Bates, H E – The Bell Bookshop

Down The River

Emma — Tue, 28 Feb 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Populated by wonderful characters, this is H E Bates at his finest, writing about the rivers that influenced him most.

Through The Woods

Emma — Fri, 20 May 2011 00:00:00 +0000

H.E. Bates carried a woodland in his imagination. He fell under its spell as a boy growing up in the Midlands, becoming increasingly enchanted each time he stepped below the wooded canopy. Memory magnified its mystery over the years, enriching his stories as he grew successful as a writer.

The Darling Buds of May

Emma — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Thirty years after The Darling Buds of May became one of the most popular comedy-dramas in ITV history, H.E. Bates’s novel is back in a brand new adaptation starring Bradley Walsh and Joanna Scanlan

‘The warmth and affection that H. E. Bates has generated through his books is so uplifting’ Bradley Walsh
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‘Home looks nice. Allus does though, don’t it? Perfick‘

One pleasant May evening, Pop and Ma Larkin and their six children – sated on fish, chips and ice cream – return to the rustic charms of their Kent farm. Waiting for them is a young man: Mr Cedric Charlton, an upstanding inspector of taxes, come to discover why they haven’t paid any.

Yet as junk-dealer Pop patiently explains: nothing’s ever that simple at the Larkins’. Mariette takes a shine to ‘Charley’ – as Pop calls him – and before long the family have introduced the uncomplaining inspector to the delights of country living: the lusty scents of wild flowers, the pleasures of a bottle of Dragon’s Blood, cold cream dribbled over a bowl of strawberries and the sweet song of nightingales.

Will Cedric come to his senses?
Or will he beat a hasty retreat to the office?
________

‘A pulsing comedy of country manners. A five-alarm blaze of a book. Just about perfick’ TIME

‘A gently, anarchic wish-fulfilling daydream’ THE TIMES

‘What better comfort could there be from all we have endured this year than the rolling laughter and outsize hugs of Ma and Pop? It’s going to be an honour to help bring The Larkins to the nation’s devices!’ Joanna Scanlan on her casting as Ma

Love for Lydia

Emma — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Lydia Aspen, a seemingly shy girl from a wealthy but isolated background, is encouraged by her aunts, her new carers, to discover the delights of growing up. They entrust her education to Mr. Richardson, the young apprentice for Evenford’s local newspaper, who is sent to their house to “get a story” about the recent death of Lydia’s father. Richardson’s access to the Aspens is unusual, as they are rarely seen by anyone from the town and hide behind their stone walls and perimeter of trees; introducing Lydia to the town’s inhabitants gives Richardson a great sense of pride. Visiting the Aspen estate also allows him the chance to escape from the great engulfing vacuum of Evensford, with its endless stretch of factory roofs and back alleys. As Lydia and Richardson spend more time together, he realizes that his initial concept of Lydia was wrong, that she is far from being shy, and is often impetuous and demanding and enjoys captivating the young men who become her companions. Richardson soon discovers that his promise to love her, no matter what she does to him, will push him beyond the pain and feelings he thinks he is capable of experiencing. One of H. E. Bates’ best-loved and most enduring books, Love for Lydia is an extraordinary tale of love and longing, set against the backdrop of 1920s decadence, and the fall of the English upper classes.

Darling Buds of May

Emma — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 00:00:00 +0000

‘Home looks nice. Allus does though, don’t it? Perfick’

And so the Larkins – Pop, Ma, Mariette, Zinnia, Petunia, Primrose, Victoria and Montgomery – return from an outing for fish and chips and ice cream one May evening. There, amid the rustic charms of home, they discover a visitor: one Cedric Charlton, Her Majesty’s inspector of taxes.

Mr Charlton is visiting to find out why junk-dealer Pop hasn’t paid his tax – but nothing’s that simple at the Larkins. Mariette takes a shine to ‘Charley’ – as Pop calls him – and before long the family have introduced the uncomplaining inspector to the delights of country living: the lusty scents of wild flowers, the pleasures of a bottle of Dragon’s Blood, cold cream dribbled over a bowl of strawberries and hot, hot summer nights.

In fact, soon Charley can’t see any reason to return to the office at all . . .