A House in Flanders

A House in Flanders by Michael Jenkins, published by Souvenir in 2001, is a New Ed edition comprising 171 pages in English. This book eloquently evokes the life of a French family during one summer in the early 1950s, as experienced through the eyes of a fourteen-year-old English boy. Arriving as a comparative stranger at a large country house in northern France, he becomes quickly immersed in the lives of his colorful relatives, offering a glimpse into a generation shaped by the aftermath of two world wars.

Readers will find a rich portrayal of family dynamics and the passage of time, as the narrative explores themes of old age observed by youth. The house and the surrounding countryside serve as a backdrop for the unfolding events of that summer and the subsequent spring. With its focus on personal memoirs and travel, A House in Flanders presents a vivid tapestry of life in Europe, particularly in the Benelux countries, inviting readers to reflect on a world that has since changed.