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The Pop Larkin Chronicles #1-5
The Pop Larkin Chronicles: The Darling Buds of May
These three novellas by H. E. Bates were the inspiration for the popular British television series subsequently imported for American public television. Set in the English countryside in the 1950s, they feature the eccentric Larkin family, whose wholehearted and riotous enjoyment of life has brought pleasure to thousands of British readers since Darling Buds was first published in 1958. From the moment Pop Larkin tells his family that their world is "perfick," H. E. Bates transports the reader into the delights of an England where the larger-than-life Pop and Ma, together with their children, squeeze every drop of enjoyment out of life and never let a cloud darken their days. The Larkins may live in a junkyard in rural England, but they never fail to see beauty all around them, and they bring light into the lives of all who come into contact with them, be they tax inspector, vicar, or lord. The charm, comedy, and warmth of these three Larkin books have captured British audiences for over thirty years. The uninhibited exploits of the boisterous and hilarious family will now enchant American readers. In the title story, a tax collector comes to extract the never-paid taxes on the Larkin farm but is seduced into staying on forever. In A Breath of French Air, the Larkins travel to France in an effort to dispel gray moods. They struggle with everything from the language to the cuisine and return to England with a huge bill but also priceless comic memories. In When the Green Woods Laugh, a couple from London buys a mansion from Pop, and he uses the proceeds to build a swimming pool. Later they take Pop to court, but before long he's christening the pool with a boisterous party and celebrating a victorious court case.
333 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
20 people are currently reading
299 people want to read
About the author
H.E. Bates
278 books194 followersHerbert Ernest Bates, CBE is widely recognised as one of the finest short story writers of his generation, with more than 20 story collections published in his lifetime. It should not be overlooked, however, that he also wrote some outstanding novels, starting with The Two Sisters through to A Moment in Time, with such works as Love For Lydia, Fair Stood the Wind for France and The Scarlet Sword earning high praise from the critics. His study of the Modern Short Story is considered one of the best ever written on the subject.
He was born in Rushden, Northamptonshire and was educated at Kettering Grammar School. After leaving school, he was briefly a newspaper reporter and a warehouse clerk, but his heart was always in writing and his dream to be able to make a living by his pen.
Many of his stories depict life in the rural Midlands of England, particularly his native Northamptonshire. Bates was partial to taking long midnight walks around the Northamptonshire countryside - and this often provided the inspiration for his stories. Bates was a great lover of the countryside and its people and this is exemplified in two volumes of essays entitled Through the Woods and Down the River.
In 1931, he married Madge Cox, his sweetheart from the next road in his native Rushden. They moved to the village of Little Chart in Kent and bought an old granary and this together with an acre of garden they converted into a home. It was in this phase of his life that he found the inspiration for the Larkins series of novels -The Darling Buds of May, A Breath of French Air, When the Green Woods Laugh, etc. - and the Uncle Silas tales. Not surprisingly, these highly successful novels inspired television series that were immensely popular.
His collection of stories written while serving in the RAF during World War II, best known by the title The Stories of Flying Officer X, but previously published as Something in the Air (a compilation of his two wartime collections under the pseudonym 'Flying Officer X' and titled The Greatest People in the World and How Sleep the Brave), deserve particular attention. By the end of the war he had achieved the rank of Squadron Leader.
Bates was influenced by Chekhov in particular, and his knowledge of the history of the short story is obvious from the famous study he produced on the subject. He also wrote his autobiography in three volumes (each delightfully illustrated) which were subsequently published in a one-volume Autobiography.
Bates was a keen and knowledgeable gardener and wrote numerous books on flowers. The Granary remained their home for the whole of their married life. After the death of H. E Bates, Madge moved to a bungalow, which had originally been a cow byre, next to the Granary. She died in 2004 at age 95. They raised two sons and two daughters.
primarily from Wikipedia, with additions by Keith Farnsworth
He was born in Rushden, Northamptonshire and was educated at Kettering Grammar School. After leaving school, he was briefly a newspaper reporter and a warehouse clerk, but his heart was always in writing and his dream to be able to make a living by his pen.
