Lark Rise To Candleford

Flora Thompson (1876 to 947) wrote what may be the quintessential distillation of English country life at the turn of the twentieth century. In 1945, the three books Lark Rise (1939), Over to Candleford (1941), and Candleford Green (1943) were published together in one elegant volume, and this new omnibus Nonpareil edition, complete with charming wood engravings, should be a cause for real rejoicing. The books have inspired two plays that ran in London, and the trilogy has been adapted into a multi-part, long-running television drama series by the BBC. The first series of ten episodes is scheduled to be syndicated on various PBS stations throughout the United States. A second series of twelve episodes, currently being broadcast in the United Kingdom, will follow in the United States shortly after.

Lark RiseFlora ThompsonFlora Thompson (5 December 1876 - 21 May 1947) was an English novelist and poet best known for her semi-autobiographical trilogy about the English countryside, Lark Rise to Candleford.

Book Excerpt: ...st and meals and other domestic matters were timed by them. To keep thus ahead of time was an old custom in many country families which was probably instituted to ensure the early rising of man and maid in the days when five or even four o'clock was not thought an unreasonably early hour at which to begin the day's work. The smiths still began work at six and Zillah, the maid, was downstairs before seven, by which time Miss Lane and, later, Laura, was also up and sorting the morning mail.The kitchen was a large room with a flagstone floor and two windows, beneath which stood a long, solid-looking table large enough to accommodate the whole household at mealtimes. The foreman and three young unmarried smiths lived in the house, and each of these had his own place at table. Miss Lane, in a higher chair than the others, known as a carving-chair, sat enthroned at the head of the table, then, on the side facing the windows, came Laura and Matthew, the foreman, with a long space of tablecloth between them, .

While the Lark Rise to Candleford trilogy, Flora Thompson's much-loved portrait of life in the English countryside, has inspired a hit television series, relatively little is known about the author herself. In this highly original book, bestselling biographer and nature writer Richard Mabey sympathetically retraces her life and her transformation from a post-office clerk who left school at fourteen to a sophisticated professional writer. Revealing how a formidable imagination can arise from the humblest of beginnings, Dreams of the Good Life paints a poignant, unforgettable portrait of a working-class woman writer's struggle for creative expression.

"Lark Rise to Candleford" is a semi-autobiographical trilogy that presents a beautiful portrayal of country life at the end of the 19th century. This story of three Oxfordshire communities is based on the author's experiences during childhood and youth. It describes May Day celebrations and forgotten amusements, the lives of farmworkers and artisans, friends and relatives etc. Everything in this trilogy is painted with joy and new observation, making it an evocative and sensitive memorial to Victorian rural England.

'The world was at the beginning of a new era, the era of machinery and scientific discovery. Values and conditions of life were changing everywhere. Even to simple country people the change was apparent - But side by side with these changes, the old country civilization lingered. Traditions and customs which had lasted for centuries did not die out in a moment.' - Lark Rise to Candleford, Flora Thompson.

Flora Thompson's immortal trilogy, containing "Lark Rise", "Over to Candleford" and "Candleford Green", is a heartwarming portrayal of country life at the close of the 19th century. This story of three closely related Oxfordshire communities-a hamlet, the nearby village and a small market town-is based on the author's experiences during childhood and youth. It chronicles May Day celebrations and forgotten children's games, the daily lives of farmworkers and craftsmen, friends and relations-all painted with a gaiety and freshness of observation that make this trilogy an evocative and sensitive memorial to Victorian rural England.

Still Glides the Stream is a novel penned by British author Flora Jane Thompson. Thompson's narrative gracefully captures the nuances of rural life, her characters' stories unfolding against the idyllic yet unforgiving backdrop of the English countryside. Her evocative and detailed descriptions paint a vivid picture that immerses readers in the world she presents, making her books a treasure for those who appreciate literature with a strong sense of place.