Diary of a Provincial Ladyby E.M. Delafield
Lovely little funny, apparently published as a "real" diary since it's in the non-fiction section at the library. All entries are highly tongue-in-cheek, written by a not-at-all rich but aristocratically not poor, wife and mother in a small English country house in the late 1920's. Our lady appears to be an excellent mom, which endears her to me, as well as an aspiring author who tries to move in "literary circles" without taking time away from her household management, her clueless and boring husband, and her bulbs. Yes, bulbs, as in flowers forced indoors into premature bloom. It appears to be a peer pressure challenge--something everybody does if they want to be "in."
Her writing will always make you smile, sometimes even laugh. For example, a friend lures her to the beach and they attempt swimming to an "immense and distant rock"
...Long before we are halfway there, I know that I shall never reach it, and hope that Robert's second wife will be kind to the children. Viscountess, swimming calmly, says, Am I all right? I reply, Oh quite, and am immediately submerged.
Continue to swim. Rock moves further and further away. I reflect that there will be something distinguished about the headlines announcing my demise in such exalted company, and mentally frame one or two that I think would look well in local paper.
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