Many of his stories depict life in the rural Midlands of England, particularly his native Northamptonshire. Bates was partial to taking long midnight walks around the Northamptonshire countryside - and this often provided the inspiration for his stories. Bates was a great lover of the countryside and its people and this is exemplified in two volumes of essays entitled Through the Woods and Down the River.
In 1931, he married Madge Cox, his sweetheart from the next road in his native Rushden. They moved to the village of Little Chart in Kent and bought an old granary and this together with an acre of garden they converted into a home. It was in this phase of his life that he found the inspiration for the Larkins series of novels -The Darling Buds of May, A Breath of French Air, When the Green Woods Laugh, etc. - and the Uncle Silas tales. Not surprisingly, these highly successful novels inspired television series that were immensely popular.
His collection of stories written while serving in the RAF during World War II, best known by the title The Stories of Flying Officer X, but previously published as Something in the Air (a compilation of his two wartime collections under the pseudonym 'Flying Officer X' and titled The Greatest People in the World and How Sleep the Brave), deserve particular attention. By the end of the war he had achieved the rank of Squadron Leader.
Bates was influenced by Chekhov in particular, and his knowledge of the history of the short story is obvious from the famous study he produced on the subject. He also wrote his autobiography in three volumes (each delightfully illustrated) which were subsequently published in a one-volume Autobiography.
Bates was a keen and knowledgeable gardener and wrote numerous books on flowers. The Granary remained their home for the whole of their married life. After the death of H. E Bates, Madge moved to a bungalow, which had originally been a cow byre, next to the Granary. She died in 2004 at age 95. They raised two sons and two daughters.
primarily from Wikipedia, with additions by Keith Farnsworth
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
March 9, 2020
Lovely, lovely warm and cozy book. I read this years ago and fancied a re-read. It was just like sinking into a warm bubble bath so easy to read. I could hear David Jason’s voice as I was reading it along with Pam Ferris’ laugh. I love the series too so this was a joy to read.
Set in the 1950’s it made you think of days gone by when television was in its infancy and life seemed less stressful and less complicated than it is today. Just “perfick”!!!!
Set in the 1950’s it made you think of days gone by when television was in its infancy and life seemed less stressful and less complicated than it is today. Just “perfick”!!!!
March 28, 2010
Fabulous collection of 'Pop Larkin' stories. Heart warming, carefree living in rural england described at its best with the charms of the Larkin family. Most people will be more familiar with the TV series but this collection also features 'A little of what you fancy' which was never part of the tv series. I highly recommend this collection if your after a whitty, relaxing book to read exploring English country living at its most enjoyable. Its easy to read although this volume is rather too large to carry around with you for reading during work breaks so I would recommend the individual books if you like to carry a book with you.
July 22, 2010
A lovely makes-you-feel-warm-inside series of stories, set in the 50's, centred around the bohemian free-loving, free-living Larkin family. Definitely felt myself envying their country-living idyll. The reader is reminded that even in the most idyllic of settings, there are still problems to be faced, but of course there was a happy ending, and with this book that's just how it should be. Perfick!
May 5, 2014
A nostalgic collection of stories about the Larkin family, set in post War England. A large family rich with love, laughter and faultless generosity. Set in the garden of England, Kent, it has the most idyllic backdrop.
You can almost smell the honysuckle in the air and it gave me that warm pleasantly aching sensation in the pit of stomach as I revelled in the idealism of days gone by, affirming my incresing conviction that I am indeed a 1950's throwback. Smply beautiful. 4.5 stars.”
You can almost smell the honysuckle in the air and it gave me that warm pleasantly aching sensation in the pit of stomach as I revelled in the idealism of days gone by, affirming my incresing conviction that I am indeed a 1950's throwback. Smply beautiful. 4.5 stars.”
August 17, 2010
Pop Larkin, a truly likeable English character in postwar England and his family form the focus of 4 stories of which 3 are in this volume. I fell in love with the character in the BBC TV series, While he doesn't pay taxes and wheels and deals, he is philanthropy, hospitality, and loving.
October 9, 2018
Lovely. But I knocked a star off for the final book in the series, "A Bit If What You Fancy." That novel is at best misguided and one wonders what possessed Bates to write it. Anyway, the first four are Purfick.
July 8, 2010
I loved the whole story. The characters were from the '50's
and completely believable. The situations were hilarious.
