Catherine Cookson Fans

Caleo

Which is your favourite Catherine Cookson story?

I have some letters from Catherine Cookson when I wrote to her in the very early eighties, I was so thrilled to receive personal letters from her. I still treasure them.

Lindy

Caleo I watched Tilly Trotter on TV a week or so ago. It had a
strange ending which I felt was unfinished business. Probably me just wanting more.

I think the TV series just covered the first Tilly Trotter book. I too felt the ending left things in the air. I have since found out that there were / are two more books in the saga - Tilly Trotter Wed and Tilly Trotter widowed.

Suelld, Yes, I agree the characters are often stereotypes. Many of the plots (The Dwelling Place, Tilly Trotter) are versions of Cinderella. What is wrong with that? The social comment is in the historical background.

Nothing wrong with a bit of escapism at bedtime!

Spanisheyes

Has anyone else noticed that M&S seem to be only catering for the very young customers. When you go onto their site, it full of very thin, very tall, very young women, no sign of anyone middle aged or older. Even their show on television ‘Dress the Nation’ trying find a New young designer to work for M&S, is full of extremely young designers. Do we over 30’s + not get any choice now? Is it just me.

Not sure what this has to do with Catherine Cookson 😂

Loved the mallen streak

The Gambling Man without a doubt is my favourite. Wow, such a twist to the tale, have watched several times. Thought The Round Tower not very good but enjoyed The Dwelling Place, a good yarn as my Grandma would have said!

I liked The Cultured Handmaiden. I then read a lot more of her books but got bored as they seemed much of a muchness.

Ilovedogs22

Oh suelld, an interesting point of view but I couldn't disagree with you more. Catherine Cookson was a wonderful writer, her words would flow beautifully, she wrote with an easy, authentic, fluid -hand. Tastes today have changed, that's probably why some people find her books hard to read in this day & age. Particularly as many people today speak in such a way that I can't understand them!!! You only have to catch a snippet of some reality shows to understand what I mean! Maybe she was of her time, but I think her work is wonderful, timeless & evergreen. 🙂

I’m 78 …so did actually read them as a contemporary, and not going to start a debate … we are all entitled to our opinions.
I love the storylines, and enjoy the films, a sucker for ‘rags to riches’ type tales. But do read and compare the ‘substance’ of the characters as described by her and ( as I said) with others in that genre…the storylines flow…sure… but the writing is simplistic without depth. I recenty read a Lyn Andrews for our local book club, a recent ‘best seller’ in the same vein… I raced through it, enjoyed the storyline, until the melodramatic end… but, as with Cookson, the protagonists were cardboard cut-outs of a ‘type’ . I had no vision in my head of what I imagined the ‘heroine’ to really look like or really feel! With ( some) other books you come away from reading, with the main character ‘fleshed out’ and you love them or hate them, but can ‘feel’ with them…. Be happy, sad, laugh or cry WITH them …YOU become the character…
Nothing like that with the CC books, just fairly steotypical ‘types’. It takes the film or tv to bring them to life …THEN you can ‘see’ them . Catherine Zeta Jones was excellent in one of them as were others!
Even back when I read them as an older teen, I could see/feel the difference between her writing and Jean Plaidys!
Again all entitled to our own opinions… no disrespect.

Big love to the talking horse Hamilton! I loved those books 😊

Oh suelld, an interesting point of view but I couldn't disagree with you more. Catherine Cookson was a wonderful writer, her words would flow beautifully, she wrote with an easy, authentic, fluid -hand. Tastes today have changed, that's probably why some people find her books hard to read in this day & age. Particularly as many people today speak in such a way that I can't understand them!!! You only have to catch a snippet of some reality shows to understand what I mean! Maybe she was of her time, but I think her work is wonderful, timeless & evergreen. 🙂

A dinner of herbs, The dwelling place were my favourites. But I really loved all of them, even those set in more recent times. However, I hated the Hamilton series (imaginary talking horse). I just didn’t ‘get it’….but still had to read them. 😁

Jean Plaidy( ho was also Victoria Holt ) and Georgette Heyer were all very good writers with substance to their writing however!

I have to both agree and disagree… Catherine Cookson’s stories are great plot lines. They translate to TV and film wonderfully, but she was a very poor writer. Not too surprised they have disappeared from libraries for that reason. Dan Brown is another similar …great stories…bad writing/reading! I would never encourage anyone with any sense of depth of characters to read her books… they are linear in the extreme! MY opinion!

BevSec

I like a dinner of herbs too, all the films are enjoyable as the stories are so powerful and well acted.

Hear, hear, BevSec, "A dinner herbs"
is a brutal, heart -breaking read or watch via Dvd. It' certanly not a romantic pap/bodice-ripper/ flutter-fest (eg Babara Cartland). The books are very authentic, brutal sometimes; but they will stay with you forever.🤔

Has anyone else noticed that M&S seem to be only catering for the very young customers. When you go onto their site, it full of very thin, very tall, very young women, no sign of anyone middle aged or older. Even their show on television ‘Dress the Nation’ trying find a New young designer to work for M&S, is full of extremely young designers. Do we over 30’s + not get any choice now? Is it just me.

Earlier this year I asked my local Library if they could get me 3 Catherine Cookson Books, after several weeks I received an email telling me ‘they were unable to find them’.😤

Oh dear. Sorry 'Ilovedogs22' I must be a book snob then. Afraid I'm not a fan 😕

How do you know I haven’t read any? What did I say that indicates that???

Actually I have read some of her books because my mother read them all and loved them. Tooooo miserable for me. Thank you! I’m allowed an opinion!!

I like a dinner of herbs too, all the films are enjoyable as the stories are so powerful and well acted.

whywhywhy

None! They are all so dreary! How she managed to churn out so much rubbish I will never know!

How do you know they’re rubbish ( in your opinion) when you haven’t read them.

Loved all her books. Devoured them. Not read any for a long time now though

silverlining48

I read and enjoyed all Catherine Cookson’s books as well as Jean Plaidy’s where I learned such a lot about history.

Hear,hear silverling48
Some people dissing her wonderful books haven't obviously read them!
I too also relish Jean Plaidy's historical books which are so engrossing & well researched. They are so evocative & well written that you feel that you have gone back in time. I urge people to try them, you might be surprised! Particularly if you're been reading bland, pap for too many years. 🤔

Like Silver Lining writes, Jean Plaidy's stories are good one too.

Whwhywhy, I guess people who enjoy Catherine Cookson and Jean Plaidy tend to enjoy well -researched historical backgrounds.

Lindy , Tilly Trotter is one of the longer stories and the second part is on television this afternoon. I hope you catch it in time!

None! They are all so dreary! How she managed to churn out so much rubbish I will never know!