Barbara Pym centenary: Crampton Hodnet

I will be re-reading this sometime this month. The Pym books that come after this one are the ones I haven't read.

Oh - I read this one on holiday in July!

My review of Crampton Hodnet:

Goings on in North Oxford in Barbara Pym's second novel, which was only published posthumously.

All the classic Barbara Pym themes are here: curates, maiden ladies, gay men, and romances that don't really go anywhere. The only thing missing is anthropologists.

And Pym's book about the anthropologists has been my least favorite thus far Robert so I won't miss them. Sounds like an enjoyable read, as all of them are actually. I will be beginning it today at some time.
I am hoping to find time this month to read A Few Green Leaves as well since I didn't get to it last month.

I'm reading this now - love it love it love it. Haven't read much - been busy since I got back from work - seems to be my fate at the moment looking forward to curling up in bed with it later. As it was written around the time of Some Tame Gazelle, Excellent women and others it feels very much like vintage Pym, and I love it. I have read it before - but I hadn't remembered that much about it - except that I liked it very much the first time around.

I've just finished it. Laughed out loud in several places.

I loved the bit where Miss Doggett was advising the curate Mr Latimer about suitable hotels in Paris, recommending one where "all the staff spoke English, the cooking was entirely English, and the visitors too. They were mostly clergy." And her friend who had stayed there had, one on occasion, "had two, or I think three, Archdeacons at her table for dinner.

'It sounds very nice,' said Mr Latimer dutifully, although he privately thought that one Archdeacon was quite enough for anyone."

I read this earlier in the month and enjoyed it, but am finding it hard to remember specific features of the book. I think I've read too much Pym in too short a period of time! I will return to it however, as it did make me laugh in places, as Genny's quote above reminds me.

I finished and REVIEWED the book. I thought it was the funniest one yet.

I know what you mean about the details of some of the books blurring -it's a danger of reading so many Pyms in quick succession - but I think I will remember this one clearly because I used to live in North Oxford so the road names and landmarks, as well as the typical North Oxford characters, rang lots of bells. In many ways Oxford had not changed very much in the 50 years or so between Pym writing CH and when I was living there in the late 80s-early 90s.

The month is nearly over, and this weekend I'll have family visiting, so I know I won't get Crampton Hodnet read for September. Are we all getting a little over-Pymed? That's a shame, but I agree the danger is there. I am also reluctant to have them all behind me.

I *am* over-Pymed - but I didn't feel this with the Elizabeth Taylor reading last year. I think Taylor is perhaps a little more varied in her books than Pym? I don't know - I shall return to BP at a later date!

I have just finished this one - it was yet another re-read for me - they have all been re-reads thus far. I am not over Pymed - and I am excited that the next three I have never read before - I have been looking forward to them all year - sad I know. i loved Crampton Hodnet - very Pymish stuff indeed. And it reunites us with two characters from Jane and Prudence which is probably my favourite.

I am not over-Pymmed either! I did have a bit of a Pym fest in July of course with the conference and my rather mad re-reading glut then, but I think I'm back with you for the last three of the year ... Here's my review of Crampton Hodnet anyway ... http://librofulltime.wordpress.com/2013/07/23/book-reviews-67/

I am definitely not over-Pymed. I'm looking forward to the next three and her autobiography in letters and diary excerpts:)

I'm something of a series junkie, so I'm not over-Pymmed, but I do generally find that although my enjoyment of a series doesn't usually decrease as I go on, I have less and less to say when I come review them.

>11 kaggsy:: I was making the same comparison as you between last year's ET reads and this year's Pyms. I think you are right that Taylor's books contain a wider variety of ingredients and thus there is less likelihood of them blurring together. I am still very much enjoying Pym's books, but these later reads I may appreciate more on a reread when the earlier books are not still crowded in my head.

16: I think that's exactly it - the books are crowding together too much in my head and I can't differentiate enough. I will spread them out a little and enjoy them more!

Karen & Claire; I wish that I had spread them out a bit also & think that after about the 3rd month would have enjoyed them more if interspersed with Pym's bios & letters on alternating months perhaps. Still & all, it has been a good year of author themed reads. I just could go no farther when I went to read August's book. I have had enough & they are set aside for later.

I loved this one - per haps the contrast of reading an earlier Pym (although published later) after a later Pym but the humour really seemed to sparkle in this one.