HOME

TheInfoList



Click Here for Items Related To - Miss Read
OR:
Miss Read on:   [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Amazon]

Dora Jessie Saint
MBE Mbe may refer to: * Mbé, a town in the Republic of the Congo * Mbe Mountains Community Forest, in Nigeria * Mbe language, a language of Nigeria * Mbe' language, language of Cameroon * ''mbe'', ISO 639 code for the extinct Molala language Molal ...
(17 April 1913 – 7 April 2012), née Shafe, best known by the
pen name A pen name, also called a ''nom de plume'' or a literary double, is a pseudonym (or, in some cases, a variant form of a real name) adopted by an author and printed on the title page or by-line of their works in place of their real name. A pen na ...
Miss Read, was an English novelist and, by profession, a
schoolmistress The word schoolmaster, or simply master, refers to a male school teacher. This usage survives in British independent schools, both secondary and preparatory, and a few Indian boarding schools (such as The Doon School) that were modelled after ...
. Her
pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...
was derived from her mother's maiden name. She is best known for two series of novels set in the British countryside – the Fairacre novels and the Thrush Green novels.


Biography

Dora Jessie Shafe was born on 17 April 1913 in London, the younger of the daughters of Arthur Shafe, an insurance agent, and his wife Grace. For the sake of her mother's health, the family moved to the country when Dora was seven, and she began school in
Chelsfield Chelsfield is an area in south-east London, England, within the London Borough of Bromley and the historic county of Kent. It lies south of Goddington, west of Well Hill, north of Pratt's Bottom and east of Green Street Green. The area is ...
, near Orpington, Kent, and later joined her older sister at Bromley county school. When her father became a schoolmaster, Dora followed his example and undertook teacher training at
Homerton College, Cambridge Homerton College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Its first premises were acquired in Homerton, London in 1768, by an informal gathering of Protestant dissenters with origins in the seventeenth century. In 1894, the co ...
. From 1933 to 1940 she taught in
Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, historic county in South East England, southeast England. Its area is almost entirely within the wider urbanised area of London and mostly within the Ceremonial counties of ...
, first at Hayes and then at
Ealing Ealing () is a district in West London, England, west of Charing Cross in the London Borough of Ealing. Ealing is the administrative centre of the borough and is identified as a major metropolitan centre in the London Plan. Ealing was histor ...
. In 1940 she married Douglas Saint. The couple had one daughter, Jill. After World War II she worked occasionally as a teacher, and began writing about schools and country topics for several magazines, including ''
Punch Punch commonly refers to: * Punch (combat), a strike made using the hand closed into a fist * Punch (drink), a wide assortment of drinks, non-alcoholic or alcoholic, generally containing fruit or fruit juice Punch may also refer to: Places * Pun ...
'' and the ''
Times Educational Supplement ''Tes'', formerly known as the ''Times Educational Supplement'', is a weekly UK publication aimed at education professionals. It was first published in 1910 as a pull-out supplement in ''The Times'' newspaper. Such was its popularity that in 19 ...
'' and worked as a scriptwriter for the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
schools service. From 1955 to 1996 Saint wrote a series of novels centered on two fictional villages, Fairacre and Thrush Green. The first Fairacre novel appeared in 1955, the last in 1996. The first Thrush Green novel appeared in 1959. The principal character in the Fairacre books, Miss Read, is an unmarried schoolteacher in a small village school, an acerbic and yet compassionate observer of village life. Saint's novels are wry regional social comedies, laced with gentle humour and subtle social commentary. Saint was also a keen observer of nature and the changing seasons. Many of the village novels were illustrated by J.S. (John Strickland) Goodall (1908-1996), a fine artist and picture-book author in his own right. One of the writers who influenced her was
Jane Austen Jane Austen (; 16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist known primarily for her six major novels, which interpret, critique, and comment upon the British landed gentry at the end of the 18th century. Austen's plots of ...
; and her work also bears some similarities to the social comedies of manners written in the 1920s and 1930s, and to the work of
Barbara Pym Barbara Mary Crampton Pym FRSL (2 June 1913 – 11 January 1980) was an English novelist. In the 1950s she published a series of social comedies, of which the best known are ''Excellent Women'' (1952) and '' A Glass of Blessings'' (1958). In 1977 ...
. Miss Read's work has in turn influenced a number of writers, including American writer
Jan Karon Jan Karon is an American novelist who writes for both adults and young readers. She is the author of the ''New York Times''-bestselling Mitford novels, featuring Father Timothy Kavanagh, an Episcopal priest, and the fictional village of Mitford. H ...
. The musician
Enya Enya Patricia Brennan (; ga, Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin; born 17 May 1961), known professionally by the mononym Enya, is an Irish singer, songwriter, and musician known for modern Celtic music. She is the best-selling Irish solo arti ...
has a track on her ''
Watermark A watermark is an identifying image or pattern in paper that appears as various shades of lightness/darkness when viewed by transmitted light (or when viewed by reflected light, atop a dark background), caused by thickness or density variations ...
'' album named after Saint's book ''Miss Clare Remembers'', and one on her ''
Shepherd Moons ''Shepherd Moons'' is the third studio album by Irish singer, songwriter and musician Enya, released on 4 November 1991 by WEA. After the unexpected critical and commercial success of her previous album ''Watermark'' (1988), Enya embarked on a w ...
'' album titled ''No Holly for Miss Quinn''. Saint also wrote two volumes of autobiography, ''A Fortunate Grandchild'' (1982) and ''Time Remembered'' (1986); the two were issued together in 1995 as ''Early Days''. Saint retired in 1996. In 1998 she was made a Member of the
Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...
for her services to literature. She and her husband lived in a hamlet near Newbury in Berkshire. Her husband died in 2004. She died on 7 April 2012.


