Bournville

I read the loveliest book over break; so special to me that it deserves its own post rather than get squished into the roundup of monthly books. I ordered Jonathan Coe’s new book, Bournville, from the UK. I chose it because the person who writes the Blackwell’s newsletter said: “Whenever I read Jonathan Coe (and I look forward to each new one!) I am always struck by two things; firstly, just how very English his writing is, and secondly, just how enjoyably readable he is. It is too tempting to say that he is my Dairy Milk.”

Yes, Jonathan Coe IS my Dairy Milk.

And like a Dairy Milk, I devoured this book in a few brief sittings because it was too delicious to put down and savour. I’ll reread it slower after everyone else has gotten a chance to experience it. It’s a gorgeous story following six generations of a family, set against the backdrop of seven major events in British history — VE Day to Charles’s investiture to Diana’s funeral — bookended by the pandemic.

I was always going to love this book just because, but the pandemic portions made me feel like crying because we had this great trip planned for that first pandemic summer—almost three weeks in Ireland, Isle of Man, and Northern Ireland. We were bringing an empty suitcase because we planned to go to a bunch of bookstores and buy the Jonathan Coe books that we couldn’t get in the US. The pandemic canceled that trip. So it was bittersweet — like a Bournville! — to be reading this book set in the period when I was supposed to be in the UK (albeit Northern Ireland), reading Jonathan Coe books.

I loved this book so much. It made my break that much sweeter.