Kiwis and Fairy Bread

12 July 2024

Great Britain. It’s woven into the literary culture of our lives. And besides spending time with our family, the thing that Mike, Emily, Ben and I like most about our trips to England is being in the places from some of our favorite books and films. So in that spirit, we give you The Parker Family England Reading and Watch List. And encourage you to visit your local library.

Small Town Britain:

Just William by Richmal Compton. The entire Parker Family loves these short stories about the wonderfully creative and troublesome William and his barely tolerant family. The audio recordings read by Martin Jarvis are brilliant.

Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne. We know these stories so well lines from them have become part of our family language. “Pro things to eat”. “Not the big ones!” “Condensed milk? Or Honey your bread?” “Look at me swimming!” Etc, etc. The audio recordings read by Alan Bennet are very sweet.

London:

Doctor Who: when the series rebooted in 2005, London served (and continues to) as the backdrop for many an episode. The London Eye was in the very first.

Bleak House by Charles Dickens. My favorite of his books because it contrasts people who make a big show of doing something with those who quietly, actually accomplish things. Taking place in and around London. The 2005 mini series stars Anna Maxwell Massie, who coincidently, was starring in a very well reviewed play at the Old Vic when we were staying across the street in London.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle. When the kids were small we visited 221B Baker Street, where there is a museum that looks just like his home. What is YOUR favorite adaptation of these stories? Personally we are Jeremy Brett fans. He played the role from 1985-1994.

The Cukoos Calling by Robert Galbraith. Down and out detective Cormoran Strike is hired to investigate the death of a super model. The author (actually J.K. Rowling) takes you on an intimate trip around London to solve the crime. There are other books in the series, but they got too graphically grisly for us after Book 2. Which is a shame, because this is one of the best detective novels I have ever read.

Greenwich

Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens, takes place mostly in London, along The Thames. In the 1998 BBC mini series, see Episode 3 for a charming scene when the enchanting Bella takes her father to Greenwich. I consider reading the 900 page novel one of the major accomplishments of my life. It’s a great read.

Longitude by Dava Sobal recounts the true story of John Harrison, a clock maker who, in the 18th century made clocks to be used by the Royal Navy, forever changing navigation and time pieces in the process. The 2000 mini series starring Jeremy Irons and Michael Gambon is a bit sappy, but worth a watch.

Hornblower: both the novels by C.S. Forrester and the 1998 series starring Ioan Gruffud and Robert Lindsey are full of salty sailors, unbelievable heroics, honorable (and dishonorable) officers of 18th century British Navy, and adventure! And at some point, they end up in Greenwich, administrative naval HQ.

Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens. Another classic, centering in London tells the tail of Amy, who is quite content to be poor, in contrast to everyone around her. We include it here because the stunning spiral staircase in the Greenwhich Queen’s House reminded me of that in the Circumlocution Office, (which frustrates our Amy’s secret love). Claire Foy enchants in the 2008 production.

The Globe:

Shakespeare in Love: this 1998 film is, in my opinion, the best portrayal ever of actors just wanting to put on a show. Because theatre people have always been the same.

Will Shakespeare: a six part series from 1978 and starring Tim Curry is a close second to the above.

Much Ado about Nothing by William Shakespeare. It always works, always enchants. The absolutely beautiful film directed by Kenneth Branagh in 1993 is a fave. But what we are really looking forward to is seeing Emily and David and their company, Indecorous Theatre, perform the play during the Philadelphia Fringe Festival this September.

Japan (because the Emperor was, after all, in town)

Spirited Away: a bath house for spirits? An herbalist with 5 legs? A baby the size of a man? A romance between a teen and a river dragon? Yes, you will believe it all in the 2001 anime film by Hayoa Miyazaki: one of his most beloved.

Stonehenge:

This is Spinal Tap: Mike can’t see or think of it without singing aloud this ridiculous song from the classic mocumentary.

Derbyshire:

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin. Elizabeth Bennet is never really attracted to haughty Mr. Darcy until she first sees his home of Pemberly (he does, after all own “half of Derbyshire”). Adapted in 2005 where Chatsworth serves as Pemberly. In the beloved 1995 six part adaptation, Lyme House (not to be confused with Lyme Regis) served as Pemberly. Lyme House has a little stage wirh costumes. If I ever retire to England, I want to teach theatre there!

