When I arrived in New Zealand in February, I was armed with a list of authors to look out for as I trolled the country’s bookstores. Some of them I never came across, others seemed unheard of on the North Island but inescapable on the South Island, but the prolific Mary Scott was ever-present. From Bay of Islands in the north to Dunedin in the south, I’m not sure I found a used bookstore that didn’t have at least one of her light novels. I came home with five of them and was delighted to kick off the 1962 Club with the very first one I bought: It’s Perfectly Easy.
Twenty-four-year-old newspaperwoman Helen Napier is living and loving her sophisticated city life when two things happen in short succession: she inherits a pregnant Great Dane from an Italian admirer who has just jetted home and her brother Peter inherits, more usefully, a seaside cottage with four acres of land. Though only twenty-two, Peter is plagued by ill health and settles on the plan – endorsed by his doctor – of giving up his own newspaper job and moving to his country cottage. He has a little annual income from the money left to them by their parents and thinks he can live the simple life on it while doing a bit of freelance writing.
Helen, the ever-worried but ever-practical elder sister, quickly concludes that Peter would never be able to get by on his paltry income, and would starve even before the money ran out given that he doesn’t even know how to boil an egg. But with their combined incomes, and if she were able to get some sort of job locally, they could manage it together. So off she – and the Great Dane – go to Peter’s seaside home.
Oh, to be a “poor” middle class youth who inherits property! There are so many mid-century stories about such plights (a favourite of the real-estate-obsessed D.E. Stevenson for one) and so few modern equivalents despite it being an eternally alluring fantasy. Who wouldn’t want a seaside acreage only a mile from a village?
However, it’s not a very bustling village and Helen soon realises local jobs won’t be easy to find. However, a new acquaintance – the flighty young widow who teaches at the local school – soon has an idea for Helen and Peter: they should open a holiday camp and, even better, one that allows visitors to bring along their pets. After all, with such a perfect location and so much land, what could be easier?
Famous last words.
With the support of new local friends and only a bit of grumbling from the neighbouring (bachelor) farmer, the camp is up and running before the Christmas rush starts. For a girl who was once described as a true city type, needing “smart frocks and hard work and plenty of parties” Helen adapts fairly quickly to her new surroundings and role as the chatelaine of the camp. Between guests, natural disasters, the messy love affairs of her new friends, and Peter’s health, Helen finds more than enough to keep her busy – perhaps too busy to realise what she really wants for herself separate from what she wants for Peter.
I had fun reading this, though the writing is fairly basic and can meander frustratingly away from anything that serves the plot. Scott lingers far too long on supporting characters when I would have enjoyed seeing Helen better developed – she remains a fairly distant character despite the story being written from a first-person perspective – but it all still makes for a pleasant if predictable whole. It may not be a book I hang on to but I’m glad to have picked it up and enjoyed a taste of New Zealand circa 1962.
Sounds like a fun find for 1962 – and very much of its time, by the sounds of it!
Very much so!
I like the sound of this and I agree, to inherit a pile to get me out of my poverty would be a dream!
This was the perfect modest inheritance – not big enough to be a burden, just a pleasure. Truly the stuff of dreams!
She does meander but after I had read one, I ordered several more of her books – I think they are so much fun and remind me of Betty McDonald’s The Egg and I.
I’ve heard comparisons to Betty McDonald from other readers, especially for the Barbara stories/books. I’m intrigued enough to look forward to reading more!
This sounds like fun, but a holiday camp? Oh, no!
I think holiday camp conjures up different images depending on the place and time you’re thinking of. Here it’s a fairly modest proposal, with a few huts but mostly tent sites and no organized activities. I can see why they thought it would be easy…
Oh, just a campground. I was thinking of one of those places that has all kinds of activities.
I love holiday reads and books found whilst on holidays. They become more than the story between the pages, so even if a bit simple or predictable, they also contain memories of our own experience in finding them (does that make sense? I’m having a rambly kind of day).
It absolutely makes sense and I feel the same!
[…] from It All by Mary Scott – back to New Zealand with Mary Scott! My first encounter with her wasn’t overwhelmingly successful, but I enjoyed Breakfast at Six recently and then […]