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Fiction. HTML: "Watch as Barbara Buncle blossoms and finds within herself the strength that's always been there, just waiting for its chance. RECOMMENDED READ"�??Dear Author Who Knew One Book Could Cause So Much Chaos? Barbara Buncle is in a bind. Times are harsh, and Barbara's bank account has seen better days. Maybe she could sell a novel ... if she knew any stories. Stumped for ideas, Barbara draws inspiration from her fellow residents of Silverstream, the little English village she knows inside and out. To her surprise, the novel is a smash. It's a good thing she wrote under a pseudonym, because the folks of Silverstream are in an uproar. But what really turns Miss Bunde's world around is this: what happens to the characters in her book starts happening to their real-life counterparts. Does life really imitate art? A beloved author who has sold more than seven million books, D. E. Stevenson is at her best with Miss Buncle's Book, crafting a highly original and charming tale about what happens when people see themselves through someone else's eyes.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member TadAD
Miss Barbara Buncle is having a hard time making ends meet when her income from dividends dries up. So, Miss Barbara Buncle decides to write a book to supplement her income and, knowing herself to be not terribly imaginative, she writes about what she knows best—the inhabitants of her small
Miss Buncle may not be imaginative but it turns out she is extraordinarily talented at observation and, despite changed names, each of her characters is instantly recognizable to their neighbors. Once the book becomes a best-seller...well...as the character of John Walker puts it, "...there are breakers ahead."
I found the story surprisingly engaging, full of endearing characters, light-hearted romance and a quiet humor throughout. It was a perfect book to read while traveling and, upon finishing, I immediately logged into the library's Web site and put a hold on another D. E. Stevenson.
D. E. Stevenson (cousin once-removed to Robert Louis Stevenson) was a popular author in the middle of the 20th century, selling millions of copies in Great Britain and the United States, but her books largely fell out of print. Some are creeping back through small presses; if your library doesn't have an old copy, this one can be found from Persephone Books in the U.K.
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village. Miss Buncle may not be imaginative but it turns out she is extraordinarily talented at observation and, despite changed names, each of her characters is instantly recognizable to their neighbors. Once the book becomes a best-seller...well...as the character of John Walker puts it, "...there are breakers ahead."
I found the story surprisingly engaging, full of endearing characters, light-hearted romance and a quiet humor throughout. It was a perfect book to read while traveling and, upon finishing, I immediately logged into the library's Web site and put a hold on another D. E. Stevenson.
D. E. Stevenson (cousin once-removed to Robert Louis Stevenson) was a popular author in the middle of the 20th century, selling millions of copies in Great Britain and the United States, but her books largely fell out of print. Some are creeping back through small presses; if your library doesn't have an old copy, this one can be found from Persephone Books in the U.K.
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LibraryThing member jnwelch
I love the cover of [Miss Buncle's Book]. The book itself is a gentle and charming read, with some good snark and a winning, always overlooked, heroine in Miss Buncle.
In an attempt to make some much-needed money, Miss Buncle has written a book about her pre-WWII village of Silverstream, with the
The effect of the reader knowing Miss Buncle intimately, and seeing how she is viewed and treated, helps remind us of the short-sighted assumptions we often make about others. She is honest and innocent and altogether worthy of attention, but gets dismissed automatically by nearly everyone because of her modest manner and somewhat frumpy appearance. The head of her publisher, Mr. Abbott, sees the genius of the book but at first doesn't know what to make of her. Gradually he comes to appreciate her and prod her to write a second book. The success of the first gives her some confidence, and she has a good bit of fun being present while villagers like the peremptory and ostentatious Ms. Featherstone Hogg complain about their portrayal in the book and plot to harm its author. Miss Buncle also sees the last part of the book, with its projection of the villagers' behavior into a created future, begin to have an effect on their actions toward one another.
