Miss Buncle's Book

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Mr. Abbott could have cheated Miss Buncle quite easily if he had wanted to. Fortunately for her, he didn’t want to. It was not his way. You make friends with the goose and treat it decently, and it continues to lay golden eggs. Esta obra se puede resumir en una sola palabra: agradable; algunos de sus personajes resultan encantadores, otros odiosos pero en general se forma una armonía única y mágica alrededor de ellos. La trama es bastante lineal y quizá previsible pero sin duda no pierde potencial y se disfruta de la misma manera. The strangest thing about Barbara (...) was that although she understood practically nothing, she yet understood everything. She might or might not have ‘an imagination’, but she certainly had an extraordinary power of getting underneath people’s skins. Without being conscious of it herself she was able to sum up a person or a situation in a few minutes. People’s very bones were bare to her – and she had no idea of it.

After the successes & trials of Barbara Buncle as an overlooked spinster suddenly turning to a very successful author-in-disguise, we meet her again, happily married to her, but not that happily settled with, her publisher, Arthur Abbott in London. If you’re in need of taking a nice, long soak of a bath in British sentimentality, this is the book for you. D. E. Stevenson’s books in general are at the sweet end of the spectrum, and this is no exception. Most of the book series written by Stevenson are often linked to one another. She was born as Dorothy Emily Stevenson on November 18, 1892. Her death took place on December 30, 1973. Stevenson’s father, David Alan Stevenson, used to work as a lighthouse engineer and was related to Robert Louis Stevenson as a first cousin. For this very reason I was slightly disappointed at first, but on re-reading it, without high expectations this time, I grew much more appreciative and decided it deserved the full 5 stars (bearing in mind that Miss Buncle's Book deserves at least 10, of course).

Publication Order of Miss Buncle Books

Barbara herself gets lost in her thoughts sometimes as to whether she’s in Silverstream or Copperfield. Her counterpart in the book, Elisabeth Wade, is much more confident. So Barbara begins to act as Elisabeth Wade. Stevenson is very charitable: few of her unsympathetic characters are irremediably bad. Some of them just need a wake up call. Where the inexperienced Miss Buncle takes pleasure in giving her characters what she thinks they deserve, Stevenson gives hers what they need. Having read much about writing and publishing the last few years, some of the comments on those subjects had me smiling.

I know it is ridiculous to grimace because it is a happily ever after and certainly I'm happy she appears so happy. But I'm also a little disappointed too because our delightful authoress is no more and I am spinster myself enough to find her defection from the ranks disheartening!

Publication Order of Drumberley Books

This is a delightfully clever read that combines old-fashioned charm with perceptiveness, comfort and dry humor. Numerous cast of characters provides plenty of opportunities to explore the pitfalls of pride and the foibles of human nature in a kind of tongue-in-cheek way. Keeping everyone straight is a bit confusing at first but not for long. The characters leap to life, distinguishing themselves in one way or another, and slowly but surely move along this multilayered story. Miss Barbara Buncle, unassuming frumpy-clothed spinster in her mid-to-late thirties, is in a bind- she needs money to support herself and her elderly nanny/turned motherly maid. There are just few respectable ways for an unmarried woman living in a small English village of Silverstream in the 1930s to earn income.

Miss Buncle’s Book isn’t exactly a romance. It’s more of a commentary about romance – both ‘romance’ in the sense of romantic love and ‘romance’ in the sense of adventure and change. There’s a romance between Miss Buncle and Mr. Abbott and several others as well. There are happily and unhappily married couples, and the descriptions of those couples in conversation says volumes about the differences between healthy and unhealthy relationships. Miss Buncle spills into The Four Graces as well as Spring Magic, and her book is described in Anna and her Daughters. Celia's House inspired Listening Valley, where Celia makes a re-appearance. Readers hear of her again during Anna and Her Daughters. Anna pops up briefly in the Katherine books which link with Charlotte Fairlie (Mr. Heath the vicar makes a re-appearance this time). Later Sarah Morris ends up in Ryddelton in Sarah's Cottage to be befriended by Debbie (who made her debut in Celia's House) and to hear about Tonia ( Listening Valley) and Charlotte Fairlie. How could she write of men as she did, with such true insight? She saw them naked (as it were), stripped of all their little subterfuges, their mannerisms, the coverings that they assumed to shield their inadequate souls from the world’s gaze. She saw them naked and calmly limned them so; not aware, in her kind, pleasant mind, that she was giving the show away. "It was all about loving your neighbour, and how you must seek out the good in people and only see the good. Mr Hathaway (the vicar) said that the way to make people good- by refusing to see the evil. Barbara wondered if this were true, and, if so, how deep it went. If you refused to see the evil in a murderer, did that cure him? Doubtful. Miss Buncle’s Book is an easy read, very immersive, and I lost myself only too readily in the village life of Silverstream/Copperfield. The story is simple and yet... Stevenson succeeds in creating various plot lines that she intertwines with great dexterity and humour. The narration follows one person after another, dipping in their thoughts and witnessing their actions. The tone is often satirical but in a gentle fashion.

a b Bannon, Alan (2 August 2016). "Commemorative Plaque due to be mounted on Stan Laurel's Glasgow home" (Press release). Historic Environment Scotland . Retrieved 29 January 2017. En cuanto a la trama de este relato, debo decir que no captó mi atención ni mi interés, y como he mencionado con anterioridad, los nuevos fichajes me han resultado mucho menos interesantes, pero mi mayor problema ha sido con el señor Abbott, no me ha gustado su personalidad y menos la persona en la que se ha convertido Barbara después de su matrimonio. What I loved: The characters were lovable, funny and real to life. (no, they weren't all lovable, but most were) The story was fairly fast and the switch between Silversteam and Copperfield was refreshing. I'd recommend this to about everyone! It's not only worth reading but, it's also worth the reread. And that ending! The ending was probably my favorite part about this book, I wouldn't have seen it coming in a million years That's when inspiration strikes and Miss Barbara Buncle decides to write a book, all about Silversteam. Only, she can't possibly call it Silversteam, what would the residents say? Most would not like the way they are portrayed. So to solve that little dilemma she changes the name to Copperfield, and everyone's names along with it.Persephone Books reprinted Miss Buncle's Book in 2008 and Miss Buncle Married in 2011. Mrs. Tim of the Regiment was reprinted by Bloomsbury in 2010. [6] Sourcebooks Landmark released the latter two Miss Buncle books in the U.S. in 2012, followed in 2013 by The Young Clementina and The Two Mrs. Abbotts. Endeavour Media has republished many of D.E Stevenson's titles in eBook format. Miss Buncle, excuse me, now Mrs. Abbott, was forced to leave her former village after her books came out because they caused such a stir. So I understand her not wanting to release another book for fear of being driven out of her new village. But no, that is not her main motivation. This book must conclude with this little piece of dialogue that annoyed me to no end: The only problem is, most of the inhabitants of Silverstream recognize themselves in the fictional town of Copperfield. Some think the book is great fun. Others are offended at the way they are portrayed or at their secrets coming out. Everyone agrees that “John Smith” must live among them—how else would he know them so well? So the hunt is on. I like the name,' said Arthur. 'I like the name of the book very much indeed. It goes very well with The Pen Is Mightier -- and is quite in the "John Smith" tradition. You will make a lot of money out of the book, Barbara.'