A Month in the Country (Penguin Modern Classics)

Product Information

This edition includes revisions made by the author for an edition first published by the Quince Tree Press in 1991.

Penelope Fitzgerald on A Month in the Country by J.L. Carr Penelope Fitzgerald on A Month in the Country by J.L. Carr

He has no idea what is behind the whitewash, but it isn't long before he knows he is working on a masterpiece. I am a seasonal reader, often craving books with sizzling settings in the summer months and snowy locales in the winter. Reissued as part of the Penguin Decades series, JL Carr's slender, Booker-shortlisted and semi-autobiographical novel was published in 1980 but looks back to an earlier time. One is a war survivor, living in a church, intent upon uncovering and restoring a historical wall-painting. Birkin gradually realizes he is dealing with a masterpiece: ‘A tremendous waterfall of colour, the blues of the apex falling, then seething into a turbulence of red; like all truly great works of art, hammering you with its whole before beguiling you with its parts .

A tremendous waterfall of color, the blues of the apex falling, then seething into a turbulence of red; like all truly great works of art, hammering you with its whole before beguiling you with its parts. With a screenplay by Simon Gray, the novel was made into a 1987 film, directed by Pat O'Connor and starring Colin Firth, Kenneth Branagh, Natasha Richardson and Patrick Malahide. Rereading the novel for the umpteenth time, I was once again astonished at how much there is in such a short book. The churchyard had several gravestones added, including the large box tomb which is a focus of several scenes. Birkin, who has left behind a marriage and the horror of war, explores the beauties of the countryside while revealing the medieval picture.

A Month in the Country - J.L. Carr - Google Books A Month in the Country - J.L. Carr - Google Books

A blooming rose in a hat, the comfortable dampness of concentrated craft under the roof timbers, the buzz of insects and the twittering of birds and blades of grass swaying with the gentle breeze, passers-by that matter and others that don’t leave track, silent conversations with the Moon, the lazy hours of a summer inexorably crawling towards a perennial exuberance, the intoxicating scent of serendipitous friendship, of wistful love, sweet, fleeting, unattainable, of wanting to memorize the shape of an oval face before it is too late, the devastating certainty of knowing it is gone forever. The building was saved, but redundancy was not averted and the building is now a scientific study centre. At the end of the day it was much more a novella about a missed romantic opportunity than the psychological consequences of war or the healing potential of art. You can unsubscribe from our list at any point by changing your preferences, or contacting us directly.

By using the Web site, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to be bound by the Terms and Conditions. During his stay in the village, Birkin develops an unspoken love for the vicar’s wife, Alice (Natasha Richardson) and forms a close friendship with archaeologist James Moon (Kenneth Branagh), who is also emotionally scarred by the conflict.

A Month in the Country - Penguin Books UK A Month in the Country - Penguin Books UK

And then eventually after nine months or so I'd run out of money, and some job offer had come through in England, and I found myself spending the last of my funds on a plane ticket back to London. My Review: A few, a precious few only, moments in life are trapped in the diamond facets of unforgettability.To compensate for the lack of budget, a very tight shooting schedule was planned over 28 days, during which Kenneth Branagh was only available for two weeks and was on the stage nightly in London.