Items related to Bertie, May and Mrs Fish: Country Memories of Wartime
A lyrical, evocative and wonderfully original wartime memoir about life on a farm in the Cotswolds, seen through the eyes of a child.
Bertie, May and Mrs Fish is Xandra Bingley's account of her childhood on a Cotswold farm, set against the backdrop of the Second World War and its aftermath. Bingley's mother is left to farm the land whilst her husband is away at war, isolated in the landscape. With its eccentric cast of characters, this book captures both the essence of a country childhood and the remarkable courage and resilience displayed by ordinary people during the war. The beauty and sensitivity of Bingley's observation is artfully balanced by the harshness and grit of her reality.
'In the cowshed my mother ties her hair in a topknot scarf that lies on the feedbin lid. At five thirty each morning and four o'clock in the afternoons she chases rats off the mangers. She measures cowcake and rolled oats and opens the bottom cowshed door. Thirty-one brown and white Ayrshires and one brindle Jersey tramp into their stalls...
Two thousand acres. A mile of valley. Horses cattle sheep pigs poultry. Snow above the lintels of the downstairs windows. Her fingers swelling. Chilblains. Her long white kid gloves wrapped around a leaky pipe in her bedroom. Knotted at the fingers. She has a lot to learn and no one to teach her. Accidents happen.'
Bingley tells her tale in a startling voice which captures the universe of a child, the unforgiving landscape and the complicated adult world surrounding her: Her acute observation, and her emotional, sensual descriptive gift for place, people, sound, and touch make this a brilliantly authentic and evocative portrait.
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Review:
About the Author:
'Bertie, May and Mrs Fish is an instant English classic – a book about class, courage, innocence, survival,and the losts and founds of wartime Britain, written with such wit, generosity and panache that it's a galloping runaway pleasure to read.' Ali Smith
'I sat down on the edge of my bed when I brought Xandra Bingley’s book upstairs. It is now 10.15 pm. I haven't moved, I haven't taken off my coat, I haven't had supper. I think it is absolutely wonderful. I'm spellbound.' Diana Athill
Xandra Bingley is a former publisher and literary agent. This is her first book.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherHarperCollins
- Publication date2005
- ISBN 10 0007215002
- ISBN 13 9780007215003
- BindingPaperback
- Number of pages240
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Bertie, May and Mrs Fish: Country Memories of Wartime
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ISBN 10: 0007215002
ISBN 13: 9780007215003
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Book Description Condition: Good. Most items will be dispatched the same or the next working day. A copy that has been read but remains in clean condition. All of the pages are intact and the cover is intact and the spine may show signs of wear. The book may have minor markings which are not specifically mentioned. A few small stains. Foxing to the pages. Seller Inventory # wbb0025199165
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Bertie, May and Mrs Fish : Country Memories of Wartime
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Harper Perennial
(2005)
ISBN 10: 0007215002
ISBN 13: 9780007215003
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Bertie, May and Mrs Fish: Country Memories of Wartime
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HarperCollins, Great Britain
(2005)
ISBN 10: 0007215002
ISBN 13: 9780007215003
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Bertie, May and Mrs Fish: Country Memories of Wartime
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(2005)
ISBN 10: 0007215002
ISBN 13: 9780007215003
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Book Description Paperback. Bertie, May and Mrs Fish is Xandra Bingley's account of her childhood on a Cotswold farm, set against the backdrop of the Second World War and its aftermath. Bingley's mother is left to farm the land, isolated in the landscape, whilst her husband is away at war. With its eccentric cast of characters, this book captures both the essence of a country childhood and the remarkable courage and resilience displayed by ordinary people during the war. The beauty and sensitivity of Bingley's observation is artfully balanced by the harshness and grit of her reality. 'In the cowshed my mother ties her hair in a topknot scarf that lies on the feedbin lid. At five-thirty each morning and four o'clock in the afternoons she chases rats off the mangers. She measures cowcake and rolled oats and opens the bottom cowshed door. Thirty-one brown and white Ayrshires and one brindle Jersey tramp into their stalls Two thousand acres. A mile of valley. Horses cattle sheep pigs poultry. Snow above the lintels of the downstairs windows. Her fingers swelling. Chilblains. Her long white kid gloves wrapped around a leaky pipe in her bedroom. Knotted at the fingers. She has a lot to learn and no one to teach her. Accidents happen.' Bingley tells her tale in a startling voice which captures the universe of a child, the unforgiving landscape and the complicated adult world surrounding her. Her acute observation, and her gift for place, people, sound, and touch make this a brilliantly authentic and evocative portrait. Reviews 'There is nothing usual about Bingley's story or her way of telling it. It is full of bright colours like a child's paintbox. This is her first bookbut it instantly takes its place beside country classics.' John Carey, Sunday Times 'This is a book so alive that when you finish it you feel that you have been there and met the people[The] book has immense charm, and also a resonance that is beyond charm.' Diana Athill, Guardian 'You would need to have lost touch with all feeling not to be moved to tears by the book's final chapter.' Peter Parker, Telegraph Bertie, May and Mrs Fish is an instant English classic - a runaway pleasure to read - Ali Smith Utterly enchanting, and quite unputdownable - Jilly Cooper First published 2005. This is a used book in good condition, meaning that it shows signs of wear but has no major defects.Most of our images are sourced automatically, so the book cover shown might be different to the edition we have in stock. Seller Inventory # 18105355
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