The Minack Chronicles

phoenix I remember seeing Thora Hird as the mother and thought it was wonderful but I hadn't connected it with The Cat Who Came in from The Cold!

We read all the Minack books when we first moved to Cornwall and thoroughly enjoyed them, not sure if the effect would be the same now.

Sorry Mini ! I think I'll be following you though, because I haven't read that one!

Phoenix I now hold you entirely responsible for the fact that I've just been on Amazon - again - and bought Paws in the Proceedings by Deric Longden! You can read a bit of it on there and it's definitely my kind of humour and how I write. No gardening and no housework now . . . Housework???

I still remember reading in his book that meat is poisonous to donkeys. Worried me that his wifes illness might have been caused by living surrounded by so much bracken [with the spores and all that]. Other than that, I loved the books. I was in a rather unhappy marriage at the time and most of the books I read were about people escaping to the countryside and being self sufficient..my all time favourite being 'My Small Country Living' by Jeanine McMullen. As if I could be self sufficient; I'm the most impractical person I know; can't live without my make up and anti wrinkle cream and have a television in every room.

I know what you mean. I enjoyed them far more when I was younger.

I read and enjoyed them, but after re-reading a few in quick succession, sorry to say I started to find them a bit sort of "cloying" something akin to an overdose of Rachmaninoff....................

However I would recommend the books by Deric Longden, especially if you are a cat lover.

Again, not novels, just observational. two of his books were televised, "Wide Eyed & Legless" from his book "Diana's Story" about the illness and death of his wife (don't be put off by that, there is much in it to enjoy and laugh aloud at) and another one that starred Thora Hird as his mother going through dementia (same comment as above re don't be put off etc..)

He wrote some excellent books, The cat who came in from the cold, Enough to make a cat laugh, etc. He died not that long ago.

When Jack used to come and stay with me, after I left ex, one of our great shared delights was reading aloud Deric Longdens books to each other (Jack was 12 - 13 at the time) and we would often have to stop and start again as we were laughing so much! Very happy memories!

What a coincidence, I read them all in the 70s. A friend almost has them all, I re-read them while staying at her house, she is missing the donkey one. I have it here next to me, I was just about to wrap it for her!

Oh dear, I've just strayed on to Amazon & bought one of the books to re-read. There goes the gardening again . . .

You're right, Phoenix

Here's a link to the website they've set up:

minack.info/

As far as I can remember, they are not novels chloe , more an account of events etc.

I'd forgotten about these. I read them years ago and enjoyed them. Nice gentle read from what I recall. In fact, I first bought escallonia because of the description in one of his books! I think the donkey enjoyed snacking on it - no, I haven't got a donkey to go with mine (yet).

No I haven't, but I will, as they sound interesting and just the sort of novel I enjoy so thank you.