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The Five Towns #7
The Card
Enoch Arnold Bennett was a British novelist.His most famous works are the Clayhanger trilogy, The Card and The Old Wives' Tale. These books draw on his experience of life in the Potteries, as did most of his best work. The Card is a short comedic novel written by Arnold Bennett in 1911. It was later made into a 1952 movie starring Alec Guinness and Petula Clark. It chronicles the rise of Edward Henry ("Denry") Machin from washerwoman's son to Mayor of Bursley (a fictitious town based on Burslem).
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1911
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649 people want to read
About the author
Arnold Bennett
964 books312 followersEnoch Arnold Bennett was an English author, best known as a novelist, who wrote prolifically. Between the 1890s and the 1930s he completed 34 novels, seven volumes of short stories, 13 plays (some in collaboration with other writers), and a daily journal totalling more than a million words. He wrote articles and stories for more than 100 newspapers and periodicals, worked in and briefly ran the Ministry of Information during the First World War, and wrote for the cinema in the 1920s. Sales of his books were substantial, and he was the most financially successful British author of his day.
Born into a modest but upwardly mobile family in Hanley, in the Staffordshire Potteries, Bennett was intended by his father, a solicitor, to follow him into the legal profession. Bennett worked for his father before moving to another law firm in London as a clerk at the age of 21. He became assistant editor and then editor of a women's magazine before becoming a full-time author in 1900. Always a devotee of French culture in general and French literature in particular, he moved to Paris in 1903; there the relaxed milieu helped him overcome his intense shyness, particularly with women. He spent ten years in France, marrying a Frenchwoman in 1907. In 1912 he moved back to England. He and his wife separated in 1921, and he spent the last years of his life with a new partner, an English actress. He died in 1931 of typhoid fever, having unwisely drunk tap-water in France.
Many of Bennett's novels and short stories are set in a fictionalised version of the Staffordshire Potteries, which he called The Five Towns. He strongly believed that literature should be accessible to ordinary people and he deplored literary cliques and élites. His books appealed to a wide public and sold in large numbers. For this reason, and for his adherence to realism, writers and supporters of the modernist school, notably Virginia Woolf, belittled him, and his fiction became neglected after his death. During his lifetime his journalistic "self-help" books sold in substantial numbers, and he was also a playwright; he did less well in the theatre than with novels but achieved two considerable successes with Milestones (1912) and The Great Adventure (1913).
Studies by Margaret Drabble (1974), John Carey (1992), and others have led to a re-evaluation of Bennett's work. The finest of his novels, including Anna of the Five Towns (1902), The Old Wives' Tale (1908), Clayhanger (1910) and Riceyman Steps (1923), are now widely recognised as major works.
Born into a modest but upwardly mobile family in Hanley, in the Staffordshire Potteries, Bennett was intended by his father, a solicitor, to follow him into the legal profession. Bennett worked for his father before moving to another law firm in London as a clerk at the age of 21. He became assistant editor and then editor of a women's magazine before becoming a full-time author in 1900. Always a devotee of French culture in general and French literature in particular, he moved to Paris in 1903; there the relaxed milieu helped him overcome his intense shyness, particularly with women. He spent ten years in France, marrying a Frenchwoman in 1907. In 1912 he moved back to England. He and his wife separated in 1921, and he spent the last years of his life with a new partner, an English actress. He died in 1931 of typhoid fever, having unwisely drunk tap-water in France.
Many of Bennett's novels and short stories are set in a fictionalised version of the Staffordshire Potteries, which he called The Five Towns. He strongly believed that literature should be accessible to ordinary people and he deplored literary cliques and élites. His books appealed to a wide public and sold in large numbers. For this reason, and for his adherence to realism, writers and supporters of the modernist school, notably Virginia Woolf, belittled him, and his fiction became neglected after his death. During his lifetime his journalistic "self-help" books sold in substantial numbers, and he was also a playwright; he did less well in the theatre than with novels but achieved two considerable successes with Milestones (1912) and The Great Adventure (1913).
Studies by Margaret Drabble (1974), John Carey (1992), and others have led to a re-evaluation of Bennett's work. The finest of his novels, including Anna of the Five Towns (1902), The Old Wives' Tale (1908), Clayhanger (1910) and Riceyman Steps (1923), are now widely recognised as major works.
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August 8, 2018
My original review somehow got attached to a version of this credited to an author who adapted it! Anyway:
This is the humorous tale of Edward Henry Machin (his mother "saved a certain amount of time each day by addressing her son as Denry"), set in a small industrial town at the start of the 20th century.
Denry is an impulsive, opportunistic and occasionally lucky entrepreneur, with few morals where business is concerned. He is not especially likeable, but nor is he ludicrously unpleasant and he is an entertaining character to townsfolk as well as readers.
Social Climbing
He was raised by his mother, a poor (but proud and hard-working) widow, but obtained a scholarship to grammar school - by cheating, although "he gradually came to believe he had won the scholarship by genuine merit". An encounter with a countess who was "born to poor but picturesque parents" and "brought up to matrimony" provides an opportunity to be noticed and raise his ambitions.
"There were several different men in Denry, but he had the gift of not mixing up two different Denrys when he found himself in a complicated situation." In particular, he develops the habit of turning questions round when asked a tricky situation (Do you?, Could you? etc), to generally good effect.
The ways he makes money and climbs the social ladder are many and various and sometimes quite funny, but my favourite chapter was "Raising a Wigwam", even though I guessed what was going on quite early.
There is some nice social detail, "The servant was correctly starched, but unkempt in detail." Also, "The manners and state of a family that has industrially risen combine the spectacular grandeur of the caste to which it has climbed with the ease and freedom of the caste which it has quitted."
Old Fashioned, Even for its Time?
Bennett was criticised by some of his contemporaries, especially the Bloomsbury Set, for being old-fashioned and that is true to some extent, which is part of its charm.
However, it also has glimpses of modernity that were quite surprising to me, e.g. joking about estate agents overusing terms such as "bijou", some of the features of a high-tech house and the comment that "This was in the days... when automobilists made their wills and took food supplies before setting forth". There is also some careful omission (e.g. when the countess quizzes Denry about something for which he has no excuse, yet he emerges on even better terms than before), which builds dramatic tension.
