Barbara Pym is my absolute favorite author!!!! I love her books! I read them all!! I read them over and over, they are my go to books if I am looking for something comforting and they actually give me joy to read and put me in a good mood if I am down!!! Very nice to find someone else who loves her!
So much to appreciate about Excellent Women. Some of the descriptions of food were great, and witty. Example: "When the first course came, it turned out to be spaghetti of a particularly long and rubbery kind. Rocky showed me how to twist it around my fork but I found it very difficult to manage and it made conversation quite impossible. Perhaps long spaghetti is the kind of thing that ought to be eaten quite alone with nobody o watch one's struggles. Surely many a romance must have been nipped in the bud by sitting opposite somebody eating spaghetti?" Barbara Pym nails the way spaghetti was considered exotic in the early 1950s. I could go on, but I won.t
Last week I read Excellent Women - which was on my books to read list - spotted in a charity shop (the edition you displayed). I enjoyed it as much as A Glass Of Blessings. Now I will endeavour to buy all her novels. Loved your overview.
I’m reading Excellent Women now and really enjoying it. I didn’t realize how entertaining Barbara Pam’s writing would be. For some reason I thought she would be very high brow and a slog, but she’s not that at all. I don’t know where I got that idea! Her writing is wonderful, funny and very readable.
Barbara Pym is my favorite author. I picked up Excellent Women many years ago in a used book store and I was hooked. I have all of her books and have read each of them over and over again. I just love her world and the characters who live there. I love meeting characters again in other of her books, One of my favorites is Some Tame Gazelle. I wish she’d written more. I’ve tried to find authors who can bring me into their world the way she does, but have been unsuccessful.
I have no idea why this video was recommended to me. I’ve never heard of this author but I’m glad I clicked and watched. You’ve made me want to read these books and these covers are so adorable! Thank you so much. Liked and subscribed!
I finished Quartet in Autumn today and was lucky enough to discover your video. I've just ordered Excellent Women on your recommendation. Is Barbara Pym more underrated than the novelist Elisabeth Taylor, her near contemporary? Hard to say. In both cases I can't believe how long it has taken me to discover their wonderful novels.
hi! coming here because i've just read excellent women, loved it to pieces and was looking for my next barbara pym read. now I know where to go :) thanks for sharing!
I love Barbara Pym!!! I'm currently rereading Crampton Hodnet and I forgot just how funny her writing is! I'm planning on rereading all of her books this year.
I’m so glad this popped up a Lil, The best thing about becoming a creator on RUclips was finding Barbara Pym. I just finished some team gazelle and no it wasn’t my favorite. For me Jane and prudence was the Best part of him I’ve read so far. Next was quite set an autumn an excellent women. I might have to reread Crampton Hodnett. It was my first BP And I was a bit confused. I hope you are doing fine this end of February. Aloha
This video was made for me, thanks ^^ I'm kidding, but really : I think I read one of her books many, many years ago and just liked it. However (I work in a library), when I put her novels back on shelves and take a look at them, I think that I really would love reading them now, so I'll start with Excellent women !
Just finished reading my first Pym novel Crampton Hodnet. Loved it. So funny. Loved all the characters. easy to read. Charming. A real page Turner I struggled to put it down. One of the best books I've ever read. My favourite character was Miss Morrow but I loved them all.
Just this very minute tracked down and brought ''Excellent Women 'off ebay Australia and the seller is in the same city as me ...free postage plusits HARDCOVER and a Folio society publication....sobeautifully illustrated and hand sewn .. Cannot wait to read it !!!..(now on the hunt for the other 2 )
Hi Lil, love the channel and love Barbara Pym. Just started No Fond Return of Love and really enjoying it. This is my fifth Pym novel and I love how we get to see characters we read about before making appearances in other novels. I started with Some Game Gazelle and fell in love with her cozy style. She is perfect for a cozy reading night with your favorite cuppa. Thank you for sharing your love of Pym novels. I hope more people pick her up. She is just fantastic.
Thank you for the guidance I just started my first B. Pym book, Quartet in Autumn , which I'm definitely enjoying. Based on your advice, I think I'll follow it up with the three books you mentioned. Happy reading!
I'm reading excellent women for the first time right now. My first book of hers. I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT. I see BP a teeny bit like a female Alan Bennet xxx
I bought the gorgeous VMC designer edition of Excellent Women based on your praise (and Ange's if I remember right) and I keep meaning to read it but keep picking other things but I promise I will read it soon! Also the look on your face when you said "affairs" made me laugh so hard. I will definitely get both Jane and Prudence and Crampton Hodnet (sp?) after I read Excellent Women :D. Wonderful video as always!
Too bad this wasn't available earlier. I discovered Barbara Pym this year and started with Quartet in Autumn and An Unsuitable Attachment. Now I know where I'll go next.
