Old Style Inspiration Books

cheerfulness4

If you enjoyed Chris Stewart's 'walking over lemons' then try his other ones - 'Parrot in a pepper tree' and 'The almond appreciation society'.

I have come to love the next instalments of his families lives and finding out how his friends in the village are getting on. This series carries such a lovely 'feel good' feeling for down days.

A year in provence was another lovely foodie book. Really enjoyed that!

I did read a wonderful book about a couple who bought a vineyard in France. He eventually got sick and left France but she continued and turned the shambles into a great success with the villages help. Really annoyed I can't remember the name but I think the title was the name of the vineyard. hmmm. Ring any bells with anyone? Have a feeling it was dramatised on tv.

carol_a_3

I was an Enid Blyton fanatic too, still am on the quiet ( reading a Famous Five book in the garden in summer is great for alleviating a low mood ) I know she's totally un PC now but it's funny how all the food references stick in your mind. I remember the secret Island ones, I think there were about 3 of those altogether and how the children made the cow swim behind their boat to the Island. I loved Anne in the 5 books, she was quite the little homemaker even though she was the youngest. They seemed to live on tinned stuff and biscuits though aside from the "lashings of ginger beer, macaroons etc" Also the "Five find outers series" with the rubbish policeman Mr Goon, Fatty, Pip etc. They spent lots of time in old fashioned tea shops buying up the supply of sandwiches, cakes and Ice creams.

jinky67

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!

:beer: Thanks very much.I love these books more than anything else Ive ever read and I read a lot!This will be the 3rd time ive had these books but this time they will not get given away!

Mrs_Cupier

Gosh, it's rather like you have all been sitting in my living room looking at the bookshelf! I particularly like the Miss Read Thrush Green books for feeling OS about things - possibly because we used to live in the Cotswolds and Lulling didn't seem so very far away.

Anyway, the one I love that no-one's mentioned is 'The Diary of Farmer's Wife'. It's supposedly the diary of Ann Hughes from 1796-7 in rural Gloucestershire / Herefordshire, although more realistically it's probably a collection of folk memories about how life worked. It's full of little snippets of recipes for jugged hare and primrose wine and it really makes me want to start hemming sheets by the fire and making my own vinegar. But I might just be a bit funny that way.

It's sadly out of print now (took DH ages to find it for me last Christmas) but it is lovely if you can get hold of it.

thriftlady_2

Mrs_Cupier wrote: »

But I might just be a bit funny that way.

I'm a bit funny that way too

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Diary-Farmers-Wife-1796-97/dp/014005457X/ref=sr_1_8/202-4560088-2422211?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1175109692&sr=8-8 1p a bargain. They also have an unabridged audiobook version

Wiggly_Worm

Mrs_Cupier wrote: »

But I might just be a bit funny that way.

Yup, count me in too

OK, Wiggly Worm recommends:

Cider with Rosie by Laurie Lee - a beautiful beautiful book. I grew up near the Stroud valleys too, although never got to live in a tumbledown house with a delightfully mad mother and several siblings. His stories about carolling for shillings and various thrifty ways his mum had of doing things are wonderful.

Anything by Maya Angelou - if you need to be inspired about how to be dirt poor yet live and love by your cooking, this woman will do it. She could make a celebrity chef weep, I swear it. Real food indeed. There is one book I can't remember the name of, which is kind of a recipe book of her favourite dishes, but each recipe has a story with it. It's a wonderful read. I just wish I could remember what it was called... grr...

tinselfairy

Another one of those 'go to live the conutry life' books is

Urban Dreams, Rural Realities written by the former columnist in Country Living Daniel Butler and his partner Bel Crewe.

and also

My Small Country Living by Jeanine McMullen


On my bookshelf I've got the Chris Stewart ones and the Annie Hawes ones too which are all excellent.

HopeElizzy

I'm not sure this fits the criteria but I'll tell you anyway.........

I always find myself drooling while reading any of Joanne Harris' books that seem centred around family life and what they're cooking. Obviously Chocolat but also Five Quarters of the Orange and Blackberry Wine are good. If you don't fancy reading Chocolat you could always watch the film and drool over Johnny depp as well as the chocolate!!

carol_a_3

I love all the Joanne Harris books (and Johnny Depp too!)

I also love Adriana Trigiani's books, mainly set in America but she does visit Italy to find her roots and describes the way of life, food etc in detail.

kitaj

I finished 'The Secret Life of Bees' in September and enrolled straightaway on a bee-keeping course. I just want to live that life.....