The Comfort Book Club / Diary of a Provincial Lady Discussion

Welcome to the Comfort Book Club discussion! Mum and I are chatting about November's book choice, 'The Diary of a Provincial Lady' by E. M. Delafield. There are spoilers in this chat, as we're assuming you have read the book if you watch! Let us know your thoughts on 'Diary of a Provincial Lady' in the comments. Special thanks to the readers who left voicemail messages for this video, which were included in our discussion:
Bronwen in Canada
Jason in New Zealand
Marjorie in USA
Madeleine in France
Amanda in England
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LINKS:

BOOKS MENTIONED:
(affiliate links used for Blackwells)
The Way Things Are by E. M. Delafield (out of print)
Provincial Daughter by R. M. Dashwood (out of print)
Mrs Miniver by Jan Struther (out of print)

[joyallison]

Please tell your mom that her new haircut makes her look so beautiful and younger, even! Love this book club!

[AutumnalSunests]

Speaking of illustrations in adult books, I love to see a village map inside the cover and a little sketch for each new chapter !

[giselaperez]

So interesting to watch the book club video. Your mother look so pretty, the new hair style is perfect, she looks spectacular!👌❤️❤️❤️

[mariacristinabuenoasensio]

I discovered your WONDERFUL channel yesterday and I ABSOLUTELY love it, not to mention your book club, of course I am looking forward to joining next discussion meeting!! You and your mum are a JOY!!! Thank you for your delicate and marvellous videos, in this time you two and your videos (including the sweet readers who participate in the discussions) are like a peaceful retreat in a chaotic world. God bless

[teresaparkins]

Hi Miranda and Donna, thank you for another lovely discussion about the Comfort Book Club choice. Donna your new hair cut looks so pretty. I love how Delafield perfectly captures children and one of my favourite passages is when Robin, Henry and Vicky appear playing dressing up and Vicky is clad in nothing but a small pair of green silk knickerbockers wearing Jahsper's black felt hat (the addition of that H is pure genius) but my most favourite description is when Henry and a Pankerton nephew (Noah/Noel) are outside the Post Office and are kicking one another's shins because when I'm faced with horrid people I often imagine myself as Henry and dealing them a few kicks on their shins!! I thoroughly enjoyed hearing your viewers recordings and am looking forward to more Comfort Book Club reads with you. Happy reading, Teresa 🦵📚

[shelleyimmel]

I just love your Comfort Book Club reviews. I actually have book on order which I am expecting next week. Both of you look lovely, but Donna's new hair cut is just lovely and so becoming. I love when you chat and laugh, and your comments and generosity.

[faithwentworth]

Miranda and Donna, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this little gem of a book! My favorite character has to be "Mademoiselle" and her drop- the-mic comments. There are so many favorite entries. My copy is littered with "LOL" throughout. One that has become stuck in my head is the April 20th entry simply because of Robert's comment that " We are All Making a Great Fuss about Very Little" as measles overtakes the house. This IS my husband, so I had a big chuckle over that. The queries are thought provoking and have aged well. But Valentine's Meat Juice sounds terrifying.

Great haircut, Donna!!

Miranda, congrats on 10, 000 subscribers 🎉 You have built up a very special channel and community. I feel so lucky to have found you by accident about a year ago.

[MyLocsareREAL]

Hello Miranda and Donna....Miranda I LOVED “DIARY OF A PROVINCIAL LADY” I laughed out loud so many times...this was my first time reading E.M. DELAFIELD... I look forward to reading more from her, , , I couldn’t resist reading along with the audio which made it so!!!! Fun, one of my favorite entries was July 26th when she was vacationing with Rose in the South of France and attempted to swim to a distant rock with the Viscountess and she says “Long before we are halfway there, I know that I shall never reach it, and hope that Robert’s second wife will be kind to the children, ” Miranda tell Donna she’s Adorable, I love her hair cut 🥰...and can we just say that Helen Wills is an awesome name for a cat 🥰😂😂 Thank you so much 😊

[librarian-D]

I needed a CBC discussion today and this one was wonderful. Donna and Miranda's beauty overflows inside and out. I have to read this book, i mean all the laughter.. that's what i need. I love your mother-daughter friendship, you are so lucky. My mom raised us in that 'modern mother' don't dote on your children. So it's very heart warming to see a mother-daughter friendship like you have! And lucky you have such a deep love of books and reading in common.

