetness to this one that's got me newly dedicated to finding another Gibbons title to explore (beyond Cold Comfort Farm).
Elizabeth Jane Howard's "Three Miles Up": the sudden appearance of a young woman on a boat manned by two friends who are encountering significant troubles on their impromptu sailing voyage. Here is yet another story in this collection (in a good way!) about transition; this one literally opening in a canal with characters hampered by their varying abilities to move from one state of being to another. Like the Bowen piece, the character that seems to be faring the best is the one who adopts the most blase unflappable nature. The trio finds themselves in an unknown canal headed for better things in a village “three miles up”. They fail to find it, turn around, encounter again the individual who gave them the initial advice (who runs away shrieking) and eventually are “presented with the most terrible spectacle”, “the reeds and rushes of a marshy waste closing in behind them.” Loved the muted building dread here.
Penelope Mortimer's "Skylight" opens with a beautiful evocation of devastating heat in the back of a taxi and doesn't stop here. The entire piece is suffused with a sense of melting and disintegration of reason. Slightly shocking ending aside, I found this to be an interesting and effective piece about trying to be your own self and a parent at the same time.
And finally... Elizabeth Taylor's "The Thames Spread Out" offers yet another view of seemingly endless water. Here, a woman enjoys the absence of her current lover, admires a swan in her flooded home, and then recalls, “The woman at the post office had warned her of the filth the receding water would leave behind, the smell that lingered, the stained walls and woodwork, and doors half twisted off their hinges.” Indeed, as the water subsides, she peers over her banister and “found it difficult to believe that the swan had ever swum about down there. It was over now.” The story seems to end on a hopeful note, however, as she throws away a note to her sister as she seems to resolve to visit her in person. “(T)he valley was recovering...”
Standouts for me in the collection:
Frances Bellerby's "Cut finger": a young girl is brought to a seaside town by her parents while her ailing father convalesces, and... administers to 6 pebbles in a pond. Seriously, that's kind of it, but Bellerby had me intrigued by everything unsaid here. Now I'm frustrated by how difficult it is to find an out-of-print collection of more of her fiction.
Elizabeth Bowen's "Summer night": this seems like it's maybe a fairly famous piece by Bowen, but i had never encountered it. Seemingly simultaneously about both war and infidelity, the action here is spread across a few households, and yet in a larger sense, much of it seems to go on in the dark (blindness, nighttime roads, one’s inescapable self). Light and lightness are at a premium, and it’s tough to say which character is best off. Here we have one of the cheerier fellows: “Robinson laughed again, this time much more naturally; he emitted a sound like that from inside a furnace inside which something is being consumed.” In another home, a group of family members desperately cling to the piece of the truth that is rightfully theirs, all the while hungering for more. For young and old alike, objects here are forever being sullied and stripped of their original meaning by forces beyond their control, a feeling as resonant in 2024 as it was in its creation in 1941. “And to wrap the burning child up did not put out the fire. You cannot look at the sky without seeing the shadow, the men destroying each other. What is the matter tonight - is there a battle? This is a threatened night.” One likely hopes to be most like blind Queenie in our own endeavors and yet probably fears we are most like her brother, helpless but to call out his enemies and then pray to not meet them again in “the trap-like size of this town.”
Stella Gibbons's "Listen to the Magnolias" introduces us to the “exotic horror” of american soldiers being billeted in an aging english widow’s home. Another story with a subtle sneaky power to it, both in its humor, as the woman lies in bed listening to all of the men snore, as well as in its final brief but heartwarming reveal. There was a sly sweetness to this one that's got me newly dedicated to finding another Gibbons title to explore (beyond Cold Comfort Farm).
Elizabeth Jane Howard's "Three Miles Up": the sudden appearance of a young woman on a boat manned by two friends who are encountering significant troubles on their impromptu sailing voyage. Here is yet another story in this collection (in a good way!) about transition; this one literally opening in a canal with characters hampered by their varying abilities to move from one state of being to another. Like the Bowen piece, the character that seems to be faring the best is the one who adopts the most blase unflappable nature. The trio finds themselves in an unknown canal headed for better things in a village “three miles up”. They fail to find it, turn around, encounter again the individual who gave them the initial advice (who runs away shrieking) and eventually are “presented with the most terrible spectacle”, “the reeds and rushes of a marshy waste closing in behind them.” Loved the muted building dread here.
