
My Interest
I’ve recently discovered Barbara Pym’s books and to my delight, I found that several are available on e-audio books from my local library. So, I’m going through them at a fairly good speed.
The Story
1950’s British housewife Wilmet is turning 33 and has time in her life for drama. Her husband, Rodney, a dashing Army major when she met him in the war while serving as a WREN, has now settled into a routine Civil Service job. Their home life is cozy with just his mother sharing the house with them. No children have happened. She is involved in her church and community and does not seem to mind much about being childless, but she is obviously rather bored. Enter Piers, the needy brother of a friend, who starts to fill some of her time. Piers’ own home life is a bit mysterious. He lives in a house that is somewhat divided into apartments but with bathroom and kitchen and phone shared. Today, Piers’ situation seems obvious but does fantasy-living Wilmet ever look at reality?
My Thoughts
I love the way Pym portrays ordinary life. She spices things up here and there with a few interesting characters like the man who steals things but gives them back and his employer who accepts this fact. I like, too, that in the three books I’ve read so far, the Church of England is prominent and someone is always going over to the Catholics or “to Farm Street” [to the holy-of-holies, the Jesuits0. Amusing. This time a spice added is an evening Portuguese course! No wonder t.v. took off!
A Glass of Blessings by Barbara Pym
Here are the other Barbara Pym books I’ve read with my reviews linked: