Algemene kennis

Gangbare naam: Cooper, Lettice
Officiële naam: Cooper, Lettice Ulpha
Geboortedatum: 1897-09-03
Overlijdensdatum: 1994-07-24
Geslacht: female
Nationaliteit: UK
Geboorteplaats: Eccles, Lancashire, England, UK
Plaats van overlijden: Coltishall, Norfolk, England, UK
Woonplaatsen: London, England, UK
Opleiding: University of Oxford (Lady Margaret Hall)
Beroepen: writer
reviewer
novelist
Relaties: Cooper, Leonard (brother)
Cooper, Leo (nephew)
Cooper, Jilly (niece-in-law)
Fielden, Lionel (friend)
Organisaties: Writers' Action Group(co-founder)
Time and Tide
Prijzen en onderscheidingen: Order of the British Empire (Officer)
Freedom of the City of Leeds
Korte biografie: Lettice Cooper grew up in Yorkshire, where her father ran an engineering firm, and afterwards lived in London for more than 50 years. She read Classics at Oxford University and then worked for some years in the family business. She had begun writing as a child and published her first novel, The Lighted Room, in 1925. She was a devoted friend of Lionel Fielden, creator of All India Radio, friend of J.R. Ackerley and E.M. Forster, and often visited him at his villa in Antella, a few miles outside Florence. She loved Tuscany and used it as the setting for several of her books. After a brief period at the feminist weekly Time and Tide, she worked at the Ministry of Food during World War II. She never married, and lived with her sister Barbara although they were political opposites. She was president of the English Centre of International PEN (1977-1979) and helped to establish the Public Lending Right program in the UK.

Leden

Besprekingen

Gunpowder, Treason and Plot door Lettice Cooper

Cooper's story is a clear and expertly presented account of the plot to blow up King James I, his family, and the House of Lords and Commons in 1605. An easy read and a pleasant surprise.

An anonymous letter addressed to Baron Monteagle warned that his friends and family would be in danger at the opening of Parliament on November 5 "They shall receive a terrible blow this Parliament, and yet shall not see who hurts them." When the message was relayed to the King he was reminded of the murder of his father, Lord Darnley and immediately understood that the wording indicated gunpowder was to be used. He ordered a search of the cellars. Fawkes was discovered but was able to put the searchers at ease by saying his master, Thomas Percy stored firewood there for the coming winter. The King was not taken in. He dispatched a Justice of the Peace for Westminster accompanied by a troop of soldiers to arrive late at night on the 4th November successfully catching Fawkes and foiling the plot. When Londoners heard of the plot and outcome they chose to burn his effigy on the many bonfires blazing in celebration that night. Fawkes was tortured before giving up any information about his co-conspirators. The result was that sterner laws against Catholics were passed, exactly the opposite of what they intended. The memory has been kept alive ever since by children of England who celebrate his capture by lighting bonfires and burning Guy Fawkes effigies.

Please to remember
The Fifth of November,
Gunpowder, treason and plot;
I know no reason
Why gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot.… (meer)

Gemarkeerd

VivienneR | Sep 7, 2023 |

Fenny (Virago Modern Classics) door Lettice Cooper

Ellen Fenwick, aka “Fenny,” accepts a summer position as a governess working in Italy for an English family. The setting is magical, and having become quite fond of the child in her care, she accepts a permanent position with the family. The novel opens in 1933 when fascism is just beginning to take hold, but the expatriate community is in a state of both ignorance and denial. The first part of this book takes us up to 1939, and Fenny’s life is filled with new experiences, personal growth, and heartbreak.

Then the book shifts abruptly to 1945 and beyond. Lettice Cooper provides minimal detail on how Fenny spent the war years; I can only guess she wanted to focus on the life of an independent woman before and after the war. Unfortunately, I found it difficult to buy into the post-war section (roughly the last third of the novel). New characters were insufficiently developed and the plot felt rushed. Some aspects were predictable and others seemed preposterous. This book got off to a good start, but ultimately fell short of my expectations.… (meer)

Gemarkeerd

lauralkeet | 4 andere besprekingen | Nov 22, 2019 |

Une journée avec Rhoda door Lettice Cooper

Publié en 1936. Rhoda vit avec sa mère depuis le départ de ses frères et sœurs et s’occupe d’elle avec dévouement. Ce jour-là, elles déménagent et le bouleversement de ses habitudes amène la jeune femme à s’interroger sur ses aspirations. Un roman psychologique d’une extrême finesse qui pose la question de la liberté individuelle face aux exigences sociales, du désir d’autonomie face au carcan des conventions, du chantage affectif et de la culpabilité, du désir et de la peur de la nouveauté.
”Déceler ses propres contradictions ne suffit pas à restaurer son intégrité, mais les circonscrire permet parfois de se comporter comme si on était en accord avec soi-même. Ne plus se leurrer procure en tout cas une certaine paix et un sentiment de dignité, et c’est sur cette seule base que peuvent naître un peu plus de courage, un peu plus de vie, un peu plus d’expérience.”… (meer)

Gemarkeerd

Steph. | 5 andere besprekingen | Jan 28, 2019 |

The New House door Lettice Cooper

An excellent read! All about "removing" from old family home day of move. Sectioned by day - Morning, Afternoon, Evening. Wonderful personalities - Rhoda needs to get out from under mother's thumb; sister, Delia, encouraging her; brother, Maurice married to Evelyn, very much like their mother. Well written, good read.

Gemarkeerd

Jonlyn | 5 andere besprekingen | Apr 16, 2014 |

Bekijk meer besprekingen