I recommend this to lighten you mood.
and completely believable. The situations were hilarious.
I recommend this to lighten you mood.
March 30, 2015
I enjoyed this book about a warm, happy-go-lucky family.
Ma Larkin was always cooking great feasts and cheerfully welcomed people to her home. She really inspired me to be more open and fun-loving.
The descriptions of the English countryside were charming. The Larkin's way of life reminded me of the trend toward small farms and sustainable living. Their story makes it sound ideal.
On a side note, my breastfeeding advocate friends would probably like this book. Baby Oscar hungrily buried his little face in Ma Larkin's expansive, milky-white bosom quite often, and in public, or wherever Ma happened to be when he was hungry.
Alas, I cannot freely recommend this to my more conservative friends. Pop Larkin was much too free with his kisses and also had a tendency to pat or pinch other women. There was excessive drinking. D--n was used often.
Ma Larkin was always cooking great feasts and cheerfully welcomed people to her home. She really inspired me to be more open and fun-loving.
The descriptions of the English countryside were charming. The Larkin's way of life reminded me of the trend toward small farms and sustainable living. Their story makes it sound ideal.
On a side note, my breastfeeding advocate friends would probably like this book. Baby Oscar hungrily buried his little face in Ma Larkin's expansive, milky-white bosom quite often, and in public, or wherever Ma happened to be when he was hungry.
Alas, I cannot freely recommend this to my more conservative friends. Pop Larkin was much too free with his kisses and also had a tendency to pat or pinch other women. There was excessive drinking. D--n was used often.
June 16, 2013
I would give this book 10 stars if I could. My all time favourite book. It may be unrealistic of a 1950's England but it represents a childhood not dissimilar to mine set in the glorious english countryside which I am truly grateful for. It provides escapism and the luxurious prose and vivid imagery are unbeatable (personally!)
EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS
EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS
July 30, 2016
The ultimate in feel-good literature; a perfick spring read. The fifth book in the series (A Little Of What You Fancy, published 12 years after The Darling Buds Of May) did not form part of the TV series, so that story was wonderfully surprising. I'm already looking forward to rereading this at some point in the future.
March 23, 2013
My fave tv show would love to live this lifestyle :)
March 23, 2013
Wonderful family who befriend every one. Lots of good food well cooked by Ma and well behaved children.
May 16, 2013
Absolutely charming. Everything about these stories makes you yearn to be there, to be welcomed into that family, to drink and eat with them. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
September 25, 2014
Fun and flippant :)
September 26, 2014
If it weren't for the horrible, terrible, anachronistic joke about rape at the end of the third novella, I would have given it four stars. Otherwise, quite a charmer,
June 3, 2020
Letting down the back-board [of the gentian blue, home-painted thirty-hundredweight truck] and holding up both arms, he took the youngest children one by one, jumping them down to the yard, laughing and kissing them as they came.And so it is we are introduced to the blessed Larkin family: Pop, Ma, Mariette, Montgomery, the twins Zinnia and Petunia, and Victoria, at the point where Mr. Charlton (Charley) comes into their lives - or rather, when they come into his. For theirs is a world in the rural past of Kent on a small farm amidst the bluebell woods and the hundreds of acres of orchards: strawberries, cherries, plums, pears, apples and more apples. And as this summer heaven of May in the Orchard of England unfolds about the carefree happy days of the Larkins and their new intake, I return to the rambling lanes of English countryside accompanying Mum apple picking, my brother and I searching the silent damp cathedrals under the canopy of trees far from the pickers for mushrooms - mushrooms the size of a large frying pan, which shrivelled up to side plates once in it.
Presently only Mariette remained on the truck, wearing Jodhpurs and a pale lemon shirt, standing erect, black-haired, soft-eyed, olive-skinned, and so well made in a slender and delicate way that he could not believe that Ma, at seventeen too, had once looked exactly like her.
'It's alright. I can get down by myself, Pop.'
Pop held up his arms, looking at her tenderly.
'Ah! Come on. Ma's told me.'
He stood watching her. Her eyes roamed past him, flashing and dark as her mother's, searching the yard.
'Pop, there's a man in the yard. There's a man over there by the horse-box. Watching us.' (Penguin, 1974, p.10).
