I recently inherited my late godmother's book collection, and was delighted to find Elizabeth Goudge's "Green Dolphin Country". Having seen this protruding from somebody's schoolbag on our way into prep, I was desparate to get my mitts on it. The front cover showed an impossibly slender dark-haired heroine with ringlets being swept into a passionate embrace by a young naval ensign. Instant appeal! The novel on re-reading was just as I remembered it. "A magnificent epic of love, courage and devotion...nineteenth century... inimitable feeling for the intricacies of human eeemotions... blah blah blah". Well, that was the sort of thing to take into prep. There were other Elizabeth Goudges as well, but none seemed as appealing as Green Dolphin Country.
The historical novel that was even approved by Merce herself was Anya Seton's "Katherine". I adored it! I've read a very scholarly biography of Katherine Swynford in which the fabulously academic biographer admits, along with all her school friends, to adoring it too. I can still quote it! Anyone looking especially good? "Sheen as a fairy woman, I trow!" There were other Anya Setons too... Dragonwyck? Not as memorable though.
It's not surprising that we, living a life proscribed by a strict routine, clad in an awful uniform and totally lacking any sort of male company (unless you count Mr Mulholland, and the Rev Walker on a Sunday) should have loved a romantic novel.
There's a selection of Mazo de la Roche "Jalna" novels in my godmotherly inheritance too. I think I saw somebody with one of these paperbacks. Somebody in 3's.
The book I longed for above all others, however was "The Passion Flower Hotel" which, I understood was not just romantic, but explicit. Was it Denise Brownlow and Maureen Flynn who had a copy? The most explicit thing I'd ever read was the Tampax leaflet which circulated during prep one evening in the L1V. I knew, from overhearing a whispered review, that it took place actually in a strict Girls' School! I wish I had managed to borrow it. It would have explained a lot to me!
"Forever Amber"! Whoever agreed to let me read it after them - you didn't! Passed on to somebody else!
![Evil or Very Mad :evil:](./images/smilies/icon_evil.gif)
Has anybody else any memories of books definitely off curriculum?