Customer Reviews

The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I bought this book years ago and foolishly gave it away. I recently repurchased it and am glad to have it back. I give it four stars instead of five because I figure five stars should be reserved for John James Audubon.

For the most part I like the older edition (ISBN 0-03-021026-7) better. It is printed on yellowish paper with darkened edges, purposely made to look a bit aged. The colors are darker and the detail on the illustrations shows up better. But this 2001 edition has its good points too. It's printed on pure white paper so even though some of the pictures look a little washed out, the colors look clearer and brighter, not so muddy. So some people might prefer this new edition.

There's a biography of Edith Holden, out of print, that I'd be interested to read. (Edwardian Lady: The Story of Edith Holden, by Ina Taylor.)

edith holden weaves a marvelous spell with her beautiful watercolor paintings, her daily wonderment at the flora and fauna she observes, and her quotations of poetry to accompany every month. the poetry reflects both the physical world and all that it represents to the human spirit that beholds it. a lovely gift for a thinking woman, especially (but not necessarily) one who loves her garden.

When i found out that the Country diary of an Edwardian Lady was to come back in print after more than five years in the wilderness, i remembered feeling elated, why, because Ms Holden and her talents was the best thing ever to have happened to the book world,and this new edition showing what the diary looked like at the time it was written is the best ever, she put rural warwickshire on the map in a way no other author could have or will do, the book is not only a teaching of nature (remembering that Edith was a teacher) but also a portable art gallery of in my opinion some of the best surviving examples of her artwork, i have long been a holden devotee (the word fan is reserved for rowdy pop stars)i have and always will treasure this beautiful book and its sister publication the nature notes of an edwardian lady, we love this book perhaps for its nostalgic charm for all things turn of the century, but more importantly because most of ediths beloved nature trails around her home in Olton Hollow, solihull now no longer exist, so my advice, buy this book and give it pride of place in the cabinet

Looking through this book is like traveling back in time. Edith Holden spent her days exploring, cataloging and enjoying nature. The intricate drawings of birds, plants and flowers are magical. I reach for this book again and again simply to escape and daydream about what her life must have been like.

This is definately a "feminine" book and one that I have enjoyed having in my library as well as buying for friends.

Delightful!

I have the 1977 version and I think it is far better than the recent one. It's lovely to follow the months day by day, learning facts about trees, flowers, insecs. The artwork she drew is enchanting.....

A precious not much heard of book....

What a beautiful book. This book is full of drawings and paintings of birds, plants, insects. The author Edith Holden fills her diary with poems, personal thoughts and viewpoints of her surroundings. Month by Month we get a look at what she saw before her. I'm just envious that I didn't get to see her world first hand.

Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady leaves you breathless. To imagine that she went out her door everyday and absolutely captured the beauty of nature all around her... and she captured this beauty for herself. The precision and balance in this incredible work of art is beyond the bounds of my ability to use words.

One of the most incredible journeys of my life took place in the page of this book!

Get it... keep it... give it.. to everyone you love.

I borrowed this book from the library and fell in love with the delicate watercolors of plant and animal life, the occasional quotes from poetry, and the rare observations about the weather, etc. Then the book went out of print but it has returned and remains a treasure on my bookshelf, a book I will not lend out to anyone lest it not come home again. A resonant reminder that there is so much going on if only the train would break down and leave us free to walk a while.

I purchased this book as part of our home school lesson. I wanted to teach the children about nature journaling. We live in a fabulous area with many of opportunities to observe nature.

The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady looks exactly as she had written it, beautiful drawings with proper name labels as well as her observances of the mother nature.

This was a joy to look through and read. Very inspirational and it goes well with my growing collection of Edwardian, Georgian and Victorian books.

A beautifully illustrated book filled with poetry and observations of the time. Ms. Holden's enthusiasm for nature and wonderful personal illustrations make this a combination "coffee table book" and real window into a simplier time. I highly recommend the book to anyone into Victoriana.