Overall, a well-written, witty read.
Part Two
The sequel is The Regent (see my review HERE), though it's not as strong as this.
This is the humorous tale of Edward Henry Machin (his mother "saved a certain amount of time each day by addressing her son as Denry"), set in a small industrial town at the start of the 20th century.
Denry is an impulsive, opportunistic and occasionally lucky entrepreneur, with few morals where business is concerned. He is not especially likeable, but nor is he ludicrously unpleasant and he is an entertaining character to townsfolk as well as readers.
Social Climbing
He was raised by his mother, a poor (but proud and hard-working) widow, but obtained a scholarship to grammar school - by cheating, although "he gradually came to believe he had won the scholarship by genuine merit". An encounter with a countess who was "born to poor but picturesque parents" and "brought up to matrimony" provides an opportunity to be noticed and raise his ambitions.
"There were several different men in Denry, but he had the gift of not mixing up two different Denrys when he found himself in a complicated situation." In particular, he develops the habit of turning questions round when asked a tricky situation (Do you?, Could you? etc), to generally good effect.
The ways he makes money and climbs the social ladder are many and various and sometimes quite funny, but my favourite chapter was "Raising a Wigwam", even though I guessed what was going on quite early.
There is some nice social detail, "The servant was correctly starched, but unkempt in detail." Also, "The manners and state of a family that has industrially risen combine the spectacular grandeur of the caste to which it has climbed with the ease and freedom of the caste which it has quitted."
Old Fashioned, Even for its Time?
Bennett was criticised by some of his contemporaries, especially the Bloomsbury Set, for being old-fashioned and that is true to some extent, which is part of its charm.
However, it also has glimpses of modernity that were quite surprising to me, e.g. joking about estate agents overusing terms such as "bijou", some of the features of a high-tech house and the comment that "This was in the days... when automobilists made their wills and took food supplies before setting forth". There is also some careful omission (e.g. when the countess quizzes Denry about something for which he has no excuse, yet he emerges on even better terms than before), which builds dramatic tension.
Overall, a well-written, witty read.
Part Two
The sequel is The Regent (see my review HERE), though it's not as strong as this.
October 4, 2014
I’ve been meaning to get round to reading Bennett for some time, and picking up this rather slim comic novel cheap at my favourite second hand bookshop gave me the impetus required. I’ve noted that Cecily, one of my GR friends is a fan; so it’s about time I started to fill the gap.
It is set in the Potteries; the five towns in Staffordshire renowned for producing china, porcelain and pottery (obviously). It concerns the career of Edward Henry Machin (known as Denry); “the card” of the title. A Card is someone who is clever in a knowing sort of way, humorous and possessing originality and flair.
It is told in the form of a series of individual scenarios over just over twenty years, from when Denry is twelve and finds a way to cheat his way into grammar. He goes through life with a certain verve, recklessness and dumb luck which is endearing and irritating at the same time. Denry becomes what might be called a “self-made man”. There is a level of satire which makes me think that Bennett knew men like this; it is mocking, but not malicious.
The character of Denry is such a strong one that the other characters in the novel are a little underdeveloped in comparison. I thought Ruth Darcy was an interesting character and felt a little cheated that she wasn’t more prominent. However there is a second novel, “The Regent” and I think I’ve enjoyed this one enough to read the second at some point.
It isn’t challenging or ground-breaking, but it’s fun and easy on the mind.
It is set in the Potteries; the five towns in Staffordshire renowned for producing china, porcelain and pottery (obviously). It concerns the career of Edward Henry Machin (known as Denry); “the card” of the title. A Card is someone who is clever in a knowing sort of way, humorous and possessing originality and flair.
It is told in the form of a series of individual scenarios over just over twenty years, from when Denry is twelve and finds a way to cheat his way into grammar. He goes through life with a certain verve, recklessness and dumb luck which is endearing and irritating at the same time. Denry becomes what might be called a “self-made man”. There is a level of satire which makes me think that Bennett knew men like this; it is mocking, but not malicious.
The character of Denry is such a strong one that the other characters in the novel are a little underdeveloped in comparison. I thought Ruth Darcy was an interesting character and felt a little cheated that she wasn’t more prominent. However there is a second novel, “The Regent” and I think I’ve enjoyed this one enough to read the second at some point.
It isn’t challenging or ground-breaking, but it’s fun and easy on the mind.
August 2, 2020
I find myself consistently giving Arnold Bennett’s books high ratings. In my view, he is an author one should not miss.
The Card: A Story of Adventure in the Five Towns is fun. It is humorous, moves quickly and has surprising twists and turns. What is delivered is not predictable. One is continually asking what the central character is going to do now, and then what he does is not what you might guess.
The humor is good natured and fun. The lines offer witty play-on-words. This is no piece of biting satire.
The “card” in the story is the central protagonist—Denry. We meet him in his youth when he is twelve years old living in the Potteries District of Staffordshire, England. The year is 1867. He lives in the fictitious Bursley, based on the real town Burslem. At the start, he is simply the town’s washerwoman’s son. His path toward a high social standing is the story.
“Oh, he is such a card!” one might hear. Do you truly understand what that means? Read this delightful story and you will.
I am not going to explain what the moniker means, but merely clarify that it is not intended in a bad sense. The people of the town proclaim that Denry “cheers them up”! He has audacity, get-up-and-go, and consistently finds solutions out of the ordinary. Let’s get this straight, he is a good guy but no angel.
A really good book need not be deep, serious, or intellectual. Fun books have their charm too! I have consciously told you very little about what happens because that and the writing is what makes the book fun.
Peter Joyce narrates the audiobook well. Some of the colloquial expressions are hard to decipher because at times he speaks on the fast side. I like the narration, so I am giving it three stars.
