tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595702824833504762.post5478765362772937533..comments2024-03-28T12:00:55.653-07:00Comments on FURROWED MIDDLEBROW: A postwar ménage: MARGERY SHARP, The Foolish Gentlewoman (1948)Furrowed Middlebrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12065110409019861653noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595702824833504762.post-29624311105513861542021-07-20T09:04:14.461-07:002021-07-20T09:04:14.461-07:00In 1949, Sharp adapted her novel for the London st...In 1949, Sharp adapted her novel for the London stage, with Dame Sybil Thorndike and her husband Sir Lewis Casson as Isabel and Simon, and Mona Washbourne (later Mrs. Pearce in the movie of My Fair Lady) as Mrs. Poole. During the 1967-68 BBC radio season, Thorndike chose The Foolish Gentlewoman as one of 6 of her favorite roles that she would recreate in 90-minute radio adaptations. I was introduced to the work by discovering the audio file of a recording of that broadcast uploaded to YouTube -- I have since managed to acquire a discarded library copy of the now out-of-print Samuel French acting edition of the play (which I find delightful) -- I hope to get the rights to perform it as a reading (but Sharp does not appear among the authors on the website of Concord Threatricals, the recently formed mega-merger that now controls the combined catalogs of Samuel French, R&H (Rodgers & Hammerstein) Theatricals, Tams-Witmark and The Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection.KNScotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14636997366483839646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595702824833504762.post-28595597954805055082020-01-17T07:50:06.751-08:002020-01-17T07:50:06.751-08:00It's interesting, Susan, that while I don'...It's interesting, Susan, that while I don't exactly find the characters here unlikeable, they are certainly all flawed, but I actually enjoyed that because they felt like real people. But of course we know from the DES list that even DES fans often feel quite differently about some of her books, let alone about other authors, so it might just not be your cup of tea!Furrowed Middlebrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12065110409019861653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595702824833504762.post-62988251458616367472020-01-17T07:44:02.688-08:002020-01-17T07:44:02.688-08:00So glad you liked Apricot Sky as much as I did, To...So glad you liked Apricot Sky as much as I did, Tom. Somehow I didn't remember it being so terribly funny--I was giggling and snorting all the way through.Furrowed Middlebrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12065110409019861653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595702824833504762.post-34212610136636820912020-01-17T07:42:30.898-08:002020-01-17T07:42:30.898-08:00No problem Liz. I always like giving readers the o...No problem Liz. I always like giving readers the opportunity to get other perspectives on a book (though in this case we were all in agreement!). Hoping to have more Sharp reviews coming before too long.Furrowed Middlebrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12065110409019861653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595702824833504762.post-29184264620661268732020-01-17T07:40:14.722-08:002020-01-17T07:40:14.722-08:00I do like black comedies, so clearly I need to rea...I do like black comedies, so clearly I need to read that one soon, Tom!Furrowed Middlebrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12065110409019861653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595702824833504762.post-55483526104788570492020-01-16T06:17:21.402-08:002020-01-16T06:17:21.402-08:00Well. Two years back (I know this because I linked...Well. Two years back (I know this because I linked over to Leaves and Pages just now) I started to read this, based on her glowing recommendation. But I know it ran off the road for me pretty early. My notes from my reading journal: "...unlikeable characters, jumpy narration...."<br /><br />Still, FM and L&P are no slouches when it comes to recommending excellent books, so perhaps another try....Susan Dhttp://www.susandaly.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595702824833504762.post-72588914195470201112020-01-13T11:27:11.157-08:002020-01-13T11:27:11.157-08:00Foolish me! You know I mean FOOLISH Gentlewoman b...Foolish me! You know I mean FOOLISH Gentlewoman by Sharp, right?<br />Ha ha ha.<br />I am still on my first cup of coffee.<br />TomAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595702824833504762.post-13064841815567091372020-01-13T11:23:19.949-08:002020-01-13T11:23:19.949-08:00Nothing to do with Margery Sharp! BUT sat up late...Nothing to do with Margery Sharp! BUT sat up late last evening and finished in one sitting Apricot Sky by Ferguson, and must agree totally with Scott - WHAT a wonderful book! If it was more readily available, I can think of friends to whom I would give copies! AND NOW, to <br />drag this back onto topic, I must find a copy of "The English Gentlewoman." So thanks, Scott.<br />TomAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595702824833504762.post-78627247415265972092020-01-11T11:37:26.355-08:002020-01-11T11:37:26.355-08:00Ah, thank you for linking to my review; I wondered...Ah, thank you for linking to my review; I wondered why I suddenly had a few hits for it! I'm glad you liked this as much as I did, and I do love Sharp - I've enjoyed all the books of hers I've read so far. Liz Dexterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16896796668856635371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5595702824833504762.post-52447247598080701962020-01-10T11:43:08.487-08:002020-01-10T11:43:08.487-08:00Must add this to the list, since, as I wrote, the ...Must add this to the list, since, as I wrote, the only one I have ever read is "In Pious Memory," much later, ca. 1967.<br />Really a black comedy.<br />TomAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com