Keeping Up Appearances: Hyacinth Bucket's Book of Etiquette

by Jonathan Rice, Roy Clark | Education |
ISBN: 0563371072 Global Overview for this book
Registered by Sobergirl of Turku, Varsinais-Suomi / Egentliga Finland Finland on 10/23/2007
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12 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by Sobergirl from Turku, Varsinais-Suomi / Egentliga Finland Finland on Tuesday, October 23, 2007
The complete title of the book is "Hyacinth Bucket's Book of Etiquette for the Socially less Fortunate"



"I have distilled the accumulated wisdom of years of candlelight suppers and charity sub-committee meetings in creating this tastefully designed book which will help you live your life in the way I expect you to..Read it please don't let me down any more"


Journal Entry 2 by Sobergirl from Turku, Varsinais-Suomi / Egentliga Finland Finland on Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Bargain from Oxfam in London!

Keeping Up Appearances

Journal Entry 3 by Sobergirl from Turku, Varsinais-Suomi / Egentliga Finland Finland on Sunday, December 16, 2007
Finnish bookring:
You must live in Finland to join
PM me to join! Last date to join 31st Dec 2007
Make a JE when you receive the book
Read it within two weeks
PM the person next on the list for their address
Make a JE saying what you thought of the book
Send the book along

Participants:

Dotdot
Thy
Ipsu
Liinuskainen
Louhi
Em64
Elina
Niora
Piiku
Potok-Fan
Seethroughfaith

Journal Entry 4 by Sobergirl from Turku, Varsinais-Suomi / Egentliga Finland Finland on Monday, December 17, 2007
Kirja lähte dotdotille tänään, mukaan pääsee vielä, viimeinen osallistumispäivämäärä on 31.12.2007!

Journal Entry 5 by dotdot from Helsinki, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland on Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Hyacinth is here to help me, one of the socially less fortunate. Thank you, Sobergirl!

Journal Entry 6 by dotdot from Helsinki, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland on Thursday, December 20, 2007
I've seen Keeping Up Appearances on television several times, all the episodes, and loved it. Mrs. Bucket isn't just comical, she is terrifying. Her book of etiquette is based on her own experience and that's why most of her instructive examples were familiar to me. Thanks for a quick refresher course of etiquette. Let's see if Thy will get the book before Christmas.

Journal Entry 7 by thy from Nurmijärvi, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland on Friday, December 21, 2007
yes, it did arrive before Christmas, together with 3 other books. Ring books do arrive in bundles, I believe it now.
Thanks and Merry Christmas to you, dotdot and Sobergirl!

Journal Entry 8 by thy from Nurmijärvi, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland on Wednesday, January 2, 2008
The book was fun to read. I have also liked the TV series and remembered many of the examples from there, but not all.
I had just read Hyacinth’s letter to the milkman when the garbage truck made its round (the truck is the enemy of the green fence). Now I cannot help thinking how to write a letter to the dustman in Hyacinth’s style:P

Mailed to Ipsu on 2.1.

Journal Entry 9 by Ipsu from Helsinki, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland on Thursday, January 3, 2008
How appropriate that the book should arrive on my birthday. Now I will have no trouble at all entertaing guests of any social standing on my special day. Certainly will let you know, which tips proved out to be most useful. Yours truly, Lady of the House Ipsu.
***
It was delightful to reacquaint oneself with Hyacinth. Got good laughts - escpecially in the beginning of the book, but Hyacinth in writing isn't quite up to the standard. (I must confess that prefer Hyacinth in the TV format). Lovely reading anyway and I'm glad to report that I managed to stay socially less fortunate all through 'my special day'. Thank you Sobergirl for this fun ring!

Journal Entry 10 by Liinuskainen from Lieksa, Pohjois-Karjala / Norra Karelen Finland on Friday, January 18, 2008
I got the book, thank you kindly!