Bibliography

The Fairacre novels: *''
Village School One-room schools, or schoolhouses, were commonplace throughout rural portions of various countries, including Prussia, Norway, Sweden, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Spain. In most rural and s ...
*'' – 1955 *''Village Diary*'' – 1957 *''Storm in the Village*'' – 1958 *''Miss Clare Remembers'' – 1962 *'' Over the Gate'' – 1964 *''Village Christmas**'' – 1966 *''Fairacre Festival'' – 1968 *''Emily Davis'' – 1971 *''Tyler's Row'' – 1972 *''Christmas Mouse**'' – 1973 *''Farther Afield'' – 1974 *''No Holly for Miss Quinn**'' – 1976 *''Village Affairs'' – 1977 *''The White Robin'' – 1979 *''Village Centenary'' – 1980 *''Summer at Fairacre'' – 1984 *''Mrs. Pringle'' – 1989 *''Changes at Fairacre'' – 1991 *''Farewell to Fairacre'' – 1993 *'' A Peaceful Retirement'' – 1996 The first three books (marked with *) have been published in a single volume, ''Chronicles of Fairacre''. The three Christmas books marked with ** have been published together. *''The Market Square'' (1966) and ''The Howards of Caxley'' (1967) are set in the historical past of Caxley, the nearby market town to Fairacre where Fairacre people go from time to time. Fairacre and Beech Green, a nearby village, are mentioned. The events in these books end before the events of the first Fairacre book start. Thrush Green books: *''Thrush Green'' – 1959 *''Winter in Thrush Green'' – 1961 *''News from Thrush Green'' – 1970 *''Battles at Thrush Green'' – 1975 *''Return to Thrush Green'' – 1978 *''Gossip from Thrush Green'' – 1981 *''Affairs at Thrush Green'' – 1983 *''At Home in Thrush Green'' – 1985 *''School at Thrush Green'' – 1987 *''Friends at Thrush Green'' – 1990 *''Celebrations at Thrush Green'' – 1992 *''Year at Thrush Green'' – 1995 *''Christmas at Thrush Green'' – 2009 written with Jenny Dereham *''The World of Thrush Green'' – 1988. This book discusses the real place that inspired Thrush Green and has excerpts from all Thrush Green books published as of 1988. Children's books: *''Hobby Horse Cottage'' – 1958 *''The Little Red Bus'' – 1964 *''The New Bed'' – 1964 *''No Hat!'' – 1964 *''Plum Pie'' – 1964 *''Hob and the Horse Bat'' – 1965 *''Cluck, the Little Black Hen'' – 1965 *''The Little Peg Doll'' – 1965 *''Tiggy'' – 1971. A non-fiction biography of one of the author's beloved cats. *''Animal Boy'' – 1975 "The Little Red Bus and Other Rhyming Stories" 1991 Omnibus containing The Little Red Bus, Cluck the Little Black Hen, Plum Pie, The Little Peg Doll, No Hat!, and The New Bed Autobiography: *''A Fortunate Grandchild'' – 1982 *''Time Remembered'' – 1986 These two were also published in an omnibus edition titled ''Early Days''. Others she has written: *''Fresh from the Country'' – 1960. The story of a young country girl who has taken a first teaching job in the big city. *''Tales from a Village School'' – 1994.
Short stories A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the oldest t ...
. *''Miss Read's Country Cooking'' – 1969. *''Mrs Griffin Sends Her Love: and other writings'' - 2013. A selection of journalism, published posthumously.


References


External links

*
Appearance on Desert Island Discs - 4 July 1977
{{DEFAULTSORT:Read, Miss 1913 births 2012 deaths Pseudonymous women writers Members of the Order of the British Empire People from West Berkshire District Alumni of Homerton College, Cambridge English women novelists 20th-century English novelists 20th-century English women writers Schoolteachers from London 20th-century pseudonymous writers