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Bramton Wick
She wondered how Lady Masters got her old parlour maid to carry the coffee right across the lawn. But, of course, Lady Masters got things simply by always having had them and by taking it for granted that she always would have them.
In Bramton Wick, the setting of Elizabeth Fair’s cheerful debut novel, tensions and resentments—not to mention romance—roil beneath the polite interactions of its charming and eccentric residents.
There’s upper crust Lady Masters, taking the good things for granted but thoroughly cowed by her gardener. There’s Gillian Cole, a war widow, and her sister Laura, for whom romance may (or may not) be in the offing. There’s Miss Selbourne and “Tiger” Garrett, who met driving ambulances during the war (the first one, though Miss Garrett does get them confused). There’s Major Worthy, who is quite energetic for an invalid. And there’s the three Misses Cleeve, who are “all remarkably like toads” and who have a casual relationship with the truth.
Furrowed Middlebrow is delighted to make available, for the first time in over half a century, all six of Elizabeth Fair’s irresistible comedies of domestic life. These new editions all feature an introduction by Elizabeth Crawford.
“Miss Fair’s understanding is deeper than Mrs. Thirkell’s and her humour is untouched by snobbishness; she is much nearer to Trollope, grand master in these matters.”-- Stevie Smith
“Miss Fair’s first novel is not one of promise but of accomplishment. Good luck to her!”-- John Betjeman
“Deliciously malicious humour abounds.”-- Vanity Fair
In Bramton Wick, the setting of Elizabeth Fair’s cheerful debut novel, tensions and resentments—not to mention romance—roil beneath the polite interactions of its charming and eccentric residents.
There’s upper crust Lady Masters, taking the good things for granted but thoroughly cowed by her gardener. There’s Gillian Cole, a war widow, and her sister Laura, for whom romance may (or may not) be in the offing. There’s Miss Selbourne and “Tiger” Garrett, who met driving ambulances during the war (the first one, though Miss Garrett does get them confused). There’s Major Worthy, who is quite energetic for an invalid. And there’s the three Misses Cleeve, who are “all remarkably like toads” and who have a casual relationship with the truth.
Furrowed Middlebrow is delighted to make available, for the first time in over half a century, all six of Elizabeth Fair’s irresistible comedies of domestic life. These new editions all feature an introduction by Elizabeth Crawford.
“Miss Fair’s understanding is deeper than Mrs. Thirkell’s and her humour is untouched by snobbishness; she is much nearer to Trollope, grand master in these matters.”-- Stevie Smith
“Miss Fair’s first novel is not one of promise but of accomplishment. Good luck to her!”-- John Betjeman
“Deliciously malicious humour abounds.”-- Vanity Fair
211 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1952
136 people are currently reading
605 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Fair
14 books70 followersElizabeth Mary Fair was born in 1908 in Haigh, Lancashire, a small village not far from Wigan.] Her father was the land agent for the 10th Earl of Crawford and Balcarres, whose family seat, Haigh Hall, was nearby. Elizabeth and her sister were educated by a governess. Her father died in 1934 and the family moved to Hampshire, where they had a small house and a large garden in New Forest.
During World War II Fair served for five years as an ambulance driver in the Civil Defence Corps in Southampton. In 1944 she joined the Red Cross and spent eighteen months in Ceylon, India, and Belgium.[3]
After returning to England in 1947, she moved to Boldre in Hampshire.
Fair wrote six novels of English village life that humorously and gently dissected the "polite social politics" of village denizens while managing to incorporate a romance or two. Reviewers typically compare her work to that of Margery Sharp or Angela Thirkell, with Stevie Smith and other reviewers noting that her work has affinities with Trollope. Of her novel All One Summer, the author wrote that it was meant for people like herself who "prefer not to take life too seriously". Writer Compton Mackenzie said of this novel that it was "in the best tradition of English humour".
Fair's third novel, The Native Heath (1954) was published with a jacket design by Shirley Hughes.
Fair published her last novel in 1960 and died in 1997 (Taken from Author Bio in her books, added in other information from online resources)
During World War II Fair served for five years as an ambulance driver in the Civil Defence Corps in Southampton. In 1944 she joined the Red Cross and spent eighteen months in Ceylon, India, and Belgium.[3]
After returning to England in 1947, she moved to Boldre in Hampshire.
