I borrowed this book from Dunfermline library which is the first ever Andrew Carnegie library. I was just having a mooch around to see what they had different because it isn’t my local library, and ended up looking at the large print books. This Barbara Pym book jumped out at me, I didn’t even realise it had been published. I think I read most of her books way back in the 1970s.
It’s a collection of unpublished Pym works, some of them unfinished but a lot of the characters are quite recognisable as she was into recycling and waste not want not, like all people of her generation, and she did the same with her characters.
In my experience, some scenes from Barbara Pym’s books linger in my memory forever so I was amused to see that she has a vicar giving a sermon, the idea for which he had got from an elderly parshioner. She had mentioned to him that some people didn’t put enough stitches into their embroidery. It was similar to a vicar in another of her books, I can’t remember which one, but he got an idea for a sermon from one of the church cleaning ladies who mentioned that she got more satisfaction from polishing the wood than the brass.
Anyway, this collection contains an early novel, three novellas and an autobiographical essay, “Finding a Voice”, which is Pym’s only written comment on her writing career. There is also an unfinished Home Front Novel which she began to write in 1939 but war work seems to have got in the way of her finishing it, which is such a shame because I was enjoying it.
Apart from anything else Barbara Pym was a great observer of people and she must have met quite a few ghastly ones in her time, particularly in the drawing-rooms of North Oxford, but I’m sure we’ve all met the same types, wherever we are in the world. Her men are just – something else, but worryingly she gets certain characters absolutely spot on. I’ve come across a lot of self obsessed and idiotic, lecturing males in recent months, and honestly, if I couldn’t laugh at them, I’d be screaming!
Oh. My. Word. My local library has a copy of this book (in HQ “backup” – which means the basement), but still…. I have to order it soon!
Debbie,
Good, I like to hear that folks can get books from their local library, the more they are used, the less likely they can be closed down!
We have an Andrew Carnegie library here and the building is like 100 years old and has foundation problems now. He is quite famous around here, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. I have not read any Pym books but would like to someday. I haven’t got much reading done lately.
Peggy Ann,
Andrew Carnegie was born and brought up in a cottage which is just a short walk from the Dunfermline library. I’ll visit it sometime soon and take some photos. I’m not surprised that you aren’t getting much reading done at the moment – what with your ‘best boy and girl’ visiting, you have your hands full.
We have a Carnegie library too, in Phoenix. It’s not used as a library any longer, but as a conference center for librarians. It’s very small, but charming.
You know I’ve recently discovered Barbara Pym and I absolutely adore her writing. I don’t own this collection yet, but I would love to read it. Her men are so infuriating – I always think “No wonder so many of her main characters are single!”
Anbolyn,
I think her books are all very autobiographical. Apparently the man that she fell for didn’t fall for her, but I think she probably had a lucky escape, if he was anything like the male characters she writes about. Mind you, she also writes some very bossy and snooty women. I’ve known a few of those at close quarters too – too close in fact! I hope you can manage to borrow a copy of this book.
Carnegie certainly was very keen on spreading libraries and self-education, he seems to have had libraries built everywhere.