Edit. 25.1.08
It was a late Thursday evening and I was tired from a long day at work. I opened the door and there she was, Very Important Person who had come to visit me in to my humble abode. She was very keen but unfortunately I knew that the next day would be very busy, so I had to ask her to wait and stay for a while. She agreed, although she did complain that she too had a very busy schedule and lots of social responsibilities. Weekend came and so we started to befriend. During our week together we made several cups of tee. She gave me lots and lots of information and handy pieces of advice. The very first thing she taught to me was how to pronounce her name (because alas, I had made a stupid rookie mistake by mispronouncing THE name). She was very talkative and form time to time that was a bit overwhelming. But all in all, she was a really interesting person. Unfortunately during this week we didn’t met any milkmen, postmen or meter-reader, so that I could have tested her teaching. s. And now it is time to say goodbye. I know that she is a busy lady and it’s time for her to take a trip to a new place. So farewell Hyacinth Bucket (or actually I should say bouquet :o)

Thank you kindly for this ring!

Journal Entry 11 by Louhi from Kajaani, Kainuu / Kajanaland Finland on Wednesday, January 30, 2008
The book arrived today. Thanks! I'll be soon reading this after I finish one difficult English ring. I'm a fan of Keeping up the appearances and especially the One foot in the grave. I'm looking forward to this because it looks easy.

EDIT 2.2.
I finished the book yesterday. It really was a quick read. The book was very entertaining. Thanks!

Journal Entry 12 by wingem64wing from Tampere, Pirkanmaa / Birkaland Finland on Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Got two ring books today, I wonder if Hyacinth would find it approriate that two books arrive at the same time and your attention is bound to be divided :-)

Journal Entry 13 by wingem64wing from Tampere, Pirkanmaa / Birkaland Finland on Saturday, February 9, 2008
Ah, it really was a refresh course on the TV series which I enjoyed a lot. I'll just need to hear Royal Doulton and I immediately think of hand-painted periwinkles. And what memories does the pearl-white slimline telephone with push buttons and redial facility bring into ones mind. Not to mention Hyacinth's sister Violet who has a sauna and room for a pony. The real hero is though Richard, the man whose endurance and patience you can only admire. Despite all the advice Hyacinth kindly wants to spread among us commoners, I think I'll stay socially less fortunate...

Journal Entry 14 by Elina from Espoo, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland on Wednesday, February 27, 2008
I just met em64 at the library and Hyacinth came home with me.
I loved the TV show so I'm really looking forward to read this.

Edit. Just finished the book and I must say that it's been lovely to have Hyacinth for a visit, but nevertheless it's also lovely that she's leaving.
This was an entertaining and a funny read and made me feel like watching the TV series again.

Journal Entry 15 by wingNiorawing from Kuopio, Pohjois-Savo / Norra Savolax Finland on Thursday, April 3, 2008
Hyacinth arrived in the mail a few days ago, but I only opened it up today as I have been sick. Thanks, I will get into this at once!

Journal Entry 16 by wingNiorawing from Kuopio, Pohjois-Savo / Norra Savolax Finland on Saturday, April 5, 2008
I beg her pardon... Mrs Bucket (yes I remembered the pronunciation, thank you) arrived in the mail. I stand corrected.

Ah, she just slipped out to the garden to talk to her poor husband about wearing a tie and growing those roses properly. Phew! I must confess I haven't seen any of Keeping Up Appearances, but this was still a very entertaining read which had me giggling in profound horror for hours. (One doesn't have to live in the British society to find it funny, although I suspect it's even funnier if one does.) I hesitate to look up the actual series, as I fear I'd have a similar reaction to Hyacinth as to David Brent in The Office; I'd be constantly itching to dig out my (nonexisting) shotgun.

Thanks so much for the ring, Sobergirl. I'll be sending *ahem* Mrs Bucket along to Piiku next - I hope she has better china to show her than I have. The best I can do here is Marimekko mugs. *shudder*

Journal Entry 17 by wingPiikuwing from Turku, Varsinais-Suomi / Egentliga Finland Finland on Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Mrs Bucket is here, but I'm afraid she is not happy with my best china.

