Stella Dorothea Gibbons fue una novelista, periodista, poetisa y cuentista inglesa. Su primera novela, Cold Comfort Farm, ganó el premio Femina Vie Heureuse en 1933. Esta obra es una sátira y parodia del ruralismo pesimista de Thomas Hardy y sus seguidores. Gibbons introduce a una joven segura de sí misma, moderna, pragmática y optimista en las sombrías, fatales y oscuras escenas rurales que esos novelistas solían retratar.
Parodia de la literatura rural y romántica en boga, es una feliz curiosidad de la literatura inglesa. Una obra de corte humorístico en la que su autora satirizó la actualidad literaria de su época, y con la que se atrevió a experimentos estilísticos como la invención de neologismos absurdos o el detalle de advertir mediante asteriscos sobre los pasajes con mayor valor literario, mientras su inefable protagonista nos arrastra con toda la naturalidad del mundo a las más inverosímiles situaciones que le pasan por la cabeza.
Dieciséis años después de haber puesto el pie por última vez en el pintoresco pueblo de Howling, Flora Poste, la díscola y encantadora protagonista de La hija de Robert Poste , vuelve a la carga para socorrer a los atribulados Starkadder, propietarios de la granja de Cold Comfort. La finca ha sido rehabilitada como un museo decorado en falso estilo rústico inglés, y se convierte en el lugar de celebración de una conferencia del Grupo de Expertos Internacionales, entre los que se cuentan inefables pintores, escultores insufribles, excéntricos sabios orientales, y toda una plétora de intelectuales fastidiosos cuya máxima obsesión es dejar pasmados a los lugareños. Tras el formidable éxito de La hija de Robert Poste , Stella Gibbons nos deleita con una sátira sobre el estirado establishment artístico inglés. Humor inteligente con un delicioso aroma rústico, que nada tiene que envidiarle a su antecesora en cuanto a descaro y afán de sátira.
Set in the mid-20th century, this novel explores themes of societal expectations and personal identity through its richly drawn characters. With a blend of humor and poignancy, the story delves into the complexities of relationships and the pursuit of happiness. The author, known for their sharp wit, crafts a narrative that reflects the nuances of human experience, making it a timeless read that resonates with both contemporary and historical audiences.
Exploring themes of freedom and solitude, the protagonist discovers a newfound sense of living that fulfills her deepest desires. Surrounded by nature and accompanied by an animal companion, she experiences a transformative journey that feels both intoxicating and liberating. This narrative delves into the profound impact of embracing one's true self and the joy found in simplicity.
'Don't show proper feelin', does it, not turnin' up for 'is dad's funeral'Siblings Sophia, Harry and Francis have lost both their parents in the last six months. Attending the funeral for their estranged father, they wonder what will become of them now that the last connection to their difficult childhood has been severed. What have they inherited - financially and emotionally - to guide them to adulthood, and build a new home together Enbury Heath is a semi-autobiographical account of the years which Gibbons and her brothers spent living in a cottage in Hampstead a wonderfully astute, bittersweet novel about family, grief, money, and the pleasures of London.
In the night the snow came. She awoke on Christmas morning in that unmistakable light, coming up from the earth and shining between her curtains. Celebrate Christmas through the creative minds of a host of authors, including Beryl Bainbridge, Maeve Binchy, Richmal Crompton, Alice Munro and Elizabeth von Arnim. From the delightful consequences of decorating the tree by Stella Gibbons to a disorientating encounter at 35,000 feet on a Christmas Day flight by Muriel Spark, an amateur pantomime by Stella Margetson and a New Year's resolution by Alice Childress, these stories are sure to fortify you over the Christmas period. Stories for Christmas and the Festive Season explores the joys and disappointments, pressures and preparations of this time of year from a female perspective. In keeping with the spirit of the series, the stories are plucked from different decades of the twentieth century and penned by familiar as well as forgotten authors writing for both books and popular magazines. The British Library Women Writers series is a curated collection of novels by female authors who enjoyed broad, popular appeal in their day. In a century during which the role of women in society changed radically, their fictional heroines highlight women's experience of life inside and outside the home through the decades in these rich, insightful and evocative stories.
WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY LYNNE TRUSS'Stella Gibbons is the Jane Austen of the
twentieth century' The TimesSet in wartime London, Westwood tells the story of
Margaret Steggles, a plain bookish girl whose mother has told her that she is
not the type that attracts men.
Where better to spend the most wonderful time of the year? You're dreading Christmas with your in-laws. You've got a cold coming on. You're worried you've forgotten to buy a gift for somebody. Apply this book to the affected area. You should soon feel like your old cheerful self again. Christmas at Cold Comfort Farm will remind you that Christmas is a magical time of year and that romance can blossom in the least likely of places.
Ein bezauberndes Aschenputtelmärchen aus dem England der 30er-JahreViola Withers Leben ist gerade alles andere als märchenhaft. Arm wie eine Kirchenmaus ist die junge Witwe dazu gezwungen, mit der Familie ihres verstorbenen Ehemannes unter einem Dach ein eher freudloses Dasein zu fristen. Der mürrische Mr. Wither ist ein tyrannischer Geizhals, der keinen Hehl daraus macht, wie wenig er von seiner Schwiegertochter hält, und Violas Schwägerinnen sind beide keinen Deut besser. Allein die Aussicht auf den großen Wohltätigkeitsball kann Violas Laune heben – besonders, da Victor Spring ebenfalls dort sein wird, Spross der wohlhabendsten Familie am Ort und in Violas Augen ein wahrer Märchenprinz. Doch Victors Absichten in Bezug auf Viola sind, kurz gesagt, nicht besonders ehrenhaft …