Fair wrote six novels of English village life that humorously and gently dissected the "polite social politics" of village denizens while managing to incorporate a romance or two. Reviewers typically compare her work to that of Margery Sharp or Angela Thirkell, with Stevie Smith and other reviewers noting that her work has affinities with Trollope. Of her novel All One Summer, the author wrote that it was meant for people like herself who "prefer not to take life too seriously". Writer Compton Mackenzie said of this novel that it was "in the best tradition of English humour".
Fair's third novel, The Native Heath (1954) was published with a jacket design by Shirley Hughes.
Fair published her last novel in 1960 and died in 1997 (Taken from Author Bio in her books, added in other information from online resources)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
March 20, 2018
Back in print for the first time in over half a century.
I found this, the first of Elizabeth Fair's novels to be a delight. It is one of those domestic comedies. She has been compared to Angela Thirkell, Miss Read and Barbara Pym and I think readers of those books will enjoy this one. Nothing much happens other than endless rounds of Tea, and a Dog show, but it was the characterisation I found to be brilliant. I'll miss these people, even Tiger and Pussy.
I'll definitely be reading more of her novels.
I found this, the first of Elizabeth Fair's novels to be a delight. It is one of those domestic comedies. She has been compared to Angela Thirkell, Miss Read and Barbara Pym and I think readers of those books will enjoy this one. Nothing much happens other than endless rounds of Tea, and a Dog show, but it was the characterisation I found to be brilliant. I'll miss these people, even Tiger and Pussy.
I'll definitely be reading more of her novels.
March 20, 2022
A beautifully written gentle, funny and witty novel in which the lucky reader gets to spend some pleasurable time in the good company of the people of Bramton Wick. Set in a small English country village at a time after the war when ration coupons are still required, and fuel and luxury items are scarce. We meet and get to know the affluent families as well as those struggling to get by. In such a small village everybody knows each other's business and, as such, there are rivalries, resentments, jealousies, friendships made and broken and, for some, a chance for romance. And, oh yes, LOTS of tea is drunk throughout. This put me in mind of some of Barbara Pym's excellent work. Recommended for those looking for a pleasant respite from these tumultuous times. I look forward to reading more of Ms. Fair's novels. Cheers!
August 25, 2020
3.5 Stars
Life in an English village, a couple of years after World War II. Well written and charming.
Life in an English village, a couple of years after World War II. Well written and charming.
November 9, 2020
A gentle, mildly comic, slice of village life. Maybe an engagement or two. And why not throw in some Lesbian subtext for good measure.
November 13, 2020
Post-WWII English village life, with gossip, eccentric characters and tempests in teapots abounding. Somehow though, it didn't sparkle for me in quite the same way the the previous book I read by this author did (The Mingham Air), and I found it on the dull and predictable side. Bramton Wick was in fact the author's debut though, so maybe she improved and I didn't just happen to light on the only good one with my first try. Will investigate further.
January 8, 2018
A lovely, cozy read of the usual sort from Elizabeth Fair...a village, several families, an assortment of marriageable young people, some of whom are right for each other, and some of whom are wrong. Elizabeth Fair writes so well about nice people with quirks, and ordinary lives consisting of the little things that matter so much from day to day.
October 16, 2017
I found this to be a delightfully subtle English novel of country manners. This is not a can't-miss book, but if you are bogged down with cares and worries and heavy reading, this is just the sort of book to remind you that sometimes fluff is well-written and needful.
On to Landscape in Sunlight!
On to Landscape in Sunlight!
March 30, 2022
Bramton Wick was the first novel written by Elizabeth Fair, and although it is quite accomplished, in some ways her inexperience showed.
It’s one of those lighthearted novels about minor gentry living in a small English village, with all the nosiness and petty conflicts and low-key romance required by the genre. Bramton Wick was published in 1952, that dreary time after World War II when rationing was still in effect, most of the gentry and aristocracy had lost their fortunes, and women far outnumbered men. The story focuses principally on two young women, sisters Gillian and Laura Cole; Gillian married and was widowed during the war and Laura worked in the Land Service but both are now living at home with their widowed mother, who leases a small house after the family was forced to sell one of the grand estates in the neighborhood.