Penelope Mortimer's "Skylight" opens with a beautiful evocation of devastating heat in the back of a taxi and doesn't stop here. The entire piece is suffused with a sense of melting and disintegration of reason. Slightly shocking ending aside, I found this to be an interesting and effective piece about trying to be your own self and a parent at the same time.
And finally... Elizabeth Taylor's "The Thames Spread Out" offers yet another view of seemingly endless water. Here, a woman enjoys the absence of her current lover, admires a swan in her flooded home, and then recalls, “The woman at the post office had warned her of the filth the receding water would leave behind, the smell that lingered, the stained walls and woodwork, and doors half twisted off their hinges.” Indeed, as the water subsides, she peers over her banister and “found it difficult to believe that the swan had ever swum about down there. It was over now.” The story seems to end on a hopeful note, however, as she throws away a note to her sister as she seems to resolve to visit her in person. “(T)he valley was recovering...”
May 27, 2024
For those whose literary education left a gap where women's writing is concerned between 'The Yellow Wallpaper' and 'The Bell Jar', proof that sterling authoresses were writing to high acclaim – even if much of the canon forgets all about it. We start with a look at the world from a child's point of view, as she learns of the existence of the seaside holiday in the depth of winter – or at least what counts as a holiday when dad is a convalescent. It's fine, but is one of those pieces that doesn't just capitalise the And That Instant Was When She Grew Up moment, but shouts it full-caps. Next, wartorn Irishmen ask what love is, as a woman goes a-cuckolding, before a huge gear-change for du Maurier's oft-collected 'The Birds', with its own war inflections. It's something that has to be read once, if only to see the difference between it and the movie.
'The Land Girl' is a horridly light-hearted look at a complete betrayal by a new farm-worker given a placement due to the war effort. We're definitely during the war as Stella Gibbons presents a widow terribly anxious about the Yankee soldiers forcibly billeted in her posh town house, and it's blackout when someone goes to see her cousin Swithin (on his birthday and the saint's day, as they're the one and the same), in this book's closest to a dud. Perking things up, we have a woman find a culture clash and no mistake – and on her own wedding day, it seems.
Of all the visuals provided by this selection, a woman's loose sexual behaviour and liberty being defined by a flooding Thames, must be the strongest. I mean we've all avoided a swan in the house and gone off in a boat with two guys when our married lover hasn't reached our home. Running that a close second a real taste of the unexpected, as two men on a hired narrowboat fall out, take on board a young female guest, and go off-piste in more ways than one. And some will certainly find most memorable the desperation of a mother in France, being trapped out of her accommodation and forced to rely on her young son to get through the roof skylight and open it up for them. The final piece, the shortest, shows us an upper class couple, having built up a wonderfully economic household, only getting ready to scupper it before the Nazis arrive.
This was a surprise for me – the amount of major names I'd under-read, the breadth of content despite what seems a brief focus in years, both of creation and setting, and the sheer enjoyment. I had no right to expect the quality I found here, for we all know the general fiction short story collection veers in standard control. Sure, a couple of pieces were the under-performers, but the humble woman and young child forced to attack the drab brick of their holiday home, the boat-set shenanigans with the mysterious girl put on board (a weak second cousin perhaps to 'Young Adam' from about the same age, but sterling stuff all the less) and more will definitely remain in the memory. Memory is probably a theme here if you work on it enough – the behaviours of the prior generations, the wartime labours the women engaged with that the men had muscle memory for but who were obviously absent – but you don't need to come to these pages looking for themes, combinations, contrasts and whatnot. Come only for a mightily impressive anthology and here's one – of four and a half star distinction, no less.
