The villagers of Thrush Green celebrate Christmas traditionally, in a way that has hardly changed over the generations. Children eagerly hang up their stockings, families go to church together, everyone enjoys treats of the festive season. And when it snows as the carol singers make their way round the cottages on the green, it seems as if Christmas will be perfect this year. But not everything is as peaceful as it seems. Phyllida and Frank have their work cut out for them when they agree to take on the Nativity play - made all the more difficult by an outbreak of chicken pox. The indomitable Ella has lived in Thrush Green for as long as anyone can remember, but lately she has been behaving strangely. Then there are the dreadful Burwells, newcomers to Thrush Green, who cause something of a stir with their 'home improvements'. For Nelly, owner of The Fuchsia Bush tea shop, Christmas is an especially busy time, with people dropping in for much-needed refreshment, weary from all their Christmas shopping, but then she receives an unexpected letter.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
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"A light-hearted gentle read set in the English countryside, with vibrant characters and an old-fashioned outlook." THEBOOKBAG.CO.UK
About the Author
Miss Read was a teacher by profession who started writing after the Second World War. In additional to her novels, she has written on educational and country matters, and worked as a script-writer for the BBC. She lives in Berkshire, and was made an MBE for her services to literature.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not quite Miss Read,
By
This review is from: Christmas at Thrush Green (Hardcover)
I was surpised to see this title for sale as in her last book Miss Read claimed she was laying down her pen with "a thankful heart". It was only after buying the book I realised it was, in fact, a joint collaboration with her long-time editor.
It seems that Miss Read developed the story-line whilst Jenny Dereham wrote the words. Unfortunately, it's the words (rather than plot) which provide the great joy of the Thrush Green and Fairacre series, and the resulting collaboration is rather flat. In particular, there is a lot of exposition and back-story (every time a character appears for the first time) which weighs down the narrative. A lot of the time, statements just don't convince. Poppy complains of "handling customers' smelly feet" at the shoe shop, as if she were providing a chiropody service rather than selling footwear, and I just didn't believe in the Guild of Teashops, which provides one story line. Also people in Thrush Green seem to have developed the strange habit of talking in complete sentences, whereas Miss Read always had the surest knack for dialog. In short, it's as if you have gone into The Fuchsia Bush cafe and been served a shop-bought scone. It's pleasant but not quite the treat you were expecting.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another Visit to Thrush Green,
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Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Christmas at Thrush Green (Hardcover)
What a delight to visit Thrush Green once again after more than 10 years. Miss Read's longtime editor Jenny Dereham has done an excellent job of capturing the characters and nuance of this beloved Cotswold village. For all of us who, since 1957, have lovingly followed the adventures of Winnie Bailey, Harold Shoesmith, Dimity and Ella, the Youngs and all the rest, this is a chance to have one more chat over a glass of sherry and a last stroll around the green. It's is such a pleasure to know that Miss Read, in her '90's, took such an active part in bringing this book to fruition. What could be better than one more Christmas in Thrush Green?
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not quite Miss Read,
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Christmas at Thrush Green (Hardcover)
Christmas at Thrush Green, never measured up to what I would expect from a beloved writer whose books I have been collecting for 30 years. Evidently Miss Read had her editor write this book due to her own continuing loss of vision. I truly grieve for the losses this wonderful writer has had to endure. Did she have to endure the editor coming up with the scene of a circus carnival pageant at the church Christmas Program? I could not imagine any one of these Thrush Green characters behaving so out of character in order to insert some heavy handed comedy into the story line. Miss Read always had such a sure hand at dialogue,an ear for Cotswold nuances, and that is primarily absent from this book. Her wonderful Thrush Green characters appear as strangers in a strange land. I miss them. I miss Miss Read.
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