There are plenty of other characters—the wealthy Lady Worthy, who bought the Coles’ old house, and her limp son; the retired major and his wife, also housing an even limper nephew; the spinster Misses Cleeve, who had to give up another estate and live in a rented cottage; two dog-mad spinsters; a wealthy City man who has bought the Cleeves’ former home; and the modest farmer who owns many of the cottages rented by the other characters.
This new world—of old families newly impoverished and their encounters with new wealth—is very shrewdly portrayed, and the psychological adaptations brought about by the traumas of the two world wars are a clear undercurrent in the story. Everyone is more or less adaptable and resiliency defines success or failure. To that extent this was an interesting and successful novel. I did not love it, though, partly because the author showed a certain lack of sympathy for those who were unable to find their feet after the cataclysm—the spinsters pretending that nothing had changed, the men damaged by their war experiences, the older people clinging to the comforts and class pretensions of the past. At times the author indulged in wit at their expense when my heart was going out to those who had lived long enough to feel like relics of a vanished world.
The romances were in the understated style I enjoy and were charmingly eccentric; I enjoyed the twists and reading between the lines. Some of the plot threads were wrapped up a bit clumsily and the ending was awkward, but I liked that so many of the characters were able to construct their lives in the way they chose, without regard for expectations or norms. A mixed bag for me but I would probably read another novel by this author.
It’s one of those lighthearted novels about minor gentry living in a small English village, with all the nosiness and petty conflicts and low-key romance required by the genre. Bramton Wick was published in 1952, that dreary time after World War II when rationing was still in effect, most of the gentry and aristocracy had lost their fortunes, and women far outnumbered men. The story focuses principally on two young women, sisters Gillian and Laura Cole; Gillian married and was widowed during the war and Laura worked in the Land Service but both are now living at home with their widowed mother, who leases a small house after the family was forced to sell one of the grand estates in the neighborhood.
There are plenty of other characters—the wealthy Lady Worthy, who bought the Coles’ old house, and her limp son; the retired major and his wife, also housing an even limper nephew; the spinster Misses Cleeve, who had to give up another estate and live in a rented cottage; two dog-mad spinsters; a wealthy City man who has bought the Cleeves’ former home; and the modest farmer who owns many of the cottages rented by the other characters.
This new world—of old families newly impoverished and their encounters with new wealth—is very shrewdly portrayed, and the psychological adaptations brought about by the traumas of the two world wars are a clear undercurrent in the story. Everyone is more or less adaptable and resiliency defines success or failure. To that extent this was an interesting and successful novel. I did not love it, though, partly because the author showed a certain lack of sympathy for those who were unable to find their feet after the cataclysm—the spinsters pretending that nothing had changed, the men damaged by their war experiences, the older people clinging to the comforts and class pretensions of the past. At times the author indulged in wit at their expense when my heart was going out to those who had lived long enough to feel like relics of a vanished world.
The romances were in the understated style I enjoy and were charmingly eccentric; I enjoyed the twists and reading between the lines. Some of the plot threads were wrapped up a bit clumsily and the ending was awkward, but I liked that so many of the characters were able to construct their lives in the way they chose, without regard for expectations or norms. A mixed bag for me but I would probably read another novel by this author.
December 30, 2020
A gentle plod of a book! Perfect for that break in between Christmas and New Year.
A peek into gentle village life!
A peek into gentle village life!
September 17, 2017
Gentle and funny. A lovely read.
June 1, 2022
Enjoyable humorous novel of British domestic village life in the early 1950s. Good characters, some likable, some not so much (like the imperious, controlling Lady Masters, the invalid Major who seems like a jerk, but is adored by his wife, and the vicious, gossipy “Pussy” Cleeve).
There are also a couple of drippy, vacillating young men - I read a description of another Fair novel, which also has a controlling gentlewoman with a “delicate” son. Perhaps it’s a specialty of the author - she does mine a lot of humor out of her devastatingly honest portrayals of these rather weak, unsettled young men (“mama’s boys” in old fashioned American slang), and the adoring mamas who shelter (and finance) them from the harsh world of work, reality, growing up…
I read the ebook, and one of the reviews compared it to Angela Thirkell’s Barsetshire novels, which I generally adore, but without the sentimentality or snobbishness. This is my first Fair novel, and I would like to read more, and I would agree that she’s not sentimental about her characters.
