Delight

by Mazo de la Roche

"Delight," a captivating novel by J.B. Priestley, is a literary masterpiece that takes readers on a thought-provoking journey through the complexities of human existence. Set in the post-World War II era, the narrative follows the lives of a diverse cast of characters who find themselves entwined in a web of chance encounters, shared experiences, and profound revelations. Priestley's exquisite prose delves deep into the inner lives of his characters, exploring their hopes, fears, and desires with a keen and empathetic eye. As the story unfolds, seemingly ordinary moments are imbued with a sense of wonder and significance, illuminating the profound beauty that can be found in everyday life.

218 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1961

About the author

Mazo de la Roche, born Mazo Louise Roche, was the author of the Jalna novels, one of the most popular series of books of her time.

The Jalna series consists of sixteen novels that tell the story of the Canadian Whiteoak family from 1854 to 1954, although each of the novels can also be enjoyed as an independent story. In the world of the Whiteoaks, as in real life, people live and die, find success and fall to ruin. For the Whiteoaks, there remains something solid and unchanging in the midst of life's transience--the manor house and its rich surrounding farmland known as "Jalna." The author, Mazo de la Roche, gave the members of her fictitious family names from gravestones in Ontario's New Market cemetery, and the story itself balances somewhere between fact and fiction. Critics think events in the novels reflect de la Roche's dreams, moods, and life experiences. As the daughter of a traveling businessman, she may have seen the Jalna estate as the roots she never had, while the character Finch, from Finch's Fortune, is thought to be a reflection of herself.