[nancyfritz]

This was such a delightful bookclub! This month I was prepared and enjoyed it with a (generous) slice of leftover Thanksgiving pumpkin pie.:-) Loved, loved, loved this book and am reluctant to return it to the library. I felt such an affection for the Provincial Lady, want Rose as a friend (and would like to take a vacation with them in the south of France) in addition to giving Robert a bit of a "talking to." At the end of the book, when Robert states that the diary is a "waste of time" and the Provincial Lady leaves the decision to "Posterity" - the fact that an online, international book club is reading, enjoying and discussing this book in 2021 - "Posterity" has given it's answer. "Brief Encounter" is a favorite movie of mine, so would like to read "The Way Things Are."
Am excited about the next selection of books. Donna, I am glad you are continuing with the book club (and your new haircut is lovely). Hope you both have a fantastic weekend!!

[jopreston]

Thank you for the Comfort Book Club discussion, it was lovely to watch and listen and to hear comments from others. best wishes

[lomazowr]

Another lovely meeting of The Comfort Book Club.I have read Diary of a Provincial Lady many times it always transports me to a different place and time funny smart a joy to read.Loved hearing you both talk about it and looking forward to reading your new selections.📚💕

[DianeC]

I think this book was brilliant. It easily will be in my top reads this year. I laughed a lot with the Provincial Ladys sarcastic thoughts. Her queries were so relatable. Like on February 22nd being asked for good hotel and she wanted to recommend a good dentist instead. Or her hoping that Roberts second wife (when convinced she was going to drown) would be kind to the children. "Query : is this a Judgement? ". My favorite query was on December 16th. So many passages through out the book I could relate to the feelings, the emotions in life's awkward moments. I would have liked to have been her friend. Which says a lot about her writing. Anyways, I loved the discussion. Well done ladies. My very best wishes to you both. 📚💕💕

[Missfrankiecat]

Has Donna had a new hairdo - looks really lovely! Thanks for reminding me about this wonderful book.

[NadineTouzet]

Hi Miranda and Donna, I love that I haven’t read any of your book club choices and thus can discover new gems. Thank you!

[jasonlow]

Thank you both for the insightful and warm discussion. The CBC in drawing readers from far and away together is like a joyful reply to the Provincial Lady herself that this diary is posterity oriented. Best wishes from NZ.

[pennymiller]

I smiled all the way through this Comfort Book Club discussion, thank you so much, Miranda and Donna, I'm sure these videos are a lot of work to produce, but honestly, they really are much appreciated!
I so enjoyed re-reading the P Lady, it's hilarious, but never inconsequential, which is I think what makes it so enduring.
Looking forward to reading The Country Child, which I purchased after your recommendation, and have not yet read. Now I have a deadline! Always a good prompt.
Donna, love your new hairstyle, really flattering and a great length. X

[serena]

This was my first time I read "The Diary of the Provencial Lady and I absolutely enjoyed reading this book. What a lovely book. I have never read a book like this one. It was so funny.
Enjoy you day ladies!

[christyw]

When I began reading this book I was so disappointed because it had been on my to-read list forever and I was finding it tedious. I wondered if I would have enjoyed it more as it was published originally, in serial form. But the next day I picked it up again and found it delightful and so funny! Was it my own mood that had changed? I like to imagine that my brain mulled it over while I was sleeping and the book itself had cheered up my gloomy subconscious. On behalf of my mental health, thank you so much for selecting Diary of a Provincial Lady and hosting the Comfort Book Club.

[pamelapoet]

This was such a fun read and wonderful discussion--thank you! I adore the inner monologues, how they highlight, with such accuracy and humor, the tension between your essential and your social selves. And they draw the reader in like a confidante and friend. You just know that the Provincial Lady would have loved the Comfort Book Club! ❤