The Provincial Lady - Complete Collection (ePub)

E. M. Delafield, born Edmée Elizabeth Monica Dashwood, née de la Pasture on June 9, 1890, was an English author renowned for her wittily satirical portrayal of English middle-class life. Descended from a literary family, her mother, Mrs. Henry de la Pasture, was also a well-known novelist. Delafield's most acclaimed work is undoubtedly 'The Provincial Lady' series, which is a keenly observant set of diaries, chronicling the daily life of an upper-middle-class Englishwoman in the 1930s. These diaries, commencing with 'Diary of a Provincial Lady' published in 1930, offer a blend of humor and sobering commentary on the female experience of the era with an unpretentious and candid style that has endeared Delafield to readers across generations. The character's endeavours and ordeals with domesticity, social engagements, and the quest for personal identity amidst societal expectations, have led the series to be considered an important precursor to the 'chick-lit' genre. 'The Provincial Lady - Complete Collection' serves as a testament to the timelessness and relevance of her work. Delafield's contribution to English literature extends over two dozen books, and while less known, each offers a nuanced examination of women's lives, marked by her signature irony and insightful social satire. Her legacy endures within the canon of early 20th-century women's literature.