**************************
*Anna of the Five Towns 4 stars
*Riceyman Steps 4 stars
*Helen with the High Hand - An Idyllic Diversion 4 stars
*The Old Wives' Tale 4 stars
*The Card: A Story of Adventure in the Five Towns 4 stars
The Card: A Story of Adventure in the Five Towns is fun. It is humorous, moves quickly and has surprising twists and turns. What is delivered is not predictable. One is continually asking what the central character is going to do now, and then what he does is not what you might guess.
The humor is good natured and fun. The lines offer witty play-on-words. This is no piece of biting satire.
The “card” in the story is the central protagonist—Denry. We meet him in his youth when he is twelve years old living in the Potteries District of Staffordshire, England. The year is 1867. He lives in the fictitious Bursley, based on the real town Burslem. At the start, he is simply the town’s washerwoman’s son. His path toward a high social standing is the story.
“Oh, he is such a card!” one might hear. Do you truly understand what that means? Read this delightful story and you will.
I am not going to explain what the moniker means, but merely clarify that it is not intended in a bad sense. The people of the town proclaim that Denry “cheers them up”! He has audacity, get-up-and-go, and consistently finds solutions out of the ordinary. Let’s get this straight, he is a good guy but no angel.
A really good book need not be deep, serious, or intellectual. Fun books have their charm too! I have consciously told you very little about what happens because that and the writing is what makes the book fun.
Peter Joyce narrates the audiobook well. Some of the colloquial expressions are hard to decipher because at times he speaks on the fast side. I like the narration, so I am giving it three stars.
**************************
*Anna of the Five Towns 4 stars
*Riceyman Steps 4 stars
*Helen with the High Hand - An Idyllic Diversion 4 stars
*The Old Wives' Tale 4 stars
*The Card: A Story of Adventure in the Five Towns 4 stars
August 21, 2023
The meaning of card, as used in the title, is a clever fellow, a somewhat odd, amusing, unpredictable and often audacious person. Denry (Edward Henry) Machin is The Card.
The time is late Victorian to early Edwardian; the place is the fictional Five Towns in England, based on Bennett’s native Stoke-on-Trent, which at the turn of the century was known as The Six Towns.
Denry begins his career with a deception, a bit of self-help affirmative action. The son of a poor, widowed washerwoman, he cheats on an exam and receives a scholarship to a first-rate grammar school. The education provides a launching pad for his brilliant career.
“Every life is a series of coincidences. Nothing happens that is not rooted in coincidence. All great changes find their cause in coincidence. Therefore, I shall not mince the fact that the next change in Denry's career was due to an enormous and complicated coincidence.”
Denry makes the best of several coincidences; he is adept at turning lemons into lemonade. He is creative, a natural promoter and entrepreneur who climbs the ladder of business and political success by following a great principle of free markets and democracy: Give the people what they want. He also has the knack of charming the ladies. Moreover, Denry has clever ways of getting even with his rivals and adversaries by means of pranks and ridicule.
I enjoyed Bennett’s prose style, his straightforward narrative, his folksy humor, believable characters, and dialogue. Most of all, I developed a fondness for his protagonist.
Machin’s formula for success is summed up as follow:
“A little group of councillors were discussing Denry. ‘What a card!’ said one, laughing joyously. ‘He's a rare 'un, no mistake.’ ‘Of course, this'll make him more popular than ever,’ said another. ‘We've never had a man to touch him for that.’
‘And yet,’ demanded Councillor Barlow, ‘what's he done? Has he ever done a day's work in his life? What great cause is he identified with?’ ‘He's identified,’ said the speaker, ‘with the great cause of cheering us all up.
The time is late Victorian to early Edwardian; the place is the fictional Five Towns in England, based on Bennett’s native Stoke-on-Trent, which at the turn of the century was known as The Six Towns.
Denry begins his career with a deception, a bit of self-help affirmative action. The son of a poor, widowed washerwoman, he cheats on an exam and receives a scholarship to a first-rate grammar school. The education provides a launching pad for his brilliant career.
“Every life is a series of coincidences. Nothing happens that is not rooted in coincidence. All great changes find their cause in coincidence. Therefore, I shall not mince the fact that the next change in Denry's career was due to an enormous and complicated coincidence.”
Denry makes the best of several coincidences; he is adept at turning lemons into lemonade. He is creative, a natural promoter and entrepreneur who climbs the ladder of business and political success by following a great principle of free markets and democracy: Give the people what they want. He also has the knack of charming the ladies. Moreover, Denry has clever ways of getting even with his rivals and adversaries by means of pranks and ridicule.
I enjoyed Bennett’s prose style, his straightforward narrative, his folksy humor, believable characters, and dialogue. Most of all, I developed a fondness for his protagonist.
Machin’s formula for success is summed up as follow:
“A little group of councillors were discussing Denry. ‘What a card!’ said one, laughing joyously. ‘He's a rare 'un, no mistake.’ ‘Of course, this'll make him more popular than ever,’ said another. ‘We've never had a man to touch him for that.’
‘And yet,’ demanded Councillor Barlow, ‘what's he done? Has he ever done a day's work in his life? What great cause is he identified with?’ ‘He's identified,’ said the speaker, ‘with the great cause of cheering us all up.
May 13, 2022
The Card (1911) is a short, light and entertaining novel by Arnold Bennett. It's only the second book I have read by Arnold Bennett but I will certainly be reading more.
The first Bennet novel I read was the splendid Riceyman Steps (1923) which I recommend (see my review for more on that one).
Arnold Bennett was hugely popular in the early 1900s in England. He wrote realistically about the working class and their struggles with poverty. His straightforward writing and natural storytelling skills were mercilessly pilloried by Virginia Woolf and sadly his reputation suffered. In the last few decades his books have been rediscovered and are now being appreciated and reappraised by modern readers.
Back to The Card, it’s a classic comic novel about a small-time entrepreneur in the Potteries around 1910. Denry Machin is a natural at identifying and implementing successful money making schemes and so becomes increasingly celebrated in his fictional home town of Bursley. It’s full of fun and humour and includes some truly inventive and ingenious schemes.
In addition to being a light and amusing read, it also provides some fascinating insights into English society during this era, and adopts an irreverent attitude to the establishment, the wealthy and some local traditions.
Heartwarming and enjoyable, and with some great social history, what's not to love?
