SKU: 10368497

"Reflections From A Village" 1969 SWINNERTON, Frank

Sale price$112.50 Regular price$125.00
Save 10%

Pay in installments of $31.25 with ShopPay, AfterPay and Klarna

Shipping Estimate
USA
  • USA
  • CAN

Ships within 48 hours · Estimated delivery Aug 3 - Aug 8

Promo Codes Available:

For Your Every Summer RSVP, with Code: SUMMER15

Description

"Reflections From A Village" 1969 SWINNERTON, FrankSWINNERTON, Frank Frank Arthur Swinnerton was an English novelist, critic, biographer and essayist. He was the author of more than 50 books, and as a publisher's editor helped other writers including Aldous Huxley and Lytton Strachey. His long life and career in publishing made him one of the last links with the generation of writers that included H. G. Wells, John Galsworthy and Arnold Bennett. [196] pp. Hutchinson of London 1969 Third Impression 8 1

SWINNERTON, Frank

Frank Arthur Swinnerton was an English novelist, critic, biographer and essayist.

He was the author of more than 50 books, and as a publisher's editor helped other writers including Aldous Huxley and Lytton Strachey. His long life and career in publishing made him one of the last links with the generation of writers that included H. G. Wells, John Galsworthy and Arnold Bennett.

[196] pp.

Hutchinson of London

1969

Third Impression

8 1/2" x 5 5/8"

Jacket and text decorations by J.S. Goodall

VG/ VG

Scroll Down for (10) Additional Scans:

A critic reviewing “Reflections From a Village” in anything but a literary periodical could hardly avoid asking himself for whose benefit his opinions were offered. Not for the author's-he stopped asking for press clippings during World War I. Not for the benefit of the teenagers who mill around the filing cabinets of our more capacious public libraries. (I recently counted 42 copies of Frank Swinnerton's novels, a phalanx that may not have been dusty but certainly looked inert, in that section that remains perennially ungrazed by the education explosion.) Not for the benefit of the dramatists, scenarists and adapters who have seldom bothered to explore his possibilities for their particular bag. And least of all to the ad- vantage of the trim, commuting secretaries who appear to be cheevering their way up the dikes of exurban anthropology within hours of a paperback edition. It is more than 50 years since H. G. Wells wrote of Mr. Swinnerton (1884-) that he "sees life and renders it with a steadiness and detachment and patience quite foreign to my disposition. He has no underlying motive. He sees and tells. • He does not want you or anyone to do anything." Wells's judgment, a sound one then, has been incontestable ever since. Of that handful of Edwardian writers who are still alive, none has been as rigorous as Swinnerton in refusing to subjectify his experiences. Few have been as aloof from controversy, as indifferent to acclaim. If this single-minded devotion to his craft has insulated him from the clamor and the limelight of best-sellerdom, it must have been costly to him in other ways. But the question of "Who reads X nowadays?" is becoming a tedious one, and no more will be said on that topic as it relates to Mr. Swinnerton. The village of his title is Cranleigh, a Surrey community that has been the Swinnertons' home since the 1920's. It is one of those places that a vastly expanded London has gnawed at but failed to swallow, a village in which the remnants of rural life are sometimes more obvious than in large areas of the Midlands or the North. Given its setting, the book is free from that steamy poeticism such memoirs are apt to perpetrate -and, for all its apparent formlessness, it is not haphazardly put together. Country life and characters alternate with backward glances at the London scene. There is, or should be, something for everyone here, and the prose moves smoothly and faultlessly from one rumination to the next. If the book has a weakness, it is in the anecdotes. Some are more droll than others (there is an amusing story about drunken bees), but English rustic humor has never convulsed anybody, and these specimens are far from the best, even of their kind. The London episodes, which are more to my own taste, evoke with hardly more than a flick of the pen a city so distant from our present age that it almost belongs to folklore. When Mr. Swinnerton was born (he is a Londoner but not a Cockney) the capital was post-Dickensian by less than 20 years. Early in the book the point is made that this hiatus was a strangely stagnant one. Sometime between the full impetus of the Industrial Revolution and the death of Queen Victoria, the tempo of change seems to have slowed down. Swinnerton could walk pretty much the same streets and witness the same sights as Dickens did. When he and his wife took possession of their cottage, they were looked after by a housekeeper who had once earned only a shilling a week. The author, who has already written frequently and at length about the best-known novelists of his generation, is rather sparing this time round with literary reminiscence. He recalls Arnold Bennett and Sir Philip Gibbs (both firm friends of his), and there are vignettes of other contemporaries. It is not until the penultimate chapter-"Plea for Contentment" - that we come upon the one truly shocking revelation in the book. In his day, he tells us, “only four men, from Norman Douglas to James Agate, were believed to be homosexuals. We knew nothing of Maugham's lately exaggerated abnormality, and, of course, nothing of the fevers revealed in a recent biography of Lytton Strachey and his companions." Mr. Swinnerton, as noted above, has been publishing books for quite a while. A few more disclosures like that, and he'll be lucky to get his next manuscript in print.

