tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595702824833504762.post1775335342126103581..comments2024-03-28T12:00:55.653-07:00Comments on FURROWED MIDDLEBROW: ROMILLY CAVAN, Beneath the Visiting Moon (1940)Furrowed Middlebrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12065110409019861653noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595702824833504762.post-21292238643679780612016-09-21T06:29:02.973-07:002016-09-21T06:29:02.973-07:00Sorry, Rich, I had to post your comment myself bec...Sorry, Rich, I had to post your comment myself because I accidentally rejected it instead of accepting it--no more moderating comments from my Kindle!<br /><br />I had found the suggestions online that Cavan was the daughter of E. F. Benson, which would have been intriguing for sure but is simply wrong. I can't believe I didn't look back at her obituary, which John Herrington sent me when he researched her, before I wrote this post. It seems the rumor about her father may have been inspired by her first novel being about the daughters of a famous author. But in fact it was not a famous father she had, but a famous mother--novelist Diana Patrick (real name Desemea Wilson)! Clearly I have some updating to do on my list, so thank you for inspiring me to look more closely, as I should have done before.<br /><br />The other novel I read was CHARACTERS IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE. I hope to find time to write about it here, though our trip is looming and time is in short supply right now. In short, there are interesting things about it, and Cavan clearly intended something largely than a frivolous melodramatic romance, but I'm not at all sure she succeeded... I did--eventually--make it to the end though, unlike Graham Greene!Furrowed Middlebrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12065110409019861653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595702824833504762.post-2229962736549336812016-09-21T06:17:48.437-07:002016-09-21T06:17:48.437-07:00Well, I don't recall the war coming up as a to...Well, I don't recall the war coming up as a topic of conversation very often on our last trip, Tina! But if it does I think, with the benefit of all my reading of WWII novels and memoirs, I will be more likely to focus on how much Brits suffered before the US finally dragged itself into the fight. And I do love sausages and potatoes--not to mention fish and chips and curry--so I think we'll be okay there!Furrowed Middlebrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12065110409019861653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595702824833504762.post-49252486445019473012016-09-21T06:11:18.482-07:002016-09-21T06:11:18.482-07:00Okay, I'll admit that CHARACTERS was the other...Okay, I'll admit that CHARACTERS was the other Cavan I just finished reading. There were things I found interesting about it, but I have to admit that at times it seemed to be just a particularly cliched and ridiculous romance novel. Hopefully I'll manage to write something more about it here, but we are certainly in agreement, Tina!Furrowed Middlebrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12065110409019861653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595702824833504762.post-46392670126387920092016-09-21T06:06:02.027-07:002016-09-21T06:06:02.027-07:00Rich Horton wrote:
I'm always fascinated by a...Rich Horton wrote:<br /><br />I'm always fascinated by authors so obscure I can't find out anything about them. Apparently Romilly Cavan was also a playwright -- probably one reason she didn't write that many novels. And one place I found speculated (without reason that I can see) that she was E. F. Benson's daughter, or perhaps E. F.'s brother A. C. Benson. Isabelle Wilson does seem the more popular choice, so I'm sure that's true.<br /><br />Which of her books didn't you like? I thought both THE DAUGHTERS OF RICHARD HERON and CHARACTERS IN ORDER OF THEIR APPEARANCE looked interesting based on description ... though to be sure the first commenter may well be entirely correct about the main characters being too sickly sweet. Anyway, I was thinking about finding a copy ...<br /><br />One interesting thing I found on the web was a completely dismissive review of THE SPLENDOUR FALLS by Graham Greene -- he confessed to giving up on page 78 or something. <br />Furrowed Middlebrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12065110409019861653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595702824833504762.post-16612226256254036742016-09-19T07:44:37.777-07:002016-09-19T07:44:37.777-07:00OFF TOPIC--I read an article on Americans visiting...OFF TOPIC--I read an article on Americans visiting the UK and 2 pieces of advice stuck---<br />Do not mention over mention the USA"s help in the WAR<br />and you must realise we eat a lot of meals based around sausages,potatos and peas.Have a good holiday you two.<br />TinaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595702824833504762.post-58099188121990928592016-09-19T01:06:35.180-07:002016-09-19T01:06:35.180-07:00I did not enjoy CHARACTERS IN ORDER when i read it...I did not enjoy CHARACTERS IN ORDER when i read it a few months ago.The 1920s lovers were sickly sweet and the others were oddballs.It is very English as KIRKUS reviews state in their diplomatic way.<br />TinaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com