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Rumer Godden's The Diddakoi won the 1972 Whitbread Children's Book
Award. Everyone in Kizzy's town hates her because she's half-gypsy
- a diddakoi. But Kizzy doesn't care. All she needs is Gran and her
horse, Joe. But when Gran dies and their wagon burns down, Kizzy is
all alone. No one wants to look after her and her beloved Joe might
get sent to the knacker's yard. Can Kizzy survive in a hostile
world - and save Joe?
Tottie is a loving little wooden doll who lives with her family in
a shoebox. The doll family is owned by two sisters, Emily and
Charlotte, and they are very happy, except for one thing: they long
for a proper home. To their delight, their wish comes true when
Emily and Charlotte fix up a Victorian dolls' house - just for
them. It's perfect. But then a new arrival starts to wreak havoc in
the dolls' house. For Marchpane might be a wonderfully beautiful
doll, but she is also terribly cruel. And she always gets her own
way . . . First published in 1947, Rumer Godden's classic The
Dolls' House has been delighting children for years, and this
beautiful edition, illustrated by Jane Ray, will delight future
generations for years to come.
A tense, evocative, portrait of love and deceit set during one long
hot summer in France, The Greengage Summer is a hauntingly
beautiful coming-of-age story by from Rumer Godden, the author of
Black Narcissus, a major BBC drama series. When their mother is
suddenly taken ill on holiday, five siblings are left to fend for
themselves at the elegant, faded hotel, Les Oeillets. Under the
increasingly jealous gaze of the glamorous patronne, Mademoiselle
Zizi, the children gravitate towards her mysterious and charming
lover, Eliot, for comfort. And, amongst the gnarled trees of the
old orchards, thirteen-year-old Cecil watches from the side lines
as her achingly beautiful sister, Joss, is drawn into the heart of
a toxic affair. 'Rumer Godden's novels pulse with life' - Daily
Telegraph 'One of the finest. . .English novelists' - New York
Times 'An exciting tale, this novel has both charm and atmosphere'
- Evening Standard
From Rumer Godden, the acclaimed author of Black Narcissus returns
again to her beloved India with a novel brimming with heart, wit,
unforgettable characters, and 'a sense of timelessness reminiscent
of E. M. Forster' (The Times). Hotel owner Auntie Sanni has
entertained all manner of guests during her many years as hostess
at Patna Hall, a popular vacation spot on the lush Coromandel
coast. Now, with an election coming, business is especially brisk,
and her hotel is packed with Indian politicians, British diplomats,
journalists, American tourists - even an elephant, and a woman of
mystery or two. Among the vacationers are Mary and Blaise, a young
English couple on their honeymoon. But where Mary is enchanted by
the colours, sounds and vibrant Indian life, prim and priggish
Blaise sees only squalor, sordidness and a Coromandel Sea teeming
with sharks. Matters are only made worse when Mary becomes
interested in local Indian politics - particularly the handsome,
exquisitely spoken candidate Krishnan, whose kindness and wisdom
are like a balm for her spirit . . .
At fifteen and twelve, the daughters of diplomat Sir Edward
Gwithiam have already seen more of the world than most girls of
their age. But when Una and her younger sister, Halcyon, are
summoned from their English boarding school to join their father in
New Delhi, they encounter a reality unlike anything they have ever
experienced. For Hal, India is a glorious adventure, filled with
exotic sights and sounds, and a host of interesting new people. But
Una feels like an outsider in this world of ingrained racial
prejudice and cultural elitism left over from the days of the
British Raj. Then Ravi, a young Indian gardener, brings a welcome
light into Una's life, relieving her sadness and loneliness with
poetry and compassion. But what begins as a simple friendship soon
blossoms into a love forbidden by society, threatening to end in
scandal and disaster. The Peacock Spring is a beautiful and
heartbreaking novel of loss of innocence and coming-of-age from the
acclaimed author of Black Narcissus and The Greengage Summer.
