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If Winter Comes
"Excerpt from the book..."
To take Mark Sabre at the age of thirty-four, and in the year 1912, and
at the place Penny Green is to necessitate looking back a little towards
the time of his marriage in 1904, but happens to find him in good light
for observation. Encountering him hereabouts, one who had shared school
days with him at his preparatory school so much as twenty-four years
back would have found matter for recognition.
To take Mark Sabre at the age of thirty-four, and in the year 1912, and
at the place Penny Green is to necessitate looking back a little towards
the time of his marriage in 1904, but happens to find him in good light
for observation. Encountering him hereabouts, one who had shared school
days with him at his preparatory school so much as twenty-four years
back would have found matter for recognition.
426 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 1921
37 people are currently reading
272 people want to read
About the author
A.S.M. Hutchinson
64 books14 followersArthur Stuart-Menteth Hutchinson was editor of the London illustrated newspaper, The Daily Graphic. He wrote romance and family novels - many of them bestsellers in the UK and the US - as well as short stories.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
November 13, 2018
A good read for 11/11/2018.
October 29, 2017
This book was the #1 bestseller in 1922, was immediately made into a play and a movie, and another movie version was done 25 years later. So why has this book seemingly been consigned to oblivion, not even worthy of a Wikipedia article (although both movies get one)? One might come up to conspiracy theories as to why - perhaps it doesn't properly fall into the World War One narrative, perhaps the author was viewed negatively afterwards, but it is quite bewildering, as this book was fabulous.
"If Winter Comes" is actually two books, one about its protagonist, Sabre, and the other about World War One, and the way it devastated England. The first book is deeply stirring, about a simple, kind man, and his difficulties in communication, his problems with his wife and his job, his relation with his servants and his childhood amour, and his great love of country and of people. It is a love story, but also it is a story about an individual's personal struggles with himself. The part about the Great War comes in the middle of the book, and rips everything apart, Sabre, the country, his relationships, it's quite horrible, but very well done by the author.
The book is brilliantly written in a variety of styles, from straight narrative to a Joseph Conrad-like storytelling by Sabre's friend Hapgood. There are fabulous descriptive moments, a beautiful passage about October in particular, and great sweeping philosophical statements about England and the War. It reads more like an epic poem than a novel, but is fairly easy to read, and, like many of the bestsellers I've read, has the quality where you immediately want to get tell of your friends to read it. Its popularity is understandable and completely well-deserved.
As far as its "literary quality": it's perhaps not quite as refined as other writers of the period, but the quality of the plot, the descriptions of the characters, the overall "feel" of the book, makes me rank this book quite highly in my personal pantheon. That being said, comparisons to other writers do not come easily to mind, Hutchinson has his own style, but he is fairly erudite ("If Winter Comes" is a reference to a poem by Shelley) and clearly falls within the Western tradition. He is an emotional, passionate writer, spilling out with sympathy for his characters.
Also, this book had a tremendous amount of historical interest to me, as World War One, which did more than any event in history to destroy faith in Western culture and civilization, has always been a mystery to me, and this book went a long way in helping me understand how it happened and its effect on Europe. The War came as a surprise to England as much as anywhere, but it seems as if the country generally accepted its existence when declared and expected the war to last no later than December of 1914. What is most interesting is how the entire country responded, I think for every "conscientious objector" there were 100 volunteers. Regardless, by the end of the book, the devastation is complete, the loss of faith in particular.
I read this book because of its inclusion in John Cowper Powys' "Modern Books" lecture series, and it does raise questions about how JCP never mentioned WWI or WWII in any of his novels - even Wolf Solent which took place at the same time as If Winter Comes. From reading this book, the Great War may have been simply too painful to talk about. It was a horrible, senseless monstrosity, which was followed by an even worse monstrosity (I believe as many do that WWI and WWII were really one large event).
Regardless - I strongly recommend this book to everyone, especially my friends and followers in England, as it is a fabulous, gripping read, of immense cultural and historical value, and quality "poetic" fiction of - while not the highest sort - a very high sort and well worth your time.
"If Winter Comes" is actually two books, one about its protagonist, Sabre, and the other about World War One, and the way it devastated England. The first book is deeply stirring, about a simple, kind man, and his difficulties in communication, his problems with his wife and his job, his relation with his servants and his childhood amour, and his great love of country and of people. It is a love story, but also it is a story about an individual's personal struggles with himself. The part about the Great War comes in the middle of the book, and rips everything apart, Sabre, the country, his relationships, it's quite horrible, but very well done by the author.
