E. M. Delafield

The Diary of a Provincial Lady

It's not easy being a Provincial Lady in Devonshire in the 1920s, juggling a grumpy husband, mischievous children and a host of domestic dilemmas - from rice mould to a petulant cook. But this Provincial Lady will not be defeated; not by wayward flower bulbs, not by unexpected houseguests, not even by the Blitz.

E.M. Delafield

'January 22nd - Robert startles me at breakfast by asking if my cold - which he has hitherto ignored - is better. I reply that it has gone. Then why, he asks, do I look like that? Feel that life is wholly unendurable, and decide madly to get a new hat' It's not easy being a Provincial Lady in Devonshire in the 1920s, juggling a grumpy husband, mischievous children and a host of domestic dilemmas - from rice mould to a petulant cook. But this Provincial Lady will not be defeated; not by wayward flower bulbs, not by unexpected houseguests, not even by the Blitz. She will continue to preside over the W.I., endure rain-drenched family picnics and succeed as a published author, all the while tending to her strawberries. The Diary of a Provincial Lady is a brilliantly observed comic novel, as funny and fresh today as when it was first written. Widely regarded as one of the funniest English authors and an heir to Jane Austen, E.M. Delafield was born in Sussex in 1890. She took the name Delafield to distinguish herself from her mother (De la Pasture), also a novelist, and wrote over 30 books which could be 'as laugh-out-loud funny as PG Wodehouse' before her death in 1943.

Penguin Classics

Sarah Escorsa

I must have missed something here. I love British literature, I love literature from the 20s and the 30s, I love women writers. A British women writer from the 30s, how could I go wrong with that? Especially with a book that so many people seem to love? Well, go wrong it did. This book simply did nothing for me. I found it plainly boring, dull and never laughed once. 

The provincial lady in question is just too superficial. She worries about her clothes, spends too much money on silly things, manages her servants, attends parties and events. Her husband is bored (I can't blame him!) and her neighbours gossip. Fascinating. 

There is nothing charming or witty about this book. A big disappointment.

One of the great classics of domestic literature, with the original illustrations by Arthur Watts.

Diary of a Provincial Lady

Rose Stanley

June pick from Shakespeare & Co Year of Reading
Seventh book of Whateverathon
Prompt: Read a self-published book or a book by an independent publisher

Sort of like a genteel, humdrum Bridget-Jones-meets-Shopaholic. Contrary to the assertions of the staff member who recommended it, I found this more 'wryly humorous' than 'utterly hilarious'. Still, very readable (once I was actually in the mood to start this properly, I zipped through it in an afternoon) and perfectly captures the mundanity of provincial life for ladies of a certain class at this time (and also how maddening it is not to be able to say exactly what you think because WHAT WOULD THE NEIGHBOURS SAY) (but also just be honest and say you can't be bothered to go to that art exhibition you have no interest in - life is too short). 

Particularly enjoyed the dramatic phrases used by Mademoiselle (we never find out if she has any other names), and the idea of naming a cat after a famous tennis player (again, we never find out if any of her MANY kittens are given similarly whimsical names).

PS: If you value your liver, do NOT play the drinking game of 'drink every time the narrator makes a note to herself'.
PPS: Jury is still out as to who is the worst human being the narrator encounters in the course of the year, but my money is on Cousin Maud. 
Sir Oswald Mosley not counted as not encountered (AFAIK) but only mentioned as a topic of conversation (maddeningly, we are not told in what context or what anyone's ACTUAL VIEWS are; alas I suspect favourable because there was a lot of that about at this time unfortunately).

Luisina Rivoira

Ned Summers 

This is a gently self-effacing, dry-witted tale of a long-suffering and disaster-prone Devon lady of the 1930s. A story of provincial social pretensions and the daily inanities of domestic life to rival George Grossmith's Diary of a Nobody.

Barbara

Jessie

Moray Lyle McIntosh

This is a gently self-effacing, dry-witted tale of a long-suffering and disaster-prone Devon lady of the 1930s. A story of provincial social pretensions and the daily inanities of domestic life to rival George Grossmith's "Diary of a Nobody".

The Diary of a Provincial Lady

Reviews