The old woman is happy living in her old vinegar bottle house by a
loch, until one day she saves a charming fish prince who grants her
wishes in return. At first the old woman's wishes are humble -- a
hot dinner and a little cottage -- but as she asks for more and
more extravagant things she forgets how happy she used to be in her
little vinegar bottle house with her cat, Malt. Can her wishes
truly bring her happiness? This traditional tale is adapted with
charm and humour by Rumer Godden, one of the twentieth-century's
best-loved writers, while the beautiful artwork of best-selling
illustrator Mairi Hedderwick, creator of Katie Morag, give the
story a Scottish twist! Featuring beautiful Scottish landscapes and
lively characters, The Old Woman Who Lived in a Vinegar Bottle is a
wonderful traditional tale to share with young children.
A sixteen-year-old girl captures the dangerous attention of an
older man in this New York Times-bestselling novel by the author of
Black Narcissus. Soon after the end of the terrible Great War, Mrs.
Grey brings her five young children to the French countryside for
the summer in hopes of instilling in them a sense of history and
humility. But when she is struck down by a sudden illness and
hospitalized, the siblings are left to fend for themselves at the
lovely, bullet-scarred hotel Les Oeillets, under the suspicious,
watchful eyes of its owner, Mademoiselle Zizi. The young ones find
a willing guide, companion, and protector in charming Englishman
Eliot, a longtime resident at Les Oeillets and Mlle. Zizi's
apparent paramour. But as these warm days of freedom, discovery,
and adolescent adventure unfold, Eliot's interest becomes more and
more focused on the eldest of the Grey children, sixteen-year-old
daughter Joss. The older man's obsession with the innocent,
alluring, heartbreakingly beautiful woman-child soon threatens to
overstep all bounds of propriety. And as Eliot's fascination
increases, so does the jealousy of his disrespected lover, adding
fuel to a dangerously smoldering fire that could erupt into
unexpected violence at any moment. Told from the point of view of
Cecil, Joss's sharp-eyed younger sister, The Greengage Summer is a
beautiful, poignant, darkly tinged coming-of-age story rich in the
sights, smells, and sounds of France's breathtaking Champagne
country. It remains one of the crowning literary achievements of
Rumer Godden, acclaimed author of beloved classics Black Narcissus,
The River, and In This House of Brede.
A beautifully illustrated cover edition of Rumer Godden's classic
story about friendship and family, Miss Happiness and Miss Flower.
When little Nona is sent from her sunny home in India to live with
her relatives in chilly England, she is miserable. Then a box
arrives for her in the post and inside, wrapped up in tissue paper,
are two little Japanese dolls. A slip of paper says their names are
Miss Happiness and Miss Flower. Nona thinks that they must feel
lonely too, so far away from home. Then Nona has an idea - she will
build her dolls the perfect house! It will be just like a Japanese
home in every way. It will even have a tiny Japanese garden. And as
she begins to make Miss Happiness and Miss Flower happy, Nona finds
that she is happier too.
A tense, evocative, portrait of love and deceit set during one long
hot summer in France, The Greengage Summer is a hauntingly
beautiful coming-of-age story by from Rumer Godden, the author of
Black Narcissus, now a major BBC drama series. When their mother is
suddenly taken ill on holiday, five siblings are left to fend for
themselves at the elegant, faded hotel, Les Oeillets. Under the
increasingly jealous gaze of the glamorous patronne, Mademoiselle
Zizi, the children gravitate towards her mysterious and charming
lover, Eliot, for comfort. And, amongst the gnarled trees of the
old orchards, thirteen-year-old Cecil watches from the sidelines as
her achingly beautiful sister, Joss, is drawn into the heart of a
toxic affair. Designed to appeal to the booklover, the Macmillan
Collector's Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much
loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector's Library are books to
love and treasure.
