It was my birthday yesterday and I’ll my bookish gifts at some point (it will surprise nobody to know I got a few), but for today let’s do some more Unnecessary Ranking! This time I’ve picked R.C. Sherriff – famous initially for Journey’s End (which I haven’t read or seen) but brought back more broadly by reprints from Persephone Books. He isn’t the most prolific writer, and I haven’t read all of his novels, so it’s not the longest list.
As ever, I’d love to know your own rankings…
6. Chedworth (1944)
The only book of his that I wouldn’t consider a success. Wing Commander Derek Chedworth marries a vaudeville dancer and she comes to live at his ancestral home – a promising premise that never really comes off. Sherriff is usually so brilliant at character, setting, and pace – so I don’t know why Chedworth fell flat.
5. The Hopkin’s Manuscript (1939)
All his other books (that I’ve read) are brilliant, so don’t read this low ranking as a negative. It’s a very domestic spin on an apocalypse, and the only reason I prefer other Sherriff novels is that this has a science fiction starting point that isn’t necessarily my most-loved genre.
4. The Fortnight in September (1931)
When I first read this, I wouldn’t have believed there’d be three Sherriff books I’d like even more – because it is sheer perfection, on its own terms. A family plan for, and then take, their annual holiday to the seaside. The family are growing up, and their usual lodgings are growing old. An astonishingly good book about nothing and everything.
3. The Wells of St. Mary’s (1962)
If The Hopkins Manuscript isn’t my favourite genre, then The Wells of St. Mary’s is – the domestic novel that incorporates the fantastic. Or does it? When some abandoned wells start curing people’s illnesses, it becomes a huge tourist attractions. The reader is left trying to work out how much is magical…
2. No Leading Lady (1968)
R.C. Sherriff’s autobiography is that rare example of an author really telling you about their craft, in delightful detail. Half the book is about the genesis, writing, production, success, and aftermath of his break-out play Journey’s End. He glosses over his private life, and even some of his work, but I’ve read very few autobiographies that I enjoyed anywhere near as much.
1. Greengates (1936)
The most similar to The Fortnight in September, in terms of being a narrow lens on a very domestic set up. When Mr Baldwin retires, he and his wife decide to move to a new housing estate – and this gentle novel is simply about that process. In almost any author’s hands it would be nothing – in Sherriff’s, it is a masterpiece.
I’d love to hear your Sherriff rankings, or which of his books you’d like to try next!
Happy belated birthday, Simon! Look forward to seeing your birthday haul:)
I’ve only read A Fortnight in September so far and look forward to reading more. I do own Greengates, so that will be my next one.
Thanks Antoinette! Hope you enjoy Greengates :)
Happy belated b-day, Simon! (Thanks for the reminder, Antoinette!)
I absolutely loved Fortnight, but now that I know there are three you loved more, I’ve got to see if any are available.
I own a copy of Journey’s End, but have yet to read it. I bought it around the time I was rereading The Wars, Timothy Findley’s masterpiece. I think I recommended it to you. It’s a short ‘experimental’ WWI novel, but not if you can’t stomach reading about violence involving both people and animals, horses in this case. (Maybe that’s why you didn’t seem interested). It’s set in a very ‘waspy’ area of Toronto (Rosedale) and in Europe of course. It’s almost like a mystery, the narrator being a researcher piecing together fragments (interviews, photos, documents) to find out the truth about what happened to the ‘hero,’ Robert Ross on the front. Timothy Findley is another wonderful Canadian author. There was once a film version of The Wars starring the a very young Brent Carver, but I think it’s very hard to get a hold of. Anyway, I will read Journey’s End someday, but Greengates and No Leading Lady sound much more intriguing at the moment.
Yes, as I probably said at the time, I really don’t like any violence in the books I read – so that would be a no go! Greengates is very easy to get hold of, and I think Wells of St Mary’s was republished by Bello a while ago.
Wish I could edit my comments for typos!
Better than Fortnight…WOW. I’ll try to read Greengages if its available
Tbh the top four are so hard to choose between – all brilliant
Btw quick note – Greengages is by Dorothy Whipple, Greengates is by Sherriff! Easy to get those two Persephones confused :D
Happy belated birthday Simon!
I’ve only read A Fortnight in September and Greengates. I loved both of them. I would find it hard to choose between them. I really enjoyed Greengates and the period detail about houses and the domestic detail. The characterisation of the different family members in Fortnight was really good and there was a poignancy about it too. On the strength of your comments, I have just reserved a copy of Wells of St Mary.
