Excellent Women (Penguin Classics)

...such an excellent woman." And a bit later in the novel: "`You could consider marrying an excellent woman?' I asked in amazement. "But they are not for marrying.'" Barbara Pym's use of the title phrase is wryly ironic throughout the book. The women of excellence are the self-effacing, non-entities, bound for, or have already embraced, what was once called spinsterhood. They often found fulfillment clustered in church auxiliaries, polishing the brass candles, and arranging the flowers for the much more important pastor, a male, who was in charge, and who would patronizingly "compliment" them with that phrase. The novel is told through the eyes of Mildred Lathbury, one of literature's unforgettable, empathetic characters. She is 30ishs. The period is early post-Second World War England. Some of the worship services are depicted in a church that still has its bomb damage un-repaired. The other characters are less sympathetic, and include Rockingham and Helena Napier, and the pastor Julian Malory and his sister, Winfred. The Napier's have moved into a "flat" downstairs, and indicative of the housing shortage of the period, share the common bathroom with Mildred. "Rocky" is a de-mobbed naval officer, rather shallow, whose previous duties included rendering solace to WRENS (British female naval officers) in Italy. His wife Helena is an anthropologist, who doesn't do the housekeeping well. Helena's colleague, Everard is also an anthropologist, and via both one gains insight into the workings of their profession, as well as the associated "learned" societies. The arrival of Allegra Grey, recently widowed from a clergyman, with her eyes on Pastor Malory, adds additional drama to the novel. But the drama is never high; the issues are not all-encompassing and grandiose. As Ms Lathbury says: "I wondered that she should waste so much energy fighting over a little matter like wearing hats in chapel, but then I told myself that, after all, life was like that for most of us--the small unpleasantness rather than the great tragedies; the little useless longings rather than the great renunciations and dramatic love affairs of history or fiction." Pym epitomizes classic understated British humor. She has that deft touch of selecting the precise detail that will resonate with the reader, and flesh out words that we use daily in graphic images. Clearly Mildred Lathbury is "self-effacing," and who could ever forget that after passages like: "I began taking off my apron and tidying my hair, apologizing as I did so, in what I felt was a stupid, fussy way, for my appearance. As if anyone would care how I looked or even notice me, I told myself scornfully." Or latter, when William has taken her to lunch, and he says, of the Nuits St. George wine: "`A tolerable wine, Mildred,' he said, `unpretentious, but I think you will like it.' `Unpretentious, just like me,' I said stupidly, touching the feather in my brown hat.'" Another complementary theme throughout the novel is how all the other characters routinely impose their problems upon Mildred. She realized it, but normally accepts them, and attempts to resolve them. At some level, I found the novel a wonderful antidote for any desire to live in a more integrated community. The anonymous life of the big city has much to be said for it. Pym also weaves a certain level of erudition throughout the novel, which most likely reflected the actual level of the characters, before the days of television. For example, the Pastor quotes Keats to Mildred, all too fittingly: I cannot see what flowers are at my feet Nor what soft incense hangs upon the boughs. Mildred thinks the last line would be a great title for a novel; I checked at Amazon, and yes, it is still `available.' As for observations on the human condition, consider Mildred's comment: "Yes, men are sometimes taken in. They don't ever quite see the terrible depths that we do." Does Mildred get "rescued" from spinsterhood, as every empathetic reader would hope? Yet another compelling reason to read this marvelous, "balanced and sensible", in a very British sort of way, 5-star plus novel.

This period piece, written in 1950, reflects life, especially for unmarried women, in post-war London. It also reflects the style of writing that was created in that time as well as the dry humor that we still see sometimes today in British stories. Mildred Lathbury, a woman in her early thirties, is the daughter of a clergyman who lives alone and works in the mornings at an agency that helps impoverished gentlewomen. We never learn what she does there. She is certain on a practical level that she will never marry yet daydreams about the men she meets. They include Father Julian Mallory from the nearby High Anglican church she attends; Rocky Napier who moves into the apartment below hers with his wife Helena; and Helena’s fellow archaeologist Everard Bone. The title refers to the unmarried women who help men with all sorts of chores, do grunt work for the churches and are mostly unseen. Nothing significant happens in the novel, but it makes an interesting read.