I can’t help wondering if Fair based the character of Gillian (a young war widow) on herself, she’s so pragmatic and calm in all circumstances, not at all awkward or soft-hearted like her younger sister, Laura. Gillian is very honest about the faults and foibles of their friends and neighbors, yet expert at smoothing feelings. Laura is always feeling sorry for others, and when she blurts out her honest feelings, she creates awkward situations for herself. Laura suffers a few of these awkward scenes, cringeworthy but humorous for the reader. Both sisters find predictable happiness as the loose ends are tied up up at the end.
I enjoyed this novel and will seek out more, reissued by Furrowed Middlebrow. I read this one as one of my book pool entries for the Retro Reads group.
There are also a couple of drippy, vacillating young men - I read a description of another Fair novel, which also has a controlling gentlewoman with a “delicate” son. Perhaps it’s a specialty of the author - she does mine a lot of humor out of her devastatingly honest portrayals of these rather weak, unsettled young men (“mama’s boys” in old fashioned American slang), and the adoring mamas who shelter (and finance) them from the harsh world of work, reality, growing up…
I read the ebook, and one of the reviews compared it to Angela Thirkell’s Barsetshire novels, which I generally adore, but without the sentimentality or snobbishness. This is my first Fair novel, and I would like to read more, and I would agree that she’s not sentimental about her characters.
I can’t help wondering if Fair based the character of Gillian (a young war widow) on herself, she’s so pragmatic and calm in all circumstances, not at all awkward or soft-hearted like her younger sister, Laura. Gillian is very honest about the faults and foibles of their friends and neighbors, yet expert at smoothing feelings. Laura is always feeling sorry for others, and when she blurts out her honest feelings, she creates awkward situations for herself. Laura suffers a few of these awkward scenes, cringeworthy but humorous for the reader. Both sisters find predictable happiness as the loose ends are tied up up at the end.
I enjoyed this novel and will seek out more, reissued by Furrowed Middlebrow. I read this one as one of my book pool entries for the Retro Reads group.
November 17, 2022
A lighthearted, comedic skewering of human nature and life in a post WWII English village. Bring out the bickies and put the kettle on!
July 27, 2024
This was a book chosen for its peaceful, calming qualities and it worked perfectly. After reading three heavyweights in a row, I wanted something simple and serene. This was Elizabeth Fair's debut novel (1952), so I am looking forward to seeing if her later books have a little more depth. Reading about the author, I found that she led quite an interesting life by serving as an ambulance driver during WWII and as a missionary in Ceylon, India, and Belgium.
July 28, 2017
An Engaging Peep into an English Village
This is a charming discourse on life in a small English village with all its damp, small (only four bedrooms, dear) houses and its ‘big’ houses. The author apparently had an interest in architecture and she describes the various houses with enough detail that the reader can visualise them, but not so much that it becomes boring. ‘Endbury’ is the premier house, formerly belonging to the Cole family, but now owned by Lady Masters, who lives there with her son, Toby. The other two ‘big’ houses are ‘Cleeve Manor’, recently bought by a wealthy London businessman, Thomas Greenley, who keeps to himself, and ‘Marly House’, owned for generations by the Corton family, and presently lived in by bachelor Miles Corton, a farmer who is decidedly not wealthy.
We get to know the inhabitants, sometimes through the narrator and sometimes through what they think about each other, and using this technique most of them come ‘alive’ and three-dimensional. There is quite a wide range of people, although it is mainly money, or the lack thereof, rather than standards of education or social class that defines them. Of course, there is the ‘our kind of people’ attitude, but even Mrs Trimmer, the cleaner, is well-spoken, and, even more importantly, a gossip of the best kind, while Miss ‘Pussy’ Cleeve is a gossip of the worst kind.
This is a sweet, gentle story about the people who live in Bramton Wick in the early 1950s, when rationing is still part of everyday life, and a time where changed circumstances are sometimes hard to accept.
The story is sometimes poignant and very often humorous, and the inhabitants of Bramton are very subtly and charmingly dissected in a ruthless, perceptive manner.
Two young men who, even some years after the war, can’t settle on an occupation; Mrs Cole, who is NOT a matchmaking mama; Captain and Mrs Worthy (his health, you know); the Misses Cleeve, who have fallen on hard times; Miss Selbourne and Miss Garrett, who drove ambulances in France in World War I, and still drive as if dodging bullets and speed is essential; and more who make up the inhabitants of this village.
