I want to start this post today by saying a big thank you to all my visitors who drop in to read and/or leave a comment on Random Jottings. I have just finsihed reading Henrietta sees it Through by Joyce Dennys, the sequel to Henrietta's War which has just been reprinted by Bloomsbury (and once again, see my review here). The reason I am thanking you is that you have paid for my copy.
Yes you have. Honest.
On my blog you will see a little badge marked Amazon Associates. Every time somebody orders a book from Amazon by clicking onto this or the links in my reviews, a little ting goes off in a dungeon somewhere in Schloss Amazon and a penny or two is sent to my account. Now this does not happen too often (though I help it along by ordering my own books through this link), but over a year it does build up. Having read and loved Henrietta's War, I tracked down Henrietta sees it Through, now out of print and rather expensive. A few months ago when I was earning plenty of the ready I would have ordered it without a second thought, but I am now taking on the mantle of Mrs Scrooge (if he ever got a wife that is) and am counting my pennies so regretfully thought I would have to let his go.
And then what happens? An email from Amazon telling me that they are crediting my account with £29 being my earnings for the last three months. The Dennys book was £25 so no need to tell you what I did - this was serendipity of the highest order and this book arrived the other day, in the midst of my moaning about heat, humidity, little pink sore eyes and sneezing, and I sat up late last night with my bedroom window wide open cooling down, and read this until I finished.
Oh it is simply lovely lovely lovely. It made me laugh and it also made me cry.
"I found the Admiral on our doorstep. As soon as I saw his face I knew that sometihng must have happened to Teddy their youngest son in France...........Mrs Admiral was quite calm but her face looked different. She sat on the kitchen chair and picked up the corner of her apron and examined it closely 'I keep thinking about him when he was a little boy' she said in a careful voice. 'We're not telling anyone because of the croquet this afternoon. We can't let anybody down''
....some visitors from the hotel wandered into the club....'My dear croquet!' said the Lady Visitor 'and bowls too, how sweet. Of course these people simply don't know there is a war on"
The Admiral dropped his pipe on the grass. As he stooped to pick it up he laid his hand for a moment on Mrs Admiral's knee"
I welled up when reading this and welled up again just now when writing.
I do so hope that Henrietta's War does well and Bloomsbury decide to republish this one as well. Just simply wonderful and a portrayal of the quiet indomitable English way of country life that just, well, got on with it during the war. Sad thing is that Lady B, a simply delightful and lovable character, says that after the War is over we should all 'mix more'and not just pull apart after everyone has joined together so well in fighting the common enemy. This immediately made me think of The Village by Marghanita Laski where, sadly, we see exactly what happens to the class divisions the minute VE Day is over. An absorbing book and read in conjunction with Joyce Dennys makes for sobering thoughts.
But this book is going on my Book of 2009 list, as has Henrietta's War, and if you can lay your hands on a copy, it will be worth every penny.
So, once again, Dear Readers please do continue to click on my links and order your books as you are making an old mature woman very happy....