What you should know is that it is a British comedy of manners, so the "comedy" is understated and dry. The humor comes from Mildred, a 30 something "spinster" who is heavily involved in her church, and the people around her that drag her into their somewhat messy lives. The book ambles along with a mild climax where all of these seem to come to a head, and then sort of drops off leaving you to wonder what you just read. It was worth the read, there were times I laughed (as a member of the Anglican community some of the judgy "High" and "Low" church conversations made me chuckle), but all in all it was really about... nothing. I don't feel better or worse for having read it, just the passage of a little time.

I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Mildred and found her commentary to be engaging and witty without being in the least bit "preciously clever." Yes, not very much really happens here and from the outside it could appear that hers is one of those lives of "quiet desperation" (ala Eleanor Rigby) that British fiction from the late 40's and early 50's seem to be full of but this is not the case. Mildred held my interest completely as I tore through this delightful book in a 2 day period and I felt nothing but warmth and comfort which emanated from this most excellent woman. If a reader has never had any exposure to the subtle nature of British manners this book might come off as a bit slow but it was my cup of tea so to speak in that it had a bubbling core of slight hilarity which just made Mildred someone I would certainly wish to spend lots of time with. Her equanimity and unflappable nature are very fun to encounter. The writing of this time period is not peopled with the cynical angst driven pathetic whiners we find so prevalent today and is not intent on its "message" but is rather about ordinary people living an ordinary and well-ordered life and I for one sure do find that a welcome thing to read and enjoy and it is a welcome change from all the "serious" pap that now seems to pass for "modern fiction." One MUST take into account the time period in which this was written to be able to truly appreciate it. To the one star review responses I would say that if you are not a Jane Austen fan why in the world would you even read this book? All the available criticism that I encountered prior to reading this book mentioned that connection which is one of the things that drew me to it. Yes it is true if you don't like Janey you will most likely hate this book as well so to criticize it for that reason seems way off the beam to me. It would be like me ( an ardent non-fan of Sci-Fi and Fantasy) to read Tolkein and then complain that the work is peopled with dwarves and walking trees!) If you already don't like the genre then why read any of it? Also I would venture to suggest that most critics who don't like this one have never had the experience of knowing a somewhat quirky yet thoroughly delightful British gal. They are truly in a class all by themselves and I, for one, just simply adore them. This was one of my favorite reading experiences and I can highly recommend it especially to fans of Jane Austen and anyone who likes all things English.

Absolutely charming little gem from a bygone era. Set in Britain post-war, but not too far out (rationing and destroyed buildings are referred to, as is the husbands returning from Italy), Mildred is a spinster of independent means, with a part time interest in the charity she works in, and a dedicated churchgoer. The beauty is in the descriptions of life as Mildred sees it - the relationships between friends, spouses, acquaintances, and the day to day as one goes through a little slice of her life. If you can get over the era-appropriate sexism and opinions, it’s a little break from the modern world, seen through an acute eye and well worded diarist.

Excellent women is my first Pym and after reading it I have ordered several more. It's not the plot of this book that's remarkable, it's the character portrayal. The book though set around second world war does not deal with the grim reality of that time rather touches it in a very superficial way. The book is more about little problems people face in their lives. for anyone on the lookout for a comfortable yet interesting read must have this on their shelves.

A lovely time capsule read full of light humour; so well observed.

It's post WW2 London. Mildred is going about her day to day life in her flat and in the High Church of England parish of which she is one of the vertebrae of the backbone. Nothing changes, yet new people come and go into that rather staid life, nothing ver exciting happens but one can't stop reading -something might happen at any moment. This book is not escape literature. It introduces deeply believable and quite ordinary people, with all the small hopes and fears and pleasures anybody might have.

Humour anglais, élégante amertume, un régal !