The book is brilliantly written in a variety of styles, from straight narrative to a Joseph Conrad-like storytelling by Sabre's friend Hapgood. There are fabulous descriptive moments, a beautiful passage about October in particular, and great sweeping philosophical statements about England and the War. It reads more like an epic poem than a novel, but is fairly easy to read, and, like many of the bestsellers I've read, has the quality where you immediately want to get tell of your friends to read it. Its popularity is understandable and completely well-deserved.
As far as its "literary quality": it's perhaps not quite as refined as other writers of the period, but the quality of the plot, the descriptions of the characters, the overall "feel" of the book, makes me rank this book quite highly in my personal pantheon. That being said, comparisons to other writers do not come easily to mind, Hutchinson has his own style, but he is fairly erudite ("If Winter Comes" is a reference to a poem by Shelley) and clearly falls within the Western tradition. He is an emotional, passionate writer, spilling out with sympathy for his characters.
Also, this book had a tremendous amount of historical interest to me, as World War One, which did more than any event in history to destroy faith in Western culture and civilization, has always been a mystery to me, and this book went a long way in helping me understand how it happened and its effect on Europe. The War came as a surprise to England as much as anywhere, but it seems as if the country generally accepted its existence when declared and expected the war to last no later than December of 1914. What is most interesting is how the entire country responded, I think for every "conscientious objector" there were 100 volunteers. Regardless, by the end of the book, the devastation is complete, the loss of faith in particular.
I read this book because of its inclusion in John Cowper Powys' "Modern Books" lecture series, and it does raise questions about how JCP never mentioned WWI or WWII in any of his novels - even Wolf Solent which took place at the same time as If Winter Comes. From reading this book, the Great War may have been simply too painful to talk about. It was a horrible, senseless monstrosity, which was followed by an even worse monstrosity (I believe as many do that WWI and WWII were really one large event).
Regardless - I strongly recommend this book to everyone, especially my friends and followers in England, as it is a fabulous, gripping read, of immense cultural and historical value, and quality "poetic" fiction of - while not the highest sort - a very high sort and well worth your time.
March 11, 2014
I encountered this book during my re-reading of "Only Yesterday," by Frederick Lewis Allen. In one of his passages he mentioned how this novel had swept through America during the early '20s. It is available through Amazon's Kindle device although, after I finished it, I also found, ordered, and have since received, a 1921 hardcover copy of this book.
It says a lot that something written 93 years ago still makes compelling reading! In one sense, its theme is very familiar (although, since there are only so many basic plot lines throughout all of literature, this is really not that surprising) -- we are introduced to two individuals who, once very close, have each married another person who turn out to be bad choices. Even at this level, the author does a good job of making this an interesting and compelling tale.
But what I especially appreciated about it is that it follows its major characters from just before World War I through that horrible event and then to the year immediately following its conclusion. Needless to say, all undergo significant changes in their lives. Having recently read several works on the period of the 1870s through the 1920s, I appreciated how this novel reflected the initial widespread incredulity that a war would be entered into "in these modern times." The subsequent feeling of adventure did not last long and, as the slaughter and stalemate continued, the horror and loss of this war impacted all in numerous ways.
The major character is a sincere, intelligent, sympathetic man whose "curse of being able to always see all sides of an issue" sets him apart from the passions sweeping his family, friends, and nation. He suffers for this but, happily, ultimately triumphs in the most simple and human ways.
It says a lot that something written 93 years ago still makes compelling reading! In one sense, its theme is very familiar (although, since there are only so many basic plot lines throughout all of literature, this is really not that surprising) -- we are introduced to two individuals who, once very close, have each married another person who turn out to be bad choices. Even at this level, the author does a good job of making this an interesting and compelling tale.
But what I especially appreciated about it is that it follows its major characters from just before World War I through that horrible event and then to the year immediately following its conclusion. Needless to say, all undergo significant changes in their lives. Having recently read several works on the period of the 1870s through the 1920s, I appreciated how this novel reflected the initial widespread incredulity that a war would be entered into "in these modern times." The subsequent feeling of adventure did not last long and, as the slaughter and stalemate continued, the horror and loss of this war impacted all in numerous ways.
