Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

by Winifred Watson

Book Overview

A governess is sent by an employment afency to the wrong address, where she encounters a glamourous night-club singer, Miss LaFosse. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 190646202X
• ISBN13: 9781906462024
• Release Date: December 2008
• Publisher: Persephone Books
• Length: 233 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.7" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

Absolutely delightful

This little book may become one of my all time favorites. It is a great comic novel with bright dialogue, very English humor and characters who are three-dimensional. When mousy, timid little Miss Pettigrew knocks on Miss LaFosse's door to apply for a desperately needed job, she is grabbed by the beautiful actress and pulled into a wild, exciting, slightly vulgar day that is far from the genteel, grey poverty of Miss Pettigrew's everyday life. Set and written in pre-World War II London, the book is true to its milieu with lingering Victorian mores warring with more modern sensibilities, all viewed through the eyes of a slightly bewildered, prim English governess who is eager to experience every second of this magical day. The current movie, with Amy Adams and the great Frances McDormand as Miss Pettigrew, is very true to the book, so if you liked the movie you're going to really like the book.

Wonderful & Different

If you enjoyed the film version of Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day, or if you have read the original book, this unabridged audio version performed by Frances McDormand will also be of interest. While the film necessarily speeds up or even changes the action in places and conflates some of the characters, it retains the wit and feeling of the story very well... listen for yourself. In this 5-disc set you get the entire story as written by the author, enlivened by McDormand's deft, clear vocal characterizations. The author's language is often wickedly funny, and McDormand manages to keep each character's voice and manner distinct -- even in "crowded" scenes. I notice that while listening to this audibook as I drive, I stay in a very good mood (even in pesky traffic). The packaging of the set is sturdy and very attractive, too (matches the new edition of the pb)... in case you are thinking of giving it as a gift. Each disc comes in its own printed sleeve inside the box. Well done!

Miss Pettigrew lives forever

I first saw the movie and decided that I had to read the book. I was not dissappointed in either. Winifred Watson was a master of words. She made me feel like I was at the cocktail party. I wish that she had written more than 6 books. It's hard to believe that her book had not been made into a movie before. Her character are rich. I felt as if I knew every single one of them. This book can span the generations.

Miss Pettigrew

It's incredibly that untill recently, this book was hardly known about, much less considered an important book. This book is sweet and delightful and funny. The dialouge is memorable, and so are the pictures. I'd love to see this turned into a movie. But i think maybe its the sort of book that shouldv'e been turned into a movie in the 50's...it just wouldn't be right unless it was shot in that wonderfully grainy old film with 1950's conceits and that fat cat dialougue. Anyways, the book is about this dowdy old lady who going to an interview as a nanny, but she's given the wrong adress and ends up at the house of Delsyia, a sweet aspiring actress with three lovers and who romps about in classic 1920's flapper style. Miss Pettigrew is detirmined to save her from the wicked cociane snorting possesive man and the career-advancing director and have her marry the good guy, and in the mean time, Miss Pettigrew gets a make-over, finds a beau, and has a little jazz and booze fun of her own. Its a really funny subversive little story told in a very touching way.

Possibly the best book ever

Okay, the premise sounds a little strange but this is my absolute favorite book. I've never mat anyone who read this book who did not immediately go out and buy it for their best friend or their mother or their daughter. Most Persephone books are wonderful, but this one is far and away the one to start with! Miss Pettigrew is a dowdy governess who doesn't much like children and is down on her luck. She accidentally gets sent to the flat of a glamorous nightclub singer who is having all sorts of man trouble, which Miss Pettigrew promptly fixes with a combination of her wits and her totally common sense attitude about life. It's a light and very easy read, definitely loose on the realism. But really, I promise that you will NOT regret it if you buy this book.