Thank you Sobergirl and Niora for sending her over, I'm sure I will acquire the socially valuable cultural education that is needed if I am to aspire to giving candlelight suppers.

Journal Entry 18 by wingPiikuwing from Turku, Varsinais-Suomi / Egentliga Finland Finland on Monday, April 14, 2008
I have seen quite a few episodes of Keeping up appearances on "MTV3 Sarja" this spring. Therefore some of the stories and pictures in this book were more than familiar to me. Mrs Bucket is quite a character, but as unbelievable as it sounds I think she only means well. She just has an obligation to help the less fortunate ones with her advice... I enjoyed her company, but I'm quite happy to send her off to visit Potok-Fan.

By the way, I think this is the first time I laughed at an index :)

Journal Entry 19 by potok-fan from Turku, Varsinais-Suomi / Egentliga Finland Finland on Saturday, April 19, 2008
Very bad etiquette on my part - the book arrived yesterday and I did not journal until today! I couldn't think where it had gone, but it turned out to be in my tote bag from work, since I collected the post on my way home and slid it into my bag to carry into the house. :D I found it this evening when I was looking for some of the work papers I had brought home.

Journal Entry 20 by potok-fan from Turku, Varsinais-Suomi / Egentliga Finland Finland on Sunday, April 27, 2008
I'm sorry to say I couldn't really get into this - I'd rather watch the tv show. I had somehow expected this to really be an etiquette book rather than a prose version of the television series. Thanks for sharing it, though.

I took this to church today in case I saw stf there, but maybe she's still travelling in Sweden? Anyway, I'll pass it on the next time I see her.

Journal Entry 21 by seethroughfaith from Turku, Varsinais-Suomi / Egentliga Finland Finland on Sunday, May 4, 2008
Well I was in church - and more or less in my Sunday best as it's that time of year - but oh dear no hat - whatever would Hyacinth say about that. Potok fan quietly slipped the book to me at the end of the service - phew that was ok :)

I had to check out the index after what Piiku wrote - and burst out laughing at the

bithday gifts, assessing social impact of

Luckily no-one was around!

I'm not a tv watcher - so have only seen a few of the episodes of keeping up appearances - and loved them, so I expect I'll enjoy this book

I'm glad I'm at the end of the ring though as otherwise etiquette would put a lot of pressure on me to get this read and moved on fast. There are several books TBR first (including three rings - how come they all arrive at once?) but surely it's better etiquette to give this my undivided attention. Hopefully it'll get back to you sober-girl before the kesäpäivät though :)

Journal Entry 22 by seethroughfaith from Turku, Varsinais-Suomi / Egentliga Finland Finland on Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Thought I'd give a half way through review.

this book isn't as good as I thought it would be - nor as good as the tv series. Somehow it's quite flat - with only a few real gems thrown in e.g Hyacinth's family tree or should I call her that as we have not yet been formally introduced? (p 44)

[Richard's]"Ancestors were eugenics I think, which explains the way Bucket is pronounced. Foreign blood now entirely diluted. We are English." (p41)

and I have to say I burst out laughing in the chapter on marriage

"I have been fortunate. In my marriage to Richard, I have enjoyed not only the lasting comfort of a good man by my side (or occasionally two paces behind me) ... without more intertwining than is strictly necessary" :)

Sobergirl, Ma'am, I shall return this book to you in due course ...


Journal Entry 23 by seethroughfaith at Turku, Varsinais-Suomi / Egentliga Finland Finland on Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Released 15 yrs ago (8/1/2008 UTC) at Turku, Varsinais-Suomi / Egentliga Finland Finland

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

On my way home ...
I hope you put me in a prominent position on your bookshelf Sobergirl.... I'd hate to be overlooked. ...

Journal Entry 24 by Sobergirl from Turku, Varsinais-Suomi / Egentliga Finland Finland on Friday, August 15, 2008
The book is back home! Thank you everyone for participating!

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