A New York Times-bestselling novel of the lives, loves, and foibles
of five generations of a British family occupying a manor house in
Wales. For nearly one hundred and fifty years the Quin family has
lived at China Court, their magnificent estate in the Welsh
countryside. The land, gardens, and breathtaking home have been
maintained, cherished, and ultimately passed along--from Eustace
and Adza in the early nineteenth century to
village-girl-turned-lady-of-the-manor Ripsie Quin, her children,
and her granddaughter, Tracy, in the twentieth. Brilliantly
intermingling the past and the present, China Court is a sweeping
family saga that weaves back and forth through time. The story
begins at the end, in 1960, with the death of the indomitable
Ripsie, whose dream of a life at the grand estate was realized
through her marriage to the steadfast Quin brother who loved
her--though he wasn't the one she had always loved. With thrilling
literary leaps across the decades, the story of a British dynasty
is told in enthralling detail. It is a chronicle of wives and
husbands; of mothers, sons, and daughters; of those who could never
stray far from the lush grounds of China Court and the outcasts and
outsiders who would never truly belong. Bearing comparison to One
Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel GarcÃa Márquez, Rumer
Godden's novel relates the history of a family with sensitivity,
wit, compassion, and a compelling touch of magical realism. A
family's loves, pains, triumphs, and scandals are laid bare,
forming an intricate tapestry of heart-wrenching humanity, in a
remarkable work of fiction from one of the most acclaimed British
novelists of the twentieth century.
By the author of Black Narcissus and The River 'Rumer Godden's
novels have a timeless shimmer' GUARDIAN 'One hundred years after
her birth, Rumer Godden's novels still pulse with life' MATTHEW
DENNISON, TELEGRAPH 'Her craftsmanship is always sure' NEW YORK
TIMES 'The motto was Pax but the word was set in a circle of
thorns. Peace, but what a strange peace, made of unremitting toil
and effort . . .' Bruised by tragedy, Philippa Talbot leaves behind
a successful career with the civil service for a new calling: to
join an enclosed order of Benedictine nuns. In this small community
of fewer than one hundred women, she soon discovers all the human
frailties: jealousy, love, despair. But each crisis of heart and
conscience is guided by the compassion and intelligence of the
Abbess and by the Sisters' shared bond of faith and ritual. Away
from the world, and yet at one with it, Philippa must learn to
forgive and forget her past . . .
Ivy, Holly, and Mr. and Mrs. Jones all have one Christmas wish.
Ivy, an orphan, wishes for a real home and sets out in search of
the grandmother she's sure she can find. Holly, a doll, wishes for
a child to bring her to life. And the Joneses wish more than
anything for a son or daughter to share their holiday. Can all
three wishes come true? This festive tale is perfectly complemented
by beloved Barbara Cooney's luminous illustrations, filled with the
warm glow of the Christmas spirit.
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Black Narcissus (Paperback)
Rumer Godden; Introduction by Rosie Thomas
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R308
R251
Discovery Miles 2 510
Save R57 (19%)
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Ships in 9 - 15 working days
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NOW A HAUNTING BBC DRAMA, STARRING GEMMA ARTERTON AND DIANA RIGG 'A
remarkable and beautiful book' DAILY TELEGRAPH 'I envy anyone
reading it for the first time' AMANDA COE '[Godden has] a genius
for storytelling' EVENING STANDARD High in the Himalayas, the
mountaintop palace shines like a jewel. Built for the General's
harem, laughter and music once floated out over the gorge. Now it
sits abandoned, windswept and haunting. The palace is bestowed to
the Sisters of Mary, and what was once known as 'the House of
Women' becomes the Convent of St Faith. Close to the heavens, the
nuns feel inspired, working fervently to establish their school and
hospital. But as the isolation and emptiness of the mountain become
increasingly unsettling, passions long repressed emerge with tragic
consequences . . .
Doone Penny is a child with a gift - he was born to dance. But
though others recognise his talent, there is little encouragement
from his family. His mother preens over his pretty sister, Crystal,
also a dancer, but fiercely competitive and vain. Doone's father
would never allow a son of his to have ballet lessons, and his
brothers think he's a sissy. But Doone has passion and ambition
beyond his years, and knows he can succeed, if only he is given the
chance. If he can make it into Queen's Chase, Her Majesty's Junior
Ballet School, he'll show them all ...
