ExcellentWomenAndBoiledPotatoes

I scrolled through my List feed and my Goodreads to see how many #Pemberlittens Readalongs I've done in the last 3 yrs.

#ExcellentWomenandBoiledPotatoes remains my favorite Hashtag. 🥔🥔🥔

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Crinoline_Laphroaig

Lolly Willowes | Sylvia Townsend Warner

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If Mildred from #ExcellentWomenandBoiledPotatoes ran away to the county and became a witch. 😆

Crinoline_Laphroaig @eeclayton @Ruthiella @BarkingMadRun @Kdgordon88
@MeganAnn @willaful
@nanuska_153
@staci.reads @Sparklemn @rubyslippersreads
@sarahbellum @mklong @AllDebooks
@BarkingMadRun @Julsmarshall
@DivineDiana @mollyrotondo @Vansa @TheAromaofBooks @erzascarletbookgasm @MoonWitch94 @ScientistSam @AnneCecilie @DebinHawaii @eeclayton @peanutnine
2y

Crinoline_Laphroaig A weird little book. Starts off Barbara Pym-ish. Next thing you know we've escaped to the country and become a witch.

Beautiful writing. Divided into 3 Parts with no Chapters which makes it feel like it is rambling sometimes. I like Chapters because it gives you a natural break.

Fun Fact the very 1st Book of the Month Selection from 1926. 2y

Crinoline_Laphroaig Kind of a Spoiler but I was glad to know. 2y

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batsy Ooh, I like that description! I love both Lolly Willowes and Excellent Women 💕 2y

DivineDiana Love your review! Already stacked! 2y

kspenmoll 🙌🏻😂😂 2y

AllDebooks 🤣🤣📚 2y

Sparklemn Sounds fun. On my wishlist. 2y

Vansa Would love to read this. Thanks for sharing! 2y

willaful I read this decades ago and it made an impression! I still remember the little poem at the end. 2y

TheAromaofBooks Fantastic review! 😂 2y

52 likes3 stack adds11 comments

Crinoline_Laphroaig

Lolly Willowes | Sylvia Townsend Warner

#PemberLittens
I'd never heard the name Everard until
#excellentwomenandboiledpotatoes Readalong. Now it's popped up in Current Read: "Everard, the eldest son...." is ancestor of Lolly.

I picked this out from Book of the Month because it was the very 1st #BOTM back in 1926.
#conciedenceIthinknot

LeahBergen And it was a character‘s name in a book I just finished, too!

Summer Half: A Virago Modern Classic

rwmg Those of us of a certain vintage from the UK may remember the stand-up comedian Larry Grayson's friend Everard 2y

Crinoline_Laphroaig @LeahBergen that looks like a fun read! 2y

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Crinoline_Laphroaig @rwmg will have to look that up! 2y

AlaMich I loved her book

The Corner That Held Them

Crinoline_Laphroaig @AlaMich 😮 2y

38 likes6 comments

Crinoline_Laphroaig

Jane and Prudence: A Novel | Barbara Pym

#Pemberlittens Sale for those wanting more Pym. #excellentwomenandboiledpotatoes

AllDebooks Oh yes!! Thanks for sharing x 2y

Vansa Excellent,thanks for sharing! 2y

36 likes3 comments

Crinoline_Laphroaig

Excellent Women | Barbara Pym

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Thoughts on the Ending⁉️

I was bit underwhelmed. Felt like I needed another Chapter and Epilogue to wind up the story. Especially since I read a Spoiler here for Mildred from her next book Jane & Prudence.
http://agirlwalksintoabookstore.blogspot.com/2013/03/six-degrees-of-barbara-pyms...

Or is that point. 'Mildred is an Excellent Women" and will continue to be one?

