Miss Buncle's Book / D.E. Stevenson

 

Miss Buncle's Book by D.E. Stevenson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

All the stars! I adore Barbara Buncle! I picked up this book this morning, saying “I'm not in the mood for this.” I knew the book was due at the library in four days and determined that 75 pages per day would accomplish it. What was I thinking? I will ALWAYS be in the mood for Miss Barbara Buncle.

Barbara needs money. She has economized, she has considered different schemes, but what she actually does is sit down and write a book. She claims to have no imagination, so she gives the people of her village new names and proceeds to write about them in a very clear-sighted way. She submits her manuscript to the first publisher listed in the phonebook (Abbott & Spicer) and is both shocked and delighted when Mr. Abbott writes, asking “John Smith” to a meeting.

When the book (Disturber of the Peace) is published, the cat is among the pigeons. And the pigeons are (some of them) pretty ruffled. Because people ignore dowdy old Barbara Buncle she has had a front row seat to all the village dramas and people fill her in on all the gossip. She doesn’t need to invent a thing, although she does produce a pied piper who gets some of her neighbours moving! Proposing marriage, threatening divorce, recognizing bad behaviour. Whatever she thinks would be in their best interest.

What Miss Buncle never imagined was that her wishes might be followed and she is ever so pleased that some of their lives improve (and that she can subsequently pay her bills). However she also didn't foresee that some of those with an exaggerated sense of their own dignity would want her punished!

Absolute charming in the way that Barbara bungles along, comforting the distressed and distressing the comfortable. I thought immediately of Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, which also delighted me. I guess I cheer for the older spinsters because I am one. Obviously this is not everyone's cup of tea, but is was definitely mine and I shall read further adventures of Miss Buncle with unadulterated pleasure.


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