Bright Young Things discussion

Not a favourite, but a potential favourite


Miss M's intriguing post caught my eye and sent me scampering o'er hill and dale to find out more about Jocelyn Brooke

Miss M wrote: "'The Orchid Trilogy' by Jocelyn Brooke
Re-issued in August by Bello, the new edition isn't on GR yet

From Amazon:
A disarming, lyrical hybrid of fiction and autobiography, this forgotten masterpiece of post-war English fiction follows a small boy through his First World War childhood and teenage years on the Kentish coast, then into the army and frontline service in the Second World War.

Obsessed by his strange twin passions for orchids and for fireworks, the author-narrator paints a haunting portrait of a childhood and adulthood interleaved with one another in a near-mystical rural idyll. Defined by his unspoken homosexuality, the books capture the unfolding of a melancholy, often painfully sensitive male consciousness.

First published in the late 1940s as three separate but interlinked volumes – “The Military Orchid”; “A Mine of Serpents” and “The Goose Cathedral” – The Orchid Trilogy conjures up a rapturous, fantastical portrait of England at war and peace in the 20th century. Witty, subtle and deceptively simple, this unjustly neglected classic that has yet to be surpassed in its exploration of the magical world of childhood. "

A mere £3.98 on Kindle when it is published on 24 Aug 2017

An earlier edition has an intro by Anthony Powell - let's hope that's retained in this new version



Yet more intriguing and enticing information about 'The Orchid Trilogy' here...

http://jocelynbrooke.com/an-introduct...

I'm very curious to give this a read

FANTASTIC FICTION have an entry about 'The Orchid Trilogy' by Jocelyn Brooke....

A disarming, lyrical hybrid of fiction and autobiography, this forgotten masterpiece of post-war English fiction follows a small boy through his First World War childhood and teenage years on the Kentish coast, then into the army and frontline service in the Second World War. Obsessed by his strange twin passions for orchids and for fireworks, the author-narrator paints a haunting portrait of a childhood and adulthood interleaved with one another in a near-mystical rural idyll. Defined by his unspoken homosexuality, the books capture the unfolding of a melancholy, often painfully sensitive male consciousness. First published in the late 1940s as three separate but interlinked volumes - "The Military Orchid"; "A Mine of Serpents" and "The Goose Cathedral" - The Orchid Trilogy conjures up a rapturous, fantastical portrait of England at war and peace in the 20th century. Witty, subtle and deceptively simple, this unjustly neglected classic that has yet to be surpassed in its exploration of the magical world of childhood.

https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/jo...

SYNOPSIS

A disarming, lyrical hybrid of fiction and autobiography, this forgotten masterpiece of post-war English fiction follows a small boy through his First World War childhood and teenage years on the Kentish coast, then into the army and frontline service in the Second World War.

Obsessed by his strange twin passions for orchids and for fireworks, the author-narrator paints a haunting portrait of a childhood and adulthood interleaved with one another in a near-mystical rural idyll. Defined by his unspoken homosexuality, the books capture the unfolding of a melancholy, often painfully sensitive male consciousness.

First published in the late 1940s as three separate but interlinked volumes – “The Military Orchid”; “A Mine of Serpents” and “The Goose Cathedral” – The Orchid Trilogy conjures up a rapturous, fantastical portrait of England at war and peace in the 20th century. Witty, subtle and deceptively simple, this unjustly neglected classic that has yet to be surpassed in its exploration of the magical world of childhood.

One of those too-rare books whose enjoyability makes it seem too short – Elizabeth Bowen

It is a kind of collage of sharply drawn bits of real life, excellently described and artistically arranged – Stephen Spender

Reminiscence and reflection and description are woven together to make a curious and fascinating tapestry – David Cecil

Mr. Brooke's finely shaped prose, his wit, percipience, and liveliness in the description of people, places, and states of mind are a rare delight – The Scotsman

A sad, funny, densely detailed yet continuously readable experience – The Observer

One of the most exciting creative artists of our time and one who will consistently evade all the literary categories – John Pudney

https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/...

And here's the man himself....


Jocelyn Brooke

Anyone else getting the siren call from JB and his 'The Orchid Trilogy'?