#ExcellentWomenandBoiledPotatoes
#Pemberlittens #TheEnd

Crinoline_Laphroaig That being said I definitely want to read more Pym. This is arriving today

Quartet in Autumn: Picador Classic

Crinoline_Laphroaig @mollyrotondo @eeclayton @Ruthiella @BarkingMadRun @Kdgordon88
@Librarybelle @MeganAnn @willaful
@TheAromaofBooks @nanuska_153
@staci.reads @Sparklemn @rubyslippersreads
@sarahbellum @mklong @AllDebooks
@BarkingMadRun @Julsmarshall
@DivineDiana @mollyrotondo @Vansa @TheAromaofBooks @erzascarletbookgasm @MoonWitch94 @julieclair @TheBookHippie @ScientistSam @AnneCecilie @DebinHawaii @eeclayton @peanutnine @sprainedbrain 2y

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DivineDiana I just received my copy from the Library, but I will look back at the posts and comment. ❤️ 2y

Crinoline_Laphroaig @DivineDiana Yay! I'm excited to hear your thoughts. 2y

BarkingMadRead I thought it was kind of vague and abrupt lol I like imagining the ending but also I would have like to read it 🤣 it kind of reminded me of the end of My Fair Lady lol 2y

julieclair At first the abrupt (perfect word @BarkingMadRun ) ending bothered me, but the more I thought about it, I kind of liked the open-ended-ness of it. In my mind, Mildred ends up with Everard Bone, and improves his social awkwardness. I'm kind of tired of Julian Mallory, lol. I didn't realize there were more Mildred books. But I didn't read the link, thanks for the heads up about the spoiler, @Crinoline_Laphroaig . And I agree, need to read more Pym! 2y

Ruthiella @julieclair There aren‘t any more books featuring Mildred. She just gets a one line mention in Less Than Angels which lets the reader know if she married or not. 2y

Ruthiella I like the open ended-ness. I think part of the point of the book is that marriage isn‘t a HEA. It‘s just a different kind of burden for an Excellent Woman. 2y

TheBookHippie @Ruthiella I agree with the open ended-ness like. I am definitely reading more Pym! Where to start?!?! I loved your daily synopsis and our discussion so much fun I looked forward to it every day! 2y

Ruthiella @TheBookHippie I would read Less Than Angels next and then No Fond Return of Love only because there are cameos providing glimpses of characters from previous books. Quartet in Autumn is good, but I don‘t think there is any connection to other books. 2y

TheBookHippie @Ruthiella that sounds like a plan! 2y

sarahbellum @Ruthiella thanks for the suggestions for what to read next! I also want to keep reading Pym, but didn‘t know where to start 🙂 2y

peanutnine I was surprised with the ending at first because nothing seemed to have changed really. But overall I really enjoyed this look into Mildred's life. And @Ruthiella I love that idea of marriage as a different kind of burden. So true! 2y

AnneCecilie I think that is the point, that nothing really changes for Mildred. 2y

Crinoline_Laphroaig Sorry for all the tags. Litsy was being weird this morning 2y

Crinoline_Laphroaig @julieclair @BarkingMadRun at first I was What⁉️ but then after I thought about it I was like yeah I get it. Not exactly more Mildred books she just is mentioned I think. 2y

julieclair @Ruthiella Thanks for letting me know there are not any more Mildred books. I like the advice you gave to @TheBookHippie and will follow that Pym Reading Plan. My only question is when to read Less Than Angels. I‘m not sure I‘m emotionally ready yet to find out whether Mildred gets married. 😉 2y

Crinoline_Laphroaig Thanks for reading order @Ruthiella @TheBookHippie @peanutnine Opened End is a good way to describe. I think you're right with nothing really changes @AnneCecilie 2y

julieclair @peanutnine @AnneCecilie @Ruthiella Interesting thoughts about marriage being a different kind of burden, and nothing ever changing for Mildred. Perhaps Excellent Women will always carry burdens, no matter their life situation; that‘s just who they are. They are drawn to help people, are reliable, and have difficulty saying no. 2y

DebinHawaii Vague & a bit depressing to me—the ending, not the book which I enjoyed. I don‘t care whether Mildred married but I wanted her to want & get more from her life. But true to the era for unmarried (Excellent) women I suppose. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I will look into reading more from Pam too. Thanks for the suggestions @Ruthiella And thanks for hosting @Crinoline_Laphroaig 🤗 2y

