The Old Bank House: A NovelThe Old Bank House, first published in 1949 and long unavailable, welcomes us back into the author's world of comfortable community and generous, probing humor. The Old Bank House is a large and beautiful dwelling belonging to Miss Sowerby, the last of a long Barsetshire line, whose age and dwindling resources are unequal to the task of maintaining such a demanding manse. Having overcome her leeriness about the pedigree of Mr. Sam Adams, Miss Sowerby agrees to sell the family home to the ironmaster, now Member of Parliament, whose social ascendancy has been traced in earlier installments of Thirkell's modern Barsetshire chronicles. But upon learning that Mr. Adams will be living in the house alone once his daughter marries, she warns, "There's only one thing I must tell you about the house, Mr. Adams...It likes a mistress." With the stage thus set, Thirkell commences to choreograph another delightful round of romantic infatuations and cross-purposes before bringing several dancers to rest in the happy poses of a wedding. |
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The Old Bank House: A Novel (Thirkell, Angela Mackail, Angela Thirkell Barsetshire Series.)
User Review - Not Available - Book VerdictPublished in 1949, 1950, and 1951, respectively, these continue the author's ongoing chronicle of the fictional English county of Barsetshire. The three here follow the romance of Lucy Marling and Sam Adams as they court and eventually marry. Read full review
LibraryThing Review
User Review - antiquary - LibraryThingAnother is Thirkell's "Barset" novels which I inherited from my father but have not read. Read full review
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Adams Adams's Adamsfield Agnes Angela Thirkell asked Aubrey Clover awfully Barchester Barsetshire Beedle Belton better brother Charles Clarissa Colin Keith Conque coracle croquet darling daughter Dean dear Edgewood Eleanor Emmy father feel felt friends garden Giles Gillie girl good-bye Grace hand Harefield Heather Henry Heth Hogglestock husband Jessica kind kitchen knew Lady Emily Lady Graham Lady Norton Lady Pomfret laughed look Lord Mellings Lord Pomfret Lord Stoke Lucy Marling lunch Lydia Macpherson married Martin Martin Leslie mind Miss Grantly Miss Hoggett Miss Marling Miss Merriman Miss Sowerby Morland mother Nannie never nice Noel Northbridge nursery Old Bank House Oliver party Percy Bodger Philip Winter Pilward pony Rector Rushwater Sally Sir Edmund sister Southbridge Spadger talk tell There's things thought told took Towers voice walked Wickham wife Winter Overcotes wish words young