"Excellent Women" by Barbara Pym.
This book was chosen quite specifically because we have had a series of male authors, and also, Barabara Pym was championed by Philip Larkin.
Pym had varying success as an author within the varying dynamics of literary fashion in the post war period.
The title “Excellent Women” is taken from Jane Austen’s novel, Sanditon, and both authors explored the position of (unmarried) women in society.
The setting of “Excellent Women” is Pimlico in central London and a map demonstrating the surrounding areas of Chelsea, Belgravia, and Westminster,
and the proximity of the Natural History Museum and Buckingham Palace.
Post war conditions applied amongst the London accents, choral music, people who quote poetry, and a shortage of available bachelors.
“Excellent Women” are the unsung task force that “make everything happen”, including jumble sales and bazaars, making tea, and in some cases acting as a caretaker or preparing meals.
Many women, especially daughters of clergymen were consigned to spinsterhood, with not an “excellent man” in sight.
This then is a novel about a middle class in decline in the changing post-war period, illustrated by the inter-personal bitchiness, and poking fun at passionate academics.
The book was generally well received by the club.
The author’s skill in describing the post-war drabness was appreciated, but most readers were left with a need for a little more “action”.
This gentle book was boring at times.
One club member made comparisons with a novel set in similar (but earlier) circumstances, “A Single Thread”, reviewed in the club in June 2020.
The various cameos of inter-personal reactions were a good way of revealing character traits, during the club various words were used including resentful, unassuming, hypocritical, tedious, ethereal.
On the other hand Rocky and Helen added a bit of colour to the story.
Overall “Excellent Women” was enjoyed as a light, easy bedtime read.
AABC: 3.9. PC, 10th April 2022.
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