Ms Pym is a blend of Jane Austen and PG Wodehouse and while I agree with Philip Larkin that she is underrated so are other women writers who are seldom read today such as Josephine Tey. The best writer of the 20th century who is no longer read remains John Dos Passos IMO
I didn't know much about Barbara Pym previously, but I now hope to borrow one of her books from the library! Thanks for sharing your lovely recommendations. :-)
I've read one, Quartet in autumn. I got interested in Barbara Pym after I saw the film Miss Pym's day out. It's on youtube, so lovely. I gave quartet in autumn 5 stars I've also bought Excellent women a few years back but never got round to reading it. I will now that you've recommended it. I think I started reading some tame gazelle once but didn't finish it, not because it wasn't good but because Pym's novels are very slow reads for me, English is not my first language. She uses a lot of words I need to check in the dictionary. :) I agree, she's brilliant in a very unique way.
Been wanting to try her at the recommendation of Ange at Beyond the Pages so I’m so excited about this! Thank you for this in depth look, so important to highlight gifted authors. ❤️
I'm adding these to my to read list for next year! I only started reading Agatha Christie last year because you inspired me and I'm really pleased with most of what I've read of hers too!
wow, its kismet that i found this after just looking up a bunch of barbara pym, margery sharp, elizabeth fair and dorothy l. sayers ebooks. I bought a couple of books from the other authors but i may have to get some pym books when they go on sale at some point, or use my library.
I have read 3 so far and enjoyed them but I wouldn't read one after the other as one might ed up drinking tea and cream scones and buy a cardigan to go shopping in to buy a pipe....
Barbara Pym is my absolute favorite author!!!! I love her books! I read them all!! I read them over and over, they are my go to books if I am looking for something comforting and they actually give me joy to read and put me in a good mood if I am down!!! Very nice to find someone else who loves her!
So much to appreciate about Excellent Women. Some of the descriptions of food were great, and witty. Example: "When the first course came, it turned out to be spaghetti of a particularly long and rubbery kind. Rocky showed me how to twist it around my fork but I found it very difficult to manage and it made conversation quite impossible. Perhaps long spaghetti is the kind of thing that ought to be eaten quite alone with nobody o watch one's struggles. Surely many a romance must have been nipped in the bud by sitting opposite somebody eating spaghetti?" Barbara Pym nails the way spaghetti was considered exotic in the early 1950s. I could go on, but I won.t
Last week I read Excellent Women - which was on my books to read list - spotted in a charity shop (the edition you displayed). I enjoyed it as much as A Glass Of Blessings. Now I will endeavour to buy all her novels. Loved your overview.
I’m reading Excellent Women now and really enjoying it. I didn’t realize how entertaining Barbara Pam’s writing would be. For some reason I thought she would be very high brow and a slog, but she’s not that at all. I don’t know where I got that idea! Her writing is wonderful, funny and very readable.
Barbara Pym is my favorite author. I picked up Excellent Women many years ago in a used book store and I was hooked. I have all of her books and have read each of them over and over again. I just love her world and the characters who live there. I love meeting characters again in other of her books, One of my favorites is Some Tame Gazelle. I wish she’d written more. I’ve tried to find authors who can bring me into their world the way she does, but have been unsuccessful.
I have no idea why this video was recommended to me. I’ve never heard of this author but I’m glad I clicked and watched. You’ve made me want to read these books and these covers are so adorable! Thank you so much. Liked and subscribed!
Great suggestion. Just watched Patricia Routledge's Miss Pym's Day Out and I will head to my local bookseller to procure my first work. Thank you!
I have read only one "Quartet in Autumn" and I liked.
I finished Quartet in Autumn today and was lucky enough to discover your video. I've just ordered Excellent Women on your recommendation. Is Barbara Pym more underrated than the novelist Elisabeth Taylor, her near contemporary? Hard to say. In both cases I can't believe how long it has taken me to discover their wonderful novels.
I’m starting Crampton Hodnet now. Thank you!
hi! coming here because i've just read excellent women, loved it to pieces and was looking for my next barbara pym read. now I know where to go :) thanks for sharing!
I love Barbara Pym!!! I'm currently rereading Crampton Hodnet and I forgot just how funny her writing is! I'm planning on rereading all of her books this year.
Sounds wonderful!! enjoy!
Yes you certainly have. Thank you. I have never read BP and will start with these.
I’m so glad this popped up a Lil, The best thing about becoming a creator on RUclips was finding Barbara Pym. I just finished some team gazelle and no it wasn’t my favorite. For me Jane and prudence was the Best part of him I’ve read so far. Next was quite set an autumn an excellent women. I might have to reread Crampton Hodnett. It was my first BP And I was a bit confused. I hope you are doing fine this end of February. Aloha
This video was made for me, thanks ^^ I'm kidding, but really : I think I read one of her books many, many years ago and just liked it. However (I work in a library), when I put her novels back on shelves and take a look at them, I think that I really would love reading them now, so I'll start with Excellent women !
Thats wonderful, Enjoy!! Please keep me updated on how you get on with Excellent Women :)
She is my favourite author 🌻
Just finished reading my first Pym novel Crampton Hodnet. Loved it. So funny. Loved all the characters. easy to read. Charming. A real page Turner I struggled to put it down. One of the best books I've ever read. My favourite character was Miss Morrow but I loved them all.