4/5
Enoch Arnold Bennett was a British novelist.His most famous works are the Clayhanger trilogy, The Card and The Old Wives' Tale. These books draw on his experience of life in the Potteries, as did most of his best work. The Card is a short comedic novel written by Arnold Bennett in 1911. It was later made into a 1952 movie starring Alec Guinness and Petula Clark. It chronicles the rise of Edward Henry ("Denry") Machin from washerwoman's son to Mayor of Bursley (a fictitious town based on Burslem).
The first Bennet novel I read was the splendid Riceyman Steps (1923) which I recommend (see my review for more on that one).
Arnold Bennett was hugely popular in the early 1900s in England. He wrote realistically about the working class and their struggles with poverty. His straightforward writing and natural storytelling skills were mercilessly pilloried by Virginia Woolf and sadly his reputation suffered. In the last few decades his books have been rediscovered and are now being appreciated and reappraised by modern readers.
Back to The Card, it’s a classic comic novel about a small-time entrepreneur in the Potteries around 1910. Denry Machin is a natural at identifying and implementing successful money making schemes and so becomes increasingly celebrated in his fictional home town of Bursley. It’s full of fun and humour and includes some truly inventive and ingenious schemes.
In addition to being a light and amusing read, it also provides some fascinating insights into English society during this era, and adopts an irreverent attitude to the establishment, the wealthy and some local traditions.
Heartwarming and enjoyable, and with some great social history, what's not to love?
4/5
Enoch Arnold Bennett was a British novelist.His most famous works are the Clayhanger trilogy, The Card and The Old Wives' Tale. These books draw on his experience of life in the Potteries, as did most of his best work. The Card is a short comedic novel written by Arnold Bennett in 1911. It was later made into a 1952 movie starring Alec Guinness and Petula Clark. It chronicles the rise of Edward Henry ("Denry") Machin from washerwoman's son to Mayor of Bursley (a fictitious town based on Burslem).
May 22, 2017
Really 3 and a half stars. A fun read.
May 5, 2022
It is many years since I first read The Card and it’s still as brilliantly enjoyable now. If ever there was a book which contradicted Mark Twain’s definition of a classic as something everyone wants to have read but nobody wants to read, this should be it.
First published in 1911, this is the story of Denry Machin a young man of humble origins in the Five Towns, Arnold Bennett’s fictionalised version of The Potteries in Staffordshire. Denry’s tale is told in a series of chapters from his life in which he may suffer temporary setback, but by a combination of nous, bravado and occasional low cunning he continues to rise in wealth and stature and to become “a card” – a most desirable soubriquet denoting a man of character and wit.
It’s a delight. Bennett’s style is extremely readable and has a wonderfully dry, slightly ironic wit to it which had me smiling regularly and sometimes laughing out loud. Denry’s antics are very amusing (although I did need to grit my teeth a little at one or two of them, which do seem rather unacceptably underhand nowadays). The portraits of the other characters and of provincial society at the time are very well done, too, often in a few exceptionally well-written lines.
In short, I loved The Card. It’s a great read from a very fine, perceptive and very funny writer. Warmly recommended.
First published in 1911, this is the story of Denry Machin a young man of humble origins in the Five Towns, Arnold Bennett’s fictionalised version of The Potteries in Staffordshire. Denry’s tale is told in a series of chapters from his life in which he may suffer temporary setback, but by a combination of nous, bravado and occasional low cunning he continues to rise in wealth and stature and to become “a card” – a most desirable soubriquet denoting a man of character and wit.
It’s a delight. Bennett’s style is extremely readable and has a wonderfully dry, slightly ironic wit to it which had me smiling regularly and sometimes laughing out loud. Denry’s antics are very amusing (although I did need to grit my teeth a little at one or two of them, which do seem rather unacceptably underhand nowadays). The portraits of the other characters and of provincial society at the time are very well done, too, often in a few exceptionally well-written lines.
In short, I loved The Card. It’s a great read from a very fine, perceptive and very funny writer. Warmly recommended.
August 6, 2017
4 1/2 stars
The only way to describe this is 'Great Fun!'. Edward Henry Machin, or 'Denry' as his mother calls him, is what we modern day people would recognise as a born entrepreneur. He's extraordinarily gifted at seeing an opportunity and having the courage to go after it. He's born far down the social scale, the only child of a widowed washerwoman, but he's not about to let that stop him. If he wasn't born into a fortune then he'll have to make his own. And with a bit of daring, a dash of cheek and a whole lot of kindly assistance from Lady Luck, that is just what he does.
These conjoined tales about the rise and the rise of Edward Henry Machin, from total non entity to thoroughly respected businessman and Mayor of Bursley have one thing in common; they are all extremely funny. Denry certainly is 'A Card', and won't allow himself to be beaten at anything - as he firmly believes, there is no failure that can't be turned into a success by a man as extraordinary as himself.
Read this when you are looking for something to break up some darker and more serious books. Or whenever you feel like having a bit of a chuckle at Denry's antics.
The only way to describe this is 'Great Fun!'. Edward Henry Machin, or 'Denry' as his mother calls him, is what we modern day people would recognise as a born entrepreneur. He's extraordinarily gifted at seeing an opportunity and having the courage to go after it. He's born far down the social scale, the only child of a widowed washerwoman, but he's not about to let that stop him. If he wasn't born into a fortune then he'll have to make his own. And with a bit of daring, a dash of cheek and a whole lot of kindly assistance from Lady Luck, that is just what he does.
These conjoined tales about the rise and the rise of Edward Henry Machin, from total non entity to thoroughly respected businessman and Mayor of Bursley have one thing in common; they are all extremely funny. Denry certainly is 'A Card', and won't allow himself to be beaten at anything - as he firmly believes, there is no failure that can't be turned into a success by a man as extraordinary as himself.
Read this when you are looking for something to break up some darker and more serious books. Or whenever you feel like having a bit of a chuckle at Denry's antics.
