Introducing the eternally appealing Larkins and their gloriously uncomplicated country ways, The Darling Buds of May is a hazy daydream of ribald wit, rural indulgence and bamboozled tax inspectors.
'Home looks nice. Allus does though, don't it? Perfick'
And so the Larkins - Pop, Ma, Mariette, Zinnia, Petunia, Primrose, Victoria and Montgomery - return from an outing for fish and chips and ice cream one May evening. There, amid the rustic charms of home, they discover a visitor: one Cedric Charlton, Her Majesty's inspector of taxes.
Mr Charlton is visiting to find out why junk-dealer Pop hasn't paid his tax - but nothing's that simple at the Larkins. Mariette takes a shine to 'Charley' - as Pop calls him - and before long the family have introduced the uncomplaining inspector to the delights of country living: the lusty scents of wild flowers, the pleasures of a bottle of Dragon's Blood, cold cream dribbled over a bowl of strawberries and hot, hot summer nights.
In fact, soon Charley can't see any reason to return to the office at all . . .
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
ISBN: 9780141029672
Number of pages: 144
Weight: 100 g
Dimensions: 194 x 130 x 14 mm
A pulsing comedy of country manners. A five-alarm blaze of a book. Just about perfick. - Time
A gently, anarchic wish-fulfilling daydream - The Times
A perfick piece of entertainment - New York Times
A wistful daydream about innocence and happiness - Spectator
Pop Larkin, Ma and their progeny . . . are essentially English of the rich and ribald England of Chaucer and Shakespeare. A superb and timeless comedy - Scotsman
As funny as Evelyn Waugh and as enchanting as Laurie Lee's Cider with Rosie. Don't miss it - Herald
They are absolute comfort books - The Lady
Pop is as sexy, genial, generous, and boozy as ever. Ma is a worthy match for him in all these qualities - -, The Times
As funny as Evelyn Waugh and as enchanting as Laurie Lee's Cider with Rosie. Don't miss it - -, Herald
Pop Larkin, Ma and their progeny . . . are essentially English of the rich and ribald England of Chaucer and Shakespeare. A superb and timeless comedy - -, Scotsman
A perfick piece of entertainment - -, New York Times
A wistful daydream about innocence and happiness - -, Spectator
A pulsing comedy of country manners. A five-alarm blaze of a book. Just about perfick - -, Time
A gently, anarchic wish-fulfilling daydream - -, The Times
The Larkins live - these novels please us by escaping definition - -, Guardian
I re-read this after catching half an episode on TV a few weeks ago. Watching it reminded me how much I had enjoyed the books as a young teenager, when my Nan surreptitiously lent them to me. They seemed ever so... More
I adore this book! initially I was intrigued to read this as I am a viewer of its television programme and huge fan to say the least and know I have finally completed the first in a series of darling little books.... More
My mother in law loves H E Bates, had several books sent to her due to lockdown.
She absolutely loved this and said it brought back happy memories.
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