An Apologia for Countess Erzebet Bathory: Erzebet in History’s Monsters: Simon Sebag Montefi...

An Apologia for Countess Erzebet Bathory: Erzebet in History’s Monsters: Simon Sebag Montefi...: Erzebet in History’s Monsters : Simon Sebag Montefiore with John Bew and Martyn Frampton. New York: Metro Books, 2008. I am disap...

"Idoling" Pym

I would like to begin a serious of posts on how dolls, figurines, and similar collectibles fit into Pym's world.  As a collector, doll blogger, doll author, and doll expert guide (about.com Doll Collecting), I have always been interested in how these small details affect Pym.

In fact, Marcia's milk bottles and plastic bags have been written up in S. Pearce's "The Collector's Voice; Modern Voices."

In "The Subversion of Romance in the Novels of Barbara Pym", I talked about the Bishop's soap animals, and again, from QIA, Norman's stuffed animals, taxidermy, at the museum.

Father Christmas figures, collected by doll enthusiasts appear.  So do Cycladic, idols, which doll historians have written up for centuries.

Other characters collect as well.  One "mentally" collects unusual license plates, while one character has a Faberge Egg.  Leonora Eyre of "The Sweet Dove Died" has lovely things, and has a relationships with a young antique dealer/auctioneer.

Jumble sales and bazaar's are vintage Pym, as are the "bits and pieces" that make up decor for her characters' homes.

Pym was a fan of Denton Welch, who collected doll houses and miniatures. She understood material culture and the importance of small things, and once commented on having studied and read Proust, who was also aware of material objects, that any ordinary woman's possessions would have been just as interesting.

So, let me know where you spot the collectibles and figurines in Pym.  I'd love to see photos, too, and to do a series of posts.

Memoir; Writing your Life Story: Sunday Night and 60 Mins

Memoir; Writing your Life Story: Sunday Night and 60 Mins: Lately, I've been thinking a lot of "Our Town" and Emily's wish to go back to earth for just one more day, one more ordina...

I Dream of Jeannie and Excellent Women:

In an early BW episode, Jeannie is reading an article in a magazine called “The Emancipation of Modern Women.”  She asks Capt. Nelson “What does it mean?”  He tells her she doesn’t’ have to worry about things like that. C. 1965.  Hmph.

Memoir; Writing your Life Story: The Physical Art of Handwriting; Some Thoughts

Memoir; Writing your Life Story: The Physical Art of Handwriting; Some Thoughts: It's a shame so many schools no longer teach cursive writing.  Think about it; we are depriving our kids of the pleasures of writing the...

Cumbered with much Serving!

I think of Barbara Pym and her women”cumbered with much serving.”  I thought I understood it when I read her and wrote so much on her, including my dissertation and my book, but I never really got it till now.  This morning, I got up at 8:15, and by 10, I had done a million things, or so it felt.

First, I had to get on line and check mail, and try to do some work. I had to wash my hair, and get dressed.  I did the dishes, at least round 1 of the dishes. I tried to pick up the house, fed and watered our kitties, who had been waiting patiently since at least 6 am, played with them, remembered all my allergy pills, and paid bills.   I got the bills in the mailbox.

Today, screw ups with my Dad’s caregivers; changes I didn’t know about, grumpy Daddy, more changes I didn’t know about,   no coverage the one night I needed it.

Perhaps tomorrow is indeed another day; the sun is shining and it is cool and crisp; my kind of weather.   Think of the start of “Roseanne”, the theme, “That which doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger . . .”

Public Domain Image