Between the Wars discussion
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Diary of a Provincial Lady
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Gabriele
(last edited Sep 22, 2009 07:31AM)
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Sep 22, 2009 07:29AM
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Gabriele, I suggest to keep the original schedule leting others to join you later on as we do at Victorians group.
Gabriele wrote: "Is a start date of October 26 good for everyone wanting to participate, or should we wait until November?"October 26 works for me.
Hello Everybody I`m DJ and I`ve just joined
Mod
Glad to be here and looking forward to it.And future reads too!
Just to Remind everyone to look out their copies of"The Diary of a Provincial lady".
DJ, hi, (I am also in the Victorian group). Finding the book right now is my problem! I recently let go of mine, now cannot find a copy locally! Hope I can get one and still join the discussion. I have read it, but wanted to go back through of course.
Sarah wrote: "DJ, hi, (I am also in the Victorian group). Finding the book right now is my problem! I recently let go of mine, now cannot find a copy locally! Hope I can get one and still join the discussion. I..."Hi Sarah,Good to see you!
The discussion will be open for a while and even if you think of something after,just send me a message,as you may have gathered by now my next favourite thing after reading is talking about books!!
DJ,I also read the book sometime in the last year and really enjoyed it. I don't have a copy at hand but I'll try and pitch in something if I can remember.
Lee wrote: "DJ,I also read the book sometime in the last year and really enjoyed it. I don't have a copy at hand but I'll try and pitch in something if I can remember. "
Glad to have you on board Lee,it will probably surprise you what you will remmber once the discussion starts!
Looking forward to hearing your views!
DJ.
I hope I remember something DJ. I've read quite a few books between then and now but I'll do my best!
Lee wrote: "I hope I remember something DJ. I've read quite a few books between then and now but I'll do my best!"It will probably shock you what you will remmber once the discussion really gets under way.The main thing is not to worry and enjoy taking part!!
Hi,Since I am new to the group, I just have a couple of quick questions on the discussion format. Is it suggested that the entire book be read prior to the start date or are the discussions broken up by parts of the book? So looking forward to joining in my first discussion.
Also for those in the States ordering from Persephone-my order came very quickly and wasn't too expensive and the catalog is just to die for!!!
Hi Sbaird,I usually start the Book on the start date as that keeps me right in my mind for covering discussions,but advance reading is good too,
Hope this helps,
DJ.
Mod
Since I am new to the group, I just have a couple of quick questions on the discussion format. Is it suggested that the entire book be read prior to the start date or are the discussions brok..."
I'm starting mine soon, as work etc. invariably interrupt.
DJ wrote: "Hi Sbaird,I usually start the Book on the start date as that keeps me right in my mind for covering discussions,but advance reading is good too,
Hope this helps,
DJ."
thank you..looking forward to a lively discussion!
DJ wrote: "Hi Sbaird,I usually start the Book on the start date as that keeps me right in my mind for covering discussions,but advance reading is good too,
Hope this helps,
DJ."
thank you..looking forward to a lively discussion!
Yay - my copy arrived this morning! And... apparently only has about 50 words per page...
Mod
See,Book Services not all bad????We have to give credit where credit is due!!!
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We have to give credit where credit is due!!!"
No complaints other than it's just too easy to go online and after a few clicks I have another bill to pay! Lol!
This book is proving a very quick read - started last night and am about 1/3 through it. Can't wait for the discussion to start - there is so much to talk about!
Hi everybody, I'm new to this group. I also read with the Victorians. Like Paula, I started this book last night and I'm at about page 150. I love this book.
Mod
Indeed...But you can see where the two cross for a lot of us!
Mod
I am enjoying the wry observations and gentle humour punctuated with outright hilarity. Although the story does evoke the interwar period in Britain, there is also a timelessness about it that illuminates truths about ourselves and society. More later....
Hi Gabriel,I'll avoid reading this thread for a few days as I am only about to start.Life just got away from me.
Gabriele wrote: "I am enjoying the wry observations and gentle humour punctuated with outright hilarity. Although the story does evoke the interwar period in Britain, there is also a timelessness about it that illuminates truths about ourselves and society..."I completely agree - the asides are hilarious to me, and I have this strong urge to sit down and tell her that she's not alone, that others have those thoughts, that her questions and commentary aren't abnormal (even knowing she's a fictional character!).
The humor may be the best part of the book, in my opinion. Dry, witty, yet true. What did you think of Lady B?
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Gabriele wrote: "Don't we all know people who seem to drift through life with ease and a sense of entitlement, and who make us feel inadequate? "god yes! I think that's why I identified with the diarist so much; I understand a bit where she's coming from and am certainly not a Lady B, but have a few of them in my life!