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Black Narcissus (Hardcover)
Rumer Godden; Introduction by Rosie Thomas
1
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R471
R385
Discovery Miles 3 850
Save R86 (18%)
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Ships in 9 - 15 working days
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NOW A HAUNTING BBC DRAMA, STARRING GEMMA ARTERTON AND DIANA RIGG 'A
remarkable and beautiful book' DAILY TELEGRAPH 'I envy anyone
reading it for the first time' AMANDA COE '[Godden has] a genius
for storytelling' EVENING STANDARD High in the Himalayas, the
mountaintop palace shines like a jewel. Built for the General's
harem, laughter and music once floated out over the gorge. Now it
sits abandoned, windswept and haunting. The palace is bestowed to
the Sisters of Mary, and what was once known as 'the House of
Women' becomes the Convent of St Faith. Close to the heavens, the
nuns feel inspired, working fervently to establish their school and
hospital. But as the isolation and emptiness of the mountain become
increasingly unsettling, passions long repressed emerge with tragic
consequences . . .
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Mouse House (Hardcover)
Rumer Godden; Illustrated by Adrienne Adams
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R509
R422
Discovery Miles 4 220
Save R87 (17%)
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Ships in 10 - 15 working days
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Ghosts past, present, and future haunt an old London house in this
masterful work of fiction from a New York Times bestselling author.
'A genius for storytelling' EVENING STANDARD 'One of our best and
most original novelists' PHILIP HENSHER 'Her craftsmanship is
always sure . . . pure, delicate, and gently witty' NEW YORK TIMES
Grizel Dane, a bold young servicewoman in the US army, arrives at
the London home of her great-uncle Sir Rollo Dane, seeking refuge
from the chaos of wartime. Through the old man, Grizel learns the
surprising history of the Dane family and Lark Ingoldsby. Orphaned
by a train crash, Lark was taken in by the Danes as an adoptive
daughter but soon found herself caught in a web of sibling rivalry,
love and attrition. Selina Dane, racked with jealousy, sets out to
destroy Lark's dreams of love. When Grizel falls for Pax Masterson,
a wounded airman, Rollo urges her to seize her chance for
happiness, as he was not able to. A century of a family's history
remains alive and vibrant within these walls, the events that
defined their lives unfolding over and over again. But that living
history is not ending quite yet, for the war is bringing a stranger
from America to Number 99 Wiltshire Place to leave her indelible
mark on it. A different kind of ghost story, Rumer Godden's
poignant, stylistically brilliant A Fugue in Time is a story rich
in wonder, imagination, and heart - a favourite for the many
devoted fans of the bestselling author of Black Narcissus and In
This House of Brede. A passionate story of romance and tragedy also
inspired the classic film Enchantment starring David Niven and
Teresa Wright.
By the author of Black Narcissus and The Diddakoi comes the moving
tale of Dark Invader, a powerful racehorse. 'One of our best and
most captivating novelists' Philip Hensher '[Godden's] distinctive,
poised and unsentimental books have never lost a shred of their
almost hypnotic appeal' Rosie Thomas, Guardian 'All horses can walk
- some badly, some well, but to a few is given a gift of movement
feline in its grace, a slouching, flowing continuous movement that
is a joy to watch. Dark Invader strode in glorious rhythm, his
great shoulders rolling, muscles rippling along his flanks under
the satin skin.' Dark Invader is a beautifully bred racehorse, but
after a disappointing first season he is sold in disgrace and
shipped from England to Calcutta. With love and gentle handling,
'Darkie' wins the hearts of the people and becomes the firm
favourite for India's most famous race, the Viceroy Cup. But three
days before the race Dark Invader disappears. Can he be found
before it is too late? Dubbed 'one of the greatest horse books ever
written,' follow Dark Invader's journey, now available as a Virago
Modern Classic.
