Loved this Harriet! So interesting to focus on the aspect of ‘busyness’. Thanks for spoiler alert and the long extract at the end is a great idea. Hoping to finish my essay on Lolly today if my own chores don’t intrude!
Thank you Harriet for another engaging post. I came across this fascinating writer (for the second time) quite recently. After I’d finished Lolly Willowes, I went in search of more Sylvia Townsend Warner. I found her biography of T H White on my own bookshelves (read it years ago - too callow to recognise excellent prose when I saw it), then her diaries were dramatised on BBC Sounds. The more I found out, the more I wanted to discover. So glad that you and others are just as enthusiastic - and, more importantly, are spreading the word.
Thank you - glad you enjoyed it! I'm surprised that I had never come across her before but will definitely be exploring more of her work - T H White was an interesting character so I will look up that biography.
To paraphrase, or rather, mangle, EM Forster, via Margaret Schlegel ‘Only…do nothing!’, which is, or so it seems to me, something women have never been allowed to do.
Terrific piece, Harriet, and now I’m going to have to find a copy of this here in Berlin…!
Thank you so much! You can actually download it for free from Gutenberg (there’s a link at the bottom of the post) if you have an e-reader or can cope with reading on your phone
I'm off to find this book right away! I think many books written by women in the early to mid-20th century are a joy, and prompt the reader to consider their own lives and attitudes even now. Barbara Pym, Stella Gibbons and my favourite, Elizabeth Taylor, can surprise a new reader with their wit and their ability to take the seemingly ordinary to new places. Thank you.
I have loved Barbara Pym. Elizabeth Taylor and Stella Gibbons for a long time. I recently read a biography of Barbara Pym. Also enjoyed reading Molly Keane.
I have one of her books. Handheld Press (sadly defunct last year) published two her books, plus a load of other out of copyright books. Unfortunately, Kate the publisher, used a Neil Gaiman quote on the front cover ...
Such a shame - they also republished a Rose Macaulay book I wrote about a few weeks ago as well so someone had good taste there! This is the only book I've read by STW but it definitely won't be the last.
I don't know Warner's work, but what an invitingly introduction you've written here.
I relate to Ann Kennedy Smith's comment about the aspect of "busyness" and about utility in general. It seems especially important now in the world where algorithmization means "being useful" is doing its best to keep us in a state or perpetual insecurity and unrest. Responding with "Enough!" is a tall order, but pushing back against tyranny is something worth doing.
It's very hard to get away from the algorithms! Even on here it feels like a struggle to keep up with everything that comes out, even though I really enjoy reading all the new posts.
I loved this book when I read it but had forgotten the most important part, not the witchiness but the reason for it! Thank you for reminding me and also relating it to substack. A reminder I needed!
Brilliant. As a woman of a certain age who is going through a massive number of shifts in her life, I am inspired. I shall add becoming a witch to my list. But I will not feel compelled to do it
RE the comment "everyone is reading it": I am fascinated by the phenomenon of an old novel that suddenly gets picked up again. One such book is William Maxwell's "So Long, See You Tomorrow," which recently got a well deserved rescue by (I think) Jennifer Egan. I hope your Substack does the same for other books.
I also need to tell you how much I love your choice of art to accompany the text of your posts.
Thank you so much! I do spend quite a lot of time looking for pictures that seem to fit so I'm very happy you noticed! I haven't heard of the Maxwell book (yet) but I will check it out.
Helen McDonald, the author of H Is For Hawk, said in an interview that she reads Lolly Willowes once a year. Not a bad idea! I love this book and have reread it many times. A sword it is.
Really enjoyed this, having recently read the book for the first time myself. Such poignant thoughts on the current variation of the old productivity theme, thank you!
I adore Lolly! I discovered her recently too and wondered how I had missed such a glory of a tale. This is a great post. I was also moved to include her in a Substack!!
Loved this Harriet! So interesting to focus on the aspect of ‘busyness’. Thanks for spoiler alert and the long extract at the end is a great idea. Hoping to finish my essay on Lolly today if my own chores don’t intrude!
Can’t wait to read yours! I think one of the best things about being on here is being able to talk about books with other people :)
Agreed - reading the comments is my favourite bit.
Thank you Harriet for another engaging post. I came across this fascinating writer (for the second time) quite recently. After I’d finished Lolly Willowes, I went in search of more Sylvia Townsend Warner. I found her biography of T H White on my own bookshelves (read it years ago - too callow to recognise excellent prose when I saw it), then her diaries were dramatised on BBC Sounds. The more I found out, the more I wanted to discover. So glad that you and others are just as enthusiastic - and, more importantly, are spreading the word.
