I once heard someone describe a novel by Alexander McCall Smith thus: "Nothing happens, but it happens beautifully". The same could be said of E. F. Benson's "Mapp & Lucia" series of books, the first of which, "Queen Lucia", I've just been re-reading for the umpteenth time and with as much pleasure as ever.
"We will pay anything for Lucia books" said Noel Coward, Nancy Mitford, Gertrude Lawrence and W.H. Auden, and I'd add my name to that illustrious list of fans because these books are wonderful. If you seek action, drama, plot, you won't find them here, but if you want a comedy of manners, a miniature portrait of polite society in 1920s England, petty snobberies and cultural oneupmanship, all of it served up on the daintiest of dishes (complete with obligatory finger bowl doily) then look no further.
Lucia herself is Mrs. Emmeline Lucas, player of Beethoven, speaker of Dante's Italian, lover of Shakespeare, arbiter of taste. She rules her village, Riseholme, as self-appointed queen of culture and refinement until the opera singer Olga Bracely takes up residence and converts the village to more bohemian habits, and Lucia is forced to "compose her face to a suitable wince".
The daily doings of Riseholme society are chronicled in detail for the most insignificant incident there is noteworthy enough "to cause one of those little thrills of pleasant excitement and conjecture which daily supplied [the village] with its emotional bread." Lunches, dinners, garden parties and 'romps' are the settings for the social posturings this book delights in, and where Lucia herself is hostess, her precise dress code: Hitum, meaning absolute best, Titum, still formal but slightly less smart, and Scrub, the lowest rank of the sartorial scale, must be rigidly adhered to, for otherwise chaos would surely result!
Clever, witty, beautifully observed, E.F Benson's books are enchanting, so put on your pearls, girls ladies and discover a delight!
Your post today 'forced me to compose my face to a suitable smile'. What beautiful illustrations. I love Mrs. Emmeline Lucas' coat - I would have no use for it, but it is lovely!
Posted by: Peg | 15 January 2007 at 04:31 PM
A fellow Luciaphil! Lovely illustrations. Benson came from such an interesting, indeed intriguing family - I wonder if anyone has written about them.
Posted by: Pillowbookblogger | 15 January 2007 at 05:18 PM
The book you sent arrived today, wrapped in cornflower blue. Karen, I am delighted with the Pursuit of Love, it is an inspired choice with a keen sense of humour. Back in my university days I had enjoyed reading Love in a Cold Climate. Well winter is finally here as today we have a huge snowstorm-- perfect weather to curl up and enjoy my new book. Thanks again Karen.
Posted by: Lucette | 15 January 2007 at 09:26 PM
I have been a fan of E F Benson for a long time - I have many of his books, plus a four-part video of Series One of Mapp & LUcia from a few years back, with Geraldine McEwen as the perfect Lucia, Prunella Scales as an equally perfect Mapp, and Nigel Hawthorne! I also have somewhere a biography of EF Benson, and yes, his family certrainly was an interesting one.
Posted by: Elizabeth | 16 January 2007 at 12:46 AM
Also what perfectly divine illustrations Karen!!
Posted by: Elizabeth | 16 January 2007 at 12:47 AM
The original six novels have been extended to eight with Tom Holt's two seamless pastiche Lucia novels:
Lucia in Wartime(ISBN: 055299202X)
HOLT Tom, based on E F BENSON
LUCIA TRIUMPHANT(ISBN: 0333427378)
Holt, Tom, based on E F BENSON
I think they are out of print, but I have got several paperback copies from Abebooks to give as presents to Lucia fans.
Posted by: Curzon Tussaud | 17 January 2007 at 03:42 PM
Another lifelong fan here. "Any news?"
Pillowbook, Benson himself wrote about his family in three books: "As We Were", "As We Are", and "Final Edition". Brian Masters wrote "The Life of E.H. Benson". All good reads.
I collect first editions of Benson's books - except for the Mapp & Lucia series which I have in the beautiful Moyer and Bell Series - and have a modest but satisfying collection at this point. Some are very hard to find or "dweffy" expensive when you do find them. Nothing compares with the brilliant six books in his Mapp & Lucia series, however, which are my ultimate comfort read.
Au res!
Posted by: Tui M. | 31 July 2008 at 04:41 AM
My late mother-in-law owned a couple of these books and given that I've been fascinated with the interwar period of history for ages I thought I would enjoy them. I've attempted to read them any number of times and couldn't get into them, until now. I don't know what has changed, but I'm finally able to enjoy the Riseholme bunch. 'Hitum, Titus, Scrub' is so strange I googled it and it brought me to you!
Posted by: Shelley | 28 October 2012 at 07:03 AM
Great, Shelley!
Posted by: Cornflower | 31 October 2012 at 10:49 AM