August 16, 2021
Bennett’s The Card is a light frolic following the rise to power and prominence of a local character whose schemes propel him into the hearts of the Five Towns. Characters like Denry Machin are no longer witty and charming in our political world, where “cards” like Trump and Johnson are elected and leave burning skipfuls of babies on our collective doorsteps with their every utterance. Leaping back to 1911, however, and seeing Denry take wrecking ball to the local elites by becoming one of them and changing nothing is somewhat satisfying.
March 29, 2024
Edward Henry Machin, known as Denry Machin, is The Card of the title.
He's known as Denry because his mother realised she could save a certain amount of time each and every day by calling him Denry instead of Edward Henry.
The story is mostly set in The Five Towns apart from excursions to Llandudno and Switzerland. The Five Towns in Bennett's books are based on five towns in The Potteries i.e Stoke, Hanley, Tunstall, Longton, and Burslem. The names of Bennett's Five Towns are changed slightly from their actual names, so Burslem becomes Bursley and Hanley Hanbridge for example. A sixth town, Fenton, is often added into The Potteries now, but in this book I don't believe it's referred to.
Denry Machin is a bit of a rogue and a wheeler and dealer who gets a leg up in life by changing his marks in a geography exam when no one is looking and so manages to receive a scholarship to a better school. However, Denry goes from the backstreets of Bursley to living in a large house based on business acumen and a great deal of calculated risk taking as well as a few sly actions when no one is looking.
However, what Denry does best is that he knows how to cheer people up, whether by buying a star striker with his own money for the local football team, or by setting up a Universal Thrift Club that is so successful that it would end up bankrupting him, if he didn't do something in the nick of time to prevent this happening. He has foresight and skill.
The book is a joy to read and I'm now looking for the next Arnold Bennett book to read.
Recommended.
He's known as Denry because his mother realised she could save a certain amount of time each and every day by calling him Denry instead of Edward Henry.
The story is mostly set in The Five Towns apart from excursions to Llandudno and Switzerland. The Five Towns in Bennett's books are based on five towns in The Potteries i.e Stoke, Hanley, Tunstall, Longton, and Burslem. The names of Bennett's Five Towns are changed slightly from their actual names, so Burslem becomes Bursley and Hanley Hanbridge for example. A sixth town, Fenton, is often added into The Potteries now, but in this book I don't believe it's referred to.
Denry Machin is a bit of a rogue and a wheeler and dealer who gets a leg up in life by changing his marks in a geography exam when no one is looking and so manages to receive a scholarship to a better school. However, Denry goes from the backstreets of Bursley to living in a large house based on business acumen and a great deal of calculated risk taking as well as a few sly actions when no one is looking.
However, what Denry does best is that he knows how to cheer people up, whether by buying a star striker with his own money for the local football team, or by setting up a Universal Thrift Club that is so successful that it would end up bankrupting him, if he didn't do something in the nick of time to prevent this happening. He has foresight and skill.
The book is a joy to read and I'm now looking for the next Arnold Bennett book to read.
Recommended.
November 21, 2022
4.5 stars. A delightful, entertaining, humorous short novel about Edwin Henry Machlin, (‘Denry’), the card. Denry makes original, spur of the moment decisions, that he always acts upon. His spontaneous outbursts surprise people. He is quite the successful wheeler and dealer.
Well developed interesting characters and very good plot momentum.
Another highly recommended Arnold Bennett novel. Two of his other books that I also highly recommend are ‘The Old Wives’ Tale’, and ‘These Twain’.
This book was first published in 1911.
Well developed interesting characters and very good plot momentum.
Another highly recommended Arnold Bennett novel. Two of his other books that I also highly recommend are ‘The Old Wives’ Tale’, and ‘These Twain’.
This book was first published in 1911.
March 23, 2022
This was another delightful Bennett novel. I very much enjoyed this story of a young man (the titled Card) and his entrepreneurial, civic and amorous adventures. The novel tells his story between the ages of 12 and 34 during the period from 1879 to 1901.
While I have enjoyed others of Mr. Bennett's tales of the Five Towns area, this one had a lighter touch, and a slightly different feel. It is clearly more amusing. Also, the story's events are fairly unique, intriguing and unexpected, which helps make the fun.
The main character is also unique, intriguing and unexpected. He has both good qualities and faults, but you root for him. The Card, with his initiative, civic-mindedness and humor, reminded me of a 1900 American character, maybe in one of Booth Tarkington's stories about a similar time framed Indianapolis. Perhaps it was the Card's motorcar and home purchases,
I very much enjoyed this story. When it ended, I felt that i would have preferred to have spent a few more years with the Card.
While I have enjoyed others of Mr. Bennett's tales of the Five Towns area, this one had a lighter touch, and a slightly different feel. It is clearly more amusing. Also, the story's events are fairly unique, intriguing and unexpected, which helps make the fun.
The main character is also unique, intriguing and unexpected. He has both good qualities and faults, but you root for him. The Card, with his initiative, civic-mindedness and humor, reminded me of a 1900 American character, maybe in one of Booth Tarkington's stories about a similar time framed Indianapolis. Perhaps it was the Card's motorcar and home purchases,
I very much enjoyed this story. When it ended, I felt that i would have preferred to have spent a few more years with the Card.
November 25, 2017
The story was apparently based on a fellow townsmen of Arnold Bennett. If only part of it was true then fortune shined on Mr Hales. The hilarious escapades and the entrepreneurship of Mr Machin or Denby as his mother called him are a joy to read. The shipwreck idea, his encounters with the Countess to his escapades in Switzerland are truly funny. The Five Towns youngest mayor was a true card.
October 10, 2018
"At two o'clock she had been a name to him. At five minutes past two he was in love with her."
Arnold Bennett is proof that you don't have to have secret agents, vampires, et al to create an exciting story sometimes all you need is good and interesting characters to care about with flaws like we all have. It had me gripped I wanted to know about Edward Henry 'Denry' Machin an ambitious opportunist - a man practised in the art of taking advantage of the main chance. I wasn't at all sure that I liked him but he slowly won me over when I began to see his many good points mixed in. Denry is a clerk including collecting rents for his employer he ceases a chance to attend a ball and from there capitulates on events as they arise leading to a social rise in his fortunes.
