The Gentleman of the Party

The Gentleman of the Party was first published in 1936 and was described by Douglas West in the Daily Mail as a 'robust and impressive novel'. A vivid portrayal of farming life in Wiltshire from 1872 to the 1930s, The Gentleman of the Party is filled with gentle humour and poignant images as it charts the history of the changing face of English farming over 60 years. Exploring the strict social structures and absolute hierarchy that existed in rural England, as well as the harsh life experienced by the farm labourers, The Gentleman of the Party is a fictional account of a forgotten and often shocking time in English history. '[You] are not likely to read a better chronicle of the land in a month of Sundays.' Cecil Day-Lewis, Daily Telegraph 'This robust and impressive novel ... will enlarge the mental horizon of a good many town dwellers, and give the more reflecting among them a great deal to think about ... His command of dialect is masterly. He has written a fine novel and he has created a number of richly entertaining people.' Douglas West, Daily Mail