Why read A Rather English Marriage?

Book cover of A Rather English Marriage

Book description

First published in 1992, A Rather English Marriage tells of Roy Southgate and Reginald Conynghame-Jervi, who have nothing in common but their loneliness and their wartime memories.

Roy, a retired milkman and Reggie, a former RAF Squadron Leader, are widowed on the same day. To assuage their grief, the vicar…

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Topics

Psychology

Genres

Literary fiction

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Why read it?

1 author picked A Rather English Marriage as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Jennifer Barraclough

Author

I loved the television play based on this novel, and the novel itself is equally good as a sensitive but somewhat mordant commentary on marriage, widowerhood, wartime memories, and the English class system.

I found it amusing in parts but also quite sad, and empathized with both main characters—two men who had served in WW2 as squadron leader and sergeant, respectively. They meet fifty years later in the Tonbridge Wells hospital when both their wives are dying, and develop an unlikely friendship.

From Jennifer's list on novels about the psychology of marriage.