The major character is a sincere, intelligent, sympathetic man whose "curse of being able to always see all sides of an issue" sets him apart from the passions sweeping his family, friends, and nation. He suffers for this but, happily, ultimately triumphs in the most simple and human ways.
Want to read
January 16, 2016Free download available at Project Gutenberg.
November 28, 2018
22 NOV 2018 - Buddy Read with Bettie Thanksgiving 2018.
Project Gutenberg - http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14145
Film also - https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/If_Wi...
A. S. M Hutchinson was editor of the London illustrated newspaper, The Daily Graphic. He wrote romance and family novels as well as short stories for publications such The Sphere Magazine. His best-selling novel, If Winter Comes, was in many aspects ahead of its time, dealing with an unhappy marriage, eventual divorce, and an unwed mother who commits suicide. According to the New York Times, If Winter Comes was the best-selling book in the United States for all of 1922. The following year, Fox Film Corporation made it into a motion picture of the same name directed by Harry F. Millarde. - Wikipedia
Project Gutenberg - http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14145
Film also - https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/If_Wi...
A. S. M Hutchinson was editor of the London illustrated newspaper, The Daily Graphic. He wrote romance and family novels as well as short stories for publications such The Sphere Magazine. His best-selling novel, If Winter Comes, was in many aspects ahead of its time, dealing with an unhappy marriage, eventual divorce, and an unwed mother who commits suicide. According to the New York Times, If Winter Comes was the best-selling book in the United States for all of 1922. The following year, Fox Film Corporation made it into a motion picture of the same name directed by Harry F. Millarde. - Wikipedia
November 26, 2018
Description: Hutchinson's best-selling novel, If Winter Comes (1921), was in many aspects ahead of its time, dealing with an unhappy marriage, eventual divorce, and an unwed mother who commits suicide. According to the New York Times, If Winter Comes was the best-selling book in the United States for all of 1922. In 1922, his book This Freedom was published to controversy, seen by the women's rights movement as an anti-feminist novel. However, it proved to be highly successful and was ranked by the New York Times as the 7th best-selling book in the United States for 1923 and the 6th best for all of 1924. The next year, he had another success with One Increasing Purpose that was the 10th best-selling book of 1925. His other works include Once Aboard the Lugger (1908), The Happy Warrior (1912), The Clean Heart (1914), The Book of Simon (1930), and Big Business (1932).
Read here
Opening: To take Mark Sabre at the age of thirty-four, and in the year 1912, and at the place Penny Green is to necessitate looking back a little towards the time of his marriage in 1904, but happens to find him in good light for observation. Encountering him hereabouts, one who had shared school days with him at his preparatory school so much as twenty-four years back would have found matter for recognition.
To read with Wandaful, Thanksgiving 2018
:O)
Now there's a place you ought to go to paint one of your pictures—where he lives—Penny Green. Picturesque, quaint if ever a place was. It's about seven miles from Tidborough; seven miles by road and about seven centuries in manners and customs and appearance and all that.
Proper old village green, you know, with a duck pond and cricket pitch and houses all round it. No two alike. Just like one of Kate Greenaway's pictures, I always think. It just sits and sleeps. You wouldn't think there was a town within a hundred miles of it, let alone a bustling great place like Tidborough."
High Jinks and Low Jinks
Within this narrow cell reclines her clay,
That clay, where once such animation beam’d;
The King of Terrors seized her as his prey,
Not worth nor beauty have her life redeem’d.
- On The Death of a Young Lady
by George Gordon, Lord Byron (composed: 1802)
Thanks for all the chatting, ladies. We must do it again sometime.
Read hereOpening: To take Mark Sabre at the age of thirty-four, and in the year 1912, and at the place Penny Green is to necessitate looking back a little towards the time of his marriage in 1904, but happens to find him in good light for observation. Encountering him hereabouts, one who had shared school days with him at his preparatory school so much as twenty-four years back would have found matter for recognition.
To read with Wandaful, Thanksgiving 2018:O)
Now there's a place you ought to go to paint one of your pictures—where he lives—Penny Green. Picturesque, quaint if ever a place was. It's about seven miles from Tidborough; seven miles by road and about seven centuries in manners and customs and appearance and all that.Proper old village green, you know, with a duck pond and cricket pitch and houses all round it. No two alike. Just like one of Kate Greenaway's pictures, I always think. It just sits and sleeps. You wouldn't think there was a town within a hundred miles of it, let alone a bustling great place like Tidborough."
