The Bridge by Pamela Frankau (1957)

Review by Kath R: I chose this novel from the pile because it had a photograph of Pamela Frankau on the back looking very intently at the camera smoking a cigarette and looking very much the professional writer. I immediately regretted my choice when I found out from the flyleaf that  it would be about religion … Continue reading →

Some New Planet by Pamela Frankau (1937)

Review by John S: This is the story of Hugh Shell, on his own admission a rather boring young chap, and his relationships with three people: his worldly and successful brother Bertrand who works for the Foreign Office, a writer called Mark Orburn (who is in fact a woman) with whom he conducts a lengthy … Continue reading →

The Foolish Apprentices by Pamela Frankau (1933)

Review by Sylvia D: Pamela Frankau, the younger daughter of Dorothea and Gilbert Frankau, published over thirty novels and books of short stories.  Her most successful novel, The Willow Cabin, was published in 1949 and her A Wreath for the Enemy (1954) is still in print on both sides of the Atlantic. The Foolish Apprentices … Continue reading →

Fifty-fifty by Pamela Frankau (1936)

Having made the decision to have ‘Frankau month’ at the special collection, I really hoped that some of the novels would be good – I am relieved to be able to report that Fifty-fifty is good. Phew! It is a collection of short stories; some are better than others, but the best have an oddness, and a … Continue reading →

Frankau month at the special collection

This month at the special collection reading group we are all reading a novel by a member of the Frankau family. Thanks to a donation from the grandson of Gilbert Frankau, Timothy Smith, we now have novels in the collection by: Julia Frankau (writing under the pseudonym Frank Danby, 1859-1916) Her son, Gilbert Frankau (1884-1952) Gilbert’s … Continue reading →