Penny / Hampshire Reading Detectives

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As they say in the 12 step programmes, my name is Penny and I'm a reading addict. I get withdrawal symptoms if I don't get my daily "fix". Fortunately my mother had the wit to ask our local bookshop what you did if you had a daughter who read from morning to night because they said "send her to us" and a bookseller was born - although these days my reading is purely for my own pleasure! I mainly enjoy reading novels and poetry but will explore other stuff as well. My favourite book is On Becoming A Fairy Godmother by Sara Maitland - a playful, funny book of short stories for women of a certain age.

Heywood Sumner in South Gorley Find!

29 October 2009 I've just been re-reading the most beautiful and delightful book - Heywood Sumner's "Cuckoo Hill - the Book of Gorley". Heywood Sumner (1853 - 1940) was a major figure in the Arts and Crafts movement in the 1880's and 90's,... Read more or Comment

PG Wodehouse in Emsworth Find!

27 October 2009 Any fan of P.G. Wodehouse has probably come across his Lord Emsworth character in the Blandings novels, but I wonder how many people realise that "Plum" actually lived in Emsworth as a young man, before he was well known. He was... Read more or Comment

Nevil Shute and Langstone connection

19 August 2009 I've just been re-reading Nevil Shute's novel "Requiem For A Wren" which is set in the Exbury and Beaulieu river area of Hampshire during WW11. He seems to have rather gone out of fashion these days but I can thoroughly recommend his books... Read more or Comment

Elinor Brent-Dyer remembered Find!

18 August 2009 Westbury Manor Museum in Fareham have found the following memory of Elinor Brent-Dyer in the August 1987 edition of Fareham Past & Present. It was contributed by J.O. Hall who wrote: "My mother was friendly with Mrs Baylis who mentioned that she... Read more or Comment

Chalet School author

14 August 2009 As a girl I was a huge fan of school stories and really enjoyed Elinor Brent-Dyer's Chalet School series, but I'd always assumed they were written by an American (the spelling of Elinor had me fooled!). Now I've been told... Read more or Comment (1 comments)

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