Tuesday 15 March 2011

Cold Comfort.

This has to be one of my absolute favourite books. A couple of years back I bought myself a new copy, but stupidly left it somewhere in England. Yesterday, however, a kindly Lady Magnon surprised me with the gift of a fresh copy, which she bravely bought on-line.

Cold Comfort Farm is, of course, set in my native Sussex (the epicentre of The Garden of Eden). But I can hardly imagine a more inappropriate cover illustration; it belies the whole essence of the story. An ancient run-down group of farm buildings would have been much more to the point; not a perfect field of rape. The Starkadders; rape? Sukebind; yes!

On the back of the book is the usual dreary blurb (below). However, whoever wrote it must have been absent during his or her English geography lessons. Sorry, no West Country accents due-south of London. We have our own beautiful Sussex lilt; an angelic song-like accent, highly admired throughout Christendom, and beyond.

Of course, none of this editorial miscomprehension (I believe the book comes from an American publishing house; sorry!) can lessen one's enjoyment of Ms Gibbons' classic novel. I recommend it to all who have not yet had the pleasure; as few as that may be.



Posted by Picasa

11 comments:

  1. I shall look for this Cro and hopefully enjoy it as much as you have ,the cover is very pretty lol although I understand where you are coming from..

    ReplyDelete
  2. I haven't read it, but definitely one on my list.
    Hey Cro - thanks for the lilac tip - I didn't know that! We've got a big lilac bush here - - the buds are just starting to form.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I like that book too, Cro. I sometimes refer to myself as 'clettering the dishes' as I take a bent stick to the washing-up.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I've seen the original cover, and this one, while pretty, is kind of blah. I always wonder how a publisher has the right to reprint a book with such a different representation. Or how about when a book's cover gets changed after the movie version comes out. Kind of pushes imagery at you.

    Hey, at least the cover isn't a crazy circus clown or Lady Gaga or something else like that.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm ashamed to say that, as a fellow Sussex native, I've never read this book. So I've just been down to the library and picked up a copy. It's got a picture of a cow on the cover.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I've seen the film several times, but need to read the book. Thanks for the inspiration, Cro.

    ReplyDelete
  7. its one of those books that I have missed for some reason....
    on your recomendation...I havejust ordereda copy from amazon!
    cheers

    ReplyDelete
  8. The epicenter of the garden...must be quick to get to higher ground before the tsunami hits...

    ReplyDelete
  9. While on PEI Prince Edward Island we stayed at a B&B called Cold Comfort Farm and that's how I came to know of the book.

    Christy
    Lil Bit Brit

    ReplyDelete
  10. I have purchased this wonderful book twice. The first time to 'make up the numbers' on a Folio Society offer and realised what a jewel I had unexpectedly found. I gave it to a friend on her return home to Poland as a momento.

    I missed its presence in the bookcase and had to purchase it again!

    Anna :o]

    ReplyDelete
  11. Cro, did you see the dramatization of the book? I have and loved it. The book is also available on Kindle, so I think I will download it. It looks like a hoot.

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...