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Angela Thirkell

    Angela Thirkell crafted novels renowned for their insightful and witty observations of English life and social customs, primarily set in the fictional county of Barsetshire. Her style is marked by a gentle humor, irony, and masterful dialogue, creating characters and situations that feel both authentic and amusing. Thirkell focused on the nuances of everyday living, family dynamics, and the subtle currents of social interaction, building a rich and engaging narrative world. Her works offer readers a charming glimpse into English society, rendered with a timeless appeal and a keen, yet delicate, critical eye.

    Northbridge Rectory
    Pomfret Towers
    Cheerfulness Breaks In
    Peace Breaks Out
    Love Among the Ruins
    Growing Up
    • 2025

      Jutland Cottage

      • 288 pages
      • 11 hours of reading

      Set in the charming backdrop of Barsetshire, this classic novel weaves a tale of romance and societal dynamics, showcasing Thirkell's sharp wit and keen observations of British life. Originally published in 1948, it captures the essence of love amidst the complexities of post-war society, making it a delightful read for fans of classic literature. The book's reissue as a Virago Modern Classic highlights its enduring appeal and relevance in contemporary discussions of love and community.

      Jutland Cottage
    • 2024

      Originally published in 1948, Love Among the Ruins is a clever and quintessentially British classic in Angela Thirkell's beloved Barsetshire series. Now available as a Virago Modern Classic.

      Love Among the Ruins
    • 2020

      Cheerfulness Breaks In

      • 336 pages
      • 12 hours of reading
      3.9(34)Add rating

      'You read her, laughing, and want to do your best to protect her characters from any reality but their own' New York Times It is summer 1939 and the social event of the year is about to take place: Rose Birkett, a flighty beauty with a penchant for breaking engagements and hearts, is finally getting married, and the whole village - especially her parents - breathes a sigh of relief. By autumn, however, summer weddings seem a distant memory as war reaches Barsetshire. While the younger generation throws itself into the war effort with cheerful aplomb, older residents remember the last war keenly, and are fearful. When an entire London school of evacuees arrive, as well as a number of refugees, the village rallies round to accommodate them. Some inhabitants, though, fail to welcome the newcomers with open arms. First published in 1940, this is a humorous and poignant picture of wartime in a rural community.

      Cheerfulness Breaks In
    • 2020

      Growing Up

      • 384 pages
      • 14 hours of reading
      4.2(18)Add rating

      Written with all the charm and wit that are the signature of Thirkell's Barsetshire series, Growing Up is a heartwarming portrait of a close-knit community during the Second World War.

      Growing Up
    • 2020

      Peace Breaks Out

      • 368 pages
      • 13 hours of reading
      4.0(16)Add rating

      Both wry and poignant, Peace Breaks In was written in the tumultuous year that it was set. It is an unforgettable portrait of the joy and misgivings felt in the final days of the Second World War.

      Peace Breaks Out
    • 2016

      Barsetshire in the war years. The next Angela Thirkell novel in the hugely successful series of charming English comedies set in the fictional county of Barsetshire. Perfect for fans of Stella Gibbons, PG Wodehouse or E. F. Benson.

      Northbridge Rectory
    • 2014

      Wild Strawberries

      • 288 pages
      • 11 hours of reading
      3.7(307)Add rating

      Pretty, impecunious Mary Preston, newly arrived as a guest of her Aunt Agnes at the magnificent wooded estate of Rushwater, falls head over heels for handsome playboy David Leslie. Meanwhile, Agnes and her mother, the eccentric matriarch Lady Emily, have hopes of a different, more suitable match for Mary. At the lavish Rushwater dance party, her future happiness hangs in the balance . . .

      Wild Strawberries
    • 2013

      Pomfret Towers

      • 304 pages
      • 11 hours of reading
      3.9(217)Add rating

      Alice Barton finds adventure during a Friday-to-Monday at a grand country house in Angela Thirkell's classic, deliciously diverting 1930s romantic comedy.

      Pomfret Towers
    • 2012

      High rising

      • 276 pages
      • 10 hours of reading
      3.6(454)Add rating

      Successful lady novelist Laura Morland and her boisterous young son Tony set off to spend Christmas at her country home in the sleepy surrounds of High Rising. But Laura's wealthy friend and neighbour George Knox has taken on a scheming secretary whose designs on marriage to her employer threaten the delicate social fabric of the village. Can clever, practical Laura rescue George from Miss Grey's clutches and, what's more, help his daughter Miss Sibyl Knox to secure her longed-for engagement? Utterly charming and very funny, High Rising is irresistible comic entertainment.

      High rising