The book dialog game

[poohbear_nc]

Cold Comfort Farm?

[issybird]

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

Cold Comfort Farm?

There's nothing narsty in the woodshed.

This book is somewhat earlier.

[issybird]

After my work in the City, I like to be at home. What’s the good of a home, if you are never in it? “Home, Sweet Home,” that’s my motto. I am always in of an evening. Our old friend Gowing may drop in without ceremony; so may Cummings, who lives opposite. My dear wife Caroline and I are pleased to see them, if they like to drop in on us. But Carrie and I can manage to pass our evenings together without friends. There is always something to be done: a tin-tack here, a Venetian blind to put straight, a fan to nail up, or part of a carpet to nail down—all of which I can do with my pipe in my mouth; while Carrie is not above putting a button on a shirt, mending a pillow-case, or practising the “Sylvia Gavotte” on our new cottage piano (on the three years’ system), manufactured by W. Bilkson (in small letters), from Collard and Collard (in very large letters).

[poohbear_nc]

Hmmm... The Semi-Attached Couple?

[issybird]

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

Hmmm... The Semi-Attached Couple?

Ooh, another Emily Eden fan. Why am I not surprised? This and your last guess are favorites of mine. Of course.

The book I'm quoting is later than Semi-Attached--late Victorian.

Well all I will be able to say is this must be yet another book I should have read. Sounds like Issy and Poohbear are closing in on a meeting of minds though.

[poohbear_nc]

I'm sure it's not a Delafield book, but sounds tantalizingly familiar.
Affixing thinking cap firmly on head and heading to the shower [some of my best mental breakthroughs occur in the shower].

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Hamlet53

Well all I will be able to say is this must be yet another book I should have read.

I think you're a fan of Three Men in a Boat? This should be just the thing.

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

I'm sure it's not a Delafield book, but sounds tantalizingly familiar.
Affixing thinking cap firmly on head and heading to the shower [some of my best mental breakthroughs occur in the shower].

Not Delafield.

I need a shower cap in the shower myself, to keep my bun dry.

[issybird]

Another quote, the introduction, that will give it away if you know it. If not, it's guessworthy.

Spoiler:

INTRODUCTION BY MR. POOTER


Why should I not publish my diary? I have often seen reminiscences of people I have never even heard of, and I fail to see—because I do not happen to be a ‘Somebody’—why my diary should not be interesting. My only regret is that I did not commence it when I was a youth.

CHARLES POOTER.

[poohbear_nc]

Ahhhhh .... Diary of a Nobody! Mr. Pooter!

[issybird]

And the shower to the rescue one more time.

Take it away, the squeaky-clean poohbear!

[poohbear_nc]

Hah!

If you're a fan of modern British mysteries, you'll know this one.

"Life was hard enough without a shortage of peppermint creams."


Edit: This may be too obscure, so I'll add another quote from a more well known work in the next post.

[poohbear_nc]

And for the non-mystery fans, another book to guess:

"She felt very young; at the same time unspeakably aged. She sliced like a knife through everything; at the same time was outside, looking on... far out to sea and alone; she always had the feeling that it was very, very dangerous to live even one day."

[issybird]

Sliced like a knife I know, but I'll let it ride for other players. Peppermint creams has me stymied.

[poohbear_nc]

I thought you'd know it Issy.

More:

"She had a perpetual sense, as she watched the taxi cabs, of being out, out, far out to sea and alone; she always had the feeling that it was very, very dangerous to live even one day."