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Girlebooks, Kindle Edition
Description
The Solitary Summer, by Elizabeth Von Arnim - Akasha Classics, AkashaPublishing.Com - May 2nd. - Last night after dinner, when we were in the garden, I said, "I want to be alone for a whole summer, and get to the very dregs of life. I want to be as idle as I can, so that my soul may have time to grow. Nobody shall be invited to stay with me, and if any one calls they will be told that I am out, or away, or sick. I shall spend the months in the garden, and on the plain, and in the forests. I shall watch the things that happen in my garden, and see where I have made mistakes. On wet days I will go into the thickest parts of the forests, where the pine needles are everlastingly dry, and when the sun shines I'll lie on the heath and see how the broom flares against the clouds. I shall be perpetually happy, because there will be no one to worry me. Out there on the plain there is silence, and where there is silence I have discovered there is peace."… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member souloftherose
"May 2nd.—Last night after dinner, when we were in the garden, I said, "I want to be alone for a whole summer, and get to the very dregs of life. I want to be as idle as I can, so that my soul may have time to grow. Nobody shall be invited to stay with me, and if any one calls they will be told
"Mind you do not get your feet damp," said the Man of Wrath, removing his cigar."
This sequel to Elizabeth and Her German Garden is another delightful adventure in gardening with Elizabeth, the Man of Wrath and the April, May and June babies. For those who have no idea what I'm talking about, Elizabeth and Her German Garden and The Solitary Summer are two semi-autobiographical novels in diary form about Elizabeth von Arnim and her attempts to escape her hectic German upper-class social life by retreating to the garden of her country house. It sounds like the sort of situation that might be difficult to sympathise with (how awful it must be to have so much money etc.) but Elizabeth is surprisingly down to earth about what I think of as the important things in life (books, peace and quiet, absence of annoying people) and her frustrations at the restrictions imposed on upper-class women at the end of the 19th century are genuine.
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that I am out, or away, or sick. I shall spend the months in the garden, and on the plain, and in the forests. I shall watch the things that happen in my garden, and see where I have made mistakes. On wet days I will go into the thickest parts of the forests, where the pine needles are everlastingly dry, and when the sun shines I'll lie on the heath and see how the broom flares against the clouds. I shall be perpetually happy, because there will be no one to worry me. Out there on the plain there is silence, and where there is silence I have discovered there is peace.""Mind you do not get your feet damp," said the Man of Wrath, removing his cigar."
This sequel to Elizabeth and Her German Garden is another delightful adventure in gardening with Elizabeth, the Man of Wrath and the April, May and June babies. For those who have no idea what I'm talking about, Elizabeth and Her German Garden and The Solitary Summer are two semi-autobiographical novels in diary form about Elizabeth von Arnim and her attempts to escape her hectic German upper-class social life by retreating to the garden of her country house. It sounds like the sort of situation that might be difficult to sympathise with (how awful it must be to have so much money etc.) but Elizabeth is surprisingly down to earth about what I think of as the important things in life (books, peace and quiet, absence of annoying people) and her frustrations at the restrictions imposed on upper-class women at the end of the 19th century are genuine.
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LibraryThing member jaimjane
This is a lovely little book about the summer Elizabeth spends by herself in her garden. Or did she? As in Enchanted April, the story is about women who need a break from routine but can never get away from it all. Even if one tries, obligations creep back in to demand time and attention. I loved
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the descriptions of her garden. Show Less
LibraryThing member Lesliejaneite
Well this is definately one of my favorite books ever. I kept checking to see how much was left and winced to see the right side of the book dwindling. Yes it's true that this seems to be a book about nothing. Well, let me set you all straight, this book is about just who exactly, deep inside, for
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real and goodness' sake this woman was. And who she was, first of all, brave, for sharing it all with us. She was also very funny and had this beautiful sense of just what beauty is. I loved her witty sarcasm and astonishment at ignorance and customs the village poor that she, as lady of the "big house" felt responsible for. She tells of a few summer months and the things that she loved, people she loved and was annoyed or irritated by. She speaks to my soul, she made me laugh, made me think. She speaks mostly of her garden, which must surely have been a sight to behold. Like my other favorite book of hers, Enchanted April, this one whisks me away to a dreamland for grownups filled with beautiful flowers whose scents I can almost perceive. I know this will be one I turn to again and again when I need comfort or soothing. Show Less
LibraryThing member bookwoman247
As the narrator of the book determinedly spends a summer alone in her garden, (with various interruptions), she sets down her delightful observations of nature, and her wonderfully amusing and insightful musings on her family life and human nature.
This book was written with an abundance of charm
This book was written with an abundance of charm
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and wit. I loved it unreservedly, and have added it to my ever-growing list of favorites. Show Less
LibraryThing member Gingermama
This book came into my hands almost by accident, and I only read it because I enjoyed the author's "The Enchanted April". This one was apparently semi-autobiographical, and what I enjoyed most was the glimpse of life in turn-of-the-last-century Germany: the role of women in the various classes,
It's a quick read, and definitely worthwhile.
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their interactions with their children, ideas on healthcare, death and funerals, and even a glimpse into military life.It's a quick read, and definitely worthwhile.
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LibraryThing member MikeDI
What can I say, it's Elizabeth von Arnim, one of my favorite writers. Love her wriitng and this book was no exception.