What I love about Bennett's stories written over 100 years ago is that he creates such strong female characters who are often more confident and self-possessed than the men. Denry has to contend with his formidable mother and trouble in his love life which causes him much vexation. At times the language both in style and vocabulary is archaic but in no way did this hinder my understanding and flow of the story but adds to the charm, humour and atmosphere. The story is set in the Potteries, Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire area but the names of the towns are changed.
If you like Arnold Bennett note that many of his best stories are available on Amazon for FREE as they are out of copyright now.
Arnold Bennett is proof that you don't have to have secret agents, vampires, et al to create an exciting story sometimes all you need is good and interesting characters to care about with flaws like we all have. It had me gripped I wanted to know about Edward Henry 'Denry' Machin an ambitious opportunist - a man practised in the art of taking advantage of the main chance. I wasn't at all sure that I liked him but he slowly won me over when I began to see his many good points mixed in. Denry is a clerk including collecting rents for his employer he ceases a chance to attend a ball and from there capitulates on events as they arise leading to a social rise in his fortunes.
What I love about Bennett's stories written over 100 years ago is that he creates such strong female characters who are often more confident and self-possessed than the men. Denry has to contend with his formidable mother and trouble in his love life which causes him much vexation. At times the language both in style and vocabulary is archaic but in no way did this hinder my understanding and flow of the story but adds to the charm, humour and atmosphere. The story is set in the Potteries, Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire area but the names of the towns are changed.
If you like Arnold Bennett note that many of his best stories are available on Amazon for FREE as they are out of copyright now.
April 4, 2008
Ferris Buehler, in England, about 1900 - that's Denry Machin, the eponymous "card." It's a light "read" (I did this one as an audio book, see below), with a great, great main character in Denry Machin.
These chapters wouldn't quite work as independent stories, but they are very episodic - without bothering to do any research, I'm going to guess they were serialized somewhere first.
There's a free audio version of this with a superb reader (Andy Minter) at http://www.archive.org/details/the_ca... - at times, you can hear the production quality isn't quite pro, but his voice is, and it's a great commute listen.
These chapters wouldn't quite work as independent stories, but they are very episodic - without bothering to do any research, I'm going to guess they were serialized somewhere first.
There's a free audio version of this with a superb reader (Andy Minter) at http://www.archive.org/details/the_ca... - at times, you can hear the production quality isn't quite pro, but his voice is, and it's a great commute listen.
May 28, 2017
24 MAY 2017 - free download here: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/12986
28 MAY 2017 - an very enjoyable read. Denry is the sort of character we all know - that one guy for whom everything works. And, for whom you never have a hard feeling or a jealous pang. Denry could walk through a sandstorm and come out sparkling clean.
28 MAY 2017 - an very enjoyable read. Denry is the sort of character we all know - that one guy for whom everything works. And, for whom you never have a hard feeling or a jealous pang. Denry could walk through a sandstorm and come out sparkling clean.
July 10, 2009
It's quite funny, but it's also somewhat repetitive at times. There are surely way too many details on how he makes money and the overall industry of it.
It's one of those books which you love in one chapter and highly despise in the next for wasting your time. The funniest and more brilliant chapters would probably be "I. THE DANCE, VIII. RAISING A WIGWAM, XI.IN THE ALPS" while I got tremendously bored at "V. THE MERCANTILE MARINE, IX. THE GREAT NEWSPAPER WAR".
Of course there are plenty of silly coincidences and many laugh out loud moments:
The ending wasn't bad at all and in a nutshell you might as well read it.
audiobook at http://librivox.org/the-card-by-arnol...
It's one of those books which you love in one chapter and highly despise in the next for wasting your time. The funniest and more brilliant chapters would probably be "I. THE DANCE, VIII. RAISING A WIGWAM, XI.IN THE ALPS" while I got tremendously bored at "V. THE MERCANTILE MARINE, IX. THE GREAT NEWSPAPER WAR".
Of course there are plenty of silly coincidences and many laugh out loud moments:
And Denry still lived in insignificant Brougham Street, and his mother was still a sempstress! These were apparently insurmountable truths. All the men whom he knew to be members were somehow more dashing than Denry--and it was a question of dash; few things are more mysterious than dash. Denry was unique, knew himself to be unique; he had danced with a countess, and yet... these other fellows!... Yes, there are puzzles, baffling puzzles, in the social career.[...:]
"That makes over three pounds! Well, I'm dashed!"
At the hour appointed for dinner he went to St Asaph's Road, but could eat nothing. He could only keep repeating very softly to himself, "Well, I'm dashed!"
The ending wasn't bad at all and in a nutshell you might as well read it.
audiobook at http://librivox.org/the-card-by-arnol...
watched-film-only
July 28, 2013Added 12/30/11.
Did not read book. Streamed (via Netflix) the movie adaptation.
It's a British comedy with Alec Guinness and Glynis Johns. It was fun to watch. Alec Guinness was so young then.
http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/The...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045056/
"A charming and ambitious young man finds many ways to raise himself through the ranks in business and social standing- some honest, some not quite so. If he can just manage to avoid a certain very predatory woman."
Petula Clark was also in "The Card". She was younger then and looks very different from the Petula Clark we knew when she was a pop singer. I didn't recognize her in the movie.
NOTE: The film, "The Card" is aka "The Promoter".
Did not read book. Streamed (via Netflix) the movie adaptation.
It's a British comedy with Alec Guinness and Glynis Johns. It was fun to watch. Alec Guinness was so young then.
http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/The...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045056/
"A charming and ambitious young man finds many ways to raise himself through the ranks in business and social standing- some honest, some not quite so. If he can just manage to avoid a certain very predatory woman."
Petula Clark was also in "The Card". She was younger then and looks very different from the Petula Clark we knew when she was a pop singer. I didn't recognize her in the movie.
NOTE: The film, "The Card" is aka "The Promoter".
July 6, 2012
What a delight. One of the funniest novels I have read. The main character is so perfectly drawn, and so thoroughly likeable. He's summed up in the final line of the novel: some pompous worthy asks what Denry Machin has done to be so popular, and is answered,
'He's identified with the great cause of.....cheering us all up'.