Vansa I liked the ending,with Everard Bone dumping work that she doesn't even want to do,on her.It seems very in keeping with his character.Mildred actually is fairly content with her life,and I like that the more she sees of the married state, the less alluring it seems to her!If you hadn't found someone who made it all worth it,she seems to accept that she was ok in her own way. 2y

Vansa The book and it's ending feel very timeless to me.This is still the case for single women,in most of the world.Finding love has always been difficult,and continues to be so,and single women are still looked on as people with nothing better to do than be at the Beck and call of others,without reciprocal help. 2y

Crinoline_Laphroaig @Vansa Everard Bone's way of courting? 2y

Vansa @Crinoline_Laphroaig no,I don't think so at all,really.He's not the socially awkward geek or modern romcoms, he's genuinely a quite self centred man who would look on her as unpaid editorial assistant plus housekeeper! 2y

Crinoline_Laphroaig @Vansa true!!! 2y

eeclayton @Vansa I feel the same way about Everard Bone. He never contacted Mildred for the sheer pleasure of her company, he always wanted something, news about the Napiers if nothing else. I also agree with @AnneCecilie that the ending suggests that nothing changes and nothing probably will. 2y

willaful I'm really not a fan of that kind of ending -- I'm glad to see from the article above that more interesting times were possibly in store for Mildred.

2y

Crinoline_Laphroaig @willaful I gave it 4stars on Goodreads. Would have been 5 with better ending 2y

Sparklemn I also found the ending rather depressing. All that's really changed for Mildred is the number of her acquaintances grew with each one being a burden in their own way. My wish for Mildred is that she take advantage of these new relationships to expand, not narrow, her world. Take Italian lessons from her new neighbors. Join the Learned Society or the Prehistoric Society or whatever interests her and become a scholar in her own right. 🙂 2y

Crinoline_Laphroaig @Sparklemn yes! 2y

38 likes31 comments

Librarybelle

Excellent Women | Barbara Pym

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I‘ve yet to read anything by Pym, but I suspect I‘ll be reading more by her.

Mildred is an “excellent woman,” an unmarried woman of a certain age who helps her church and her community. When new neighbors move into her house, chaos, to a degree, ensues. I found myself sympathizing with Mildred quite a lot. The characters are witty, & Pym‘s writing style is satirical and engaging. Great choice for #PemberLittens ! #ExcellentWomenAndBoiledPotatoes

sprainedbrain, Crinoline_Laphroaig

Librarybelle #UKRoadTrip #GreaterLondon @jenniferw88 2y

Librarybelle #192025 #1952 2y

Librarybelle #SebastianKitty #Zeke #Xander #CatsOfLitsy 2y

Crazeedi I love your 😻😻😻 2y

Librarybelle Thanks, @Crazeedi ! ❤️❤️❤️ 2y

81 likes2 stack adds5 comments

Vansa

Excellent Women | Barbara Pym

What a nuanced, lovely conversation. And again, what lovely writing. Rocky isn't a bad guy, or a shallow one. But love can be... disappointing at time.

Vansa #Pemberlittens #Excellentwomenandboiledpotatoes @Crinoline_Laphroaig 2y

Brimful I love and share your love of Barbara Pym‘s writing! 2y

Bookbuyingaddict Another one ☝️ on my huge TBR 😆 2y

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Vansa @Brimful this is the first one I've read, I'm so grateful to @Crinoline_Laphroaig for leading this buddy read! I'm planning to read at least one Pym a month now. 2y

Vansa @Karons1 managed it through the Litsy #Pemberlittens chapter a day read! It's a short book 2y

Vansa @Brimful any particular reading order you would recommend? 2y

Brimful Definitely Jane and Prudence next! 2y

18 likes7 comments

Vansa

Excellent Women | Barbara Pym

#Pemberlittens #Excellentwomenandboiledpotatoes @Crinoline_Laphroaig
How does she write sentences that are so simple, but so acutely capture a feeling.

Crinoline_Laphroaig Her way with words was amazing. 2y

15 likes1 comment

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