Last week as several blogs were celebrating the tenth birthday of Persephone, I decided to have another read of Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day to remind myself what a simply delightful, witty, funny, gorgeous book it is. The author, Winifred Watson, had written other books which I gather were very Mary Webb, Cold Comfort Farm'ish and her publisher had grave doubts about publishing this particular offering. In an interview with the Independent she recalls 'they were horrified. I had written two rather strong dramas before it, so when they received a book that was fun they would not accept it. I can remember to this day saying: You're wrong, Miss Pettigrew is a winner"
Miss P was published in 1938 and Winifred Watson was right, it was an immediate success in England, Australia and America and was translated into French. There was even a proposed film with Billie Burke, who played Glinda the good witch in the Wizard of Oz, cast as Miss Pettigrew but then came Pearl Harbour and that was an end of that. It was not until 2008 that a film version was finally made, after Persephone had brought this book back into the public eye. I have yet to see it as it certainly did not make the Odeon in Colchester, quelle surprise, but I have it on order at Amazon and should be with me soon. The little bits of it I have seen look promising but no matter how excellent, I do not think it can be as good as the book - though perhaps I should wait and see before pronouncing judgement.
When I first read this book, I read it at a sitting and was totally enchanted by the Cinderella story and the transformation of Miss Pettigrew from shabby, downtrodden, frightened drudge to sassy, spiky, and witty woman about town, watched admiringly by Miss La Fosse. When the book opens Miss Pettigrew is looking for work: "It was a cold, grey, foggy November day with a drizzle of rain in the air. Her coat was not very thick. It was five years old. London traffic roared about her...Miss Pettigrew joined the throng, a middle aged lady, of medium height, thin through lack of good food with a timid defeated expression and terror quite discernible in her eyes, if anyone cared to look. But there was not personal friend or relation in the whole wide world who knew or cared whether Miss Pettigrew was alive or dead"
This paragraph is on Page two and the reader immediately knows all we need to know about Miss P and her situation and we feel for her and feel her terror. She is destined to poverty and a bitter,grim old age, she knows that her employability is diminishing so when she is sent along to Miss La Fosse and beholds this vision on the doorstep, she decides to go hang and enjoy one glorious day:
"Miss Pettigrew gasped. The cretaure was so lovely she called to mind immediately beauties of the screen. Her golden, curly hair, tumbled untidily about her face. Sleep was still heavy in her eyes blue as gentians......In a dull miserable existance Miss Pettigrew's one wild extravagance was her weekly visit to the cinema, where for over two hours she livd in an enchanted world......in real life she had never seen any woman arrive to breakfast in a silk, satin and lace negligee. Everyone did in the films. To see one of these lovely visions in the flesh was almost more than she could believe"
To see the transformation of Miss Pettigrew as she takes on society with Miss La Fosse and saves her from her abusive boyfriend; how she spends the day at cocktail parties and then in a nightclub, smoking cigars and knocking back gin and tonic as thought she was born to it, is to experience total and sheer delight. The day goes on and Miss Pettigrew knows that when the clock strikes midnight it is back to the drab life, the glass slipper will be left behind and all the fun and glory of this day will vanish.
But of course, it doesn't. This is a book with a happy ending and love on the horizon for the wonderfully spirited Miss Pettigrew that is emerging from her shell. When I read this again, I closed the last page up with exctly the same feeling as when I first read it, sheer joy and the thought O gosh I wish there were more.
I know lots of visitors to Random are Persephone fans and have read many of their publications, but please please please, get this one if you have not yet read it. Illustrated with sharp black and white drawings, and full of sheer heart, this is a glorious book. I have given this to numerous friends and relatives as Christmas and birthday presents and everyone has simply loved it.
You will too. Promise.
