Private Enterprise
Private Enterprise by Angela Thirkell is a novel published by Chicago Review Press Incorporated on February 4, 2025. This edition spans 512 pages and is presented in English. The story unfolds in the English countryside of Barsetshire, where the aftermath of World War II continues to affect daily life, particularly through food shortages and rationing. The arrival of a charming war widow, Peggy Arbuthnot, introduces a new dynamic to the community, stirring both intrigue and tension among the local residents.
Readers will find a blend of humor and satire as the narrative explores family life and relationships in a small-town setting. The interactions between Peggy, her sister-in-law Effie, and various admirers, including Noel Merton, create a backdrop of suspense regarding romantic entanglements and the stability of existing marriages. Thirkell’s writing captures the essence of rural life while providing a lighthearted yet insightful commentary on the social fabric of the time.
Official synopsis Publisher
Amid food shortages and grumbling, Barsetshire is unsettled by the arrival of a pretty war widow in this “delicately humorous [and] entertaining” novel (The New York Times).
World War II may be over, but its effects linger in the English countryside as the local ladies trade ration coupons for a paltry selection of provisions. It’s feeling like a bleak summer–but it won’t be a boring one, now that flirtatious young widow Peggy Arbuthnot and her sister-in-law, Effie, are on the scene. Peggy has quite a few admirers–including Noel Merton, which is rather unfortunate for his wife. Suspense reigns over who might win Peggy’s hand–and whether the Merton marriage will survive . . .
“Where Trollope would have been content to arouse a chuckle, [Thirkell] is constantly provoking us to hilarious laughter. . . . To read her is to get the feeling of knowing Barsetshire folk as well as if one had been born and bred in the county.” —Kirkus Reviews
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