If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?
- Ode to the West Wind, BY PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY
High Jinks and Low Jinks
Within this narrow cell reclines her clay,
That clay, where once such animation beam’d;
The King of Terrors seized her as his prey,
Not worth nor beauty have her life redeem’d.
- On The Death of a Young Lady
by George Gordon, Lord Byron (composed: 1802)
Thanks for all the chatting, ladies. We must do it again sometime.
July 14, 2012
A book written in the same vain as bonfire of the vanities. It is less cynical, but is more sappy. The "god is love" statement shows the authors humanist thought.
October 17, 2011
This book was a bestseller when it was first published in 1921, and is freely available on Project Gutenberg thanks to the efforts of Distributed Proofreaders. This was the first eBook that I "post-processed", which means I checked for any remaining errors, and created the final text and HTML versions. It was an okay book. The date I read it is approximate, based on the time it was published to Project Gutenberg.
June 4, 2012
This novel by a little know author is surprising wonderful. Short of 5 stars simply due to the fact that it is not quite that captivating, but overall wonderful. Very British in style and true to period in progress and development of plot. Ending not fully expected and pleasant. A must read for those who enjoy British Literature.
November 11, 2017
Though the story and its progression are interesting, the style of writing was very annoying, I thought. There was so much spiraling around and repeating of basic information through the thoughts and retelling of characters in a sort of stream of consciousness mode. I found it very hard to read and skimmed much of it to get on with the story.
November 15, 2025
I found this book looking through past bestseller lists. It ended up being a lucky find. I'm happy fate put this one in my hands. An easy recommendation.
January 23, 2021
Several weeks ago, I watched on TCM the 1947 movie of A. S. M. Hutchinson's 1921 novel, "If Winter Comes" and realized it was available on Kindle, I enjoyed the movie and really wanted to compare the novel and the movie, in my spoiler section below. If I ever come across the 1923 silent film version, I will have to watch that too, that version is 23 minutes longer. After reading this wonderful story, I can see why it was such a hit and though the story line, stands basically true for the movie, the novel is truly wonderful and this story is not easily forgotten.
Though this is primary not a war novel, it brings World War 1 to an English town, though fought on foreign soil. I find fiction that involves true events fascinating, especially when they are written closely near the time of occurrence. I have limited knowledge of Hutchinson but a picture on Wikipedia shows him in some sort of uniform and being born in 1879, so one wonders if he had enlisted in his thirties for World War 1. I found more insight into the English mind in what they thought about the start of the war and as it progressed, this was not a war novel but it centers on the town and happenings before and soon after. The feeling that the war will be a short engagement and the town's provisions seem to be normal which surprised the characters, it seems many have profited, not in a deceitful way but the war did not ruin prosperity for the town. There were Red Cross events and other ways to help out but the loss of the soldiers not returning home, immense, so reading about this was heart wrenching.
The other important theme is of that era's convictions, Mark Sabre does a wonderful service to explain how he sees both sides of an issue but thinks when it comes down to it, convictions are necessary but looking out of the box for a moment, and thinking about what is "right and wrong" one needs to take heed of acting as God would want not thinking of society but humanity. Though today's world, it would so much easier for Effie, I agree with this sentiment but I think today conviction has been thrown to the curbside.
Story in short- Mark Sabre has a hard time understanding people as they try to understand him, but when he decides to help a young girl, nobody else will, he finds how much they look to crucify him.
I will be reading A.S.M. Hutchinson again at some point. This Kindle version might have one or two errors.
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌spoiler alert❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌spoiler
The movie was based on the entrance to World War 2, whereas the book it is the first World War, so society is more modernized compared to the book.
Below from Wikipedia shows the storyline, but I will give an overview to compare.
Mark Sabre married Mabel after Nona tells him she is to marry Lord Tybar. Lord Tybar of the movie seems a nice guy but Tony of the novel, is has committed adultery many times in front of his wife, he does not feel but likes to affect others and delights in this. Mark tries to understand his wife because he knows she does not understand him, she laughs and does not care to hear his thoughts which make life difficult in their marriage. Being still in love with Nona but keeping this to himself, he sees that he must keep trying to make his wife happy, and at one point has a chance to have an affair with Nona but he is the stronger morally, though it is a fight within himself, this is brought to an end because Lord Tybar enlisted and Nona must stand by her man. The friends still correspond as friends do but they are not talking of what could have taken place. In the movie, Tybar was a great guy but Nona felt they were too different in looking at things but Tybar did not realize the big rift.