This story is a delight for those who enjoy a meandering tale with no plot, but peopled with characters who entrance, irritate, and draw you into their lives with ease. I thought it was part of a series, so when it ended rather abruptly, I thought that I will pick up the threads again in the next book. Then I found out that this book is a stand-alone and I will never know how the characters’ lives turn out, but I am glad I read it and can recommend it if this kind of story is your cup of tea, and I will buy the next book this author wrote. A solid 4-star.
This is a charming discourse on life in a small English village with all its damp, small (only four bedrooms, dear) houses and its ‘big’ houses. The author apparently had an interest in architecture and she describes the various houses with enough detail that the reader can visualise them, but not so much that it becomes boring. ‘Endbury’ is the premier house, formerly belonging to the Cole family, but now owned by Lady Masters, who lives there with her son, Toby. The other two ‘big’ houses are ‘Cleeve Manor’, recently bought by a wealthy London businessman, Thomas Greenley, who keeps to himself, and ‘Marly House’, owned for generations by the Corton family, and presently lived in by bachelor Miles Corton, a farmer who is decidedly not wealthy.
We get to know the inhabitants, sometimes through the narrator and sometimes through what they think about each other, and using this technique most of them come ‘alive’ and three-dimensional. There is quite a wide range of people, although it is mainly money, or the lack thereof, rather than standards of education or social class that defines them. Of course, there is the ‘our kind of people’ attitude, but even Mrs Trimmer, the cleaner, is well-spoken, and, even more importantly, a gossip of the best kind, while Miss ‘Pussy’ Cleeve is a gossip of the worst kind.
This is a sweet, gentle story about the people who live in Bramton Wick in the early 1950s, when rationing is still part of everyday life, and a time where changed circumstances are sometimes hard to accept.
The story is sometimes poignant and very often humorous, and the inhabitants of Bramton are very subtly and charmingly dissected in a ruthless, perceptive manner.
Two young men who, even some years after the war, can’t settle on an occupation; Mrs Cole, who is NOT a matchmaking mama; Captain and Mrs Worthy (his health, you know); the Misses Cleeve, who have fallen on hard times; Miss Selbourne and Miss Garrett, who drove ambulances in France in World War I, and still drive as if dodging bullets and speed is essential; and more who make up the inhabitants of this village.
This story is a delight for those who enjoy a meandering tale with no plot, but peopled with characters who entrance, irritate, and draw you into their lives with ease. I thought it was part of a series, so when it ended rather abruptly, I thought that I will pick up the threads again in the next book. Then I found out that this book is a stand-alone and I will never know how the characters’ lives turn out, but I am glad I read it and can recommend it if this kind of story is your cup of tea, and I will buy the next book this author wrote. A solid 4-star.
May 3, 2022
Just like the previous Elizabeth Fair books, I can share my former review because this one fits perfectly. I read her second and third books out of order from this one and feel she strengthened her writing skills in those. However, this one was also delightful reading for me.
Right up my alley--descriptive, charming view of domestic life with no real action but vicars, tea, minor tempest-in-a-teapot aggravations created by circumstances of daily living. It's all told with gentle wit as the author observes the foibles of human nature.
For some reason, I had a hard time tracking who was who in this novel though there weren't many characters--just the same ones interacting with each other. I may re-read the beginning because I don't think I was focused enough (I was experiencing ongoing back pain that go aggravated by a fall and twist on concrete!) and would like to cement (yes--pun intended!) the characters in my mind once again. LOL
Right up my alley--descriptive, charming view of domestic life with no real action but vicars, tea, minor tempest-in-a-teapot aggravations created by circumstances of daily living. It's all told with gentle wit as the author observes the foibles of human nature.
For some reason, I had a hard time tracking who was who in this novel though there weren't many characters--just the same ones interacting with each other. I may re-read the beginning because I don't think I was focused enough (I was experiencing ongoing back pain that go aggravated by a fall and twist on concrete!) and would like to cement (yes--pun intended!) the characters in my mind once again. LOL
February 28, 2018
I enjoyed this novel for the picture of postwar England and the benefits and restrictions of village life. All the neighbours know each other well and tolerate each other’s idiosyncracies; equally, everyone knows your business and gossips about your life, making up what they don’t know for sure. Social niceties about whose turn it is to host a tea party are scrupulously upheld. Yet there’s a sense that after the war, which isn’t alluded to more directly than certain characters having been in the Army, nothing is the same, and that everyone must find a new way forward in life. A few small beginnings are made and the novel leaves behind a sense of optimism that people are, mostly, good and positive about the future. The lucid writing and perfect characterisation underline the positive ambiance and will leave the reader with a gentle feel-good glow.