There is romance, there are villagers to cheer for, like the cheerful and wrongly accused Sarah, happily married to the village's stolid and reliable Dr. Walker, and villagers to hiss and boo at, like the gold-digging Miss Greensleeves. It reminded me in tone of [Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day] and [Diary of a Provincial Lady]. If you enjoy these kinds of "comfort" books, you'll want to give this one a try. I'll be looking for more by the Scot author [D.E. Stevenson], including the sequel to this one.
In an attempt to make some much-needed money, Miss Buncle has written a book about her pre-WWII village of Silverstream, with the
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names of it and its inhabitants changed. She claims no imagination, and believes she has merely described people as she sees them. Turns out she's keenly insightful, and that her village is full of characters that are entertaining to read about. She does do a bit of wish fulfillment in the last third of the book, in which she has characters fall in love, travel to exotic places, and so on. The book is published under the pseudonym "John Smith". When villagers begin to recognize themselves - warts and all - in the book, a hue and cry goes up to find the real identity of the dastardly author. No one thinks of the mousy Miss Buncle; it would be too absurd.The effect of the reader knowing Miss Buncle intimately, and seeing how she is viewed and treated, helps remind us of the short-sighted assumptions we often make about others. She is honest and innocent and altogether worthy of attention, but gets dismissed automatically by nearly everyone because of her modest manner and somewhat frumpy appearance. The head of her publisher, Mr. Abbott, sees the genius of the book but at first doesn't know what to make of her. Gradually he comes to appreciate her and prod her to write a second book. The success of the first gives her some confidence, and she has a good bit of fun being present while villagers like the peremptory and ostentatious Ms. Featherstone Hogg complain about their portrayal in the book and plot to harm its author. Miss Buncle also sees the last part of the book, with its projection of the villagers' behavior into a created future, begin to have an effect on their actions toward one another.
There is romance, there are villagers to cheer for, like the cheerful and wrongly accused Sarah, happily married to the village's stolid and reliable Dr. Walker, and villagers to hiss and boo at, like the gold-digging Miss Greensleeves. It reminded me in tone of [Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day] and [Diary of a Provincial Lady]. If you enjoy these kinds of "comfort" books, you'll want to give this one a try. I'll be looking for more by the Scot author [D.E. Stevenson], including the sequel to this one.
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LibraryThing member Cariola
I got tired of waiting to find a reasonably priced Persephone edition of Miss Buncle's Book, about which I had heard so many raves, so I downloaded an audio version. Wonderfully read by Patricia Gallimore, it was a true delight! (And I'm not one who usually cares much for humorous novels.)
As other
I do want to comment on the cover illustration I've posted, which gives the impression that Miss Buncle is in her 50s (or even her 60s). Details in the novel reveal that she is still in her 20s. Of course, the illustration could be one of Stevenson's older characters--but one would expect the person featured on the cover of Miss Buncle's Book would be Miss Buncle herself! The same illustrator has done the cover for the sequel audiobook, and this time it is age-appropriate.
As other
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LT reviewers note, Miss Buncle writes and publishes under the pseudonym of John Smith a book based on observations of her fellow villagers, and quite a hoopla erupts as they recognize themselves in 'Distruber of the Peace,' which soon becomes a best-seller. I'm not going to spoil the fun by adding any further details (and I strongly advise that you skip the longer LT reviews, which contain far too many spoilers). Suffice it to say that I'm on the prowl for more books by D. E. Stevenson; she was a real find for me!I do want to comment on the cover illustration I've posted, which gives the impression that Miss Buncle is in her 50s (or even her 60s). Details in the novel reveal that she is still in her 20s. Of course, the illustration could be one of Stevenson's older characters--but one would expect the person featured on the cover of Miss Buncle's Book would be Miss Buncle herself! The same illustrator has done the cover for the sequel audiobook, and this time it is age-appropriate.
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LibraryThing member cbl_tn
Residents of an English village are either delighted or horrified to recognize themselves in the new bestseller by "John Smith". There's no way a stranger could know them that well, so the author must be someone who lives in the village. Several villagers have suspicions about the author's
Miss Buncle's Book is a lot like Miss Read's village novels, but funnier. It's a gentle read that will lift your spirit on a rainy day. I often find new homes for my books after I've read them, but this one is a keeper!
