The Enchanted AprilThe charming, slyly comic novel of romantic longing and transformation that inspired the Oscar-nominated film Four very different women, looking to escape dreary London for the sunshine of Italy, take up an offer advertised in the Times for a “small medieval Italian Castle on the shores of the Mediterranean to be let furnished for the month of April.” As each blossoms in the warmth of the Italian spring, quite unexpected changes occur. An immediate bestseller upon its first publication, in 1922, The Enchanted April set off a craze for tourism to the Italian Riviera that continues today. Published here to coincide with a contemporary retelling, Enchanted August by Brenda Bowen, it’s a witty ensemble piece and the perfect romantic rediscovery for fans of Jess Walter’s Beautiful Ruins and Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love as well as of Downton Abbey and the hit movie The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,500 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators. |
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able afraid Arbuthnot Arundel asked battlements beautiful began Beppo breakfast Briggs Costanza course delightful dinner Domenico door Droitwiches Elizabeth ELIZABETH VON ARNIM Enchanted April everything eyes face feel felt flowers Francesca Frederick freesias friends Genoa gone Hampstead hand happy head heard heaven holiday husband Italian Italy Joan Plowright Judas tree Kate Lumley kiss knew laughed least Ligurian Sea looked Lotty Lotty's lunch mediaeval castle Mellersh Mezzago mind morning mother never night noticed once one's perhaps poor Prince of Wales remembered Rose Rose's round San Salvatore seemed Shaftesbury Avenue sitting-room smiling stared stood supposed sure talk tell things Thomas Briggs thought Mrs Fisher thought Mrs Wilkins thought Scrap told took top garden turned voice walk wanted week wife Wilkins's window wish woman woman opposite wonderful words young