No Laughing MatterOver 60 years in the life of an English family are covered as the author depicts the complex reactions of a family in which love and hate, interest and boredom, admiration and contempt struggle for mastery. This is the story of a set of six quite unique siblings from childhood right up to their dotage. Using this vehicle, Wilson comments on the influence of the times on society while also very successfully portraying familial influences, both good and bad, which anyone growing up in that generation will be familiar with. |
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Common terms and phrases
absurd Ahrendt Alfred Anyway asked Aunt Mouse awful Beyton Billy Pop Birkenshaw called chap Chu Chin Chow CLARA MATTHEWS cockney Countess course cried dark darling dear dear boy door Douglas dressed eyes face Fascist father feel felt Frau Liebermann friends Garmisch girl give Gladys's gone GRANNY MATTHEWS hand hear Hugh Jack kissed kittens knew Lady laugh live look Lucilla MANNINGTREE Marcus Marcus's MARGARET MATTHEWS MATTHEWS JUNIOR mean Miss Rickard mother Mummy never nice once Pascoe perhaps play Polly poor Q. J. Matthews Quentin Regan remember RICKARD-MATTHEWS round Rupert seemed silly sister sleep smile sort Stoker suddenly Sukey Sukey's sure talk tell there's thing thought told took Tooley Street turned voice Westerton WILLIAM MATTHEWS woman women wonderful words young