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identity, but no one dreams that "John Smith" is actually Barbara Buncle, the nice but somewhat dull spinster. Miss Buncle's Book is a lot like Miss Read's village novels, but funnier. It's a gentle read that will lift your spirit on a rainy day. I often find new homes for my books after I've read them, but this one is a keeper!
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LibraryThing member Eat_Read_Knit
When Miss Buncle wrote her book, she wrote about what (or rather who) she knew. Everyone loved it. Except her neighbours.
Absolutely superb. Plot, characters, phrasing, humour, the lot. Glorious. Splendid. Perfect.
Absolutely superb. Plot, characters, phrasing, humour, the lot. Glorious. Splendid. Perfect.
LibraryThing member atimco
Miss Buncle's Book is an enjoyable little romp in the small English village of Silverstream in the 1930s, where everyone knows everyone and there are no secrets. Until, of course, they find themselves written (some very unflatteringly!) into a hit new novel by the pseudonymous John Smith. This
No one suspects that the unprepossessing spinster Miss Barbara Buncle has turned to novel-writing as a way to eke out a living now that her dividends have dwindled to nothing. She does it quite innocently, using her neighbors as characters because she doesn't have the imagination to create her own (or so she thinks). But then her book takes on a life of its own—and life begins to imitate art, eerily so. And then she writes a sequel.
This is a delightful story. Not much happens, it's really just Miss Buncle writing and visiting her publisher and the machinations of the villagers to discover (and horse-whip, preferably) the book's author, but somehow it is extremely hard to put down. The characters are wonderfully drawn and quite funny. This is my second D.E. Stevenson book and I've already requested more of her titles from the library. The only thing better than discovering a new author is learning that she wrote a hefty number of novels for your delectation. Hurrah :)
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mystery author has painted the denizens of Silverstream so accurately, he must be one of them. But who could it be? No one suspects that the unprepossessing spinster Miss Barbara Buncle has turned to novel-writing as a way to eke out a living now that her dividends have dwindled to nothing. She does it quite innocently, using her neighbors as characters because she doesn't have the imagination to create her own (or so she thinks). But then her book takes on a life of its own—and life begins to imitate art, eerily so. And then she writes a sequel.
This is a delightful story. Not much happens, it's really just Miss Buncle writing and visiting her publisher and the machinations of the villagers to discover (and horse-whip, preferably) the book's author, but somehow it is extremely hard to put down. The characters are wonderfully drawn and quite funny. This is my second D.E. Stevenson book and I've already requested more of her titles from the library. The only thing better than discovering a new author is learning that she wrote a hefty number of novels for your delectation. Hurrah :)
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LibraryThing member LyzzyBee
21 Jan 2009 - birthday present from Matthew
A truly delicious book and I think it could be the next Miss Pettigrew. Miss Buncle is the quietest resident of a country village. Who would have dreamt that, to make a bit of money to make up for her sagging dividends, she could have written a wickedly
A lovely fairytale of a book; I particularly liked the more monstrous characters and the gentle satire of genteel novels of village life. Let's hope Persephone decide to publish some more of this author's work!
A truly delicious book and I think it could be the next Miss Pettigrew. Miss Buncle is the quietest resident of a country village. Who would have dreamt that, to make a bit of money to make up for her sagging dividends, she could have written a wickedly
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accurate portrayal of her neighbours - both as they are and, in a fantasy section, as they would perhaps like to be. As the book hits the village, hackles are raised as well as eyebrows.... but also something strange starts to happen, as truth begins to echo fiction. Miss Buncle observes, backed up by her lovely publisher Mr Abbott and her marvel of a maid, Dorcas. Will anyone realise who the real author of the book, one "John Smith" is? And what will happen when they do?A lovely fairytale of a book; I particularly liked the more monstrous characters and the gentle satire of genteel novels of village life. Let's hope Persephone decide to publish some more of this author's work!
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LibraryThing member lauralkeet
When Barbara Buncle published her first novel under the assumed name of John Smith, it set off quite a storm in her village. Claiming she could only write about what she knew, Barbara used her keen powers of observation to develop characters based on village inhabitants, and then put them in
Barbara is surprised by her novel's success and the resulting financial dividends, and also by the outrage. But she remains anonymous, continuing to collect anecdotes for a sequel. No one suspects she's the author; in fact, Barbara is such a peripheral figure in village life that she is practically invisible. Then, little by little, Barbara's book infiltrates real life, as villagers are inspired to act in ways either supporting or preventing outcomes described in the novel.
This "book-within-a-book" approach makes for delightful reading, and perhaps most delightful is the way the experience transforms Miss Buncle herself. Because the story is told from her perspective, it takes a little longer to realize what is happening, but when this piece of the puzzle is fully developed, everything snaps into place in a most satisfying way. By the time I turned the last page of this book, I was grinning from ear to ear.
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situations ranging from probable to well-deserved. The book went viral, in an early 20th century sort of way, becoming the principal topic of conversation and, in some cases, consternation or outrage as people see themselves in the story. Barbara is surprised by her novel's success and the resulting financial dividends, and also by the outrage. But she remains anonymous, continuing to collect anecdotes for a sequel. No one suspects she's the author; in fact, Barbara is such a peripheral figure in village life that she is practically invisible. Then, little by little, Barbara's book infiltrates real life, as villagers are inspired to act in ways either supporting or preventing outcomes described in the novel.
This "book-within-a-book" approach makes for delightful reading, and perhaps most delightful is the way the experience transforms Miss Buncle herself. Because the story is told from her perspective, it takes a little longer to realize what is happening, but when this piece of the puzzle is fully developed, everything snaps into place in a most satisfying way. By the time I turned the last page of this book, I was grinning from ear to ear.
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LibraryThing member EstherFilbrun
If you’re looking for a cozy, humorous read, I highly recommend picking this book up. A friend recommended it to Mom and me recently, and we ended up reading it fairly close together, and had lots of fun comparing notes as we went. This is, from one perspective, a very simplistic story—which is
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funny, because it’s a book about a book that contains a rather simplistic story. From another perspective, though, it’s a multi-layered, well-developed satire that includes the most realistic (and hilarious!) characters, and the perfect dose of humor. This is mostly just a cozy story about a quiet English village that got a good shake-up one day…but the fall-out from that shake-up is a wonderful character study and provides a lot of entertainment. I enjoyed reading this story, and I’m looking forward to picking up other books by this author in the future. Show Less
LibraryThing member Kasthu
Miss Buncle is a pretty average, middle age woman living in an English country village. One day, she decides to write a novel about Silverstream, the village she lives in. The books is published, and instantly becomes a bestseller—with adverse effects in Silverstream, for its inhabitants are
This is an extremely funny book, poking fun at the provincialism of the average English country village in the 1930s. The characters are a howl: Mrs. Featherstone Hogg, who of all the inhabitants of the village is the most enraged; Mr. Hathaway the vicar; Mrs. Greensleeves, the widow who only chases after the vicar because she thinks he has money; Miss King and Miss Pretty; Colonel Weatherhead, the town’s confirmed bachelor; and others, including Doctor Walker and his wife, and Sally Carter, who seem to be the only people not offended by Disturber of the Peace (sounds like the title of a mystery, but no matter). Miss Buncle’s descriptions of her characters are somewhat cruel, but truthful nonetheless. This novel is hysterically funny as well—I had stitches in my side by the time I got to the description of the film that Mr. Abbott and Miss Buncle go to see.
It’s claimed over and over again that Miss Buncle is a simple creature; but maybe she really does know what she’s doing all along? I think she’s a lot smarter than a lot of people, including Miss Buncle herself, give her credit for. As events unfold, and life imitates art, so to speak, it becomes clear that truth really is stranger than fiction.
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furious that someone has dared to write about—caricature—their lives.This is an extremely funny book, poking fun at the provincialism of the average English country village in the 1930s. The characters are a howl: Mrs. Featherstone Hogg, who of all the inhabitants of the village is the most enraged; Mr. Hathaway the vicar; Mrs. Greensleeves, the widow who only chases after the vicar because she thinks he has money; Miss King and Miss Pretty; Colonel Weatherhead, the town’s confirmed bachelor; and others, including Doctor Walker and his wife, and Sally Carter, who seem to be the only people not offended by Disturber of the Peace (sounds like the title of a mystery, but no matter). Miss Buncle’s descriptions of her characters are somewhat cruel, but truthful nonetheless. This novel is hysterically funny as well—I had stitches in my side by the time I got to the description of the film that Mr. Abbott and Miss Buncle go to see.
It’s claimed over and over again that Miss Buncle is a simple creature; but maybe she really does know what she’s doing all along? I think she’s a lot smarter than a lot of people, including Miss Buncle herself, give her credit for. As events unfold, and life imitates art, so to speak, it becomes clear that truth really is stranger than fiction.
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LibraryThing member AMQS
This book was a sweet and funny summer treat set in the 1930s in the English village of Silverstream. Miss Barbara Buncle is a dowdy, fairly nondescript middle aged woman whose dividends are terribly thin. Strapped for cash, she writes a book about the inhabitants of her little village, changing
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names, but pegging identifying characteristics with brutal honesty. The first part of her book is a chronicle of an English village, which is also its initial title. In the second half, Miss Buncle shakes up the residents of "Copperfield," fictionally, of course. The book, published under the pseudonym John Smith, is a runaway success, and soon the village of Silverstream is in an uproar, determining to figure out who this wretched John Smith really is and have him horsewhipped for libel. Part of the fun of the book is the readership's assumptions about the author -- evenly divided of the opinions that he is a satirical genius, or a simple idiot. Amid the uproar however, the real residents of Silverstream actually live out the wildly imagined doings of their Copperfield counterparts. This was such a fun read, and a perfect summer book. Show Less
LibraryThing member Bduke
Here is what I wrote in March 2011 in my Goodreads review of D.E. Stevenson's re-issued book, Mrs. Tim of the Regiment, "There are no vampires, no faeries, no weird creatures, just a sweet story about real people living in a world I've always dreamed of. Love it, love it, love it. "
Imagine my
Imagine my
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surprise when I looked at the back cover of my new copy of the re-issued Miss Buncle's Book where in big, red, curvy letters it says, "Love it, love it, love it", and then under those big, red, curvy letters it says, "There are no vampires, no faeries, no weird creatures, just a sweet story about real people living in a world I've always dreamed of. Love it, love it, love it." It is marked as Reader Review. Could they possibly have used my very own words about Mrs. Tim for Miss Buncle?! Weird coincidence, or am I the reader in "Reader Review"? Couldn't they at least have used my name? That would have been uber-cool. But they can use my quote for any D.E. Stevenson novel they want to- I love them all! Show Less
LibraryThing member Olivermagnus
Miss Barbara Buncle is an unassuming spinster who fallen upon hard times. She has no obvious work skills, and after discarding the idea of keeping hens, decides to write a book based on her own English village. She sends her book to Mr. Abbot, a London publisher, who reads it with delight and
Miss Buncle has based all the characters on her own friends and neighbors. Because she described the residents in such detail, changing nothing but the names, her neighbors recognize themselves as soon as they read the book. They know John Smith must live among them. As they start to put a plan into place that will bring this man into the open, Miss Buncle begins to work on a sequel.
What a charming and delightful book. The humor is not laugh out loud funny but much more understated. The author does a wonderful job of creating the characters, many who think more highly of themselves than they should. First published in 1934, Miss Buncle's Book is a bit of a screwball comedy that is escapist and creative. If you are a fan of P. G. Wodehouse you should definitely enjoy the subtly humorous story.
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publishes it as “Disturber of the Peace” under the name “John Smith.” Miss Buncle has based all the characters on her own friends and neighbors. Because she described the residents in such detail, changing nothing but the names, her neighbors recognize themselves as soon as they read the book. They know John Smith must live among them. As they start to put a plan into place that will bring this man into the open, Miss Buncle begins to work on a sequel.
What a charming and delightful book. The humor is not laugh out loud funny but much more understated. The author does a wonderful job of creating the characters, many who think more highly of themselves than they should. First published in 1934, Miss Buncle's Book is a bit of a screwball comedy that is escapist and creative. If you are a fan of P. G. Wodehouse you should definitely enjoy the subtly humorous story.
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LibraryThing member emanate28
Delightful and funny, a charming read. It reminds me a bit of Elizabeth Gaskell's 'Cranford' in that it deals with the happenings of a small town, where everyone knows everyone. A lot of drama unfolds, thanks to Miss Buncle's book, but nothing really terrible happens and one is left with a happy
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feeling that everything has fallen into its proper place. I'm looking forward to the next book. Show Less
LibraryThing member pb_29
Love, love, love this book! A gentle comedy, it starts off by conjuring up picturesque visions of Miss Buncle's village, Silverstream. As written in previous reviews here, Miss Buncle is 'John Smith', the author of a controversial new book which has the residents of Silverstream up in arms. This
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book reminds me of those 'Russian dolls' sitting one within another. Dorothy Stevenson has written a book about a character who writes a book, in which the character she based on herself writes a book! Read it if you want something light-hearted and enjoyable - will hopefully leave you smiling and keen to seek out the next installment. Show Less
LibraryThing member kdcdavis
This book reminded me a great deal of my first Persephone read, Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day. Both are the sort of novel that I wish was still written nowadays--perfect, sweet, charming, and delightful. They are not at all "realistic", but are lovely daydream-like stories where everything turns
Miss Buncle is a spinster living in an English village, who turns to writing when her inheritance begins to run out. Knowing nothing but the people around her, she spins a tale that is not exactly fiction; every character in her novel is easily recognizable as one or other of her neighbors. To her surprise, the novel is snapped up by the first publisher to whom she sends it, and even more to her surprise, it is consequently read by the very people who feature (not so favorably) within it. No one suspects Miss Buncle as the pseudonymous author, but certain members of the village are very determined to uncover the secret.
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out for the best and everyone (well, nearly) is happy at the end. Miss Buncle is a spinster living in an English village, who turns to writing when her inheritance begins to run out. Knowing nothing but the people around her, she spins a tale that is not exactly fiction; every character in her novel is easily recognizable as one or other of her neighbors. To her surprise, the novel is snapped up by the first publisher to whom she sends it, and even more to her surprise, it is consequently read by the very people who feature (not so favorably) within it. No one suspects Miss Buncle as the pseudonymous author, but certain members of the village are very determined to uncover the secret.
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LibraryThing member MariaAlhambra
A unique example of what one may call 'cosy metafiction', this slight but fun novel blends gentle satire of middle-class country mores and a meditation on mimesis and realism. It follows a spinster-cum- idiot savant, Miss Buncle, whose unimaginative but truthful novel about her village sparks a
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revolution in the village inhabitants, who unwittingly identify themlseves in their fictional counterparts. It ultimately leads her, unimaginative writer that she is, to write a novel about her own novel, a kind of mirror image of the book we have been reading so far. The charm and originality of the novel lies in this curious game of mirrors and books-within-books; it is a shame that the emphasis of the story seems to be on the rather cliched and weak portrait of village life (Stevenson is no Barbara Pym) and in the Cinderella-like transformation of the heroine. Show Less
LibraryThing member chinquapin
Barbara Buncle is a quiet, unassuming middle-aged spinster living in Silversteam, a typical English village in the 1930s. Her income comes from sadly declining dividends, and so she decides to try her hand at writing a novel to earn some needed funds. Surprised and pleased, Barbara finds her book
I found this book charming and amusing. Miss Buncle is such a humble and unpretentious heroine to have caused such an uproar, and all the village characters are so convincing. If your library has not purged this hidden gem from the 1930's, I highly recommend it, especially if you want a good laugh.
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is accepted by the publishers Abbot and Spicer and printed under the psuedonym John Smith. Her book is a thinly veiled depiction of Silverstream village life, and some of the unflattering portrayals of local inhabitants causes quite a stir. But while local tyrants, busybodies and ne'er-do-wells foment and call for the book's demise, Barbara quietly takes notes and begins a sequel at the urging of her publisher, Mr. Abbot. The resulting antics are hilarious. I found this book charming and amusing. Miss Buncle is such a humble and unpretentious heroine to have caused such an uproar, and all the village characters are so convincing. If your library has not purged this hidden gem from the 1930's, I highly recommend it, especially if you want a good laugh.
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LibraryThing member drmarymccormack
I just finished this book and I'm going to miss Miss Buncle. She is a charming character and this is a good book. I won't write a summary because many others did a much better job of it earlier. I love that Persephone publishes these lost classics. So far I have not been disappointed. They are
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terrific books. All, so far as I can tell, are lovely. This is a book to read when one is feeling a bit down. It's a very pleasurable read Show Less
LibraryThing member Kimaoverstreet
Written in the 1930’s when neighborhood gossip was the social media, Miss Buncle’s Book tells the story of the village of Silverstream after spinster Barbara Buncle writes a novel about the town and its residents. Though, she uses a pen name and different names for the village and its
Reviews of this book described it as “cozy” so I was hoping for something in the vein of Alexander McCall Smith or Miss Read. It wasn’t cozy in that way – it didn’t make me want to stop and smell flowers or enjoy a sunset the way their works do, but Miss Buncle’s Book was a good story told simply. I enjoyed reading about the clothing and manners of the time, though am glad I don’t live in a village like Silverstream where my every action is a source of gossip and judgment. I am glad I met Miss Buncle and do plan to read this story’s sequel. Recommended for fans of Jane Austen and Persophone Classics.
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residents, her neighbors are able to see themselves in her work, and for the most part they don’t like what they see. This is a witty, old-fashioned story about human nature. Reviews of this book described it as “cozy” so I was hoping for something in the vein of Alexander McCall Smith or Miss Read. It wasn’t cozy in that way – it didn’t make me want to stop and smell flowers or enjoy a sunset the way their works do, but Miss Buncle’s Book was a good story told simply. I enjoyed reading about the clothing and manners of the time, though am glad I don’t live in a village like Silverstream where my every action is a source of gossip and judgment. I am glad I met Miss Buncle and do plan to read this story’s sequel. Recommended for fans of Jane Austen and Persophone Classics.
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LibraryThing member bookwoman247
When the artless Barbara Buncle writes a book under a pseudonym, it wakes up the sleepy little village of Silverstream, as residents recognize themselves in her book. Her book has many farcical, unintended consequences.
What a delight this book was to read! I am adding it to my always-growing list
What a delight this book was to read! I am adding it to my always-growing list
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of favorites. It may have been written 80 years ago, but the humor and charm are still fresh. This book is a joy! Show Less
LibraryThing member fuzzi
This is a delightful gem of a book, full of subtle humor regarding the inhabitants of a small English village during the early 1900's. The main character is an unassuming spinster who discovers her modest income diminishing to a point where she can no longer pay for her most basic needs. In order
Recommended.
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to make ends meet she decides to write a book...about the only thing she knows...the people of the village. And even though she changes their names, once the book is published, it causes a commotion as everyone tries to discover who in their midst wrote "such lies"!Recommended.
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LibraryThing member plesti
I am almost finished with this sweet story that harkens back to a simpler time. It makes me want to get the rest of the Miss Buncle books. This is a story within a story that draws you in with its quirky characters and humorous undertones.