By the author of Black Narcissus and The River 'Godden was a writer
who constantly drew on her own life experiences' ROSIE THOMAS,
GUARDIAN 'Her prose is pure, delicate, and gently witty' NEW YORK
TIMES 'It has the rare illusive charm, the flashes of wit' KIRKUS
REVIEWS Tracy Quinn, daughter of a screen star and raised on film
sets around the world, returns to her adored family home, a country
house named China Court. Her grandmother's recent death has set in
motion events that threaten Tracy's future and the very existence
of China Court. As Tracy fights to save the old house, inhabited by
five generations of Quinns, the ancestors who created it are
evoked: profligate, faithless Jared; Eliza, the embittered
spinster; and Ripsie, an outcast orphan who rose to become the
powerful matriarch. China Court is the story of the hours and days
of a country house in Cornwall and five generations of the family
who inhabited it.
By the author of Black Narcissus and The Diddakoi With a foreword
by JACQUELINE WILSON 'A masterpiece of construction and utterly
realistically convincing...Rumer Godden's writing is admired for
many qualities . . . but I think her greatest strength is her
accurate, unsentimental portrayal of children' Jacqueline Wilson
Someone has been digging up the private garden in the Square. Miss
Angela Chesney of the Garden Committee is sure that a gang of local
boys is to blame, but her sister, Olivia, isn't so sure. She
wonders why the neighbourhood children - 'sparrows', she calls them
- have to be locked out: don't they have a right to enjoy the
garden too? Nobody has any idea what sends Lovejoy Mason and her
few friends in search of 'good garden earth'. Still less do they
imagine where their investigation will lead them - to a struggling
restaurant, a bombed-out church, and, at the heart of it all, a
hidden garden. 'Only Rumer Godden could make a simple tale of a
forbidden garden pulse with suspense' New York Herald Tribune Book
Review
By the author of Black Narcissus and The River 'One of our best and
most captivating novelists' Philip Hensher 'Her craftsmanship is
always sure; her understanding of character is compassionate and
profound; her prose is pure, delicate, and gently witty' New York
Times In a crumbling Calcutta mansion, with faded frescos and a
jasmine-covered garden, the Lemarchant family live, clinging to the
fringes of respectability: neither Indian nor English, they are
accepted by no one and exploited by all. After only a day in India,
Stephen Bright meets Rosa Lemarchant. In an ill-fitting dress once
belonging to her sister, she is awkward and shy, and couldn't be
more different from the stories he has heard of fast 'Eurasian'
girls. Ignorant of Calcutta's strict codes of conformity, he falls
in love with Rosa and becomes enchanted by the building in which
she lives, determined to uncover its secrets. Mystery pervades this
story of a memory-haunted house in old Calcutta, as secret as a
sundial in a ruined garden.
Five nuns confront nature--physical and human--in a remote
Himalayan convent in the bestselling novel that inspired the new FX
miniseries. Under the guidance of Sister Clodagh, the youngest
Mother Superior in the history of their order, five European
Sisters of the Servants of Mary leave their monastery in
Darjeeling, India, and make their way to remote Mopu in the
foothills of the Himalayan Mountains. There, in the opulent,
abandoned palace where an Indian general housed his harem, the holy
sisters hope to establish a school and a health clinic. Their aim
is to help combat superstition, ignorance, and disease among the
mistrusting natives in the village below, and to silence the doubts
of their royal benefactor's agent, the hard-drinking and somewhat
disreputable Mr. Dean. But all too soon, the isolation, the ghosts
and lurid history, and the literally breathtaking beauty of this
high, lonely place in the Asian mountains begin to take a serious
toll on Sister Clodagh and her fellow nuns. And their burdens may
prove too heavy to bear, exposing a vulnerable humanity that
threatens to undermine the best intentions of the purest hearts.
The basis for the Golden Globe and Academy Award-winning motion
picture starring Deborah Kerr, as well as the new miniseries on FX
starring Gemma Arterton, Black Narcissus has been universally
praised for its poignancy, passion, and rich evocation of a time
and place. An intensely human story of devotion, faith, and
madness, this beloved novel by the New York Times-bestselling
author of In This House of Brede stands among the finest fiction
written in the twentieth century. "Bears comparison with A Passage
to India." --Arthur Koestler
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