Just this very minute tracked down and brought ''Excellent Women 'off ebay Australia and the seller is in the same city as me ...free postage plusits HARDCOVER and a Folio society publication....sobeautifully illustrated and hand sewn ..
Cannot wait to read it !!!..(now on the hunt for the other 2 )
I have that folio book too and it is so lovely to red from
Hi Lil, love the channel and love Barbara Pym. Just started No Fond Return of Love and really enjoying it. This is my fifth
Pym novel and I love how we get to see characters we read about before making appearances in other novels. I started with Some Game Gazelle and fell in love with her cozy style. She is perfect for a cozy reading night with your favorite cuppa. Thank you for sharing your love of Pym novels. I hope more people pick her up. She is just fantastic.
she certainly is. So glad you enjoy her novels!!
I'm currently reading Quartet in Autumn enjoying it so much. It reminds me of Anita Brookner writing.
Glad you are enjoying it!! I love her writing style
J’ai lu tous ses livres, j’ADORE !!
I've just read Excellent Women. I loved it and was wondering where to go next. Jane & Prudence it is. Thank you for the advice :)
Thank you for the guidance I just started my first B. Pym book, Quartet in Autumn , which I'm definitely enjoying. Based on your advice, I think I'll follow it up with the three books you mentioned. Happy reading!
Just found Barbara Pym and love them
oh I am so glad you enjoy her works, I think they are brilliant
I'm reading excellent women for the first time right now. My first book of hers. I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT. I see BP a teeny bit like a female Alan Bennet xxx
I bought the gorgeous VMC designer edition of Excellent Women based on your praise (and Ange's if I remember right) and I keep meaning to read it but keep picking other things but I promise I will read it soon! Also the look on your face when you said "affairs" made me laugh so hard. I will definitely get both Jane and Prudence and Crampton Hodnet (sp?) after I read Excellent Women :D. Wonderful video as always!
ooo I have seen that cover, that is a stunning edition. Yes, please read it!! it is amazing. And I am glad I made you laugh :) hehe
In South Korea, Her novel 'Quartet in Autumn' translated as '가을 사중주' ISBN : 9791186921760
Too bad this wasn't available earlier. I discovered Barbara Pym this year and started with Quartet in Autumn and An Unsuitable Attachment. Now I know where I'll go next.
Anne Tyler (Lauded Yank Writer) said when you’re bored of my books, read Barbara Pym. I did & I re-read them over & over & over again.
Barbara Pym is fabulous
You convinced me. I’ll give her a try! Thanks!
Yay!! Thats wonderful , please keep me updated as to how you get on!!
Ms Pym is a blend of Jane Austen and PG Wodehouse and while I agree with Philip Larkin that she is underrated so are other women writers who are seldom read today such as Josephine Tey.
The best writer of the 20th century who is no longer read remains John Dos Passos IMO
I didn't know much about Barbara Pym previously, but I now hope to borrow one of her books from the library! Thanks for sharing your lovely recommendations. :-)
Thank you, glad you enjoyed the video
I've read one, Quartet in autumn. I got interested in Barbara Pym after I saw the film Miss Pym's day out. It's on youtube, so lovely. I gave quartet in autumn 5 stars I've also bought Excellent women a few years back but never got round to reading it. I will now that you've recommended it. I think I started reading some tame gazelle once but didn't finish it, not because it wasn't good but because Pym's novels are very slow reads for me, English is not my first language. She uses a lot of words I need to check in the dictionary. :) I agree, she's brilliant in a very unique way.
I agree, I think Miss Pym's day out is just lovely. I hope you get around to picking up and reading Excellent women soon :)
Been wanting to try her at the recommendation of Ange at Beyond the Pages so I’m so excited about this! Thank you for this in depth look, so important to highlight gifted authors. ❤️
Thank you, so glad you enjoyed the video. Please le me know what you think once you have picked up her books :)
Thank you, will do! Didn’t find any at my local used book store last night so may have to look at Barnes and Noble or order them online. 😊
I have "No fond return of love" but not read it yet. Now I think I'll try it very soon
yes!! please do!
I'm adding these to my to read list for next year! I only started reading Agatha Christie last year because you inspired me and I'm really pleased with most of what I've read of hers too!
aww this makes me so happy!!
wow, its kismet that i found this after just looking up a bunch of barbara pym, margery sharp, elizabeth fair and dorothy l. sayers ebooks. I bought a couple of books from the other authors but i may have to get some pym books when they go on sale at some point, or use my library.
yes please pick some up :)
I loved "Brampton Wick" by Elizabeth Fair which I read this summer. I want to continue on with her books
I have read 3 so far and enjoyed them but I wouldn't read one after the other as one might ed up drinking tea and cream scones and buy a cardigan to go shopping in to buy a pipe....
Haha 😂
Did you know Paula Byrne has written a biography of her?
Yes!!! I have it on my shelf