Old Style Inspiration Books

thriftlady_2

Lusignan wrote: »

I've never read them, but I think I'd like to. I only vaguely remember the TV show.

Not the same thing at all The books are much better, no sentimental stories, just an account of life in 19th century pioneering America. They're more about self sufficiency than anything.

thriftlady_2

Plum_Pie wrote: »

The Little House books are awesome - I couldn't stomach the TV show.

You can get a box set from Amazon for £20

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Little-House-Collection-Full-Color/dp/0060754281/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/203-4971111-5411105?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1174641455&sr=8-1

I only own '...Big Woods', I bought it in a charity shop for 20p!

Thanks Plum Pie,that's on my wishlist. The illustrations by Garth Williams are lovely too.

Gingernutmeg

I agree about the Helen Forrester books - there are two more in the series, 'By the waters of Liverpool' and 'Lime Street at two'. They are great books, heartbreaking but also inspiring, and ones that I turn to when I'm in need of comfort! I would also recommend one of her novels, 'Yes Mama' - it's such a relief that we don't have to work like that any more!

'Hidden Lives' by Margaret Forster is also great - it's a biography/autobiography where she looks at the lives of herself, her mother and her grandmother. Really interesting, and again it's amazing to think just how difficult runnig a home was back then.

'Precious Bane' by Mary Webb is another book that's similar to the Flora Thompson, although it's a novel and it has a bit more 'fantasy' in it. Lovely descriptions of country life and traditions though, and it's a wonderful love story. 'I capture the castle' by Dodie Smith is also one of my favourite books - it's not strictly OS but there are wonderful descriptions of how to manage life when you're impoverished and living in a ruined castle!

Oh, and 'Goodnight Mr Tom' is possibly my favourite children's book - again, it has great desriptions of country life.

Alfietinker

Ahhh, Little House - my dad used to read them to us as kids - brings back memories!

catznine

Any of the Lillian Beckwith books are good. She wrote about her time on a croft in the Western Isles (A rope in Case, the loud halo, the hills is lonely) and also a Hebridean Cookbook (published by Arrow) You might be able to get them in charity shops, amazon or ebay. Well worth it as they are very readable and the recipes are good though one section includes recipes for "Donald Bhan's bad cow"!:eek: It kept breaking the fence and straying too close to the cliffs edge! My favourite recipe is for her cinnamon biscuits. The recipes all have a story to go with them.

I too love the little House on the Prairie books and have the cookbook somewhere as well. I got mine from Amazon.com

Catz x

Peem

On the "Little House Theme"

I was overjoyed to read about "Sugar Snow" in "Roast Figs Sugar Snow"(Diana someone, book's downstairs and I'm upstairs, sorry)

One of the things I remember is Laura and her cousins making sugar snow at Christmas (I think!)

And I agree, the books are sooo much better than the TV. The first series was ok - but then they went too sentimental for me

thriftlady_2

Amazon.co.uk have it too Catz, I recommend it too although I enjoyed it more as an interesting read rather than a cookbook.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Little-House-Cookbook-Frontier-Ingalls/dp/0064460908/ref=sr_1_1/202-4560088-2422211?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1174649780&sr=1-1

lilmisskitkat

larmy16 wrote: »

Twopence to cross the Mersey, and Liverpool Miss - not really old style more like a heartbreaking reminder of how lucky we are. By Helen Forrester, they caused me to shed more than a few tears.

I was just going to say the same thing! I love those books, made me truly appreciate what i have and how sad it was that growing up, Helen didn't have even the most basic things like plenty to eat, warm clothes, basic hygeine, a warm bed etc that we take for granted. I read the first one from the library then had to go out and buy the other 3 because i was hooked, i was in tears most of the way through them lol

Also Angelas Ashes, some of the Catherine Cookson, Josephine Cox novels, Our Kid by Billy Hopkins, Cracks in the Ceiling and Broken Biscuit by John Cowell (set in my neck of the woods, Burnley at the turn of the century).

Kate xxx

katieowl_2

catznine wrote: »

Hovel in the Hills, Garden in the Hills and Kitchen in the Hills by Elizabeth West are worth a read! Check ebay for them! She and her husband moved to a little cottage in Wales in the 60's and grew most of their own food and managed on very little money. She writes very well and the recipes are very good, have used many of them myself.

Oh yes...they are wonderful!!! Not so much the recipe book (which a very kind lady on freecycle gave me, after I'd read the other two) but Hovel and Garden are amazing! I'm looking to move to Wales myself next year, and they certainly give a great sense of what you need to be able to do if you live in the middle of nowhere with very little money. (I think I'm up to it LOL!)

I'd love to find out what happened to The Wests, as they gave up the cottage at the end of the second book - anyone know?????

Regards

Kate

twink

if you go to the library look out for books by Christine Marion Fraser, Rosamund Pilcher and Croft in the hills by Katharine Stewart