"Diary of a Provincial Lady"

I'd like to recommend a rather quirky, hilarious book, "Diary of a Provincial Lady," by E. M. Delafield (originally published in 1931, now available in a 1982 edition from Academy Chicago). The narrator, a middle-aged married English woman living in the countryside, writes in a low-key, faux-straightforward, but actually ironic, voice. She makes deadpan, ever-so-slightly-barbed comments about her husband, children, neighbors, and herself, and all the small events and concerns of the family and neighborhood. Just under the surface is a kind of anarchic quality, perhaps an almost feminist dismay at her circumstances, yet the narrator manages to do her duties, contain her feelings in front of others, and express them through gentle but deadly accurate observations written in her diary. Despite these veiled criticisms, the reader senses that the narrator is actually, mostly, quite happy with her family and her life. I found myself laughing out loud several times as I read. The humorous line drawings throughout the book add to the reader's enjoyment.

There is a sequel, in which the provincial lady goes to London; this volume is also enjoyable, but a bit of a letdown after the first book.