Favourite Persephone Books
Persephone Books ‘reprints, neglected fiction and non-fiction, mostly by female writers and mostly dating from the mid-twentieth century’ (https://persephonebooks.co.uk/). They have published 149 books so far, and I have greatly enjoyed many of them. Here are five of my favourites:
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day – Winnifred Watson & Henrietta Twycross-Martin
Persephone’s best selling book is Winifred Watson’s Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (1938) which was made into a film. It is a very entertaining read with a Cinderella theme. I loved the story of a downtrodden governess becoming accidentally involved with the glamorous life of the night-club singer Miss LaFosse.
Miss Buncle’s Book – D.E. Stevenson
D.E. Stevenson’s Miss Buncle’s Book (1934) provides another light-hearted read. Miss Buncle’s quiet life in a small village becomes much more exciting when she has a book published. There is much humour in this novel, and Stevenson is one of my favourite authors. I think that there is something very comforting about her books.
Someone at a Distance – Dorothy Whipple & Nina BawdenÂ
Persephone has worked hard to promote the works of Dorothy Whipple who they, rightly, feel has been unfairly neglected. One of her best books is Someone at a Distance (1953) which looks at how a middle-class family copes with the husband’s infidelity. I found it extremely readable, liked the period details, and appreciated the interesting characters. It wasn’t as depressing as it might sound!
The Home-Maker – Dorothy Canfield Fisher
Another book which looks at the potential problems of marriage is Dorothy Canfield Fisher’s The Home-Maker (1924). This tells the story of an American family that becomes much happier once the husband has an accident and has to leave the job he loathes to stay at home. He loves being a ‘home-maker’, his wife is delighted to leave the house to go to work, and the children flourish. The novel is written very well, and I greatly enjoyed it. It shows how convention can ruin lives.
Saplings – Noel Streatfeild
Noel Streatfeild’s Saplings (1945) also looks at family life, but focuses this time on the children. This is perhaps unsurprising given that she is best known as a much loved children’s writer of Ballet Shoes and many other works. Saplings is an adult book, which I really liked. I thought it was highly readable, and loved the way she depicts families with excellent descriptions of the children. Streatfeild is good on the dire effects of war, even on children, who are ‘safe’.
I cannot be the only person who particularly likes the above books as all have been printed by Persephone in their Persephone Classics series. These books are less expensive than their others, and have attractive pictures on the front, rather than their usual stylish grey.
Do remember though that there are many good books in the main series. I especially like Diana Tutton’s Guard Your Daughters (1953) which is about an eccentric family, and R.C. Sheriff’s Greengates (1936) which relates the positive experiences of a retired couple moving to a new house. There is so much choice!
Frances