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by Miss Read
| Hardback in Very Good condition in a Very Good Dust Jacket. The book in blue cloth, with gold lettering down spine. Pictorial endpapers. No damage. The Dust Jacket, unclipped, has light wear, 1.2cm closed tear in bottom left corner of spine edge front cover, light sun fading on spine.
First published by the Penguin Group as Michael Joseph 1993.
224 pages illustrated with black and white drawings by John S. Goodall.
13.5cm x 20.5cm x 2.3cm.
Weight: 350gms.
Cover price: £14.99.
Jacket illustrations by John S. Goodall.
This is the #19 book in the 'Fairacre' series.
Miss Read is the Pen Name of - Dora Jessie Saint MBE (Nee. Shafe) - Born: 17th April 1913, South Norwood, London - Died: 7th April 2012 (98), Shefford Woodlands, Berkshire.
Having enjoyed robust health throughout her career, Miss Read, the village schoolmistress at Fairacre, is looking forward to an energetic retirement in a few years' time. Now that the welcome addition of some new children has relieved her of the fear of the school's closure, she should be feeling on top of the world. But to her dismay, she is suddenly taken ill. She has no wish to give up her post yet; but memories of her former colleague, Miss Clare, collapsing in front of the schoolchildren, haunt her. Is it time to say farewell to Fairacre?
As Miss Read faces ill-health and considers far-reaching decisions of her own, she is caught up in the concerns of her neighbours. She has to cope with the death of Henry Mawne's wife and his subsequent loneliness; and with the attentions of a good-looking newcomer to Beech Green, who appears to be in equal need of a wife. At school she endures, as usual the relentless harrying of Mrs Pringle, the cleaner, but she is worried about the new pupils, aware that all is not well at home. Caretaker Bob Willet and his wife, though, continue to give practical help to anyone in need and Miss Read has the support of Amy, her staunch college friend who does her best to provide her with a husband.
In this warm and humorous drama set in the beauty of the English downland, Miss Read delightfully captures once again the hotchpotch of fetes, school plays, outings, quarrels, friendship and gossip that are the stuff of village life as, through the changing seasons of the country year, the problems of Miss Read and her fellow residents of Fairacre are gradually resolved.
Titles in the 'Fairacre' series.
1. Village School (1955).
2. Village Diary (1957).
3. Storm in the Village (1958).
4. Miss Clare Remembers (1962).
5. Over the Gate (1964).
6. Village Christmas (1966).
7. The Fairacre Festival (1968).
8. Emily Davis (1971).
9. Tyler's Row (1972).
10. The Christmas Mouse (1973).
11. Farther Afield (1974).
12. No Holly for Miss Quinn (1976).
13. Village Affairs (1977).
14. The White Robin (1979).
15. Village Centenary (1980).
16. Summer at Fairacre (1984).
17. Mrs. Pringle (1989).
18. Changes at Fairacre (1991).
19. Farewell to Fairacre (1993).
20. A Peaceful Retirement (1996).
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Publisher: Michael Joseph
ISBN: 0718136667
Condition: VG / VG |
Issue No.: First Edition.
1993
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| Postage & Handling to UK mainland: £4.00 | Price: £5.00
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