Thanks Sarah! Yes, the period details about housing are probably what makes this my favourite – I so love that in mid-century novels.
Love these *totally necessary* rankings posts, and this one is especially interesting as I’ve only read The Fortnight in September! Lots of ideas for the wishlist here, so I’ll be bookmarking this one for future reference…
Haha, thanks Jacqui!
I HAVE to try him. I had The Fortnight in September out from the library a while back but ran out of time to read it in. Must try again. (Greengates sounds good too. And I like sf, so The Hopkins Manuscript is on my radar.)
Oh you must! I would be interested in how an sf fan finds Hopkins, because it is very lightly sf.
My favourite, by miles, is Greengates although I do love The Fortnight in September too. Like Sarah I love the mid-century period details but it is also so “spot on” about the alterations that retirement brings to a family.
Absolutely! And I don’t think he mentions it even once in his autobiography, bizarrely.
I confess I’ve only read Hopkins which I *loved*. But I think I own both Greengates and Fortnight, so I really should get on with them!!
You should! My guess would be that Hopkins might end up being your favourite, but would be interested to see.
My cousin, who’s a Stuckinabook regular forwarded this post on to me (she does this with some of your other posts) as we both love R.C. Sheriff. I’ve read three of his of which, The Fortnight in September remains my absolute favourite – I loved Radio 4’s reading of it a couple of years ago. I couldn’t get on with The Hopkins Manuscript as, not only do I not like sci-fi, but I thought it implausible. The same cousin bought me The Wells of St Mary’s which ranks second behind The Fortnight for me. Greengates sounds a joy – something to look out for definitely.
Ah lovely, thanks for commenting! I feel confident you’ll love Greengates, if you love Fortnight.
I was reading Greengates when my husband was made redundant and I couldn’t believe how masterfully he understood the wife’s predicament. It was one of those times when the book you just happen to be reading is the perfect solace.
Oh gosh yes, that must have really struck home at that time.
I love Greengates and Fortnight so I need to get The Wells of St Mary’s, clearly. Nice one!
Ali also loved it, for another vote!
I have read both Greengates and A Fortnight in September and cannot agree with you at all. I found both husband and wife in Greengates incredibly silly people. There was a snobbishness and superiority about him in particular and I would even go as far to say racist element. The Fortnight in September is about a more down to earth family with their individual frustrations. For me however his masterpiece is Journeys End . Profound , deep and I think lived by the writer. It resonates still . It is not a novel but I have both seen it acted, heard it performed and read it and each time was moved to tears.
Interesting! I agree with you that the man is superior and they are probably a bit silly, but I don’t have to like characters to think a book is brilliant. I certainly didn’t warm to him at first, though I think I did by the end. Have you read the novelisation of Journey’s End? I’ve had it for years but have yet to read.
That book written I think by Susan Hill but not called Journey’s End but Strange Meeting. I have indeed read it. I read almost all Susan Hill’s oeuvre. I used to love her writing. I’m the King of the Castle through to her crime novels with Simon Serrallier then ….Howard’s End is on the Landing . All of a sudden I thought I used to love her work but no longer. Has she lost her edge, has her writing changed in some way but I’m afraid she began to irritate.Simon was too perfect and profoundly irritating . Gosh I am being opinionated. I hear what you are saying about not needing to like the characters to make for a good book. It does help however and you must believe in the story. In Cheerful Weather for a Wedding by Julia Strachey I found many of the characters to be horrid and irritating but I believed even though it annoyed me greatly.
That’s a good book but not the one I meant! Sherriff and someone else, I forget the name, did a novelisaton called Journey’s End – it was his first novel.
Just finished The Wells of St Mary’s and really enjoyed it. I had previously thought it did not sound as good as The Fortnight in September and Greengates but I would find it difficult to choose between these three. This one was quite a page turner and I loved the interactions between the committee members as well as the depiction of the friendship between the Colonel Joyce and Lord Colindale. I have now reserved No Leading Lady. Would you recommend reading Journey’s End first?
Lovely, Sarah, I’m so glad you enjoyed Wells! Not that many people have read it, so lovely to hear other people enjoying the book. He is so good at making any premise work.
I absolutely loved No Leading Lady without having read Journey’s End, but it probably would make sense to read it first, tbh.
I’ve just finished Greengates and absolutely agree on it being the best thing I’ve read by him. Admittedly, I’ve only read three things so far (The Fortnight in September and Journey’s End) but it sets a very high standard.
Hurrah! It did feel extremely up your street.