One of my favorite authors is Elizabeth Goudge, and the book of hers that I love most is The Dean's Watch. I've decided to read and collect all of her novels this year. I have six already with eleven more to buy. I'm going to try and read them all this year even though I've read some before.
I found this quote about her somewhere on the internet. It's a good description of Goudge's books. ‘There is a sort of ‘light’ in all of Elizabeth Goudge’s books, it’s like the light of a sunny day just before the sun has properly risen. A light that catches on dew drops on the roses or icicles hanging from the gutters; a light that shines into people’s lives, a light that can shine into the dark places of the reader’s life’.
There's an Elizabeth Goudge Society which provided the following.
Here is the complete list of Elizabeth Goudge books.
City of Bells series

· A City of Bells (1936)
· Towers in the Mist (1938)
· The Dean's Watch (1960)
· Three Cities of Bells (omnibus) (1965)
Eliots of Damerosehay series
· The Bird in the Tree (1940)
· The Herb of Grace (1948) aka Pilgrim's Inn (1948 )
· The Heart of the Family (1953)
· The Eliots of Damerosehay (omnibus) (1957)
Novels
· Island Magic (1934)
· The Middle Window (1935)
· The Castle on the Hill (1941)
· Green Dolphin Country (1944) aka Green Dolphin Street (USA title)
· Gentian Hill (1949)
· The Rosemary Tree (1956)
· The White Witch (1958)
· The Scent of Water (1963)
· The Child From the Sea (1970)
Children's books
· Sister of the Angels: A Christmas Story (1939)
· Smokey House (1940)
· The Well of the Star (1941)
· Henrietta's House (1942) aka The Blue Hills
· The Little White Horse (1946)
· Make-Believe (1949)
· The Valley of Song (1951)
· Linnets and Valerians (1964) aka The Runaways
· I Saw Three Ships (1969)
Collections
· The Fairies' Baby: And Other Stories (1919)
· A Pedlar's Pack: And Other Stories (1937)
· Three Plays: Suomi, The Brontës of Haworth, Fanny Burney (1939)
· The Golden Skylark: And Other Stories (1941)
· The Ikon on the Wall: And Other Stories (1943)
· The Elizabeth Goudge Reader (1946)
· Songs and Verses (1947)
· At the Sign of the Dolphin (1947)
· The Reward of Faith: And Other Stories (1950)
· White Wings: Collected Short Stories (1952)
· The Ten Gifts: An Elizabeth Goudge Anthology (1965)
· A Christmas Book: An Anthology of Christmas Stories (1967)
· The Lost Angel: Stories (1971)
· Hampshire Trilogy (omnibus) (1976)
· Pattern of People: An Elizabeth Goudge Anthology (1978)
Non fiction
· God So Loved the World: The Story of Jesus (1951)
· Saint Francis of Assisi (1959) aka My God and My All: The Life of St. Francis of Assisi
· A Diary of Prayer (1966)
· The Joy of the Snow: An Autobiography (1974)
Anthologies edited by Elizabeth Goudge
· A Book of Comfort: An Anthology (1964)
· A Book of Peace: An Anthology (1967)
· A Book of Faith: An Anthology (1976)
Anthologies containing stories by Elizabeth Goudge
· Dancing with the Dark (1997)
Short stories
· ESP (1974)
I know I have her biography, The Joy of Snow, somewhere in the house. I'll search for it tonight until it's found. It'll be like looking for a needle in a haystack.
21 comments:
I love EG. The Scent of Water was one of my favorites and I remember reading Linnetts and Valarians to the kids -- fun and fascinating! Your list of her books is huge. I'll have to look a few up.
I've only ever read "Green Dolphin Street" a few years ago, b/c everyone was talking about Goudge. I liked it very much, although parts of it were a bit painful, a bit rambly, or a bit soap-operaish. But only a little. In the main, I really loved the setting and much of the story. Can you recommend what you feel is her very best? Does she do fiction or non-fiction better?
That's a prolific author.
You can't go wrong with Elizabeth Goudge. She is my all-time favorite author and has had such an impact on my life, which I only realized later in life as I re-read all the novels I could find. I've managed to collect almost all of them, including some children's books and her non-fiction. Her autobiography is one I re-read often. Enjoy your year with Elizabeth! The Dean's Watch is also one of my favorites, along with The Scent of Water . . .
I have only read Island Magic (which I didn't really like), The Middle Window and The Scent of Water. I liked them okay but think I need to read some others to get a better feel for what I think of her as a writer.
The Dean's Watch was the first of EG's books I read - it was the BEST medicine when I was having a really bad day way back then. I haven't read it again but I have heard some people say it is her best...I did love Scent of Water just as much, and Green Dolphin Street was great....oh - you are making me want to get back to her soon. I loved Joy of the Snow....
Have fun, Debbie!
Hello Debbie, I was happy to stumble upon your blog. I, too, love Goudge. I fell in love with Wendell Berry when I read THAT DISTANT LAND. Oddly, I have collected half a dozen other Berry titles but haven't read any of them yet.
