"It began in a woman's club on a February afternoon, - an uncomfortable club, and a miserable afternoon - when Mrs. Wilkins, who had come down from Hampstead to shop and had lunched at her club, took up The Times from the table in the smoking-room, and running her listless eye down the Agony Column saw this:
To Those who Appreciate Wistaria and Sunshine. Small mediaeval Italian Castle on the shores of the Mediterranean to be Let Furnished for the month of April. Necessary servants remain. Z, Box 1000, The Times.
That was its conception; yet, as in the case of many another, the conceiver was unaware of it at the moment."
That is the opening of the Cornflower Book Group's April book. Here are all the details, and I hope you'll join us in reading it - it should be fun.
One of my very favourite books (and films, unusually!)...
Any reason it's wistaria rather than wisteria, I wonder?
Posted by: MelD | 17 March 2013 at 09:30 AM
Both are correct, apparently, though it is more usually spelt with an 'e' (that's certainly what I would do), but Wikipedia tells me that it was named after a Dr. Caspar Wistar, hence the 'a', and while the botanical name uses the 'e', the common name takes the 'a' form.
Posted by: Cornflower | 17 March 2013 at 06:01 PM
Oh, such a delicious book. Such a delicious climber too. I have happy memories of a year out working in Tuscany in my late teens, and eating al fresco under the wiste(a)ria flowers. It was rather Enchanted, now I think of it.
Posted by: Dancing Beastie | 17 March 2013 at 07:00 PM
It is a lovely thing, isn't it?
Posted by: Cornflower | 17 March 2013 at 09:01 PM