It's beautifully written in the manner of good craftsmen of the last century - you don't notice Bennett's style because it is so right. I wouldn't change a word of this. It's a short book, go on, read it!
'He's identified with the great cause of.....cheering us all up'.
It's beautifully written in the manner of good craftsmen of the last century - you don't notice Bennett's style because it is so right. I wouldn't change a word of this. It's a short book, go on, read it!
April 8, 2014
Loved it! Gentle social satire in the style of Mr. Polly and Mr. Pooter. Some unforgettable incidents: waving a carrot at the 'donkey' Sir Jee, and some unforgettable lines: 'I collect rents'..'I should have thought you'd prefer postage stamps' really do make Denry a hero for '...cheering us all up'. A good 'old-fashioned' read.
February 17, 2022
This is probably the most sympathetic novel about a capitalist and entrepreneur that I have ever read. Denry Machin is more in the tradition of the great comic heroes of Fielding, Smollett and Goldsmith than than he is among famous fictional capitalists such as Galsworthy's Forsytes, Dreiser's Financer or the grande bourgeoisie of Zola's Rougon-Macquart series. He's more like Mr. Pickwick than the "hard facts men" of Dickens' Hard Times.
Denry is a bit of a rogue. He is not above a little petty dishonesty or a trick to turn a shilling. Sometimes he is a coward and sometimes pompous, but all of that pales in the face of his good qualities. He may not be so smart, but he is resourceful and clever and always amusing. In the end of the day he is honest and caring, and he is always kind to his old mother. His first inclination may be to do the wrong thing, but then fate always intervenes to give him a chance to reconsider and do the right thing. We are happy for him when he gets the right girl and becomes mayor. More than a little scheming went into both of those endeavors and in both cases there was some collateral damage, but only to people who got what they deserved. Denry is a fun character who made me smile more than once. He's certainly rare as a literary example of a kinder gentler sort of capitalist.
Denry is a bit of a rogue. He is not above a little petty dishonesty or a trick to turn a shilling. Sometimes he is a coward and sometimes pompous, but all of that pales in the face of his good qualities. He may not be so smart, but he is resourceful and clever and always amusing. In the end of the day he is honest and caring, and he is always kind to his old mother. His first inclination may be to do the wrong thing, but then fate always intervenes to give him a chance to reconsider and do the right thing. We are happy for him when he gets the right girl and becomes mayor. More than a little scheming went into both of those endeavors and in both cases there was some collateral damage, but only to people who got what they deserved. Denry is a fun character who made me smile more than once. He's certainly rare as a literary example of a kinder gentler sort of capitalist.
November 23, 2021
I’m a big Arnold Bennett fan even though he was so prolific that not all his writing is memorable or of the highest standard. However, I decided to reread The Card having very much enjoyed it (and the Alec Guiness film) some 40+ years ago. And it is still a very relevant story about Denry Machin, a chancer cum populist politician rising from rags to riches in early 20th century Potteries. It’s a light and easy read only let down when he deserts the Potteries for a honeymoon trip to a ski resort in Switzerland.
February 2, 2022
Full of Bennett’s dry, tongue-in-cheek humor, “The Card” is an enjoyable look at late nineteenth century British provincial life through the career of Denry Machin, who uses his unerring sense of human nature to make his way.
May 2, 2021
I'd vaguely heard about Arnold Bennett before I had to teach a class about it to a private student.
Yes, there was something about claiming himself to be a 'feminist' author in the 1910s and also Virginia Woolf saying his writing was somehow 'shallow' but, to tell you the truth, I've never got interested in reading his works.
So my private student (a teenager, by the way) had to read it (an adaptation) for a school project and I had to read the complete work in order to prepare him.
The narrative gets a bit interesting when talking about geographical aspects of England as it takes places in Midlands or, as it is known, the "potteries". So, there were some information about these places and, for me, it was nice to know.
The story itself didn't captivate me: it is about a man, Edward Henry (or Denry) who was born very poor and manages to get rich via sometimes unusual and, at many times, dishonest ways.
As a teacher I think the story gives the opportunity of discussing values in the English class. As a literature lover I find there are plenty of very interesting and powerful stories which would be more relevant for 21st century students.
Yes, there was something about claiming himself to be a 'feminist' author in the 1910s and also Virginia Woolf saying his writing was somehow 'shallow' but, to tell you the truth, I've never got interested in reading his works.
So my private student (a teenager, by the way) had to read it (an adaptation) for a school project and I had to read the complete work in order to prepare him.
The narrative gets a bit interesting when talking about geographical aspects of England as it takes places in Midlands or, as it is known, the "potteries". So, there were some information about these places and, for me, it was nice to know.
The story itself didn't captivate me: it is about a man, Edward Henry (or Denry) who was born very poor and manages to get rich via sometimes unusual and, at many times, dishonest ways.
As a teacher I think the story gives the opportunity of discussing values in the English class. As a literature lover I find there are plenty of very interesting and powerful stories which would be more relevant for 21st century students.
November 4, 2016
The tale of Denry Machin, as told by novelist Arnold Bennett in The Card (Methuen, 1911), is a lark, a droll comedy, a jovial adventure in business and life success - a literary "Horatio Alger" story. Bennett tells his story in short chapters, and the book as a whole is not long. It is consistently light-hearted, often witty, with short comments of a comedic nature concluding most chapters as well as interspersed throughout. His central character is someone who often spontaneously and sometimes with forethought pulls off daring social maneuvers that astound and delight his townsfolk, and lead to his ultimate success. He is, as the people say, "a card."
As such, the novel serves a fine contrast to the generally sour look late 19th and early 20th century writers cast upon both business enterprise and the common people. Here, the common folk are not mere victims, and the businessmen not uniformly predatory. Indeed, one of the signature marks of Bennett's oeuvre is his rescuing the non-intellectual classes from the derision of the intelligentsia. That is, from literary writers and readers. This is one such work, ably demonstrating Bennett's essential humanitarianism and lack of class bias.