'The Land Girl' is a horridly light-hearted look at a complete betrayal by a new farm-worker given a placement due to the war effort. We're definitely during the war as Stella Gibbons presents a widow terribly anxious about the Yankee soldiers forcibly billeted in her posh town house, and it's blackout when someone goes to see her cousin Swithin (on his birthday and the saint's day, as they're the one and the same), in this book's closest to a dud. Perking things up, we have a woman find a culture clash and no mistake – and on her own wedding day, it seems.
Of all the visuals provided by this selection, a woman's loose sexual behaviour and liberty being defined by a flooding Thames, must be the strongest. I mean we've all avoided a swan in the house and gone off in a boat with two guys when our married lover hasn't reached our home. Running that a close second a real taste of the unexpected, as two men on a hired narrowboat fall out, take on board a young female guest, and go off-piste in more ways than one. And some will certainly find most memorable the desperation of a mother in France, being trapped out of her accommodation and forced to rely on her young son to get through the roof skylight and open it up for them. The final piece, the shortest, shows us an upper class couple, having built up a wonderfully economic household, only getting ready to scupper it before the Nazis arrive.
This was a surprise for me – the amount of major names I'd under-read, the breadth of content despite what seems a brief focus in years, both of creation and setting, and the sheer enjoyment. I had no right to expect the quality I found here, for we all know the general fiction short story collection veers in standard control. Sure, a couple of pieces were the under-performers, but the humble woman and young child forced to attack the drab brick of their holiday home, the boat-set shenanigans with the mysterious girl put on board (a weak second cousin perhaps to 'Young Adam' from about the same age, but sterling stuff all the less) and more will definitely remain in the memory. Memory is probably a theme here if you work on it enough – the behaviours of the prior generations, the wartime labours the women engaged with that the men had muscle memory for but who were obviously absent – but you don't need to come to these pages looking for themes, combinations, contrasts and whatnot. Come only for a mightily impressive anthology and here's one – of four and a half star distinction, no less.
February 15, 2024
This is a collection of short stories from women writers of the 40s and 50s, a period of immense change in British society, with topics such as the war, the changing roles of women, the rise of technology and the end of Empire appearing throughout. There's a real mix in the style, the length and the tone of the stories themselves and also a mix of already famous and lesser known authors, but the collection hangs together very well and does give a broad picture of women's lives. It's hard to choose a favourite story as they're all so different but I did love The Birds by Daphne du Maurier for its intense atmosphere and also The Land Girl by Diana Gardner for allowing its main character to be quite so self centred and vindictive. It's a collection I can imagine returning to many times.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.
January 16, 2024
This excellent collection brings together stories from the 1940s and 50s, written by various women. Some of these women are well known and some less so. There are classic stories included (such as The Birds by Daphne du Maurier) and others that are relatively obscure. Some of the authors are better known for their novels and some aren't known much at all, but should be. I'd read a few of the stories included before, but most were new to me and all were wonderful. It's unusual for me to like every story in a collection, but such was the case with this one. The introduction was informative as well. If you love short stories, I can highly recommend this book.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC.
February 22, 2024
A book worth buying for one story alone, The Birds. Famous as a Hitchcock novel, the terror and dread created by Daphne du Maurier is astonishing.
The 40s and 50s were a golden time for women's writing. At this time women had very few rights but writers such as Elizabeth Taylor, du Maurier and Penelope Mortimer gave a voice to millions of women who were resenting the loss of new found freedom after the war.
This is a stellar collection with an outstanding introduction by Lucy Scholes.
Thanks to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for the eARC in return for an honest review.
The 40s and 50s were a golden time for women's writing. At this time women had very few rights but writers such as Elizabeth Taylor, du Maurier and Penelope Mortimer gave a voice to millions of women who were resenting the loss of new found freedom after the war.
This is a stellar collection with an outstanding introduction by Lucy Scholes.
Thanks to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for the eARC in return for an honest review.
March 29, 2024
I read the first few of these short stories. Unfortunately they didn’t really resonated with me..
I did quite like the quietness of them and it was a nice contrast to contemporary literature.
I will probably return to them and read an individual story in between some more challenging novels.
I did quite like the quietness of them and it was a nice contrast to contemporary literature.
I will probably return to them and read an individual story in between some more challenging novels.
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