NB I read the Dean Street Press Furrowed Middlebrow edition - an excellent series.
NB I read the Dean Street Press Furrowed Middlebrow edition - an excellent series.
January 8, 2018
This was such a pleasant surprise! I really enjoyed the sarcastic but not unkind commentary about the mildly quirky villagers in Bramton Wick. We follow the main characters, two marriageable and likeable sisters, through their daily lives, which doesn't sound that interesting but is. I read quite a few paragraphs aloud to members of my family because they just amused me so much. 4.5 stars. (Not 5 stars because it wasn't earth-shattering.)
May 30, 2018
Enjoyable read
This book is very entertaining, particularly if you like books about old fashioned, genteel country life in England. People are very proper and not a lot happens except people fall very easily in love with the right sort of people. Life is simple and conflicts are not complex. Two old ladies like dogs, and two young ladies need to be married to eligible suitors. Three gentlemen are in the running. This book has subtle humor and charm.
This book is very entertaining, particularly if you like books about old fashioned, genteel country life in England. People are very proper and not a lot happens except people fall very easily in love with the right sort of people. Life is simple and conflicts are not complex. Two old ladies like dogs, and two young ladies need to be married to eligible suitors. Three gentlemen are in the running. This book has subtle humor and charm.
July 17, 2022
I hadn’t really warmed up to Elizabeth Fair’s books before reading Bramton Wick. Something always seemed to be missing — or in the case of Seaview House — the caricatures were too over the top for me. But in THIS book; after a slow first few pages, she really charmed me.
The main characters are Mrs. Cole, now in reduced circumstances and living in the shadow of the mansion where she spent her married life; and her two daughters: Gillian, a young war widow; and Laura, the younger sister with a big heart but little experience of the world. The supporting characters are introduced chapter by chapter, until one has a complete social scene. Fair is witty with a sometimes dry sense of humor, and she portrays even the most difficult characters with some affection. (Well, except for the obligatory character-we-love-to-hate.) It’s really everything one could want in a “slice of life” or domestic fiction work.
Fans of DE Stevenson and Angela Thirkell will feel at home in Bramton Wick.
The main characters are Mrs. Cole, now in reduced circumstances and living in the shadow of the mansion where she spent her married life; and her two daughters: Gillian, a young war widow; and Laura, the younger sister with a big heart but little experience of the world. The supporting characters are introduced chapter by chapter, until one has a complete social scene. Fair is witty with a sometimes dry sense of humor, and she portrays even the most difficult characters with some affection. (Well, except for the obligatory character-we-love-to-hate.) It’s really everything one could want in a “slice of life” or domestic fiction work.
Fans of DE Stevenson and Angela Thirkell will feel at home in Bramton Wick.
June 9, 2017
(3 1/2*);
This was a cozy, comfy little story about the goings on in a small English village & the people who live there in the time between the wars. We have our spinsters, our vicars, our widows, our young women whom everyone in the village is wanting to marry off, with their best interests of course. Reading Elizabeth Fair is (IMHO) quite similar to reading Barbara Pym, Angela Thirkell, and Elizabeth Taylor. She reads very comfortably and although not much of anything really happens the book was interesting and I quite enjoyed it; just as I do the others I have named.
This was a cozy, comfy little story about the goings on in a small English village & the people who live there in the time between the wars. We have our spinsters, our vicars, our widows, our young women whom everyone in the village is wanting to marry off, with their best interests of course. Reading Elizabeth Fair is (IMHO) quite similar to reading Barbara Pym, Angela Thirkell, and Elizabeth Taylor. She reads very comfortably and although not much of anything really happens the book was interesting and I quite enjoyed it; just as I do the others I have named.
May 11, 2018
A nice, cozy village novel full of slightly eccentric and imperfect characters, marriageable young people, and dogs. This debut novel, written in 1952 and recently reprinted, very gently points out that the time before the war is gone, even if some people would prefer it to be otherwise.