Thank you - glad you enjoyed it! I'm surprised that I had never come across her before but will definitely be exploring more of her work - T H White was an interesting character so I will look up that biography.
To paraphrase, or rather, mangle, EM Forster, via Margaret Schlegel ‘Only…do nothing!’, which is, or so it seems to me, something women have never been allowed to do.
Terrific piece, Harriet, and now I’m going to have to find a copy of this here in Berlin…!
Thank you so much! You can actually download it for free from Gutenberg (there’s a link at the bottom of the post) if you have an e-reader or can cope with reading on your phone
Tried Gutenberg before, but can’t get on with it…age…ha-ha!
I'm off to find this book right away! I think many books written by women in the early to mid-20th century are a joy, and prompt the reader to consider their own lives and attitudes even now. Barbara Pym, Stella Gibbons and my favourite, Elizabeth Taylor, can surprise a new reader with their wit and their ability to take the seemingly ordinary to new places. Thank you.
I have loved Barbara Pym. Elizabeth Taylor and Stella Gibbons for a long time. I recently read a biography of Barbara Pym. Also enjoyed reading Molly Keane.
I haven't read any Molly Keane, will have to add her to the list!
I hope you enjoy it! I must read more Elizabeth Taylor - I’ve only read Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont and Angel, which would you recommend?
A View of the Harbour is my favourite, and some of her short stories are masterpieces, occasionally very sinister. I love them.
Thank you - I’ll add that one to my list!
I have one of her books. Handheld Press (sadly defunct last year) published two her books, plus a load of other out of copyright books. Unfortunately, Kate the publisher, used a Neil Gaiman quote on the front cover ...
Such a shame - they also republished a Rose Macaulay book I wrote about a few weeks ago as well so someone had good taste there! This is the only book I've read by STW but it definitely won't be the last.
I don't know Warner's work, but what an invitingly introduction you've written here.
I relate to Ann Kennedy Smith's comment about the aspect of "busyness" and about utility in general. It seems especially important now in the world where algorithmization means "being useful" is doing its best to keep us in a state or perpetual insecurity and unrest. Responding with "Enough!" is a tall order, but pushing back against tyranny is something worth doing.
It's very hard to get away from the algorithms! Even on here it feels like a struggle to keep up with everything that comes out, even though I really enjoy reading all the new posts.
I loved this book when I read it but had forgotten the most important part, not the witchiness but the reason for it! Thank you for reminding me and also relating it to substack. A reminder I needed!
Thank you for reading! Yes lots of lessons to be found in Lolly, I think...
Brilliant. As a woman of a certain age who is going through a massive number of shifts in her life, I am inspired. I shall add becoming a witch to my list. But I will not feel compelled to do it
I feel like it's always good to keep it in mind as an option😆
RE the comment "everyone is reading it": I am fascinated by the phenomenon of an old novel that suddenly gets picked up again. One such book is William Maxwell's "So Long, See You Tomorrow," which recently got a well deserved rescue by (I think) Jennifer Egan. I hope your Substack does the same for other books.
I also need to tell you how much I love your choice of art to accompany the text of your posts.
Thank you so much! I do spend quite a lot of time looking for pictures that seem to fit so I'm very happy you noticed! I haven't heard of the Maxwell book (yet) but I will check it out.
I hope you like it! You are doing God’s work, bringing these wonderful books to our attention.
Must read. Thank you.
Do let me know what you think!
Delicious book. So subversive, having the devil as your ally if you need to escape the invisibility of being a single, middle-aged woman
And it's such an interesting depiction of him as well, I could write a whole post just on that I think!
I found and enjoyed the radio dramatisation on BBC Sounds last year. but sadly I don't think it's currently available.
I didn't know about that one! BBC Sounds is very irritating in that way but I will see if it's on Audible instead
Helen McDonald, the author of H Is For Hawk, said in an interview that she reads Lolly Willowes once a year. Not a bad idea! I love this book and have reread it many times. A sword it is.
She’s another great writer! And I will definitely be coming back to it, I think it can stand a lot of re-reading
Thank you for writing so perceptively about one of my favourite books!
Thank you for reading! It’s a brilliant book, can’t believe it took me this long to discover it
Really enjoyed this, having recently read the book for the first time myself. Such poignant thoughts on the current variation of the old productivity theme, thank you!
Thank you - so glad you liked it!
I adore Lolly! I discovered her recently too and wondered how I had missed such a glory of a tale. This is a great post. I was also moved to include her in a Substack!!
Thank you so much! I’d love to read your piece if you can link?
It’s a section of this post…https://junegirvin.substack.com/p/latest-reads-yellows-and-anticipating