I agree about the humor and her witty way of commenting on the things that are going on in her life, but I also feel an underlying, maybe sadness isn't the right word, wistfulness through it all. I think if she had to do it all over, she'd do it differently.
The "Provincial Lady" strikes me as someone who has just been deposited in the upper middle class lifestyle, but doesn't really fit. She is surrounded by her servants and a distant husband. It was vogue to be detached from your children too, I guess. I think she needed some emotional connection. Your are right, she is witty but sad.
Mod
I didn't get the impression so much that she didn't fit, but that she represents the gentry trying to hang on to what they've always had, despite diminished finances. She has a "Club" in London, for instance, to which she can't pay her fee at the moment.
My British grandfather-in-law wrote about seeing his parents at tea time, otherwise he and his siblings were in the nursery or with their nanny. They were sent to boarding school at impossibly young ages, IMHO.
Barbara wrote: "I agree about the humor and her witty way of commenting on the things that are going on in her life, but I also feel an underlying, maybe sadness isn't the right word, wistfulness through it all. ..."
The lyrics from a Pink Floyd song come to mind "Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way". But I agree that wistfulness is a good word to describe her attitude.
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I've heard that after WWI, the new exorbitant taxes did much to wipe out the old gentry. Huge estates went for a pittance, and were bought by the nouveau riche who had made fortunes during the war. Many of the "old" families had lost their male heirs in the war, so didn't even try to hang on to their heritage.
I think PLady (Provincial Lady) had more to her than that. Money-wise, I agree with you -- the country was suffering from the economic crash and lifestyles were diminishing, including the English country life she describes. But, remember when her husband was referring to her Bohemian days. Her out-of-the-ordinary thinking adds wit to her thoughts. She does all the "proper" things, but adds all her funny remarks about them.I was wondering about ladies and their Clubs -- I haven't reread to that part yet in this novel. But, remember The Enchanted April? Lottie and Rose met at their club, but they were not society girls, just housewives. I wondered who, typically belonged to social clubs. It is different today in my part of the world-- "clubs" are a different set of people.
Mod
I've read lots about English men's clubs, but not women's. It would be interesting to know more.
Gabriele wrote: I didn't get the impression so much that she didn't fit, but that she represents the gentry trying to hang on to what they've always had, despite diminished finances. She has a "Club" in London, for instance, to which she can't pay her fee at the moment.Seriously, I found it incredibly easy to find things she could do to economize, and I think part of her charm, aside from the cultural realities of the age, is that none of the things that were obvious to me were even possibilities to her.
I think you are right. A woman of a certain class would have needed a staff, because they just didn't do those things themselves. And the wage scale was so different then, many families truly could afford at least one housekeeper, even part-time, or a maid, a gardener, or a nanny of some kind. I live in the U.S. and know that my family even in the Depression Era had part-time domestic help, which now days, is not in my price range.And I was thinking about her clothes shopping. I have some sympathy for PLady on that, because at that time there was such a "dress code" for upper middle class ladies. And they were so strict about the trends, women were expected to keep up -- even had to worry what kind of brims were on their darned hats! Imagine how confining and expensive it was.
Not to mention the snickering behind their backs when they didn't produce according to the standard. It must have been hard to watch a "friend" buy a new dress for every occassion and have to sew on new ribbons to make an old dress look new. Me, I'm all about my blue jeans and T-shirt.
After a long day at work-I loved "bulbgate". In reading DPL I am trying to picture it serialized and how amusing it must have been to receive these snippets versus the complete work. So far I am very predictable I love PLady, her commentary, self deprecating humor and her strength of character. Her management of her finances strike me as the prototype for Becky Bloomwood.
Mod
I know...too much input, differing input, instant karma with misrepresenting the bulbs origin, class distinction and yet at least a single bulb blooms begging the question if left alone would the bulbs have all bloomed?
You know growing bulbs indoors was the one thing that really struck me about this woman when I first read Diary about 4 years ago. I cannot put my finger on it even now, but it meant to me she was connected to nurturing in some way. You know in talking to bulb folk since, I also found out that the art of indoor bulbs has changed in the modern day. With central heat and air systems, which are prevalent where I live, it is hard to grow these guys. They need the freezing period, cooling period and all that to go through their cycle. Earlier generations would put them by in spare rooms or some other area that was unheated for the needed period. The wintertime houses weren't as dry as ours today either, so the bulbs did better. I still haven't found the modern secret to growing them in my particular climate. But they reflect, in a small way, our changed, climate-controlled environment. Maybe the difficulties of having nature at our side, as so many people discuss these days. I know this is aside from our Lady, really, but just sharing my thoughts.
Sarah wrote: ... but it meant to me she was connected to nurturing in some way. Yes, and despite her inherent desire to be nurturing, wasn't sure how to pull it off. Like her children.