June 8, 2021
I had great expectations from this book but it was utterly boring for me with hardly anything happening other than dog shows and gardening
I gave up this book after reading nearly 50% as it failed to capture my interest and I didn’t wanted to waste more time on something which didn’t appeal to me
I gave up this book after reading nearly 50% as it failed to capture my interest and I didn’t wanted to waste more time on something which didn’t appeal to me
December 28, 2017
A great read for the quiet, restful Christmastide period. This novel is undemanding on one, requiring no decoding of hidden meaning. But as a romance it is not poorly written. It has interesting characters and lovely turn of phrase. I love the snapshot of 1950s country England. Sort of a mid 20th century Austin.
November 16, 2025
Mid-century British village story: gentle, funny, and a lovely escape!
July 7, 2021
A lovely book with delightful characters. Great descriptions of people, houses, and countryside.
October 9, 2017
This was the first book Elizabeth Fair wrote. It’s the third book of hers I’ve read, and I think it’s the best and the most amusing of the three.
November 7, 2017
An English village story with quirky characters and amusing situations. I wish there had been a sequel.
June 25, 2019
A sheer delight - the first of six novels akin to Angela Thirkell.
The GR blurb:
'Bramton Wick was a small, compact community riddled with polite social politics. The town could be divided many different ways; in fact it usually was. Lady Masters might have been an Issue on which the town divided except that hardly anyone but Lady Masters would have taken Lady Masters' part-not even her son Toby.
Elizabeth Fair's kind but alertly observant eye misses nothing and she does full justice to any number of erratic and charming characters in the course of her story. There is Miss "Pussy" Cleeve, the indefatigable conversationalist who never permits truth to cramp her style--what she doesn't know she invents. There is Miss Selbourne and her friend "Tiger" Garrett, who share a house and a passion for dogs but managed the sale of one to Mr. Greenley, who thought no more highly of them than she did. There is Gillian's sister Laura. who was perhaps, going to marry Toby Masters. And there is hard-pressed Miles Corton, landlord and farmer; and Major Worthy, who cultivates his ill temper and the legend of his delicate health. Here is a warm and cheerful comedy that is genuinely gay and at the same time manages to explore a wide range of human foibles and idiosyncrasies with a shrewd and artful pen.'
The GR blurb:
'Bramton Wick was a small, compact community riddled with polite social politics. The town could be divided many different ways; in fact it usually was. Lady Masters might have been an Issue on which the town divided except that hardly anyone but Lady Masters would have taken Lady Masters' part-not even her son Toby.
Elizabeth Fair's kind but alertly observant eye misses nothing and she does full justice to any number of erratic and charming characters in the course of her story. There is Miss "Pussy" Cleeve, the indefatigable conversationalist who never permits truth to cramp her style--what she doesn't know she invents. There is Miss Selbourne and her friend "Tiger" Garrett, who share a house and a passion for dogs but managed the sale of one to Mr. Greenley, who thought no more highly of them than she did. There is Gillian's sister Laura. who was perhaps, going to marry Toby Masters. And there is hard-pressed Miles Corton, landlord and farmer; and Major Worthy, who cultivates his ill temper and the legend of his delicate health. Here is a warm and cheerful comedy that is genuinely gay and at the same time manages to explore a wide range of human foibles and idiosyncrasies with a shrewd and artful pen.'
June 20, 2018
Utterly delightful novel of manners. A few reviews described this book as "gentle," and it's a perfect description. This was such a warm, lighthearted read. I adored all the quirky characters, how each had his or her unique role in the village. There's the village gossip, the the hoity-toity Lady, the dog breeder--etc. It was a fun look at a little village in the English countryside; I felt that I was right there paying calls at various cottages. The writing was witty and amusing; there were many passages I read over again because they were so sharp and I wanted to appreciate them before moving on. One thing I loved about this book was that beneath the airy surface, motives run deep. I felt that as I read on and on, I learned more and more about what was in the characters' hearts--these moments of great depth came on suddenly, and were very welcome. It just reminds us that there is always more than meets the eye. I enjoyed the romances very much, and I miss the characters now that I'm through. All in all, this was wonderful in every way. Looking forward to reading the rest of this author's books.
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