August Folly: A Virago Modern Classic (Virago Modern Classics) Paperback – May 12, 2015

I re-read this short novel once a year and still laugh at some of the passages. I bought this copy to give to a friend who is going through a rough patch. I hope she likes it as much as I do.

To read! A gentle poke at upper middle class country society in England in the '30's

As expected

Beautiful copy! Highly recommend this author.

Light entertainment in a 1930s English village, as overbearing Mrs Palmer organises a Greek play, ably assisted by two sets of young people who have come home for the holidays. In a charming world of yesteryear, a world of servants, incipient love affairs and misunderstandings, the story itself is frothy and implausible.BUT the humour throughout is so cleverly observed and frequently so LOL funny, that it just adds another dimension. I loved the Tebbens- highly academic but strapped for cash - and the depressing culinary attempts of the wife:"I am sorry there are no potatoes, but Mrs Phipps didn't put them on in time, and knowing that you wanted to come with me and meet Richard at the station, I didn't like to wait for them to be finished. We could have them in if you like and just eat the outside part that is cooked, and have the rest properly boiled and use them up ith the salad tonight."And the mortification of their critical student son at being picked up in an aging governess cart pulled by truculent donkey Modestine - another of his mother's money saving ideas.Entertaining read.

In the fictional county of Barsetshire is the small village of Worsted. When the Dean family comes for the summer, the inhabitants are shaken up by a Greek play, a raging bull, a stubborn mule, misunderstandings, and, most of all, love.August Folly is a typical Thirkell novel, charming, gentle and witty. It started off slowly, with a confusing introduction of many characters, but once that was out of the way it became tremendously enjoyable. Unlike some of her Barsetshire novels, this one doesn't require a previous knowledge of any of the others. Overall, I love her signature style and found August Folly to be a delightful read.

Deceptively eloquently innocent as always, Thirkell manages to parody society and ensure nothing at all happens with unforgiving astuteness and perfect sentence construction. She takes the heads off the Medusa of stratified British society while combing their golden locks at the same time.

This is a delight from a writer who deserves to be read more wildly. Set in the Barchester type world of Anthony Trollop and just as good. In fact Angela has a humour that Trollop never mastered.

Richard Tebben is home from Oxford and he is dreading the coming holiday because he knows he hasn't done very well in his exams and his parents annoy him all the time. He needs to find a job but he doesn't really know what he wants to do. One of the neighbours is putting on a play - a Greek tragedy - and Richard knows he will be roped into playing a part and he can think of nothing more boring.Then everything is brightened up by the appearance of the glamorous Dean family in the neighbourhood. Mr and Mrs Dean and six of their nine clever children are staying for the summer. Having met them Richard feels that maybe the holiday won't be so bad after all. His sister Margaret is home as well and he is glad to see her again.I loved the characters in this marvellously evocative novel of village life. The trials and tribulations of young love and the strain of keeping secrets amongst the older people are brought vividly to life. The amateur dramatics bring out the worst in people and provide amusement to the reader. I think Thirkell is excellent on relationships between unlikely people. This book reminded me of Agatha Christie without the murder.

An enjoyable village comedy of the 1930's. The loves, infatuations, frustrations and rivalries of the young and older generation is very capably depicted, as the large and spirited Dean family come to Worsted for the summer. The disordered rehearsals for Mrs Palmer's annual play provide a focal point, but it is the brisk character depictions, and the heart yearnings and misunderstanding among them which prove a lot of fun. Watch out for the talking donkey.

Great book brought as a present excellent condition

So funny, I wanted to be there with them all. One of my favourites.