For some reason I've long been fascinated by what I'm sure are romanticized images of English countryside life, especially during the mid-twentieth century - the time during which C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien were writing. As a young teen, in addition to these authors, I devoured my mom's collection of novels by Mary Stewart and Victoria Holt. Plots were less important than details about food (as a West Coast native who grew up with salad at dinner, the concept of soup-fish-meat seemed exotic), drink (imagine - sherry, wine and port, all in the course of one evening!), interior decor complete with ancient stone hearths, and social events like high tea.
My recent visit to London didn't lead to any long excursions into the countryside, nor did I meet anyone likely to invite me to her ancestral manor for a "house party" weekend. This means that when I'm in the mood for an English country visit, I'm still free to imagine. Rereading a few of my favorite books will help.
