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krobart's review
4.0
See my review here:
https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2017/09/14/day-1127-merry-hall/
https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2017/09/14/day-1127-merry-hall/
nuthatch's review
5.0
Gardeners will be envious of Beverley Nichols gardens at Merry Hall. They sound so beautiful and lush. The physical book itself is a pleasure to read. My hardcover copy has relatively thick acid free paper and is very nicely bound.
cimorene1558's review
5.0
I'm not sure why I love this book so much, but I sure do. Nichols frequently makes me want to slap him, but somehow that doesn't matter. His rude generalizations about women drive me nuts, but somehow I like him all the same (I dislike many of the same things, I just don't make the mistake of thinking all women are like that, or even all women but me), and he makes me want to garden, which was something I never much liked prior to reading this and the rest of Nichols' garden books.
amandazzz's review
4.0
I was expecting to like this, and I'm glad to say I did. Beverley Nichols has that kind of British, slightly acidic, and moderately hysterical voice that captures both a time and a place for me: I can see him wandering his estate, cursing his neighbors but being oh-so-polite to their faces, and impulsively opting to build a water garden rather than pay bills. I love his rhapsodizing about flowers and plants. He really captures how one can feel about his passion - it's all-consuming and peace-making, and anyone who doesn't agree is a moron.
There were some touches of misogyny throughout - I'm not sure he liked women very much, if at all. That's easy to pass over and write off to his own temperament, and instead move on to his descriptions of his gardener Oldfield and his servant Gaskin.
This puts me a bit in mind of Miss Read, although with a slightly more grumpy air.
There were some touches of misogyny throughout - I'm not sure he liked women very much, if at all. That's easy to pass over and write off to his own temperament, and instead move on to his descriptions of his gardener Oldfield and his servant Gaskin.
This puts me a bit in mind of Miss Read, although with a slightly more grumpy air.
quietjenn's review
4.0
I'm like the worst gardener on the planet, but boy do I enjoy me some acerbic Beverly Nichols.
teaandbooklover's review
5.0
I'm stuck between four and five stars really. I love the way he writes, I just don't always enjoy what he writes about. He seems grumpy and irascible. He also doesn't seem to like women at all-or children. But when he rhapsodizes about trees, flowers, fountains and marble statuary, he is at his best. (and that is most of the book)
I'm one who likes to read with the dictionary up so I can look up words, and there were a lot of Latin words I wanted to look up here regarding plants and such. Helpful if you're actually going to use some of his techniques and ideas.
He's funny, and he reminds me sometimes of E.B. White's writing style, but he's not always lovable or endearing. This book was written decades ago so be prepared for some outdated ideas and words, but overall, a book I loved and will probably read again.
I'm one who likes to read with the dictionary up so I can look up words, and there were a lot of Latin words I wanted to look up here regarding plants and such. Helpful if you're actually going to use some of his techniques and ideas.
He's funny, and he reminds me sometimes of E.B. White's writing style, but he's not always lovable or endearing. This book was written decades ago so be prepared for some outdated ideas and words, but overall, a book I loved and will probably read again.