I’m actually trying to sell one of the Project 24 books I bought… and I thought I’d try here.
It’s a bit frustrating. I’ve been waiting for a copy of Letter From England by Mollie Panter-Downes for ages, thinking that it was a prequel to London War Notes. One eventually turned up, and I paid an eye-watering £35 for it (which I would never normally do, but Project 24 means I can splurge a bit on pricier books). And then it turned out to be almost entirely the same as the 1939 and 1940 sections of London War Notes… (Which is entirely excellent!)
There are a few entries in this one that aren’t in London War Notes, but not a huge percentage. I recognise that this is entirely for Mollie Panter-Downes completists. But if anybody wants to email simonthomasoxford[at]gmail.com and say that they’ll pay £35 for it, then it’s yours!!
I’m sorry I’m not interested in buying it as I already own London War Notes but just want to say that it is outstanding, and describes the home front during the war. It’s worth every penny!
Agree with Grier (see above). I just finished the Persephone edition; MPD is a superb writer, stylist, and anecdotalist with complete command of her vast subject. She has been accused of having a middle-class view garnered from the Lansdowne club where she spent several nights a week but this is not the case so forget I even mentioned it. It’s such a superb, engrossing diary that you almost wish the war hadn’t ended but for the brilliance of MPD’s concluding entries.
I did ask what you piad for PELICANS by Delafield
PAID that should read.
I have never read anything by this author (and not sure I want to) but if no one else bites I have a shiny new plastic fiver that’s yours if you really want to dispose of it!
Ha! Thanks Peter – I think I’ll hold on to it if it would be a loss otherwise ;) And I think you’d very much value reading her non-fiction.
I will, as always, take your advice seriously. Many thanks Peter