Welcome to our podcast which aims to consider and enjoy female writers who deserve to be read, celebrated and remembered.
In this episode, we discuss the witty and compassionate novel Lolly Willowes by Syliva Townsend Warner. It tells the story of Laura Willowes, a spinster who, after a lifetime of duty and convention, makes the decision to forge an independent, more fulfilling existence. This is a novel that delves into themes such as identity, female independence, rebellion and feminism - doing so with a subtle, clever and, arguably, subversive brush.
This novel provides a wealth of material for book groups to get their teeth into and to that end, we include a list of suggested points for discussion as a downloadable PDF. [coming soon].
In the podcast, we mention the biography of the author: Sylvia Townsend Warner: A biography by Clare Harman as well as the biography of the author’s partner Valentine Ackland: A Transgressive Life by Frances Bingham.
There is a Sylvia Townsend Warner Society SWT Society which celebrates her life and work and provides further information. She was a notable writer of her time, writing widely and to acclaim.
Do let us know your comments or send in your questions as we will revisit our favourite works and add extra information on this page as we expand and develop this Substack.
Lolly Willowes