a favorite series by E F Benson, the Mapp & Lucia books can be revisited over and over-
and over.
with this Easter weekend of bonnets parading down the Avenue, I am reminded of the last of the six Benson books-Trouble for Lucia.
In Trouble-Mrs. Wyse's budgerigar , her parakeet, Blue Birdie bites the dust, has flown the coop, departed from the earth-only to be revived, for the moment, at a seance conducted by the ever elegant Lucia.
The seance becomes a neccessity when Mrs. Wyse can't part with the dear one- Blue Birdie that is-and takes to topping her current chapeau with the dead one-even launching it into the soup at luncheon.
Imagine the havoc the deceased Blue Birdie wreaks on the upper echelons of Tilling.
Not only spoiling luncheon-but the bridge table too!
-Feeling the Spirit of Blue Birdie
Lulu Guinness above & below, Stella Tennant
If you haven't read the books-do so, If you have it might be time to Revisit them all-Queen Lucia (1920, Miss Mapp (1922), Lucia in London (1927), Mapp and Lucia (1931), Lucia's Progress (1935, also known as The Worshipful Lucia) and Trouble for Lucia (1939)
There are so many memorable scenes from the books-any favorites?
.
these are people after my own heart. The most hilarious thing happened today! My assistant "googled" "festivity crown"! (those things I adore wearing; you saw me!!"
ReplyDeleteShe burst out laughing! in the first row of "images" there I was at least twice!
EEEK!!!!
I can't wait to GOGGLE THAT! I love your festivity crown! happy Easter to you Penelope-I know you have a festivity BONNET too. PGT
DeleteThese photos prove that truth is stranger than fiction. By the way, when re-reading Benson, don't stop at the Lucia ones. He wrote all kinds, some similar to the Lucia and others quite different, and also lots of great short stories.
ReplyDelete--Road to Parnassus
Thanks P. I know that Benson's work is extensive-but I have never delved into them oddly enough. Thank YOu for the recommendation. Have a lovely Easter day tomorrow. PGT
DeleteLove the sense of whimsy in those hats! Thanks for the book ideas, the series sounds like a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteI do too-I believe the Stella Tennant one is by McQueen, the Guinness-her own, and maybe to top image is Galiano. Best wishes for a lovely Easter. PGT
DeleteGaye looking forward to these Benson Books!
ReplyDeleteBravo to these Brave & Stylish women!
xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena
Enjoy them, and your Easter too. PGT
DeleteI think the duel to be queen elizabeth is my favourite.
ReplyDeleteMiss R. Yes, that sets the tone of all the books-especially Lucia's Way of getting her Way. She is quite the character. I love the book where she tries to break into London society when Pepino is still alive. So wonderful to see her have her insecurities tapped into! Georgie is my favorite character in the books-and I adore Nigel Hawthorne in the tv series. Hope your Easter is lovely. PGT
DeleteStephen Jones hat, Antonio Berardi suit, Royal Ascot box....Stellas' setting. Guinness hat is TOTAL MADCAP SOCIALITE, with somewhat of a sad twinge as seen in her eyes. Funny how cousins can be so disparate yet so close....
ReplyDeleteSo glad you filled in some of the blanks! I love the Guinness chapeau! I know all about cousins. I am going to expand on the Stephen Jones hat in an upcoming post
DeleteHappy Easter!
ReplyDeleteI hope yours was happy too- Love a Boston with ears!
DeleteAm reading Lucia in London this week--what a delight! Mrs. Wyse's blue birdie (yes, racked with guilt she tries a seance to beg for his forgiveness and then he becomes a chapeau ornament) appears in a later part of the series when Lucia moves from Riseholme to Tilling. Calling all Luciaphils!
ReplyDeletePeony, Yes-Lucia in London is my fav-I think. The books are worth reading again and again.
DeleteIt is extraordinary how often in real life one comes across ' Lucia' in our family we use her name as code on such occasions.Must now get Benson's other books,what a treat!
ReplyDeleteI had an email from a friend about the add'l wonders of Benson's other works too- along with Parnassus recommendations. There are also some other follow up books written in the Benson style I may check out. pgt
DeleteWhere to begin? the celebration of hats festooned with the corpses of birds, beautiful in life, grotesque in death, the jolly comments 'brave and stylish', Madcap Socialite', 'sense of whimsey', the capper has to be the enthusiasm about the Lucia series and the fate of Blue Birdie - one of Benson's more piercing satires, aimed yes, at fools like you. No more Little Augury for me.
ReplyDeleteNo, it doesn't seem you are a good fit for these pages.
DeleteWheeee...SAD when one cannot see LIFE assuaged by BEAUTY in all her FORMS and DEGREES from BIRTH to DEATH...a life wandered wearing only tinted lenses should be tempered with a modicum of forgiveness, for not all is black and white but shades of grey!
ReplyDelete& it is the grey that I love best, with shades of lavender feathers-something on the order of McQueen with many feathers. His designs speak to your very comment about Beauty. pgt
DeleteA Feather, the most joyous of symbols...for IT can only take our wishes and dreams into the heavens...make mine Lavander as well!
DeleteBenson's reads also touch on the hypocrisy of those whose meet everything that is not like them & their "own" with bitterness & insult. It is a good thing that there is much humour there as well as his piercing satire.PGT
ReplyDelete