A Month in the Country

Book cover of A Month in the Country

Book description

Penguin Decades bring you the novels that helped shape modern Britain. When they were published, some were bestsellers, some were considered scandalous, and others were simply misunderstood. All represent their time and helped define their generation, while today each is considered a landmark work of storytelling.

J. L. Carr's A…

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Why read it?

3 authors picked A Month in the Country as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Marcus Milwright

Author

This book is one of my favorite novels, featuring unforgettable descriptive passages. Its plot is simple, focused on the experiences of an art conservator traumatized by his experiences in World War I. During his brief stay in the Yorkshire village of Oxgodby, an ancient church is both his workplace and home.

The building becomes a potent, if mute, character in the story. The evocations of rural life are beautiful, though I was captivated by the gradual uncovering of the medieval fresco depicting the Last Judgement. These slow revelations seem to mirror the central character’s search for meaning as he rebuilds…

From Marcus' list on fiction about art and artists.

Andy Marr

Author

There is so much to love about this short, Booker-shortlisted novel. It’s narrated by Tom Birken, who reflects on a summer spent in the small Yorkshire village of Oxgodby in 1920. Still reeling from his experiences in the trenches of the First World War and the recent break-up of his marriage, Tom is tasked with restoring a medieval mural on the wall of the village church.

What follows is a tender, introspective story which, on one hand, explores the loss of youth and times gone by and, on the other, examines the human spirit’s capacity for resilience and the enduring…

From Andy's 3 favorite reads in 2023.

Karen Havelin

Author

A writer friend recommended this book about a young veteran of the First World War who spends a summer in a small Yorkshire village to uncover a mural in a church. The peaceful setting, local friendships, and the simplicity of his life in the clock tower, as well as the focus on work, heals him.

This is a gentle embrace of a book, a reminder of beauty and kindness that soothed me profoundly.

From Karen's 3 favorite reads in 2023.