When I find myself in times of trouble, my remedy is slightly different than The Beatles’. I inevitably reach for a book and, more often than not when things are too dark or stressful or scary, that book is the delightful Little G by E.M. Channon. In the not-quite seven years I have owned a copy, I have read it at least five times and – no surprise – it was one of the first books I read during the lockdown of spring 2020. It is no less comforting this spring, with the dual motivation of reading it for the 1936 Club and to provide comfort amidst the dire Covid third wave we are experiencing here.
John Furnival is a pre-maturely stuffy, antisocial Cambridge mathematician who is ordered by his doctor on a long country stay to recover his health, which, his doctor chides him, has suffered due to:
Too much to eat: too much port and too much tea: too much work for your head, and not enough for your body.
Because the world of 1930s academia is forgiving of the need to do work – especially by dons with private incomes – Furnival is soon installed in a cottage in the village of Challingley. The village, from the doctor’s perspective, is ideal. It’s hilly enough to force Furnival to discomfort on his walks, quiet but full of sociable neighbours, and the cottage offers a large garden to rest or putter in. Furnival is less convinced, disgusted by his new neighbours’ obsessions with their gardens, tennis parties, and, most horrifyingly of all, the pretty young widow at the center of the village’s social life. But he is firmly drawn into the social whirl and realises – slowly and to his horror – what an unattractive foil he serves against this healthy, vigorous set. Surely he – once a champion rower and tennis player – isn’t the sweaty old man set next to the village’s quick vicar or dashing doctor? And at only thirty-seven!
While adult society may terrify or bore him in equal measure, Furnival finds himself much more at home with the cottage’s cat – the only creature he was immediately delighted to encounter in his new surroundings – and his next-door neighbours, three children living with their terrifying Aunt Agatha. Rather to his surprise, the children are pleasant companions and it isn’t long before the three are slipping from their yard to his, eager for his stories and spoiling. Furnival, for the first time in years, is giving thought and attention to something other than his equations (though his versions of children’s stories are very physics-focused). But there is yet another resident next door, the children’s aunt Grace, who is that most terrifying of things – a young woman. Thankfully she is not so terrifying as most of her species, being rather small and quiet, but also very capable and quick-witted and rather pretty…
Over the course of his time in the village, Furnival is forced out of his almost monastic mindset and learns once again how to be human. He relearns how to care for others and to take care of himself and questions his long-held and unquestioned visions of a solitary, scholarly future.
This sounds very sweet, which it is, but Channon is a clever, funny writer and it’s that spark of humour that makes this book so memorable. She is more than happy to skewer Furnival, but always affectionately, and the neighbours who most concern him (the female ones) aren’t nearly as one dimensional as his initial imaginings of them. That’s not to stay this is a novel of great characterization and depth – it decidedly is not – but it’s far better than the sentimental drivel it could have been in another writer’s hands and I love it desperately. The only sad thing about it is how difficult it is now to find copies. It was reissued by Greyladies Books in 2012 but it’s almost impossible to find second-hand copies. I’m not surprised – I certainly wouldn’t give mine up!
What fun this sounds, Claire! Don’t suppose Virago would reprint …? The Little G tag made me think it was something to do with the daughter of Georgiana Duchess of Devonshire, but clearly not!
I wouldn’t see it fitting in with the Virago catalogue but it would be an excellent choice for Dean Street Press’ Furrowed Middlebrow imprint. And they are already reprinting another title earlier reissued by Greyladies (Near Neighbours by Molly Clavering this June) so that seems promising!
Lovely, Claire! My review of this will be coming out later in the week – you’ve missed out MY favourite element – the kitten! Also quite amusing that he is considered overworked, but can just take months off.
Somehow I am not surprised that was your favourite part 🙂
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This sounds like a good one! I haven’t heard of this writer.
There’s a little bit about her on the Greyladies website: http://www.greyladiesbooks.co.uk/pages/b_emc.html
She seems to have a tried writing a bit of everything!
Thanks!
What a great find and a lovely review. There are some books which you just go back to at times of stress, and this sounds perfect for that – I’m just sorry it isn’t more easily available.
Yes, some publisher really needs to remedy that! It is a delight but I feel slightly guilty raving about when I know that most readers won’t be able to find a copy.
Wow, no copies of this in US libraries so I do hope someone republishes it, as you made it sound very appealing! I have read a couple of her juvenile school stories – I remember The Honour of the School, a classic new girl wanting to make a name for herself story.
Keeping my fingers crossed that someone picks it up for another reissue soon so you and everyone else can have a chance to read it!
Sounds so much of a comfort read. Like me with Pride & Prejudice. This was from 16 when I did it as a text for English literature o’levels.
It is my Platonic ideal of a comfort read!
Sigh! I hate it when you tell us about a perfectly lovely book which I know I will enjoy, and then let drop that it’s unavailable.
It is the challenge of there being so many wonderful books out there that have been forgotten! Happily, many of the books I’ve written about when out of print are now easily available and hopefully this will be again one day soon.