Winter Solstice

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Visiting her in Scotland, Tom suggested an altogether bolder, “door-stopper” novel that would include her wartime experiences. Together they mapped out the plot of The Shell Seekers. It took two years to write. Pilcher’s British editor, Sue Fletcher, said: “She attributed its success to her theory that it gave her readers permission sometimes to dislike their children without ever ceasing to love them.” I love how all of these characters treated each other with such civility. I miss such courtesy in this day and age. With Oscar in mourning, Edith had to steer the boat and stay levelheaded for both of them. As fate would have it, her nephew's daughter, Carrie, pitched up with his 14-year-old granddaughter, and then the stranger, Sam Howard, appeared out of the icy snow storm one night. They were suddenly surrounded by people who all needed a new perspective and directions in their lives, including herself and Oscar. Elfrida Phipps, once of London’s stage, moved to the English village of Dibton in hopes of making a new life for herself. Gradually she settled into the comfortable familiarity of village life—shopkeepers knowing her tastes, neighbors calling her by name—still she finds herself lonely. January 2, 2022. I just finished my annual re-read this morning. As with last year, I was aware of those incidents of mansplaining. The Sam character is definitely a good guy, but Pilcher has him being so much cleverer than everyone else, and the women all tell him so. Hmm.

I’d never read anything by this author previously, and her work reminds me of Maeve Binchy’s. I look forward to reading more of her books.I had an aunt Birdie, who imagined herself more beautiful than Liz Taylor, particularly when she imitated everything about the famous actress, including the blue eye shadow that would even be securely painted on her eyelids with her passing. She just couldn't be seen without it. It occurs to me that the appeal of a Pilcher book is that it's about solving practical and emotional problems. Her characters find solutions to everything from how to dress a festive table when you have no tablecloths to how to outsmart an impossible relative and make everyone come away feeling a winner. I've read that the reason why women like mysteries is because of the problem-solving element. (Nobody explained why problem solving particularly appeals to women, but I'm willing to accept the premise.) Pilcher books have that in spades, so I think they're a good choice for the mystery reader looking for a palate-cleanser book.

It's rare for me to actually look forward to being able to read a book again and Winter Solstice is the perfect book to get you into the festive spirit. The enduringly popular Pilcher ( Coming Home, 1995, etc.) holds fast to a theme that has all but disappeared from American fiction: The healing comforts of domesticity and companionship. Second read 2018: Found the ending much more emotionally sweet than the first time I read it. Seemed a little redundant in places this time but didn't affect how much I enjoyed Elfrida's and Oscar's lovely story. Note: Pilcher paints these two people as very old. They're 62 and 68. That's my age. That's not old! I needed a go-to book, and I remembered that my GR friend Claude had recently read a few books by Rosamunde Pilcher, and had enjoyed them very much. Since our reading tastes are usually very similar, I thought I would try one. I’m glad I did!There was then no stopping her. This was the pre-television era when there was a huge market for short stories in women’s magazines. A current favorite of mine is served at a Provençal restaurant in my city. Scallops served on wilted greens and with a balsamic vinaigrette, the combined flavors practically cause me to topple off my chair in sheer pleasure every time I try this particular dish. All across the USA, people are showing up dead. The deaths don't appear to be connected in any way until one particular death occurs and gets the Secretary of Defense's attention. He arranges for a task force to investigate. Without having read the book, I just watched Winter Solstice, the movie. I can't help but saying that I found it to be a wonderful, touching and heartwarming movie, with a number of excellent actors and actresses of whom I had never heard before.