Hi and Lo Jinxs, the Sabre maids are comic relief in both novel and movie.
In the movie Mark's heart makes him unable to enlist, in the novel he is refused but as the war goes on, the standards are dropped and Mark sees the war first hand, returns home crippled but able to walk on his hobbled leg. The Perchs that are Mark friends and the death of old mother Perch with Effie, her love in companion since her son had gone to war, was heart breaking. This occurrence and other occurrence which bring Mark around with Effie, especially since she is an unwed mother, has the town's people looking to ostracize him and Effie. She does not reveal the father of her baby to anyone except after she comments suicide and Mark is lambasted in court, the movie this is glossed over whereas the book it is more disturbing, Nona in book and movie shows up and supports Mark in front of the town. In the book he feels the wrath of the town and how they viewed him which has left him hopeless for any comfort including Nona and his friend, Hapgood. Mark's wife left him after he took Effie and her baby in their home and later she's for divorce. In the movie Effie does not give birth but in the novel, her father and others will not help her unless she gives her baby up which she can not do, so she looks for help at the Sabres but only Mark will help her, though his life starts to breakdown, he stands by the mother. In the book he takes a brief holiday, whereas Effie knowing he is gone commits suicide and takes the baby with her. A note by Effie addressed to him is found after the trial which tells of the father being Harold Tyning's son, the man who helped put the nail in his coffin. He is upset and looks to angrily inform and show the letter to Tywning, showing his son is the unprincipled father but when entering the office he hears of Harold's death and Mark can not show the disturbed father but throws the note to the fire, so after he collapses and Nona helps him. In the movie or seems to be a heart attack but the novel he had a stroke. Nona in the movie sees the note but they decided to throw it in the fire togther. In the book Nona wins Mark back to life and they marry.
In the movie Anglea Landsbury does a perfect job as Mabel.
From Wikipedia below
"If Winter Comes is a 1947 drama film released by MGM. The movie was directed by Victor Saville, based on the novel by A.S.M. Hutchinson. The film tells the story of an English textbook writer who takes in a pregnant girl. The novel had previously been made into the 1923 film If Winter Comes.[2]
Directed by
Victor Saville
Produced by
Pandro S. Berman
Screenplay by
Arthur Wimperis
Marguerite Roberts
Based on
If Winter Comes
1921 novel
by A.S.M. Hutchinson
Distributed by
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
December 31, 1947
Running time
97 minutes
Plot
Set in the English village Penny Green in 1939, the film focuses on Mark Sabre (Walter Pidgeon), an author and publisher who is unhappily married to Mabel (Angela Lansbury), a cold, humorless woman who usually spends her days gossiping with the townspeople. When Mark finds out his former sweetheart Nona Tybar (Deborah Kerr) is returning to Penny Green, Mark, unlike his wife, is delighted. Nona is married to Tony Tybar (Hugh French), but is still in love with Mark. Mabel is aware of Mark's feelings for Nona, and encourages him to spend time with her, thinking he will eventually decide with whom he wants to spend his life.
As the war starts, Tony is called into the military; Mark attempts to join up but a doctor finds a heart condition and prevents him. Nona leaves Penny Green in order to join the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. Life becomes quiet for Mark, until Effie Bright (Janet Leigh), who has been disowned by her father for becoming pregnant, turns to him for help.
Mark helps Effie, and lets her live in his home while he looks for a better situation for her. This causes a great scandal, and the townspeople soon denounce Mark. He loses his job as a result of the morals clause at his place of employment. Mabel leaves Mark, believing that he has fathered Effie's baby, and serving Effie with the notice that she is co-respondent in the divorce. Effie, who was already under mental stress because the real father of the baby had not written her, commits suicide by poisoning herself. At the inquest to determine Effie's cause of death, numerous witnesses give anecdotal evidence suggesting a sexual relationship between Mark and Effie. Nona appears, having just learned of Tony's death, and makes a short speech in support of Mark's character. The inquest determines that Effie's cause of death was suicide, though they censure Mark for his behavior.
