Dorothy Canfield [Fisher], Patrick Dennis, sea, and mountains – episode 84!
In the first half of this episode, we talk about novels set in the mountains vs those set by the sea. The classic dichotomy. In the second half, we compare two very different novels about relatives – Her Son’s Wife by Dorothy Canfield, also known as Dorothy Canfield Fisher, and Auntie Mame by Patrick Dennis.
Do get in touch at teaorbooks[@]gmail.com if you’d like to suggest a topic or a question for the middle section – and rate/review us if you can! Find us at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or whichever podcast app you use – and you can support the podcast, and get little bonus eps, at Patreon.
The books and authors we talk about in this episode:
The Vanishing Celebrities by Adrian Alington
Dorothy L Sayers
Agatha Christie
Beverley Nichols
Inferno by Catherine Cho
What Have I Done by Laura Dockrill
The Mirror and the Light by Hilary Mantel
Harry Potter series by JK Rowling
Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien
Bleak House by Charles Dickens
Heidi by Joanna Spyri
The Fortnight in September by R.C. Sherriff
Mutiny on the Bounty by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Frenchman’s Creek by Daphne du Maurier
The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher
Coming Home by Rosamunde Pilcher
Famous Five by Enid Blyton
Jane Austen
Beside the Sea by Veronique Olmi
Brighton Rock by Graham Greene
In the Mountains by Elizabeth von Arnim
The Egg and I by Betty Macdonald
Katherine Mansfield
Idaho by Emily Ruskovich
Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver
39 Steps by John Buchan
Proud Citadel by Dorothy Evelyn Smith
O, The Brave Music by Dorothy Evelyn Smith
Illyrian Spring by Ann Bridge
The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim
In the Springtime of the Year by Susan Hill
Spring by Ali Smith
A Month in the Country by J.L. Carr
A Day in Summer by J.L. Carr
The Home-Maker by Dorothy Canfield
Stoner by John Williams
Travels With My Aunt by Graham Greene
Abbie by Dane Chanos
Fresh From the Country by Miss Read
A Thatched Cottage by Beverley Nichols
I would struggle choosing between mountains and sea… But as I’m missing the sea so much at the moment, I think it would have to be sea! Look forward to your discussions on Bev next time!
Thank you so much for the spring-themed reading suggestions. I actually read Illyrian Spring right after you did it in an episode a few years ago – and I loved it! Although I sort of feel like it has more of a summery-feel – even though it has ‘spring’ in the title. I haven’t read Enchanted April – but it’s definitely on my list – I loved Elizabeth and Her German Garden and Love (the only two von Arnims I’ve read). I just watched the film ‘Enchanted April’ a few weeks ago for the first time and it was ideal comfort viewing! I read Beverley Nichols’ Down the Garden Path after you discussed him with guest Karen from Kaggsy’s Bookish Ramblings on the podcast. I adored it soooo much! – but parts of it made me a bit nervous to keep reading him – he was at times cruelly witty – which I don’t like. I usually really enjoy witty writing, but when it gets too aggressive and jeering, it can be a bit frustrating.
Perhaps embarrassingly (and weirdly coincidentally to your episode theme) last week I downloaded one of those ‘ocean wave sounds’ recordings to help keep the calm during the lockdown – it’s actually not too silly and is really relaxing to listen to. I love water (streams, ocean, rain, etc.) so a book set by the sea will always be preferred – but one ‘mountain’ series that your topic reminded me of is M.C. Beaton’s Hamish McBeth mystery series. Her descriptive language depicting the Scottish Highlands is so wonderful – and I think fairly realistic, as the author and her husband owned a croft for a while in the highlands. Have you read any of these?
It is truly a pleasure to listen to your podcast – It’s always a delight to see another new episode pop-up!!!
I love listening to a Spotify playlist with water sounds. It’s so relaxing and refreshing. The Hamish McBeth mystery series sound like fun! I’ve never heard of it, but I know people who like Beaton’s Agatha Raisin series.
The first topic is so much fun. At heart, I would always choose the sea, though I did go on a mountain vacation last October and found it surprisingly wonderful. I just finished listening to The Shell Seekers read by Hayley Atwell and it put me in a sea mood. There are two American authors–Ivan Doig and Kent Haruf–who set their books in Montana and Colorado, both very mountainous states. Their books are on my TBR.
I can also think of books with the sea more easily than with mountains. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader popped into my mind with both sea and mountains. My book club is reading The Great Divorce right now, and I was intrigued by the description of heaven as being a far-off range of mountains with valleys and summits. My pastor is a mountain climber and he is fond of noting how often Jesus ascends mountains, so as a sea-lover, I remind myself that at least Paul was shipwrecked.
I love the ocean and any kind of boat travel but I hate the beach and I’m not much of a swimmer — is that odd? I do love reading about boat journeys, more so than just visiting the seaside. I have visited a few mountains and liked looking at them, but sometimes they’re a bit scary (I actually witnessed a tiny avalanche last year in the Austrian Alps which was not dangerous but at the same time reminded me that it is no joke.). Plus, I do love the sound of the waves. So I guess I’d go for the sea, as well.
I’m looking forward to your next podcast, I do enjoy Miss Read and I haven’t read any Beverley NIchols though he’s a possibility for the 1956 Club if the library ever reopens!
As a child, I enjoyed two books set in the Appalachian Mountains: Christy by Catherine Marshall and Where the Lillies Bloom by Vera and Bill Cleaver. Both celebrate the hardiness of people who live in adverse circumstances but make the best of what they have.
Oo not heard of those – thanks Ginny.
I recommend books by Jon Hassler – small town Minnesota – start with Staggerford.