Just turned on to watch an old episode of Call the Midwife and caught the end of a Catherine Cookson story,didn’t that woman write some depressing stuff.
In the 70s I worked in a library and Catherine Cookson was the most popular author at that time. I thought I’d give her books a try, but felt so depressed after reading them (perhaps 3 or 4) I decided she wasn’t for me.
I love them, particularly when they have a whole story on a Sunday afternoon. I miss so many episodes of other series that its great to watch a complete story in one go. Also easy to understand, none of this double twist stuff - what you see is what you get.
No, don't agree. I absolutely loved her books when I was a lot younger. I've read every one and still have every one secreted around the house somewhere ! She may have given her heroes and heroines a hard time, but they always had a lovely ending. I remember reading about her once and she said a lovely woman came up to her in a shopping precinct and said to her 'Ee hinny, I love your books, but you don't half put 'em through it' !!
I rather like them but that's probably because I am local to the area in which most of her books are set. I remember seeing one story where they were supposed to be getting off a train at Hexham station but in fact it was Tynemouth station, which retains its Victorian structure so was possibly more suited to the period.
I like them but it’s probably because Northerners can associate more with her, like me, I know the areas she talks about, the TV stories are taken up on Druridge Bay in Northumberland and the street/ houses and shop scenes are taken at Beamish Museum which is around 15-20 minutes from me and is an open air museum depicting life in the NE a century ago , it’s won many awards, this said,CCs popularity as an author goes far and wide
The trams are the clue that it's Beamish. You can see the Sun Inn at the end of the tramline. It's actually a functioning pub, but alas not at 1913 prices. Hanover Street in Newcastle is another location for some scenes.
Her books were translated into many languages too.
I've done the Catherine Cookson trail in the north east twice, one was a wash out because the coach driver was late and he was in a foul mood and treated us all with disdain !! So, we booked another one and it was great, all went to plan and we had a lovely time.
I've had two letters from her in the past, one handwritten and the other typed, sadly I've lost the handwritten one. She was a lovely, genuine person. I cried when she passed.
I have read the book called The Mallens and it is nothing like the TV series.
Oh and DaveBro I too have read Twopence to Cross the Mersey" by Helen Forrester. I also read her other books on the same subject. It was about her memoirs as a child of the depression in Liverpool. I loved them so much, I re-read them!