After reading A Few Green Leaves by Barbara Pym, I found myself with the sudden urge to read more of the Fairacre series. Luckily, I had a long weekend and I managed to make my way to the library after many months and borrow another book in the Fairacre series.

Mrs. Pringle of Fairacre focuses on the famously grumpy Mrs. Pringle – she who loves the stoves at the school, keeps things spotlessly clean, and is a terror to everyone in Fairacre. In this book, Miss Read takes us back to the past, where she meets Mrs. Pringle for the first time, how she got used to the lady, and shows us a little of the hidden depths that Mrs. Pringle holds.

This is a book for fans who already love Fairacre and know its inhabitants. While it’s nice to see more of Mrs. Pringle, I was probably more excited to see Bob Willet, Dolly Clare, Minnie, and even Mr. Mawne in this book. Pretty much all the characters who have appeared in earlier books come back and it was like having a small reunion with all of them.

As usual, Miss Read manages to keep things light, even though she does include mentions of poverty and alcohol abuse by certain characters. One thing that struck me was the mention of the Women’s Institute – after reading Jambusters, I know how formidable the WI is and I immediately grasped its importance in village life. In a way, I felt my return to Fairacre was enhanced after reading some nonfiction on Britain during the war and after the war and though I would say Jambusters is more relevant that Perfect Wives in Ideal Homes, even Miss Read’s musings of spinsterhood reminded me of how hard it could be to toil as a housewife and of the great societal expectations Miss Read was struggling against by staying single.

If you’re looking for something comforting to read, and if you haven’t already tried the Fairacre series, please give it a shot! I find these books to be great comfort books – it’s something that’s easy to pick up and I’ve never tired of visiting Fairacre. I really should get to Miss Reads other books one day.