Summer reading: Miss Buncle's Book

Barbara Buncle has me beaming.

Actually it's Miss Buncle's book that's put the smile on my face. That is, DE Stevenson's 1934 novel, "Miss Buncle's Book," which tells the story of the unassuming but highly observant Barbara Buncle, who pens a best-selling roman a clef about her country town.

Published as "Disturber of the Peace," under the nome de plume John Smith, the book has that exact effect on her neighbors, with its healthy dose of wit and irony in its depictions of the personalities and goings on of sleepy little Silverstream aka Copperfield. In the second part of "Disturber," however, Miss Buncle gives free reign to her imagination, fantasizing a Golden Boy whose music has an incendiary effect on some of the townsfolk.

The endpapers in "Miss Buncle's Book" are taken from "Flower vase lit by rays from a table lamp," a screen-printed cotton and rayon designed by Vanessa Bell for Allan Walton Textiles in 1934.

"Disturber" becomes a best seller to the dismay of the more officious and hypocritical members of the community who threaten libel suits and determine to unmask John Smith, going to lengths that Miss Buncle's publisher considers stranger than fiction. 

Stevenson's Miss Buncle is a first cousin to Winifred Watson's Miss Pettigrew. They're both unappreciated women of a certain age who draw on unsuspected reserves of creativity and intelligence to pull themselves out of dire financial straits. In the process, they transform themselves and those around them — to the endless delight of this reader. It seems amazing to never have heard of Stevenson, given that four million copies of her books were sold in Britain and three million in the U.S. between 1923 and 1970. Thanks again to Persephone for providing another perfect read.

Miss Buncle's Golden Boy graces the cover of this early edition of the book. Persephone's reprint, of course, is clothed in its distinctive discrete grey covers.

Two bloggers are having a Read a Persephone Book week next month for all you fans of the publisher. I still have a couple of unread titles on my shelf so I may try to join in.

Comments

[Barbara H.]

I love D. E. Stevenson's books. She has written many, including the Mrs. Tim books. I actually prefer her other titles over the Buncle and Mrs. Tim books.

Sometimes you can find them in libraries, though they are old enough that many have been weeded out because of condition. Used copies can be very spendy. Many were issued in large print. A friend introduced me to her books years ago and I re-read the ones I own periodically.

[LINDA from EACH LITTLE WORLD]

Barbara — I was just reading the intro for MIss Buncle and thinking about reading more, so thanks for your comments. I discovered a number of titles at our University library so I am going to check them out. One is the first Mrs. Tim but I don't recognize any other titles. Neither of the other Miss Buncle titles are available there, however.

[Verity]

Excellent, I'm so glad you'll be joining us :)