'It appears to me that a simple, straightforward account of my life in retirement from day to day should suffice to show that, for a variety of interests, civic sense, tolerance and a readiness to meet and mingle with all sorts and conditions of men and (up to a point of course) women, a retired schoolmaster can hold a candle to any Tom, Dick or Harry...' So writes A. J. Wentworth (B.A.), formerly a teacher of mathematics at Burgrove prep school for boys, now passing his retirement years in a typically English rural village ...
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'It appears to me that a simple, straightforward account of my life in retirement from day to day should suffice to show that, for a variety of interests, civic sense, tolerance and a readiness to meet and mingle with all sorts and conditions of men and (up to a point of course) women, a retired schoolmaster can hold a candle to any Tom, Dick or Harry...' So writes A. J. Wentworth (B.A.), formerly a teacher of mathematics at Burgrove prep school for boys, now passing his retirement years in a typically English rural village where somehow he seems unable to stay out of trouble. Indeed he lurches from mishap to misunderstanding, whether at the Conservative Association or the local am-dram society, the cricket club dinner or the vicarage Christmas Party. His pi???ce de resistance is the escorting of two schoolboys on a trip to Switzerland that unexpectedly detours into Italy. The misadventures that Wentworth records are many, but the reader soon sees that he brings them upon himself - by being irredeemably self-important, generally incompetent and persistently accident-prone. Wentworth is the comic creation of H.F. Ellis, and was first introduced to readers in the pages of Punch magazine. A.J. Wentworth, B.A. (Retd) was first published in 1962, a sequel to The Papers of A.J. Wentworth, B.A. (1949). There is pathos as well as great humour in Wentworth's self-delusion, and he ranks alongside the Grossmiths' Mr Pooter as a classic comic study in blinkered English manners.
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Add this copy of The Papers of a. J. Wentworth, B.a. to cart. $19.94, very good condition, Sold by Brit Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Milton Keynes, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2011 by Faber and Faber.
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Seller's Description:
Very good. Simply Brit – welcome to our online used book store, where affordability meets great quality. Dive into a world of captivating reads without breaking the bank. We take pride in offering a wide selection of used books, from classics to hidden gems, ensuring there's something for every literary palate. All orders are shipped within 24 hours and our lightning fast-delivery within 48 hours coupled with our prompt customer service ensures a smooth journey from ordering to delivery. Discover the joy of reading with us, your trusted source for affordable books that do not compromise on quality.
Add this copy of The Papers of a. J. Wentworth, B.a. to cart. $35.69, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Newport Coast, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2011 by Faber and Faber.
Add this copy of The Papers of a. J. Wentworth B.a. to cart. $131.31, very good condition, Sold by Peter Shellard rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Quinton, NORTHANTS, UNITED KINGDOM, published by Evans, 1949.
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Seller's Description:
1st edition. Hardcover. Near fine (original 1949 inscription on fep-'Many Happy Returns') in like dustwrapper, some neat conservation at spine ends, a little rubbing to rear panel, price-clipped. Tom Utley has described it as 'one of the funniest set-pieces in English literature'. Arthur James Wentworth is the unmarried assistant master at Burgrove Preparatory School, who is '' the victim of a remarkable amount of combined stupidity on other peoples' part, with an unshakeable faith in the reasonableness of all his actions ''. Wonderful stuff.
