It was my mother-in-law who introduced me to the writing of Rumer Godden, way back in the 1970s. She had loved reading In This House of Brede, and she was keen to read more. Thankfully I was able to get them all from the library that I worked in at the time. Godden had a long writing career and wrote her last novel in 1997, the year before she died at the age of 90. You can read what I thought about that book here.
If you’re interested in finding out more about her you can read the article in this week’s Guardian review here. This article is about the novels which were set in India. Quite a few of her books were made into films, including In This House of Brede and Black Narcissus, both of which are about nuns, not a favourite topic of mine, which makes it all the more surprising that I really enjoyed the books, albeit nearly 40 years ago. Yes it must be that long ago, but I can hardly believe it!
I really enjoy some of her books, like Brede and also China Court, and I’ve been meaning to re-read her autobiographies – but some of her books make me want to toss them out the window (starting with The Battle of the Villa Fiorti).
Lisa,
It’s so long since I read them that I can hardly remember them, apart from Brede. I know I definitely read The Battle… but I might have blocked it out as I have no idea what it was about now!
I haven’t read anything by Rumer Godden but I have a copy of the first part of her autobiography – ‘A Time to Dance, no Time to Weep’, which I’ve been meaning to read for quite some time. So I was interested by your post and clicked over to the Guardian article and was surprised to see it’s by Rosie Thomas – surprised because the next book for my book group is ‘The Kashmir Shawl’ by Rosie Thomas. I think I should read Rumer Godden’s autobiography very soon. And then some of Rumer’s books đŸ™‚
Margaret,
I haven’t read her autobiography, I think it will be interesting though. I wonder if Fife libraries have it. I haven’t read anything by Rosie Thomas at all. I’m going to have to set aside more reading time, just as the garden is calling me too.
Katrina,
When I was twelve, my bookish aunt, my mother’s eldest sister whom I am like in many ways, gave me a copy of what I recall was Two under the Indian Sun. It was a memoir of her and her sister Jon’s time in India when they weren’t weighed down by boarding schools, governesses, but were free to have some fun and do a little roaming close to home in the countryside.
I have always remembered it, although when my Aunt Ruth first gave it to me, I wondered how she could possibly think that I might be interested in a book about two girls in India, of all places! Really! The proof was in the pudding, and I did like it very much. How my aunt knew me! I loved their adventurous spirits and the wild things they did, because I was very much like them.
I don’t think I’ve read anything by Godden since, although another title is trying to poke its way through my mucked-up brain!
I definitely would like to read more by her, and I’m glad you linked to the Guardian story. Thanks!
Judith
Judith,
What an unusual book for an American lady to have, I imagine that an interest in India is not all that common in the US. I’m glad you enjoyed the Guardian article. BTW I haven’t forgotten that you wanted more info on JFK and the pope during the Bay of Pigs, but that TV programme hasn’t been on again – yet.