Monday 27 January 2014

Scott, Mary "Breakfast at Six"

 

Scott, Mary "Breakfast at Six" - 1953 

For many years, Mary Scott was one of my favourite authors. I read all her books in my youth. I have already blogged about her here and I wasn't going to review her books separately. But recently, I just had to dig out her books again (all of which I have only in German, unfortunately) and start reading them again. I will go back to her fantastic novels from time to time and review them as they go.

Her most famous books were probably the Susan and Larry stories. Susan is a young newlywed in the fifties, her husband Paul having recently acquired a sheep farm in the middle of nowhere in New Zealand after returning from the war. She soon meets Larry, the wife of Paul's neighbour Sam, and the two become best friends. They both become good farmwives, manage their chores in the house as well as on the field but also try to play the matchmaker, help an escaped convict, perform in a theatre play.
If you can get a hand on one of her novels, try it. She is hilarious!

I love Mary Scott's humour and hope that one day her books will reappear. I might even consider getting an eReader for that.

The interesting thing about the stories, Mary Scott herself was in a similar situation, she also married a sheep farmer, only that she was born in 1888 and married in 1914, so her own stories would have taken place half a century earlier.

From the back cover: "Bestselling novel by a talented New Zealand writer about newlyweds Susan and Paul, their life on a back-blocks farm, and the problems and pleasures of a rural community. Susan's friendship with Larry, the glamorous wife of a local farmer, is one of the things that keeps her going during tough times."

This is the first book in the series. And this is the list of all of them:
"Breakfast at Six" - 1953
"Dinner Doesn’t Matter" - 1957
"Tea and Biscuits"  - 1961
"A Change From Mutton" - 1964
"Turkey at Twelve" - 1968
"Shepherd’s Pie" - 1972
"Strangers for Tea" - 1975
"Board, but no Breakfast" - 1978

8 comments:

  1. I read her Susan and Larry stories in german as a child. I am now searching the web to find the english versions. Unfortunately I don't have much luck.

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    1. I know, Marie!!! But I'm so excited to have met another Mary Scott reader and admirer. But as I said in my post, I might even get an eReader if I can get them all on there. I really would like to read them all in English.

      Did you read any of her other books?

      Have a great day,
      Marianne

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  2. I see one used copy on Amazon here in the US, and it sells for $960! I will keep looking and watching.

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    1. I've seen that, Deb. How terrible!
      I also would like to get my hands on some English copies, but it seems impossible. I once had a link to ebooks but that doesn't seem to work any more. If ever I find a new one, I'll let you know.

      Thanks for your interest.

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  3. try NZ https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketplace/books/search?search_string=Mary%20Scott&user_region=100&bof=B3gQzoAh or NZ secondhand bookshops, Dinner Doesn't Matter at the moment is $5 plus postage of course, I have just bought all the Larry and Susan ones recently here. Most I paid was $30

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    1. Thanks for that. I suppose you live in NZ? At the moment it's a little more difficult to order from abroad but I will keep it in mind.

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  4. Yes, I do, they are about New Zealand by a New Zealand author, so probably your best option is getting them from here.

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    1. Yes, thanks. I'll wait for the end of all the restrictions and will try then.

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