tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011557877105021955.post7439048236262520459..comments2024-03-25T22:59:30.053+00:00Comments on Desperate Reader: Barbara Pym's Birthday Desperate Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15708411387912078122noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011557877105021955.post-81942104538931330152013-06-04T22:26:04.502+01:002013-06-04T22:26:04.502+01:00I promise I left any cynicism at the door, althoug...I promise I left any cynicism at the door, although I did feel a bit like a tourist in there but went to join in rather than observe. As someone ambivalent about many aspects of religion Church was a surprise, I feel quite strongly about how we seem to be isolating ourselves and each other - all those self serve tills and everything that can be done online, closing libraries, all goes to reduce the sort of casual everyday contact that can be so important to those who live alone, especially the elderly who don't always even have the internet. I don't know what replaces a friendly place that offers community and something to get involved in as a church does but I there's a real need for such places.Desperate Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15708411387912078122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011557877105021955.post-48490728373414832852013-06-04T22:08:17.090+01:002013-06-04T22:08:17.090+01:00She really does sound like someone I'd love to...She really does sound like someone I'd love to know. I've almost finished 'Excellent Women' for the second time though and it's much better than I remembered, and I remembered it being very good. Desperate Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15708411387912078122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011557877105021955.post-28130234732889685962013-06-03T12:41:46.841+01:002013-06-03T12:41:46.841+01:00interesting, you went to church rather in the way ...interesting, you went to church rather in the way that Pym's anthropologists study humankind and societies! I think it really comes across how important is the structure church gives the lives of women like Mildred in Excellent Women. There is a lot of concern about loneliness and isolation nowadays, no doubt church-going, whatever your faith, or whatever absurdities the clergymen perpetrated, did much to counter-act that. I wonder what we could use now - the internet, of course...Lydia Bennethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09328239009863878547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8011557877105021955.post-53765902950080541102013-06-02T21:23:27.332+01:002013-06-02T21:23:27.332+01:00I agree that I love Pym the person as much or more...I agree that I love Pym the person as much or more than her novels. This is confirmed by reading her autobiography/letters/diary. I love Sylvia Plath's poetry, but I think she would have intimidated me in real life and probably not be the stuff of kindred spirits. Barbara Pym, on the other hand, is fascinating as a person and seems like the sort of person I would want as a neighbor or friend.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com