It is one of the handful of Bennett's many books that the author himself deemed a complete success — and it is worth noting that all the others are serious affairs: Old Wives' Tale, Riceyman Steps, and the Clayhanger trilogy. I have, as of yet, read only a few of these works . . . mainly the magnificent Riceyman Steps. Honesty compels me to confess that I have a soft spot in my heart for his light work. Buried Alive strikes me as nearly as fine as The Card, though not as consistently comic. But it was a romp, and was scorned for that by folks like H.L. Mencken, who otherwise regarded Bennett's best work as expert and near-perfect presentations of man as he actually exists.
I have known cards, actually, and this book captures their essence quite well. I recommend it.
As such, the novel serves a fine contrast to the generally sour look late 19th and early 20th century writers cast upon both business enterprise and the common people. Here, the common folk are not mere victims, and the businessmen not uniformly predatory. Indeed, one of the signature marks of Bennett's oeuvre is his rescuing the non-intellectual classes from the derision of the intelligentsia. That is, from literary writers and readers. This is one such work, ably demonstrating Bennett's essential humanitarianism and lack of class bias.
It is one of the handful of Bennett's many books that the author himself deemed a complete success — and it is worth noting that all the others are serious affairs: Old Wives' Tale, Riceyman Steps, and the Clayhanger trilogy. I have, as of yet, read only a few of these works . . . mainly the magnificent Riceyman Steps. Honesty compels me to confess that I have a soft spot in my heart for his light work. Buried Alive strikes me as nearly as fine as The Card, though not as consistently comic. But it was a romp, and was scorned for that by folks like H.L. Mencken, who otherwise regarded Bennett's best work as expert and near-perfect presentations of man as he actually exists.
I have known cards, actually, and this book captures their essence quite well. I recommend it.
September 17, 2018
A piece of lighthearted whimsy, set in late Victorian small town England. The tale of the Denry's rise from the humblest of beginnings to a position of honor and regional renown through sheer audacity (and a lot of luck) brought to mind The Mayor of Casterbridge -- but without any of the darkness of Hardy's tragic novel. Bennett takes full advantage of a quaint setting and a collection of colorful characters and by indulging in a good deal of droll hyperbole delivers a charming bit of nonsense.
January 23, 2015
One of the lesser known books, I suspect, by Arnold Bennett, but undeservedly so. Denry Machin is one of those characters whose name should enter the language as a 'type', like Walter Mitty or Billy Liar. His social progress goes at breakneck speed in a series of unbelievable scrapes and strokes of luck. Denry is the epitome of the 'likeable rogue'.
February 4, 2015
Fun to read, light, humorous, and definitely belongs to the Victorian period. Gives quite a good idea of life in northern England at that time. Andy Minter is a wonderful storyteller (Librivox). In fact I chose the book because he reads it!
September 21, 2019
(Audiobook)
In this comic tale by Arnold Bennett, Edward Henry (Denry) Machin, gravitates from lowly clerk to the exalted position of Mayor of Bursley, via a series of surprising events. Cleverly adding his name to the guest list at an exclusive ball, Denry succeeds in being the first man to dance with the mysterious and beautiful Countess of Chell. Thereafter, grabbing every available opportunity that comes his way, Denry escalates through the social and financial climate of the day to a position of power neither he, nor his washerwoman mother, could ever have imagined.
I’ve been meaning to get around to Arnold Bennett for years, and happily, this example of one of his later novels in the ‘Five Towns’ series, does not disappoint. The antics of the hero are hilarious, and Bennett’s dry wit and crafty use of language is a pure pleasure.
The author wrote several novels set in the ‘Five Towns’, including the better-known ‘Clayhanger’ and ‘Anna of the Five Towns’. The real names of the towns are of course different to their counterparts in Bennett’s world – Bursley for instance, is actually Burslem – and the sixth town was omitted as Five Towns sounded more harmonious to Mr Bennett than Six Towns. (The real six towns - Tunstall, Burslem, Hanley, Stoke, Fenton and Longton – were amalgamated as Stoke-on-Trent in 1910.)
The audiobook is read by County Durham-born actor Stephen Tompkinson, who brings the characters to life in a highly entertaining and comic fashion, making this an absolute delight from start to finish.
In this comic tale by Arnold Bennett, Edward Henry (Denry) Machin, gravitates from lowly clerk to the exalted position of Mayor of Bursley, via a series of surprising events. Cleverly adding his name to the guest list at an exclusive ball, Denry succeeds in being the first man to dance with the mysterious and beautiful Countess of Chell. Thereafter, grabbing every available opportunity that comes his way, Denry escalates through the social and financial climate of the day to a position of power neither he, nor his washerwoman mother, could ever have imagined.
I’ve been meaning to get around to Arnold Bennett for years, and happily, this example of one of his later novels in the ‘Five Towns’ series, does not disappoint. The antics of the hero are hilarious, and Bennett’s dry wit and crafty use of language is a pure pleasure.
The author wrote several novels set in the ‘Five Towns’, including the better-known ‘Clayhanger’ and ‘Anna of the Five Towns’. The real names of the towns are of course different to their counterparts in Bennett’s world – Bursley for instance, is actually Burslem – and the sixth town was omitted as Five Towns sounded more harmonious to Mr Bennett than Six Towns. (The real six towns - Tunstall, Burslem, Hanley, Stoke, Fenton and Longton – were amalgamated as Stoke-on-Trent in 1910.)
The audiobook is read by County Durham-born actor Stephen Tompkinson, who brings the characters to life in a highly entertaining and comic fashion, making this an absolute delight from start to finish.
March 28, 2024
A perfectly pleasant, comic caper in the mould of Wodehouse’s Jeeves and Wooster series, without ever quite capturing the biting humour of those wonderful books. It still captures that irresistible feeling of old England, small and comfortable. Whilst the narrative is a very one note one and that is a very obvious and valid criticism, it is also nice to read something where good things happen to a bold and daring character.
‘Do you ever have business in Southport’
And he said, in a unique manner:
‘I shall have’
Another silence. This time he felt he would marry her”
‘Do you ever have business in Southport’
And he said, in a unique manner:
‘I shall have’
Another silence. This time he felt he would marry her”
Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews