Found in the bookshop at the foot of the wooden stairs to the cathedral. If I see the name PLF I do not resist. A good quality hardback.

DD, youngest of the Mitford sisters, and the writer PLF were friends from the 1940s until around 2014 and kept up a friendly and affectionate correspondence throughout those years, DD mostly from Chatsworth in UK or Lismore in Ireland, PLF mainly from Dumbleton, home of his wife Joan, or from the house they built together in Mani, Greece. At first I thought I wasn't going to like reading all these hundreds of letters full of name-dropping - each one has at least four footnotes to explain who these people are - but eventually I was drawn in by PLF's writing, not only for its erudition and beauty but also because his letters give the background to many of his books, as well as accounts of mountaineering expeditions that are quite fascinating (Andrew, DD's husband, accompanied him). As time progressed, the atmosphere becomes quite tragic as more and more family and friends die; there are many funerals and commiserations, and then health problems as hearing and eyesight dwindle. I was relieved that the collection ends before either DD or PLF "conked", as DD would say.

"One nearly swoons away with the magic of the language" says PLF of something he read; one could also say the same of his writing. DD professes not to read books but wrote several herself, about Chatsworth, her chickens and garden; she does come across as very slightly snobbish, which is something I can't say about PLF who likes most people, generally describing them as "nice".

Their world of large houses, titled people (incl. the Queen Mother known as Cake, Prince Charles, Diana and so on) all staying for long periods in one another's houses (very Downtonabbeyesque) is completely alien to me; it seems incredible that one can know so very many people.

The previous reader of this book has left pencilled comments in the margin, sometimes uncomplimentary, sometimes saying things are wrong when I know they are right... I got the feeling that they knew some of the people mentioned; I'm wondering who it could be!

Stella Tennant, who features in the book as she was DD's granddaughter, died aged 50 on Dec.23, 2020. She was a famous model.

making space chez moi