West Yorkshire/Yorkshire Dales

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. Truly my favorite book. I have read it several times, including to Mike as we drove around England on our honeymoon. The moors of The Peak District always remind of the lonely landscape where Jane wanders, heartbroken and desolate. Haworth, the home of Brontes, is in West Yorkshire. The 2006 film starring Ruth Wilson and Toby Stevens is perfect.

The Tentant of Wildfeld Hall by Anne Brontë. A woman and her young son move into a house on the moors on the outskirts of a gossipy village. She (gasp!) makes her living as an artist! Toby Stevens (again) enters the picture in the 1996 adaptation. The book is good too.

All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot. Who wasn’t comforted in the depths of the pandemic by this cheery series about veterinarians and cute animals in the Yorkshire Dales? The current series continues to be wonderful, but so is the BBC adaptation that ran from 1978-1990. The stories make a nice read aloud.

Lyme Regis/Devonshire

Persuasion by Jane Austen. I’d like to thank my Douglass College Professor who introduced me to Austen (and Charlotte Bronte) in 1987. I admit, at the age of 21, I did not quite appreciate Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth at the time. “Why don’t they just talk to each other?” I asked. But I adore the novel now. Both the 1995 and 2022 adaptations (very different, but I love them both), feature the actual beach and Cobb of the town.

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, her first published novel. The Dashwood women must move from their stately London manor to a small thatched cottage in Devon. Thatch is still used in Devon making the roof tops truly a work of art. Both the 1995 (for which Emma won the Oscar for Best adapted screenplay) and the 2008 films are wonderful.

The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle. Although I thought of this story while on Snake Pass near Glossop, this Sherlock Holmes story actually takes place on the moors of Devonshire. Many adaptations of this exist, but the 1988 version staring Jeremy Brett is our favorite.

Cornwall:

David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. Yes, we are big “Dickensians” as they say. Walking around Cornwall we couldn’t help but imagine the boat house of the Peggoty Family and recognize the accent of Mr. Barkis. Danielle Radcliffe made his absolutely adorable debut in the 1999 film.

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. A newly married woman is haunted by the daunting memory of her husband’s first wife who died in a sailing accident (or did she?). Their stately home, Manderley, lauds over The Cornish Coast. The 1940 film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, won the Oscar for Best Picture. The 2020 version is also worth a watch and the ending is more true to the book. Mike and I have only recently discovered du Maurier’s novels and we really love her writing. (The Scapegoat, while not set in England, is a book we can’t recommend enough)

Peril at End House by Agatha Christie. A plucky young woman fears for her life while partying with friends on the Cornish coast. A Hercule Poirot classic. The 1990 film starring David Suchet is one of my favorite “house keeping movies”. Christie lived and wrote in her house near Torquay.

Faulty Towers: this 1975 BBC series written by and starringJohn Cleese and Connie Booth has not aged well, so maybe we shouldn’t recommend it. Still, passing by Torquay, and staying in small hotels, we couldn’t help but think of it. The episode centered around demanding guest Mrs Richards is still very funny: “I expect to see the sea” “It’s right there between the land, and the sky”.

Treasure Island: Just a few blocks away from our rental in Penzance stands The Admiral Benbow pub, were Jim Hawkins begins his adventures. Although the place claims to be hundreds of years old, Robert Louis Stevenson never actually names the town. By description it could be anywhere in Cornwall or Devonshire. Still, a great excuse to revisit this pirate classic in print or film form.

The Pirates of Penzance an operetta by Gilbert and Sullivan. Love at first sight? A Pirate King? Wacky conflict amongst vagabonds and police? And a modern major general tongue twister that is a canon of actor diction training? What’s there not to love? See a production if you ever have the chance.

Tintagel

Even though we don’t quite believe that King Arthur had anything to do with the place, our reading list wouldn’t be complete without a few recommendations.

The Once and Future King by T. H. White , which Ben enjoyed, tells the legend in a more relatable way than Mort ‘d Arthur by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

Merlin. This 2008-2012 series may not be canon, but it sure is a lot of fun. Ben and Emily are big fans (do ask Emi why!)

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain. I read this book in 7th grade and truly loved it. Twain’s chapter on an aging Arthur, dressed as a commoner caring for his people is still the most poignant portrait of the legend I have ever experienced.

What are YOUR favorite novels and films set in Britain? Please write in our comment section your recommendations!