Returning home, a distraught Mark finds a note addressed to him from Effie. In it, Effie names her lover: Harold Twyning, the son of Mark's former coworker. Mark furiously goes to confront young Twyning's father, but when he gets there, the man is grief-stricken, just having received the news that his son has been killed in the war. Mark decides not to share the letter with him, but just as he is about to burn the letter, he has a heart attack and passes out.
Weeks pass as Mark convalesces. Nona returns to Mark, and they burn Effie's letter together.
Cast
Walter Pidgeon as Mark Sabre
Deborah Kerr as Nona Tybar
Angela Lansbury as Mabel Sabre
Binnie Barnes as Natalie Bagshaw
Janet Leigh as Effie Bright
Dame May Whitty as Mrs. Perch
Virginia Keiley as Rebecca 'High Jinks'
Rene Ray as Sarah 'Low Jinks'
Rhys Williams as Effie's puritanical father
Owen McGiveney as Uncle Fouraker"
Though this is primary not a war novel, it brings World War 1 to an English town, though fought on foreign soil. I find fiction that involves true events fascinating, especially when they are written closely near the time of occurrence. I have limited knowledge of Hutchinson but a picture on Wikipedia shows him in some sort of uniform and being born in 1879, so one wonders if he had enlisted in his thirties for World War 1. I found more insight into the English mind in what they thought about the start of the war and as it progressed, this was not a war novel but it centers on the town and happenings before and soon after. The feeling that the war will be a short engagement and the town's provisions seem to be normal which surprised the characters, it seems many have profited, not in a deceitful way but the war did not ruin prosperity for the town. There were Red Cross events and other ways to help out but the loss of the soldiers not returning home, immense, so reading about this was heart wrenching.
The other important theme is of that era's convictions, Mark Sabre does a wonderful service to explain how he sees both sides of an issue but thinks when it comes down to it, convictions are necessary but looking out of the box for a moment, and thinking about what is "right and wrong" one needs to take heed of acting as God would want not thinking of society but humanity. Though today's world, it would so much easier for Effie, I agree with this sentiment but I think today conviction has been thrown to the curbside.
Story in short- Mark Sabre has a hard time understanding people as they try to understand him, but when he decides to help a young girl, nobody else will, he finds how much they look to crucify him.
I will be reading A.S.M. Hutchinson again at some point. This Kindle version might have one or two errors.
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The movie was based on the entrance to World War 2, whereas the book it is the first World War, so society is more modernized compared to the book.
Below from Wikipedia shows the storyline, but I will give an overview to compare.
Mark Sabre married Mabel after Nona tells him she is to marry Lord Tybar. Lord Tybar of the movie seems a nice guy but Tony of the novel, is has committed adultery many times in front of his wife, he does not feel but likes to affect others and delights in this. Mark tries to understand his wife because he knows she does not understand him, she laughs and does not care to hear his thoughts which make life difficult in their marriage. Being still in love with Nona but keeping this to himself, he sees that he must keep trying to make his wife happy, and at one point has a chance to have an affair with Nona but he is the stronger morally, though it is a fight within himself, this is brought to an end because Lord Tybar enlisted and Nona must stand by her man. The friends still correspond as friends do but they are not talking of what could have taken place. In the movie, Tybar was a great guy but Nona felt they were too different in looking at things but Tybar did not realize the big rift.
Hi and Lo Jinxs, the Sabre maids are comic relief in both novel and movie.
