Cheerfulness Breaks In: Lydia Wevers on Angela Thirkell

Angela Thirkell was a huge bestseller in the thirties, forties and fifties. She wrote a series of social comedies about upper class British life based on Anthony Trollope’s Barsetshire novels (Barsetshire is an imaginary English county). Thirkell is very witty and funny and lots of her novels are in reprint or still around. She emigrated to Australia after the First World War with a digger she married. Thirkell had two sons by a previous marriage, one of whom wrote a fascinating account of their lives in Australia and the other became one of the Angry Young Men novelists. She is a marvellous mix of wit and snobbery and also has a connection to the southern hemisphere.

This is an event involved in the Featherston Booktown Festival on Friday 10th, Saturday 11th & Sunday 12th May celebrating everything to do with books, writers and reading. The three-day programme includes writing workshops; poetry readings; talks by leading authors and illustrators; and a book fair including stalls with rare and second-hand books. There are also events specifically for children.

Take a look at our website for the full programme of events.