Bates's world of the Larkins is immediate and encompassing, he swallows you up in his orchards and meadows of buttercups and wild flowers and the orchestra of birdsong. Evening brings meals al fresco - three geese, three bottles of port - and the Brigadier on a mission for the village committee. We are already at home with this wider extended family in the heart of England of times gone by. Evocative as the scent of the bluebells, Bates absorbs you in his affectionate world, but what he succeeds in doing so easily is making you feel perfectly at home with this brightly coloured array of characters, or, as Pop would say...
Having just finished the last of the pentalogy, I enjoyed the first and last best, but the first the most. However, having got so much from revisiting the Larkins, I shall have to revisit a couple of them again, to give a truly balanced view. Like many books, you have to be ready for them. Now I am.
May 7, 2019
One must approach this book with a firm understanding of place and time in order to enjoy the warmth, humor and eccentricity of the free spirited Larkin family in 1950's rural England. I had enjoyed the TV series, "The Darling Buds of May" and wanted to read the stories upon which it was based.
Pop Larkin has never paid a penny in tax, due to his philosophy that if his only income is the things and services he barters back and forth, he doesn't have any "money" upon which to pay taxes. Although he and Ma have never married, they have a large, happy and jovial family who love each other unconditionally. They live a comfortable, somewhat luxurious life and have a true appreciation for the beauty of their surroundings. In short, life is "perfick."
Even so, the jollity and hijinks of this family are fueled by alcohol; lots and lots of alcohol at all times of the day and night, including sips of Guinness for the baby. Ma, who is several yards wide, proffers huge amounts of rich, decadent food to anyone who arrives at their table. Pop bestows long and lavish kisses on any woman who takes his fancy, and she his, with no jealousy on Ma's part, because she and Pop have their own unique understanding. While these elements are un-settling in contemporary terms, the Larkins have never asked for charity, are loyal and protective within their ranks, exhibit great kindness to their less fortunate neighbors and anger is not in their vocabulary.
THE DARLING BUDS OF MAY: THE POP LARKIN CHRONICLES, is a compilation of three of the
five Pop Larkin books. Despite our present knowledge that Pop and Ma will die likely an early death from heart disease or alcoholism, reading of a more simple and innocent time where people could live strictly on their own terms, was a pleasant, refreshing diversion.
Pop Larkin has never paid a penny in tax, due to his philosophy that if his only income is the things and services he barters back and forth, he doesn't have any "money" upon which to pay taxes. Although he and Ma have never married, they have a large, happy and jovial family who love each other unconditionally. They live a comfortable, somewhat luxurious life and have a true appreciation for the beauty of their surroundings. In short, life is "perfick."
Even so, the jollity and hijinks of this family are fueled by alcohol; lots and lots of alcohol at all times of the day and night, including sips of Guinness for the baby. Ma, who is several yards wide, proffers huge amounts of rich, decadent food to anyone who arrives at their table. Pop bestows long and lavish kisses on any woman who takes his fancy, and she his, with no jealousy on Ma's part, because she and Pop have their own unique understanding. While these elements are un-settling in contemporary terms, the Larkins have never asked for charity, are loyal and protective within their ranks, exhibit great kindness to their less fortunate neighbors and anger is not in their vocabulary.
THE DARLING BUDS OF MAY: THE POP LARKIN CHRONICLES, is a compilation of three of the
five Pop Larkin books. Despite our present knowledge that Pop and Ma will die likely an early death from heart disease or alcoholism, reading of a more simple and innocent time where people could live strictly on their own terms, was a pleasant, refreshing diversion.