In the movie Mark's heart makes him unable to enlist, in the novel he is refused but as the war goes on, the standards are dropped and Mark sees the war first hand, returns home crippled but able to walk on his hobbled leg. The Perchs that are Mark friends and the death of old mother Perch with Effie, her love in companion since her son had gone to war, was heart breaking. This occurrence and other occurrence which bring Mark around with Effie, especially since she is an unwed mother, has the town's people looking to ostracize him and Effie. She does not reveal the father of her baby to anyone except after she comments suicide and Mark is lambasted in court, the movie this is glossed over whereas the book it is more disturbing, Nona in book and movie shows up and supports Mark in front of the town. In the book he feels the wrath of the town and how they viewed him which has left him hopeless for any comfort including Nona and his friend, Hapgood. Mark's wife left him after he took Effie and her baby in their home and later she's for divorce. In the movie Effie does not give birth but in the novel, her father and others will not help her unless she gives her baby up which she can not do, so she looks for help at the Sabres but only Mark will help her, though his life starts to breakdown, he stands by the mother. In the book he takes a brief holiday, whereas Effie knowing he is gone commits suicide and takes the baby with her. A note by Effie addressed to him is found after the trial which tells of the father being Harold Tyning's son, the man who helped put the nail in his coffin. He is upset and looks to angrily inform and show the letter to Tywning, showing his son is the unprincipled father but when entering the office he hears of Harold's death and Mark can not show the disturbed father but throws the note to the fire, so after he collapses and Nona helps him. In the movie or seems to be a heart attack but the novel he had a stroke. Nona in the movie sees the note but they decided to throw it in the fire togther. In the book Nona wins Mark back to life and they marry.
In the movie Anglea Landsbury does a perfect job as Mabel.
From Wikipedia below
"If Winter Comes is a 1947 drama film released by MGM. The movie was directed by Victor Saville, based on the novel by A.S.M. Hutchinson. The film tells the story of an English textbook writer who takes in a pregnant girl. The novel had previously been made into the 1923 film If Winter Comes.[2]
Directed by
Victor Saville
Produced by
Pandro S. Berman
Screenplay by
Arthur Wimperis
Marguerite Roberts
Based on
If Winter Comes
1921 novel
by A.S.M. Hutchinson
Distributed by
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
December 31, 1947
Running time
97 minutes
Plot
Set in the English village Penny Green in 1939, the film focuses on Mark Sabre (Walter Pidgeon), an author and publisher who is unhappily married to Mabel (Angela Lansbury), a cold, humorless woman who usually spends her days gossiping with the townspeople. When Mark finds out his former sweetheart Nona Tybar (Deborah Kerr) is returning to Penny Green, Mark, unlike his wife, is delighted. Nona is married to Tony Tybar (Hugh French), but is still in love with Mark. Mabel is aware of Mark's feelings for Nona, and encourages him to spend time with her, thinking he will eventually decide with whom he wants to spend his life.
As the war starts, Tony is called into the military; Mark attempts to join up but a doctor finds a heart condition and prevents him. Nona leaves Penny Green in order to join the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. Life becomes quiet for Mark, until Effie Bright (Janet Leigh), who has been disowned by her father for becoming pregnant, turns to him for help.
Mark helps Effie, and lets her live in his home while he looks for a better situation for her. This causes a great scandal, and the townspeople soon denounce Mark. He loses his job as a result of the morals clause at his place of employment. Mabel leaves Mark, believing that he has fathered Effie's baby, and serving Effie with the notice that she is co-respondent in the divorce. Effie, who was already under mental stress because the real father of the baby had not written her, commits suicide by poisoning herself. At the inquest to determine Effie's cause of death, numerous witnesses give anecdotal evidence suggesting a sexual relationship between Mark and Effie. Nona appears, having just learned of Tony's death, and makes a short speech in support of Mark's character. The inquest determines that Effie's cause of death was suicide, though they censure Mark for his behavior.
Returning home, a distraught Mark finds a note addressed to him from Effie. In it, Effie names her lover: Harold Twyning, the son of Mark's former coworker. Mark furiously goes to confront young Twyning's father, but when he gets there, the man is grief-stricken, just having received the news that his son has been killed in the war. Mark decides not to share the letter with him, but just as he is about to burn the letter, he has a heart attack and passes out.
Weeks pass as Mark convalesces. Nona returns to Mark, and they burn Effie's letter together.
Cast
Walter Pidgeon as Mark Sabre
Deborah Kerr as Nona Tybar
Angela Lansbury as Mabel Sabre
Binnie Barnes as Natalie Bagshaw
Janet Leigh as Effie Bright
Dame May Whitty as Mrs. Perch
Virginia Keiley as Rebecca 'High Jinks'
Rene Ray as Sarah 'Low Jinks'
Rhys Williams as Effie's puritanical father
Owen McGiveney as Uncle Fouraker"
November 21, 2025
I’d never heard of ASM Hutchinson, I’m certain of that, and yet I had that uneasy Déjà vu experience as I started reading the first chapters of this novel. Certain scenes seemed especially vivid, including the main character of the novel free-wheeling home from work by bike each day, a boyish enthusiasm for him and a source of irritation to his joyless wife.
