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Six Charmers from Beverley Nichols
Beverly Nichols
Hardcovers (296/289/292/320/257/264) pages; 2005/2005/2005/2005/2005/2004 (1932/1933/1934/1951/1953/1956)
There are times when I want to read a book where I know nothing bad happens. Not that I seek something sickly sweet, peopled by terribly, terribly nice characters. I just want to be sure I'm not going to have to deal—at least in the short term of a sitting or two—with lurid descriptions of death, destruction, violence, or sex. If you too occasionally enjoy such reading—engaging, witty, facetious, charming, and often very funny—try these little gems from Beverley Nichols (1898—1983). Nichols was an English gentleman gardener and all—around aesthete, as well as a prolific writer of novels, mysteries, and children's books. These two series—one from the 1930s and the other written twenty years later—were immensely popular when they were first published. (EE)
The Allways trilogy was named for the fictional village (actually, Glatton) where Nichols's charming thatched cottage was located. The first book is about Nichols's efforts as a novice gardener; the second deals with the renovations to his Tudor cottage—adding central heating and electric lighting, rethatching of the roof; and the third turns a cynical eye on the village and its residents. (Nichols was sued by one such outraged Glattonian when she recognized a thinly veiled and decidedly unflattering portrait of herself in the book!)
The Merry Hall series tells of Nichols's love affair with a country estate outside of London—how he came to find it, buy it, and restore the Georgian house and gardens. His descriptions of his neighbors Miss Emily and "Our Rose"—especially the latter's outrageous floral arrangements—are spot-on hilarious. His respect and affection for the aged gardener Oldfield is touching. And his overwhelming feeling of reverence and admiration for, and, yes, intimidation by his butler Gaskin is reminiscent of the world of Wodehouse. These are dear, delightful books.
(EE)
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