March 5, 2022
Warning, this book (really all 5 books in one edition) will make you hungry! XD Having seen the old series and recent remake on TV I wanted to read this so much. In some ways it's every bit as warmhearted and fun as the series, with plenty parts to make you giggle, but in other parts it took me a bit by surprise. I think you really have to keep in mind the time it was written (late 1950's-1970), the fact that the writer was a man in his 50's, and the setting ( mid 1950's to early 60's rural England), especially if you're of a younger generation like me who never lived through those times, because there are some very outdated attitudes and certain things that would never be allowed to be published by a modern author. Some parts could be seen as a bit racist and one line in particular from Angela (towards the end of book 3 I think) was shocking, in modern times Pop would never get away with some of the things he does, and there's loads of boozing (way more than the TV series), even for the kids, from breakfast time onward. On the other hand there's some things about Pop and Ma's lifestyle/attitudes that probably would have shocked people at the time it was written but are normal ways of life now that wouldn't shock modern readers (like them living together/having kids without being married, Ma breastfeeding in public, Mariette and Primrose's antics with men, the body positivity). Even with the outdated bits I wasn't keen on, I still loved the characters of Pop and Ma (pretty faithfully portrayed in the TV series, but you'll find only some of the parts of either TV series are from the books, most are 'inspired' by various bits of the books and not always in order), and the other characters too. The life in 1950's England is portrayed very well, and the pleasure the family find in their own home, the love for their family, love of food, love of nature, are all great. I love Pop's body positivity- Ma is a plus sized lady who is loud and proud, she's happy just as she is, loving, wise and sexy and despite all the various beautiful women they get to know, Pop thinks she's absolutely "perfick" for him as she is, and her shape only adds to that for him. The final book I think shows the changing attitudes of the times, it being written about 12 years after book 1, and it almost felt to me like the author had been told that there were serious *consequences* to that boozy overeating lifestyle and that needed to be included as a warning, instead of promoting a completely happy family living this lifestyle with no problems resulting from overindulgence in alcohol and mountains of rich food. The storyline about those consequences felt a bit out of place TBH and the book lost it's way for a short time by including that part, until it seems the author got back into the characters and the fun rather than the message he'd been told to put in, so by the end it's back on track and ties in with the rest of the series and finishes just right. Overall I really enjoyed it, but I feel I need to repeat what I said earlier if you're reading this for the first time now - to keep in mind when it was written so the parts with outdated views don't put you off what is otherwise a fun read.
December 12, 2021
The Five books that is the Pop Larkin Chronicle:
The Darling Buds Of May (1958)
A Breath Of French Air (1959)
When The Green Woods Laugh (1960)
Oh! To Be In England (1963)
A Little Of What You Fancy (1970)
Cozy, funny and perfick! Heart-warming stories of the Larkin family's summers on the English countryside in the 50s!
This edition contains 16 pages of pictures from the wonderfully adapted TV series from the early 90s.
The Darling Buds Of May (1958)
A Breath Of French Air (1959)
When The Green Woods Laugh (1960)
Oh! To Be In England (1963)
A Little Of What You Fancy (1970)
Cozy, funny and perfick! Heart-warming stories of the Larkin family's summers on the English countryside in the 50s!
This edition contains 16 pages of pictures from the wonderfully adapted TV series from the early 90s.
November 17, 2020
Somewhat dated, but very enjoyable! Pa Larson is a memorable character. He could have been just a comic character, but Bates has made him come alive and has given him more dimension, especially as the series progresses.
November 16, 2021
Charming nostalgic, feel-good book. The original TV series was remarkably very true to a lot of the stories and I was able to picture the characters and surroundings perfickly, it captured that era so perfectly.
As a complete contrast I'm off to read a Jack Reacher!
As a complete contrast I'm off to read a Jack Reacher!
October 31, 2021
Not as funny as the cover copy insists it is.
November 26, 2024
Not as good as I had hoped
September 28, 2025
You will fall madly in love with the Larkin family!
September 26, 2022
I often find that when I enjoy a TV or film adaptation or a book or book series, it's fun to go and read the original, both to see how faithful the adaptation is to the text and also to get more insight into the characters than you can usually glean from TV/film. The first three books in this series are extremely similar to episodes within the 1990s TV series 'Darling Buds of May' and I really enjoyed them, because it was nice to know the adaptation was so close to the original and it definitely was good to see more of the characters thoughts and motivations, etc. The fourth book was a little different and it almost seems as if two different episodes were pulled from it, but I still enjoyed it a lot. I admit that I abandoned the fifth book in chapter one, partly because the storyline had moved far beyond the TV series, but moreover because, for personal reasons, I'm uncomfortable reading about the main character's health issues. Still, all in all, I did enjoy the experience I had with this set of books, and I'm grateful they exist, because without them I wouldn't have a TV series on DVD that I really enjoy watching, but I'm not sure I would read the books over again.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews