Thursday 14 May 2009

Cider with Rosie - Laurie Lee - Rosie's are red

Advantages: Warm, nostalgic feelgood factor of a read

Disadvantages: none, a good read

Cider with Rosie is an autobiographical 'novel' by Laurie Lee which gives an account of Lee's childhood in the in the idyllic Slad Valley in Gloucestershire, Britain. As well as a wonderful portrayal of how a child takes in the world and the general learning experience, it can also be read as a charming nostalgia piece in general 

It is set in the time-frame just after the First World War. It really is a beautiful read and a great account of village life which has long since disappeared. 

There is a wonderful feeling of the closeness between a child and his mother in the early stages of this book. The curiosity of a child towards strangers comes across very well and you will feel reminisces of encounters you may have had as a child. 

There is also the encounter with school and all the joys and heartaches that can bring. Then later we have the crux of the matter, the Cider with Rosie, if you like. The adolescent awakening, or as we would call it these days a certain teenage rush of hormones. His experience with Rosie Burdock (the reality, his distant cousin, Rosalind Buckland) is described in a tantalising apple and cider tinted metaphor. 

Whether you decide to treat this book as a novel or autobiography, it will leave you with a nice warm feeling.

Summary: Immerse yourself in some idylic, rustic charm

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