Shipping Notes
  • Free Standard Shipping on $100+ Orders to the USA.
  • Except Preorder products are shipped in 48 hours.
  • Delivery to the USA:
  1. Standard Shipping : 3-10 business days
  • If time is of the essence, please consider selecting expedited delivery for faster service.
Exchange/Return Notes
  • We offer a 30-day return/exchange service after receiving.
  • Final sale items are not eligible for returns or exchanges.
  • To process your return/exchange, please contact us at [email protected]
  • Please click here for more details>>> Return & Exchange Policy
SKU: 10368497

Discover Niche Categories That Outsell

Top-Converting Item to Boost Your Average Order

4.9 ★★★★★
Based on 18 reviews
Sort
Highest Rating
Newest First
Oldest First
Product Reviews
D
Verified Purchase
darren
Port Orchard, US
★★★★★ 5
Perfect fit and Style
Color: Black, Size: Large
LOVE THESE TANKS. The material is stretchy, durable and not see through, it’s a longer fit so it doesn’t stop at the waist and has a small curve cut at the waist area. Perfect for layering as the neck is high and also makes for good coverage for those who are bustier like myself. I ordered A large AND ordered four different colors as they are a great price.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2026
M
Verified Purchase
Mos0715
Omaha, US
★★★★★ 4
Good basic tanktop
Color: White, Size: Small
The material feels really nice and soft to the touch. It’s great as a basic tank top for everyday wear, especially during hot weather. 🌤️ The fit is flattering and shapes the body well without feeling too tight. Simple, comfortable, and easy to match with anything!
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2026
C
Verified Purchase
Cecilia W.
Fort Morgan, US
★★★★★ 5
Very flattering
Color: Royal Blue, Size: Small
I ordered four of these tops, two white, a beautiful royal blue, and the great green one . There are so many things to like about this top but they didn’t work for my needs. The fabric is a nice weight, it is form fitting but not clingy, soft and comfortable, I was looking for tops that would not expose my bra straps. The style is cut in at the shoulder which will show your straps. If that’s not an issue for you then you will love this top. Can be worn by itself, under a suit jacket or blouse. The colors are bright and flattering, perfect for spring and summer.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2026
S
Verified Purchase
SONYA
Louisville, US
★★★★★ 5
Nice Fit - Casual or Dressy Casual
Color: Black, Size: Large
The tank top is comfortable, true to size and form fitting with great length (tank runs about 3 inches past my waist). I like the look and fit so much I bought the same tank in several different colors. The tank looks great with my wide leg jeans and below the knee bubble skirt. The tank is versatile and can be worn for leisure or dressy casual creating a polished look, i.e. wear with a blazer or smart casual skirt. I watch for a discounted price as some colors may be offered at a lower price.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2026
B
Verified Purchase
Brandee
Pawtucket, US
★★★★★ 5
These are great tank tops!
Color: Grey, Size: Medium
I have several different colors of this top. The material is very soft. They fit true to size and can be worn either casual or dressed up.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2026

recommand products