Product Description

Introducing the Larkins, a family with a place in popular mythology. Here they come, crashing their way through the English countryside in the wake of Pa, the quick-eyed, golden-hearted junk-dealer, and Ma, with a mouthful of crisps and a laugh like a jelly.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #390219 in Books
• Published on: 1998-05-02
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 160 pages

Customer Reviews

Perfick, perfick!
The Larkin family are the most likeable people that you're likely to find within a book! Pop and Ma Larkin live in a glorious idyllic village somewhere in southern England during the 1950s, with their six children, the extravagantly named Montgomery, Zinnia, Petunia, Victoria, Primrose and Mariette, and have blissfully little contact with the outside world where one has to pay taxes. A quiet, unassuming tax inspector called Cedric Charlton makes his way to their house to ask Pop to fill in his tax returns, something which he has probably never done before in his life. Charley is instantly given enormous amounts of food and drink and wakes up the next morning wearing Mariette's pyjamas(!). The Larkins will not let him go back to his dull office job but instead take him strawberry picking in their truck. He becomes part of the Larkin family and falls in love with Mariette whilst skipping barefooted through a field of buttercups:)
This book is really lovely. You can see that Pop and Ma genuinely love each other deeply, so much so that Ma lets him 'play around' with various other women with her full knowledge and approval! They all eat enormous amounts of food frequently and drink lots of alcohol but, oddly, never seem to get drunk. The supporting cast of characters are just as colourful and the lush pastoral landscapes are TO DIE FOR...The Darling Buds Of May is pure, unadulterated escapism and a great read for anyone who likes happy stories!
The series continues with A Breath Of French Air, When The Green Woods Laugh, Oh! To Be In England and A Little Of What You Fancy. These are all as good as the first, but the highlight has to be the court case scene, which comes in either the third or fourth book, I can't remember which. Suffice to say that it involves a rowing boat, a bunch of primroses and a lady called Pinkie Jerobohm....
These books have not dated a bit and they are a really lovely read for anyone. 'Just perfick!' as Pop Larkin would say!

PERFICK!
From page one tangible descriptions of warm, carefree summer days entice the reader into the blissful world of the Larkin family, a world which envelops you until the turn of the final page. The book is simply delicious and is an absolute must-read title for those seeking light, warm-hearted entertainment.

I cried with laughter.
Bates was a genious at making me cry with laughter and all his books about the Larkin family are musts.