LibraryThing member Smiler69
Book #75: Miss Buncle's Book by D. E. Stevenson ★★★★½
Series: Miss Buncle (1 of 4)
Edition: Persephone Books (2008), Paperback, 344 pages
Original publication date: 1934
Miss Buncle was born and raised and has lived in the quaint English village of Silverstream all her life, and now in her
And so the stage is set for a great entertainment, and we see how the residents of this small community react when a mirror is held up to them, showing all their quirks and flaws and revealing secrets they never imagined anyone could know about their lives. This might not be the stuff of award-winning highbrow literature, but I loved this story, which is so very cleverly written, and peopled with an entertaining set of characters in this book within a book. D. E. Stevenson, whose father was first cousins with Robert Louis Stevenson, became a popular writer in her day, publishing nearly a book a year from 1923 to 1969, though most are now out of print. Persephone Books of London, which specializes in "mainly neglected fiction and non-fiction by women, for women and about women" (their biggest seller is the delightful Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson, a personal favourite), has printed three of the four Miss Buncle books, originally written between 1934 and 1946. Need I say I'm absolutely dying to put through an order for the next two books?
Series: Miss Buncle (1 of 4)
Edition: Persephone Books (2008), Paperback, 344 pages
Original publication date: 1934
Miss Buncle was born and raised and has lived in the quaint English village of Silverstream all her life, and now in her
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late 30s, a frumpy old maid who dresses badly and whom no one takes seriously or pays much attention to, she's arrived at a crisis point. The dividends off which she had always lived in relative comfort have now dwindled to nothing, and she must find a way to increase her revenues. Taking a job isn't an option for a proper lady, and her old servant Dorcas won't allow her to take in hens or lodgers, and instead suggests she write a book. But Barbara Buncle claims she has no imagination, so if she writes a book, it will have to be about people she knows and her life experiences, which is how the village of Silverstream becomes the fictional Copperfield, and each of her acquaintances has a part to play in the story. She sends the manuscript to the first publisher she finds in the directory, under the pen name of John Smith. Mr Abbott of Abbott & Spicer Publishers is delighted with it and feels sure he's got a best-seller on his hands, only he can't quite figure out if the book is a satire or whether the author is simple-minded and writing about such witty anecdotes completely in earnest, but he's willing to gamble that this enigma will only keep the readers of Disturber of the Peace all the more interested. As he predicts, the book is in fact a success, and nowhere more so than in Silverstream itself, where several residents read it and are mortified to recognize themselves, hairy moles and all. No one more so than Mrs Featherstone Hogg, fictionalized as Mrs Horsley Downs. Up until now she has firmly held on to her superior social position in the town by sheer force of will, and she has everything to lose by the revelation in Disturber of the Peace that she was a chorus girl when her husband first met her. Unaware that each book sold means royalties for the author, she purchases copy after copy of the book, pressuring all the townspeople to read it immediately so she can launch her libel campaign against John Smith, and if no lawyer is willing to take on the case, then they will unmask the miscreant who will be horsewhipped (Mrs Featherstone Hogg's preferred method of punishment, though she's not sure what it actually involves) and driven out of Silverstream. Among others joining her cause are Mr Bulmer, a bad-tempered bully who mistreats his wife (who in the book leaves him for another man), and old Mrs Carter, about whom John Smith has had the audacity to suggest her perfectly styled hair is in fact a wig. And so the stage is set for a great entertainment, and we see how the residents of this small community react when a mirror is held up to them, showing all their quirks and flaws and revealing secrets they never imagined anyone could know about their lives. This might not be the stuff of award-winning highbrow literature, but I loved this story, which is so very cleverly written, and peopled with an entertaining set of characters in this book within a book. D. E. Stevenson, whose father was first cousins with Robert Louis Stevenson, became a popular writer in her day, publishing nearly a book a year from 1923 to 1969, though most are now out of print. Persephone Books of London, which specializes in "mainly neglected fiction and non-fiction by women, for women and about women" (their biggest seller is the delightful Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson, a personal favourite), has printed three of the four Miss Buncle books, originally written between 1934 and 1946. Need I say I'm absolutely dying to put through an order for the next two books?
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LibraryThing member nospi
Very enjoyable novel of characters in a small English town.
Awards
Original publication date
1934
Local notes
Miss Buncle, 1
DDC/MDS
| Fic Gen Stevenson |