Then I realised I’d seen a film years ago based on this novel. Made in 1947, the Hollywood adaptation of “If Winter Comes” starred Walter Pidgeon as the square peg in a round hole, Deborah Kerr as his boyhood sweetheart, and Angela Lansbury (usually cast in quirky and warm-hearted roles) atypically playing his chilly and disapproving wife.
To be honest, I’d remembered the film as a bit of a pot boiler – thoroughly enjoyable but of its time, involving a kind-hearted but misunderstood young man, the two women he can’t choose between, and the pregnant young girl who (spoiler alert!) dies in suspicious circumstances.
If I hadn’t seen the film, though, I’m not sure I’d have made it through the novel. I found it very heavy going with convoluted, wordy sentences, dense blocks of paragraphs and impenetrable text. The plot’s rambling and gloopy. And the smug narrator seems constantly in your face with his tedious, heavy-handed and very self conscious commentary.
Though I laboured through to the end, I have to say, I resented the effort I had to put in and I found the whole thing unconvincing and overblown.
Clearly, though, this was some failing on my part. The novel was phenomenally popular when it was first published in 1921. Within four years it had already been reprinted 51 times and translated into ten European languages.
Cynically, I’m curious how many of those millions of people who bought copies of “If Winter Comes” actually even made it beyond the turgid opening page. I can’t even begin to imagine how it translated into Czech, Norwegian and Turkish …
Then I realised I’d seen a film years ago based on this novel. Made in 1947, the Hollywood adaptation of “If Winter Comes” starred Walter Pidgeon as the square peg in a round hole, Deborah Kerr as his boyhood sweetheart, and Angela Lansbury (usually cast in quirky and warm-hearted roles) atypically playing his chilly and disapproving wife.
To be honest, I’d remembered the film as a bit of a pot boiler – thoroughly enjoyable but of its time, involving a kind-hearted but misunderstood young man, the two women he can’t choose between, and the pregnant young girl who (spoiler alert!) dies in suspicious circumstances.
If I hadn’t seen the film, though, I’m not sure I’d have made it through the novel. I found it very heavy going with convoluted, wordy sentences, dense blocks of paragraphs and impenetrable text. The plot’s rambling and gloopy. And the smug narrator seems constantly in your face with his tedious, heavy-handed and very self conscious commentary.
Though I laboured through to the end, I have to say, I resented the effort I had to put in and I found the whole thing unconvincing and overblown.
Clearly, though, this was some failing on my part. The novel was phenomenally popular when it was first published in 1921. Within four years it had already been reprinted 51 times and translated into ten European languages.
Cynically, I’m curious how many of those millions of people who bought copies of “If Winter Comes” actually even made it beyond the turgid opening page. I can’t even begin to imagine how it translated into Czech, Norwegian and Turkish …
December 14, 2020
Quickest read so far in my Old Bestsellers project. I don't know if I'm getting more accustomed to old-style writing, or if this one was just more accessible. A good little story with a fair amount of interesting social commentary and a compelling plot. One thing that stands out for me with these older books is that they seem to take a lot longer to get to the climax - LOTS of exposition, but then the climax is great! This one came complete with wonderful descriptions of an inquisition that brought to mind Pink Floyd's The Wall (I know, weird). A fun one!
October 3, 2013
Very thought provoking about what society preaches and what they actually expect. It was very slow getting to the point, however. Be patient... it's tiny nuggets of insights before the wammy comes at the end.
August 15, 2016
This book completely pulled me in. Written so well as to find myself fully invested in the characters.
The war element was written so well it had me waiting for it to end.
I found myself at three-quarters through not wanting it to end. Knowing not how it would end.
The war element was written so well it had me waiting for it to end.
I found myself at three-quarters through not wanting it to end. Knowing not how it would end.
Want to read
October 16, 2019Read this book for free through Project Gutenberg: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/14145/...
This book was turned into a film in 1923.
This book was turned into a film in 1923.
March 25, 2021
This book started out very slowly to the point where I was looking around for a plot. But near the end, I realized the brilliance of the author and why this book was the best selling book of 1922. In retrospect you realize how wonderfully everything was laid out.
Want to read
February 6, 2021Referenced in Anthony Powell’s “A Question of Upbringing”. Page 132.
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