H. E Bates

An English junk dealer and his family get up to mischief and misadventure, in the first three novels of this "pulsing comedy of country manners" (Time). The Darling Buds of May Beneath the sunny skies of Kent, the Larkin family-Pop, Ma, and their six children-enjoy the simple pleasures of life. All of that could change, however, when Cedric Charlton from Inland Revenue appears on their farm. Cedric has come to inquire why the Larkins failed to...

Fair Stood the Wind for France, first published in 1944, is author H. E. Bates' fictional account of a downed English bomber-pilot and his crew over occupied France during World War II. The men are taken in by a French family who hide them in their home. However, the pilot, injured during the plane's landing, must remain in France to heal, while his crew begin their journey back to friendly territory. The pilot falls in love with the home-owner's...

When Cedric Charlton, an unsuspecting tax inspector, arrives at the door of the Pop Larkin farm, he soon forgets the purpose of his visit: the fun-loving Ma and Pop Larkin distract him at every turn with strawberries, cream, alcohol, and their attractive young daughter, Mariette. Well known by the popular TV series starring David Jason and Catherine Zeta-Jones, The Darling Buds of May is the quintessential feel-good, country romp. It will have you...

In the second novel in the Pop Larkin series, the Larkin family descends upon Brittany in France. Like fish out of water, they find out things don't quite turn out their way: the weather is less than ideal, the food is awful and the hotel is in a bad state of repair. But things slowly improve as Pop manages to sweet-talk Mlle. Dupont, Angela Snow and her sister Iris, and Charley and Mariette celebrate their first wedding anniversary. A Breath of French...

'Teetotal!' Ma said. 'It's a libel. Whatever will people think? What's he going to say when anybody asks him to have one?' "No," said Dr Conner. And so after a mild heart-attack - Pop Larkin finds himself off the booze. While Ma tries to find ways around 'doctor's orders', young Primrose is finding her own way round a flustered - Mr Candy.

Betrayed young girl seeks the man responsible.

"An English fighter pilot brings his plane down in Occupied France during WWII. The family of a French farmer risk their lives to protect him. He and the daughter of the house are drawn to each other, but it is not time to fall in love." --

"During World War II, a small English community are forced to flee when Japanese forces invade Burma. Paterson, the manager of a rice mill, organizes the evacuation and takes with him his Burmese mistress and her young brother. The rest of the party take along their prejudices, their pettiness, and their squabbles, and a small enclave of English insularity moves north through Burma. Inevitably, as the journey continues, bitterness, tension, and insoluble...

Fourteen short stories about the glorious, bohemian, earthly and lovable ways of uncle Silas as seen through the eyes of a young boy.