LibraryThing member murderbydeath
This was a buddy read with Themis Athena.
The Solitary Summer is a follow up to Elizabeth and Her German Garden; they don't have to be read in any order, but Solitary Summer takes place in the same garden, about three years later.
I went into this book naively assuming that the "Solitary" in the
Shows what I know; the Solitary in the title means nothing of the sort. It simply means Elizabeth and her husband agree that for one summer, May through August, there will be no guests descending on the house, expecting Elizabeth to perform hostess duties. 100 years ago, I suppose that would feel like a kind of solitude, but personally, if I were being subjected to the daily demands of husband and three daughters, I'd have long before whipped out my Sharpie pen and blacked out the entry for 'solitude' in all my dictionaries and been done with the concept.
Moving on from my luxurious pre-conceived notions, the book is ostensibly about Elizabeth spending the summer in her garden, free from hostessing duties, and therefore free to loll about in her garden all day, book in hand, alternately reading and soaking in the paradise surrounding anyone in a garden, wood, and field. When she's not feeding her family, or handing out food to the servants, or entertaining her daughters. The solitary moments do happen, in May and most of June, but after a spate of gales whip through, the tone of the book alters perceptibly; less garden, more musings on philosophy, reading, morality, class and village life.
In my opinion, even though I picked this up in eager anticipation of the garden-geek-fest, it's the second half that should not be missed. Elizabeth is a rare breed; she's able to stand apart from herself, to see herself and events around her with objectivity, brutal honesty, and wry wit. She does not rationalise, she does not excuse or defend, she simply observes: this is they way things/I should be, this is the way things/I are(am). It's refreshing to hear this kind of voice, and if it doesn't make you think one way or the other, ... well, never mind. But the issues she addresses in her musings are at least as relevant today as they were 100 years ago, with the exception of enforced quartering of troops and servant housing.
From what little I know so far about Elizabeth von Arnim's background, her husband isn't what anyone today would call a gem; she calls him Man of Wrath for heaven's sake, and I doubt she's using the term ironically. But there are moments of accord between the two, as well as many scenes of shared humour and witty banter that lead me to suspect their relationship was far more complex than history will likely remember it being, and I'm eager to find out more about them both to see if my suspicions stand up to available facts.
Either way, I like her. I suspect, were we contemporaries and life brought us into each other's orbit, we'd be friends - or at least appreciate each other's love of nature, sarcasm, and our disdain for too many guests.
The Solitary Summer is a follow up to Elizabeth and Her German Garden; they don't have to be read in any order, but Solitary Summer takes place in the same garden, about three years later.
I went into this book naively assuming that the "Solitary" in the
Show More
title mean Elizabeth at home, alone, in her garden, for the entire summer. While I made allowances for servants, I figured she'd sent Man of Wrath and her three children off somewhere for the summer, either together or separately. Shows what I know; the Solitary in the title means nothing of the sort. It simply means Elizabeth and her husband agree that for one summer, May through August, there will be no guests descending on the house, expecting Elizabeth to perform hostess duties. 100 years ago, I suppose that would feel like a kind of solitude, but personally, if I were being subjected to the daily demands of husband and three daughters, I'd have long before whipped out my Sharpie pen and blacked out the entry for 'solitude' in all my dictionaries and been done with the concept.
Moving on from my luxurious pre-conceived notions, the book is ostensibly about Elizabeth spending the summer in her garden, free from hostessing duties, and therefore free to loll about in her garden all day, book in hand, alternately reading and soaking in the paradise surrounding anyone in a garden, wood, and field. When she's not feeding her family, or handing out food to the servants, or entertaining her daughters. The solitary moments do happen, in May and most of June, but after a spate of gales whip through, the tone of the book alters perceptibly; less garden, more musings on philosophy, reading, morality, class and village life.
In my opinion, even though I picked this up in eager anticipation of the garden-geek-fest, it's the second half that should not be missed. Elizabeth is a rare breed; she's able to stand apart from herself, to see herself and events around her with objectivity, brutal honesty, and wry wit. She does not rationalise, she does not excuse or defend, she simply observes: this is they way things/I should be, this is the way things/I are(am). It's refreshing to hear this kind of voice, and if it doesn't make you think one way or the other, ... well, never mind. But the issues she addresses in her musings are at least as relevant today as they were 100 years ago, with the exception of enforced quartering of troops and servant housing.
From what little I know so far about Elizabeth von Arnim's background, her husband isn't what anyone today would call a gem; she calls him Man of Wrath for heaven's sake, and I doubt she's using the term ironically. But there are moments of accord between the two, as well as many scenes of shared humour and witty banter that lead me to suspect their relationship was far more complex than history will likely remember it being, and I'm eager to find out more about them both to see if my suspicions stand up to available facts.
Either way, I like her. I suspect, were we contemporaries and life brought us into each other's orbit, we'd be friends - or at least appreciate each other's love of nature, sarcasm, and our disdain for too many guests.
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LibraryThing member AliceAnna
After having fallen in love with The Enchanted April, I suppose I expected more from this earlier work. I recognized the tone and the whimsy of the later work, but I felt that it lacked the charm. And, of course, it definitely lacked much of anything resembling a plot which kept me from fully
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embracing it. I wouldn't have finished it had it not been so short to start with. Show Less
Subjects
Original publication date
1899