A WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE
BY BARBARA TAYLOR BRADFORD
THE BLURB:-
SHE HAD POWER. SHE NEEDED LOVE. SHE WANTED REVENGE.
In 1905 a young kitchen maid leaves Fairley Hall. Emma Harte is sixteen, single and pregnant.
By 1968 she is one of the richest women in the world, ruler of a business empire stretching from Yorkshire to the glittering cities of America and the rugged vastness of Australia.
Emma Harte is A WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE. But what is the price she has paid?
THE REALITY:-
I may be being a little bit naughty in putting a review of this book on here, as it's not the first time I've read- or owned- it.
I saw the mini-series on television (it remains Channel 4's most watched programme EVER) over the Christmas 1984 break, and I can honestly say that it's one of the films that's changed my life. It moved me to tears (something that's not easy to do!) and to this day I own the DVD.
When I left school (the first time- I am now on my third period of schooling!) I bought the book once I'd started working (I had friends who didn't read saying, 'What are you buying that for?' I pity them their ignorance...) and devoured it, immediately warming to the heartfelt emotions on the page. Boy, does Mrs BTB know how to write. It didn't survive a house move and I bought it again in 2002, this time a version with the “war chapter” (BTB had to get the size of her book down from 1500 pages- the copy I have is 868- and it didn't initially make the cut). I have to say, the war chapter didn't do much for me, and didn't enhance the book- but then again, war chapters never do much for me anyway. That version also didn't survive a house move, so I re-bought this book a few months back, as I wanted to refer to it whilst working on my MA Creative Writing course. This version has no war chapter, although it does have a couple of typos...
I haven't been able to blog much, recently. All of my reading has tended to pertain to my course (I have less than a month to go), and that's included a lot of theory. I also haven't been able to visit many tourist attractions, as most were shut due to coronavirus. They are gradually opening up, but I'm not keen on visiting in this boiling weather, especially as travel currently involves mask-wearing, which I disagree with, and therefore try and avoid. We have immune systems for a reason, I am responsible for only my own health, not that of other people, but don't get me started- I've made my feelings clear on this elsewhere, so won't be pontificating more.
This writer describes herself as “adjectival” as she likes to use flowery prose. Well, I like that too and have an aversion to writing that's been too pared back to the bone, although I get that this style of writing may well be considered old-fashioned nowadays. I certainly learn new words every time I pick this up (although BTB's style had changed considerably over the years, becoming less ostentatious). I love a good family saga tome, and this rags-to-riches delight doesn't disappoint. It has the accolade of being my most favourite book EVER, being rich and detailed, and getting into the hearts of characters within descriptive settings.
As with a lot of novels of this time, coincidence does feature a wee bit- namely Gerald Fairley being the kind of fool who orchestrates his own demise, and Emma doing financially well from Joe's death- enough to help assist her most destructive business venture. But this doesn't detract from the fact that our heroine is an exceptional human being and a hard worker we could all learn from. The chapters after Emma gets together with Paul permanently seem a tad rushed, but I don't think there's a need for more detail anyway. My only gripe is that Emma never got to meet up with Edwin again. Now that reunion I would have liked.
Well, my course is almost over, tourist attractions are open again, so therefore I hope normal service resumes ASAP. Unless, of course, I decide to apply to do a PhD....
