Christmas at Cold Comfort Farm

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By Stella Gibbons & Alexander McCall Smith

Publisher Description

Available for the first time since its original publication more than fifty years ago, Christmas at Cold Comfort Farm is a charming collection whose hilarious title story features Christmas dinner with the Starkadders before Flora's arrival. With Adam playing Santa while draped in Mrs. Starkadders's shawls, the family shares their traditional "Christmas pudding"-a mélange containing random objects of doom foretelling the coming year: a coffin nail for death, a bad sixpence for financial ruin, and a menthol cone to indicate that the lucky recipient will go "blind wi' headache." These lively tales will delight anyone who loves Stella Gibbons and her signature wit.

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Christmas at Cold Comfort Farm Reviews

2.5

Nikhita

Created 5 months ago

Believable Change and grow Diverse representation Likeable Multilayered Relatable Slow-paced Well-structured Historical Setting fits the story Beautifully-written Easy to read Straightforward

Nats

Created 9 months ago

Simon

Created 10 months ago

Kat

Created 11 months ago

“In summary, this is a collection of 16 short stories (two are even Christmassy) by the author of Cold Comfort Farm. They're not bad although some were a bit moral for my taste. Mostly the plots are romances, set amongst the middle and upper classes. They're pleasant to read and they certainly provided a welcome bit of lightweight distraction between gift wrapping and chores over the past few days. Some of the material feels a bit dated, but mostly fairly enjoyable. Mini summary for each story follows: The Little Christmas Tree A sweet story of a spinster who has hardened her heart to the possibility of love but unexpectedly finds a reason to change her mind. Christmas at Cold Comfort Farm We take a brief trip to the Starkadders on Christmas Eve in the days before Flora took the family in hand. Adam is playing at being Santa. To Love and To Cherish The prospect of a new start pushes a marriage to the brink of collapse. Interesting content about what being a 30-something woman might mean... The Murder Mark A chemist uses an unusual hobby to help police with their enquiries. A nice little murder mystery. The Hoofer and the Lady A young lady finds herself deeply attracted to a stranger, despite the attentions of someone who may be more appropriate than he at first appears. Sisters An act of kindness yields unexpected results. Definitely my favourite story in the book. The Walled Garden A young wife invites friends from her past to her new home only to discover quite how distant they've grown. A Charming Man The death of a woman exposes the true character of a member of her community. Golden Vanity A young woman who lives her life through books finds that reality is more unexpected than fiction. Poor, Poor Black Sheep An aging lothario returns from overseas to find life in England has changed during his absence. More than Kind A fantastic little tale of a married couple who learn to live life in the way that suits them best. Loved it. The Friend of Man Oh gosh. This is the ultimate romance of my least favourite type. Pewky ending. Sorry Stella, but no. Tame Wild Party Have you ever been to a party where you don't belong? I have, but my evening didn't end up working out quite as beautifully as it does for our main character. A Young Man in Rags Ha! Our titular young man certainly ain't what he seems, m' lady. Thank goodness our MFC managed to paint him before his disguise fails him! Cake There's quite a lot going on in this one, but it's mostly about women's role in society and the home and making the 'right' decision. There's a dodgy bit at the end with a tw. DM if you're interested. Mr Amberly's Brother A ghost story that vaguely feels like it's been influenced by A Christmas Carol but not set at Christmas.”

Anna

Created almost 2 years ago

About Stella Gibbons

Stella Gibbons (1902-1989) was a prolific novelist, poet, and short-story writer. Born in London, she married the actor and singer, Allan Webb, and worked for various newspapers, including The Evening Standard.