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A review by aimeesue
Civil to Strangers and Other Writings by Barbara Pym
4.0
The last of the Pyms! This collection comprises a complete short novel, portions of others and some short stories, collected, arranged, and "reduced" by Pym's literary executor, Hazel Holt. It's a lovely collection and pure Pym, even The "Spy Novel," which, as Pym herself lamented, was not quite successful in that it depends rather too heavily on chance meetings and coincidence. Pym' strength was always in her characters and the interior monologue of their little lives and concerns.
Holt notes in her introduction that Pym, like others of her generation, was philosophically opposed to "waste," and engaged in a lot of recycling, from clothing to her characters. I'm glad, because I wholeheartedly enjoyed meeting Jessie Morrow and Mrs. Doggett once again in a short story. A lovely collection.
Holt notes in her introduction that Pym, like others of her generation, was philosophically opposed to "waste," and engaged in a lot of recycling, from clothing to her characters. I'm glad, because I wholeheartedly enjoyed meeting Jessie Morrow and Mrs. Doggett once again in a short story. A lovely collection.