Louise Andrews Kent was born of an English father and an American mother in Brookline, Massachusetts, on a sunny day of the last century, Her sister Katharine walked the block to her grandparents' house to announce the new baby. Life was spacious, serene, comfortable, through winters when skates rang on Jamaica Pond, children played and studied and read, and traveled to dancing school and other destinations behind a horse. Summers were spent at Iron Bound, an island in Frenchman's Bay where her grandparents ran an hospitable house, and her playmates, in time, included a younger brother Oliver.
Later Miss Andrews came out at a festive party which was to change her life. For her aunt had put on the list for Katharine a certain young Mr. Kent who came from Vermont and was working in Boston as an editor, a tall and distinguished one. It would be wrong to tell the whole story here but right to say it is one of the nicest, longest, most happily-ended love stories imaginable. And, of course, after that the book is largely the story of a happy marriage, of children, of Brookline, of mouth-watering food, of Vermont and the restoration of the beautiful family houses at Kents' Corner. Or were we going to say Appleyard Center? For we have always suspected Mrs. Appleyard's identity.
The Kents are a delightful family to live with in print, just like the Appleyards. Like all family stories, theirs, too, has some endings. Children grow up, marry and move away. His heart betrays a much loved husband. But this is the autobiography of a creative person, and Mrs. Kent's love for the people and places of her life is reflected in all she has done, her books, her delicious meals, her handiwork. who else can make miniature rooms, re- store antiques or paint the birds on her living room walls? but most of all in the fun she still gives her children and grandchildren, her friends, her readers. This book will make the last two groups identical and all of them will want to be present, at least in spirit, at the 100th birthday Mrs. Kent fully intends to cele- brate—out of curiosity, she says. It will be at Kents' Corner and we are glad she has to wait quite a long time for this accomplishment. We would like to read some more books by Mrs. Appleyard.
—from the dust jacket
Did you find this review helpful?