Coming Home

I love to read.  One of my favorite authors is Rosamunde Pilcher, a true jewel in the British crown, in my opinion!

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I first read her book Coming Home twelve or so years ago, and was truly smitten.  After that, I devoured the rest of her books.  Her style is so charming, cozy, welcoming, and warm.  This book is also a tremendous history resource.

The story begins in the late 1930's, in England, as the young girl Judith is starting boarding school while her family is off to Singapore because of her father's job.  We follow her through a romantic childhood into young adulthood during the war.  Her life becomes forever entertwined with the family of a dear school friend.

From a historical aspect, I learned more about the Second World War from this book than I ever did in school.  Ms. Pilcher personally served in the WRNS, and so her descriptions of that life are first hand knowledge.  Her future husband served in the Gordon Highlanders, and she drew a lot of knowledge from that, I'm sure.  Reading this book, it struck me how much we take for granted, and how good we really do have it, even in a tough economy.  A whole generation of young people had their youth stolen from them.

The story itself is charming, heartbreaking, and heartwarming.  Her descriptions of England make me want to go even more than I ever wanted to before.  This is a book that will delight you, haunt you, and entertain you altogether.   You will want to read another of her books as soon as you can.