Just wanted you to know that when I clicked on the Sassy Vintage link on your blog list, it had semi-pornographic pictures. You might want to check on that.
I'm so glad you found Penny Plain on E-bay. Yes, it definitely requires a cup of tea and a cozy chair.
I don't think I have ever read her books. That will change, thanks for this wonderful list and sharing your favorite. Will begin there.
Thanks too, for getting back to me on the age of your home. What an amazing job you did on it, can hardly believe it was built in 1990.
Ours was built in 1850. We have lived here almost 11 years now, and thankfully have not had any major repairs...I keep wondering when that will happen.
She's an impressive writer and, hate to admit this, not sure I've ever heard of her much less read her. Thanks for the introduction.
Elizabeth Goudge is one of my most favorite of all female authors. Indeed, to read her books feed the soul of a very good story. I am presently reading The Little White Horse to my daughter. I believe I am enjoying it most of all!
Thank you for the list. I have not read Dean's Watch. My library, sadly, has removed all her books from the shelves, but I look for them whenever I go to book and library sells.
Cathy, what is wrong with your library??
Love her books, and have done for over forty years. I have just finished replacing my falling to pieces paperbacks with hard cover copies of all her books, including the kids books. Some were a little expensive (Valley of Song - Yikes!!!) but I now have all of her fiction except for a couple of the earliest anthologies. My three favourites would have to be Pilgrims Inn, Gentian Hill, and The Dean's Watch, closely followed by A City of Bells and Towers in the Mist. Least favourite would be The Middle Window. In spite of having all those nice hard covers, I've been unable to throw out my paperbacks. One of them (The Blue Hills, Popular Library edition of the late 1960s) would surely win a prize for worst cover ever. Was glad to replace that one with a nice copy of Henrietta's House, which is the other name that particular book goes by.
Hello, I come here seeking more information on that period of time Elizabeth Goudge spent in Keyhaven, Hampshire, at a private hotel run by Mrs. Adams. The Hon. Mrs. Adams died in 1929; am I right in believing she left the hotel to a Heartsease Eva Adams? What was her relation to the Hon. Mrs. (Mildred) Adams. Please reply to victorianga@aol.com
Hello, I come here seeking more information on that period of time Elizabeth Goudge spent in Keyhaven, Hampshire, at a private hotel run by Mrs. Adams. The Hon. Mrs. Adams died in 1929; am I right in believing she left the hotel to a Heartsease Eva Adams? What was her relation to the Hon. Mrs. (Mildred) Adams. Please reply to victorianga@aol.com
Hello,
Were you successful? Were you able to read all her books? :)
I have always loved The Little White Horse and earlier this week finally decided to open The Scent of Water and am overjoyed that the writer who moved me so strongly in my childhood has the power to to do so in my adulthood.
I have just found and read your post and it is such a joy to find another Elizabeth Goudge lover. I thought I had read and owned all her books but I have never heard of 'A Pattern of People' Hooray! a new one! Many thanks, Jane
Thank you for your lovely comment, Jane the booklady! I'm popping over to read your blog now!
I’ve chosen the challenge this past year to collect all of her books (excepting Fairies Babies of course) and I’m just a few away! I’ve read over half now, but it will take another year to get through the rest. And I still see something new when I pick up an old one to reread it for a minute. It’s been a beautiful journey!! And one I’m trying to share a bit on Instagram with the account @ElizabethGoudgeBookclub if anyone would like to join in!
Re Heartsease Eva Adams:
There's no record of any such person on ancestry.co.uk.
However, when Mildred Adams died, probate was granted to Eva Travers Evered Adams (nee Poole), wife of William Henry Adams (married 1902 in Paddington), and Alfred Adams, barrister.
Perhaps Eva was known as Heartsease.
In the 1939 Register, Eva Travers Adams (born 12/2/1880) is living at Harewood House, Keyhaven (said to be the inspiration for Damerosehay) , widowed, and occupation "Guest house" - possibly the word "proprietor" has been missed out, as the person above her , also at Harewood House, is Muriel Edith Gordon, "guest house prop."
(Eva and Muriel are also living together in 1921, in Kensington.)
Eva's husband William Henry Adams was a son of Henry Cadwallader Adams, who was a son of John Adams by his first marriage, to Jane Martin in 1817.
Mildred's husband Charles Warren Adams was a son of the same John Adams by John's second marriage, to Charlotte Priscilla Coker in 1826.
So Charles Warren Adams was a half-uncle of William Henry Adams, which explains why Mildred would leave Harewood House to Eva - assuming that Eva is Heartsease.
Neither Milded nor Eva had any children.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-DCTQ-Y6G?i=20&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AVHX7-13B
Further re Muriel Edith Gordon mentioned in above post:
she died in 1951, at which time her address was Harewood House.
Probate was granted to Hilda Gwendolen Gordon, spinster, and Eva Travers Evered Adams, widow.
Eva died in 1969.
Her address was 2 New Lane Cottages, Milford-on-Sea.
More about Harewood House / Elizabeth / Mildred/ Eva:
https://www.milfordhistory.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/HH-HAREWOOD-HOUSE-and-DAMEROSEHAY.pdf
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