I have collected O. Douglas's pretty little books for years, and now have all thirteen titles, but until recently I hadn't read any of them. I'm not quite sure why. Everybody who loves the type of books I love, always mentions O. Douglas. Her novels are similar to D E Stevenson's, an author I love, Lilian Beckwith, Barbara Pym, Miss Read and, even Jane Austen. So I have no idea why I haven't read anything yet!
O. Douglas was the pen name of Anna Buchan, the younger sister of the more famous John Buchan, author of The 39 Steps. Her novels are all set in and around the small town of Peebles in the Scottish Borders and reflect the daily comings and goings of the townsfolk. Most of her novels were written and set between the wars and portrayed small town or village life in southern Scotland, reflecting her own life.
O. Douglas has the reputation for writing gentle, domestic tales and
certainly they are not books full of drama, but Buchan certainly
understood what the world was like and knew how desperate an existence
many people had. She might not have chosen to write about that but all
her books have that knowledge lying underneath them and there are plenty
of caustic comments slipped in. In this sense she is very similar to D E
Stevenson and Miss Read. There is a social commentary even though it’s
delivered in a kindly and wholesome fashion.
I have started my O. Douglas reading with Pink Sugar, for the simple reason that Greyladies has published a very readable edition. I’m really enjoying the novel, it is suiting my need for a gentle and satisfying read at the moment.
Merren Strang, a character in Pink Sugar who writes novels similar to those of O. Douglas, describes her impulse to write "something very simple that would make pleasant reading — you see, there's nothing of Art for Art's sake about me". Merren later quotes one of her reviews: "'This is a book about good, gentle, scrupulous people who live on the bright side of life'", banteringly describing herself as circumscribed as a novelist by only having met decent people, and thus being unable to create convincing "ape and tiger sort of people" like the "strong novelists" of the day.
Oh, and today is the anniversary of Anna Buchan birthday on 24th March. She was born in 1877. I'm so pleased I've discovered her novels.