Nigeyb wrote: "Anyone else getting the siren call from JB and his 'The Orchid Trilogy'?"


I've ordered a second hand copy of 'The Orchid Trilogy' - I'll keep you posted

The King Penguin edition with the Anthony Powell introduction...

I looked at Powells this afternoon - sold out. So I'll wait until August-September.

Is there a kindle edition being published in the US?

Yes, the Kindle version is out August 24. Love your enthusiasm, Nigeyb, I'm going to wait until I have a chance to see a sample in August. Good information on the jocelynbrooke.com site, thank you!

Miss M wrote: "Yes, the Kindle version is out August 24"


Huzzah - so easy for US based BYTers to acquire a copy too

I feel a nomination coming on. I've already nominated 'The History of Mr. Polly' by H.G. Wells for the September polls but, if I remember, I'll nominate 'The Orchid Trilogy' for October, or perhaps just the first book.

#Brooketastic

Miss M wrote: "Love your enthusiasm, Nigeyb"

Thanks Miss M.

Miss M wrote: "I'm going to wait until I have a chance to see a sample in August."

Your patience marks you out as a wise and considered individual. I'm just hoping all the positive reviews, and the endorsement of Anthony Powell, mean it will be a dead cert.

#timewilltell

I love the cover of the old King Penguin edition too

And, who can fail to be intrigued by....?

...obsessed by his strange twin passions for orchids and for fireworks

#strangepassions

Miss M wrote: "Good information on the jocelynbrooke.com site, thank you! "

My pleasure and, yes, it's all very enticing and persuasive

By the way this gallery is a joy....


http://jocelynbrooke.com/gallery/

...and inspires me to make my own pilgrimage to Kent to visit some of these places - something I always enjoy doing

#psychogeography

I've just started the first book in the 'The Orchid Trilogy' - 'The Military Orchid' - I'll keep you posted.....

Jocelyn Brooke blends memoir, botany and even satire to recall his lifelong quest in search of the flower that was his obsession: Orchis Militaris.

Nigeyb wrote: "I've just started the first book in the 'The Orchid Trilogy' - 'The Military Orchid' - I'll keep you posted....."

40 pages in and it's a delight. Thanks again Miss M. It's a winner.

I have only the most passing interest in flora and yet this plant-centric memoir is an absolute joy. A lyrical and engrossing portrait of a sensitive and intelligent child's quest for the rare Military Orchid which makes botany sound both compelling and intelligible.

Strange but true. And another example of the kind of lost Englishness that makes the BYT era so fertile and compelling.

Inspired by Jocelyn Brooke's novel 'The Military Orchid' (1948) in which he blends memoir, botany and even satire to recall his lifelong quest in search of the flower that was his obsession: Orchis Militaris aka the Military Orchid, I wanted to know what they look like...





By the way, the Military orchid (Orchis militaris) was thought to be extinct in the UK, but was rediscovered by an amateur botanist in 1947, although he would not reveal its location. It was then found at Homefield Wood, Buckinghamshire, a forestry commission site which has since been managed to protect the species and consequently the numbers have increased. The orchids were protected by cages as orchids tend to attract people and worn paths leading to and from them lead to compaction of the soil and the resulting drainage problems can damage the plants and result in less plants establishing around them.

Named because its "lateral lobes" look like a soldier's arms, with its spotted body like a buttoned tunic. It is now being carefully conserved.

I’ve finished 'The Military Orchid’ (1948) by Jocelyn Brooke - the first book in the 'The Orchid Trilogy'

It's disarming and lyrical and a forgotten book that deserves to be rediscovered. I hope this will happen as 'The Orchid Trilogy' is being republished for Kindle on 24 August 2017.

Click here to read my review

Wow, sounds like it lived up to its promise. I'm glad it worked out, Nigeyb.

Thanks Miss M - I'm looking forward to the next two instalments.

And thanks again for highlighting this writer and 'The Orchid Trilogy' - you've got a keen eye for the good stuff.

PS:


'The Orchid Trilogy' by Jocelyn Brooke would, in my opinion, make a superb non-fiction BYT choice for discussion

Click here to read my review

4/5