Tag Archives: Barsetshire series

Cheerfulness Breaks In by Angela Thirkell – 20 Books of Summer 2022

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Cheerfulness Breaks In by Angela Thirkell was first published in 1940.

The Birketts are overjoyed to be getting rid of their daughter Rose as she’s getting married to Fairweather who is in the navy and is immediately sent abroad with Rose. Rose had tried the patience of everyone she came into contact with, she got engaged at the drop of a hat, and un-engaged just as fast – and caused mayhem amongst males in general but particularly with the teachers at the school her father headed. Fairweather though has her measure it seems and is able to curb the worst aspects of her behaviour. But the Birketts feel somewhat sorry for Fairweather having their daughter as his wife, especially as he’s an ‘Old Boy’ a former boarder at the school.

Soon World War 2 begins so it’s a time of upheaval for the inhabitants of Barsetshire with child evacuees being boarded out with local families, it’s a culture shock for all concerned. An entire school and its masters is transferred from London, they include socialists and even a conscientious objector!

For the very middle-class people of Barsetshire it’s all a bit much, but they have lots to be getting on with including having to deal with disdainful refugees who are not in the least bit grateful for the safe harbour they have found after having to flee the Nazis.

I really loved being in Barsetshire again, there’s a lot of silliness, humour and snobbery, but it’s all such fun! I read this one for 20 Books of Summer 2022.

Before Lunch by Angela Thirkell

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Before Lunch by Angela Thirkell was first published in 1939 and it’s the eighth book in her Barsetshire series.

Mr Middleton is slightly annoyed because Mrs Stoner who is his brother’s widow is going to be spending the summer months in the White House which has been lying empty, the garden adjoins his own and it seems a bit close for comfort to him. It’s really Mrs Stoner’s adult step-children that he’s not too keen on, particularly the boy Denis who always seems to be ill.

But that’s the least of his worries as there’s a rumour that a local plot of land called Pooker’s Piece is going to be built on. It’s owned by a man who is a ‘Loyd George Lord’ which means that he bought his title from that Prime Minister and is no gentleman. Everyone in the neighbourhood is up in arms about it and Mr Middleton along with Lord Bond set up a meeting, which is a great way of meeting up with people elsewhere in the county.

There’s romance of course but not quite as expected, and as ever there are bits and pieces in the book which are very reminiscent of classics. Thirkell admitted doing that, maybe we could call it her homage to them.

Anyway, there’s a lot of fun in this one with the servants more or less ruling the roost and generally being more snooty than ‘their betters’ as often happened, but the butler meets his match!

The next book in the series is Cheerfulness Breaks In and that one is on my 20 Books of Summer list so I’ll be reading it soonish.

The Brandons by Angela Thirkell

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The Brandons by Angela Thirkell was first published in 1939 and this was a re-read for me which is something that I don’t do all that often, well I have so many unread books to get to, but as I read this Barsetshire series out of order originally I’ve always intended to re-read them all again in the correct order. I must say that it was a real treat to be back in Barsetshire, absolute comfort reading which was just what I needed.

The Brandon family consists of Mrs Lavinia Brandon, her daughter Delia and son Francis. Mrs Brandon was widowed early on in her marriage and she seems to have found her situation to be a comfortable one, she has a lovely home and no money worries, she writes popular books. Her long dead husband is used to express what she claims would be his disapproval now and again. She’s regarded as a bit of a silly fool and admits to that but in reality she’s often surprisingly astute.

Mrs Brandon’s very elderly and wealthy Aunt Sissie has been on her last legs for years but now she’s bedridden and is concerned with her will. She’s threatening to leave everything to Francis, but another relative has appeared on the scene. Cousin Hilary Grant is unknown to the Brandons but when they all meet they get on well and as neither Francis or Hilary wish to inherit ‘Nightmare Abbey’ Aunt Sissie’s will holds not a lot of interest for them. They all feel sorry for Miss Morris though, she has had the job of looking after Aunt Sissie and it obviously isn’t an easy task.

As you would expect from a Thirkell book there’s a lot of silly chat and snobbery and I find that amusing but not everybody appreciates that sort of thing. The editor and author Diana Athill seems to have really despised Thirkell’s books – and the sort of women who read them, but maybe she just didn’t have much of a sense of humour!