Gentle and charming, or an iron fist in a velvet glove?: 'Mr Finchley Discovers His England' by Victor Canning – Book Recommendation

 

‘Charming’, ‘delightful’, and ‘gentle’ are prime suspects to describe this comedic novel, but is there more to Mr Finchley than meets the eye? The 1934 bestseller recounts the adventures of a 45-year-old bachelor clerk whose first-ever holiday goes awry through encounters with an eclectic bunch of misfits, crooks, jilted lovers, and boy scouts. Within the comedy are beautifully written evocations of rural England, subtle questions about class, moments of real poignancy, and even, occasionally, tragedy. Our hero’s holiday becomes a voyage of discovery encompassing ‘the beauties of the English countryside and the lovable oddities of the English character’ (New York Times) and Mr Finchley’s own personality. Through travelling and meeting others he finds himself and qualities he didn’t know he possessed. Canning packs an unexpected punch which left me almost as surprised as Mr Finchley. 

Mr Finchley Discovers His England by Victor Canning ISBN: 9781788421614