D. E. Stevenson
Encyclopedia
D. E. Stevenson Dorothy Emily Peploe (married name) was a Scottish
author of more than 40 light romantic novels. Her father was the lighthouse engineer David Alan Stevenson
, first cousin to the author Robert Louis Stevenson
.
2009 saw a renewed interest in Stevenson's books with the reissue of two of her most popular novels, Mrs. Tim of the Regiment (from Bloomsbury) and Miss Buncle's Book (from Persephone Books
). The sequel, Miss Buncle Married, was reissued by Persephone in 2011.
, Scotland, and was educated at home by governesses. She started to write at eight, but because her parents and governesses disapproved she had to do this in secret. She later wanted to go to university but her father refused, concerned about having an educated woman in the family. Stevenson was married in 1916 to a captain in the 6th Ghurkha Rifles.
More links exist from the Katherine books, via Mr Sandford the lawyer, to House on the Cliff which links via Miss Martineau the landlady to The Blue Sapphire. The Katherine books also tell us more about MacAslan who we first meet in Smouldering Fire. Stevenson's last book, The House of the Deer (a reworking of a serial published in The Glasgow Bulletin in 1936) revisits the MacAslan family in the second generation, and is a sequel to "Gerald and Elizabeth".
Gerald and Elizabeth enter into the saga around Drumburly and re-introduce Freda from Five Windows. Jock from the Music in the Hills trilogy also knows of Freda. Bel Lamington links into these books. Bel's friend Margaret was a Musgrave and there are links from The Musgraves to The Tall Stranger which was a sequel (of sorts) to Five Windows (though Stevenson, uncharacteristically makes an error between the two books - in "Five Windows" the main character is David Kirke, in "The Tall Stranger" his name is spelled Kirk). The Musgraves give a tenuous link back to Ryddelton via the Mulberry Coach, a story written by one of Anna's daughters and nearly performed by Delia Musgrave.
The Amberwell books link closely to Still Glides the Stream which in turn ties in with the Sarah books, in that Will and Sarah both visit Nivennes and meet with the Delormes family, although their visits are many years apart.
Books Within Books:
Another recurring character is the author Janetta Walters
, whose light romantic novels are either loved or loathed by Stevenson characters. We first hear of her books in Mrs. Tim Carries On and Spring Magic. She appears in person in The Two Mrs. Abbotts and The Four Graces.
reprinted Miss Buncle's Book in 2008 and Miss Buncle Married in 2011.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
author of more than 40 light romantic novels. Her father was the lighthouse engineer David Alan Stevenson
David Alan Stevenson
David Alan Stevenson was a lighthouse engineer who built twenty six lighthouses in and around Scotland.Born into the famous Stevenson family of lighthouse engineers, son of David Stevenson, brother of Charles Stevenson, and nephew of Thomas Stevenson, he was educated at Edinburgh University...
, first cousin to the author Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer. His best-known books include Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde....
.
2009 saw a renewed interest in Stevenson's books with the reissue of two of her most popular novels, Mrs. Tim of the Regiment (from Bloomsbury) and Miss Buncle's Book (from Persephone Books
Persephone Books
Persephone Books is an independent publisher based in Bloomsbury, London. Founded in 1999 by Nicola Beauman, Persephone has a catalogue of 93 "neglected novels, diaries, poetry, short stories, non-fiction, biography and cookery books, mostly by women and mostly dating from the early to...
). The sequel, Miss Buncle Married, was reissued by Persephone in 2011.
Early life
D.E. Stevenson was born in 1892 in EdinburghEdinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland, and was educated at home by governesses. She started to write at eight, but because her parents and governesses disapproved she had to do this in secret. She later wanted to go to university but her father refused, concerned about having an educated woman in the family. Stevenson was married in 1916 to a captain in the 6th Ghurkha Rifles.
Books
- Peter West 1923
- Mrs Tim of the Regiment 1932
- Golden Days 1934
- Miss Buncle's Book 1934 (Republished in 2008 by Persephone BooksPersephone BooksPersephone Books is an independent publisher based in Bloomsbury, London. Founded in 1999 by Nicola Beauman, Persephone has a catalogue of 93 "neglected novels, diaries, poetry, short stories, non-fiction, biography and cookery books, mostly by women and mostly dating from the early to...
) - Divorced From Reality 1935 (Miss Dean's Dilemma; republished in 1966 as The Young Clementina)
- Smouldering Fire 1935
- Miss Buncle Married 1936 (Republished in 2011 by Persephone BooksPersephone BooksPersephone Books is an independent publisher based in Bloomsbury, London. Founded in 1999 by Nicola Beauman, Persephone has a catalogue of 93 "neglected novels, diaries, poetry, short stories, non-fiction, biography and cookery books, mostly by women and mostly dating from the early to...
) - The Empty World 1936 (A World in Spell)
- The Story of Rosabelle Shaw 1937
- Miss Bun the Bakers Daughter 1938 (The Baker's Daughter)
- Green Money 1939
- Rochester's Wife 1940
- The English Air 1940
- Mrs Tim Carries On 1941
- Spring Magic 1942
- Crooked Adam 1942 (in US; 1969 in UK)
- Celia's House 1943
- The Two Mrs. Abbotts 1943
- Listening Valley 1944
- The Four Graces 1946
- Mrs. Tim Gets a Job 1947
- Kate Hardy 1947
- Young Mrs. Savage 1948
- Vittoria Cottage 1949
- Music in The Hills 1950
- Winter and Rough Weather 1951 (Shoulder the Sky)
- Mrs. Tim Flies Home 1952
- Five Windows 1953
- Charlotte Fairlie 1954 (Blow the Wind Southerly; The Enchanted Isle)
- Amberwell 1955
- Summerhills 1956
- The Tall Stranger 1957
- Anna and her Daughters 1958
- Still Glides the Stream 1959
- The Musgraves 1960
- Bel Lamington 1961
- Fletcher's End 1962
- The Blue Sapphire 1963
- Katherine Wentworth 1964
- Katherine's Marriage 1965 (The Marriage of Katherine)
- The House on the Cliff 1966
- Sarah Morris Remembers 1967
- Sarah's Cottage 1968
- Gerald and Elizabeth 1969
- House of the Deer 1970
Inter book links
Miss Buncle spills into The Four Graces as well as Spring Magic, and her book is described in "Anna and her Daughters". Celia's House inspired Listening Valley, where Celia makes a re-appearance. We hear of her again during Anna and Her Daughters. Anna pops up briefly in the Katherine books which link with Charlotte Fairlie (Mr. Heath the vicar makes a re-appearance this time). Later Sarah Morris ends up in Ryddelton in Sarah's Cottage to be befriended by Debbie (who made her debut in Celia's House) and to hear about Tonia (Listening Valley) and Charlotte Fairlie.More links exist from the Katherine books, via Mr Sandford the lawyer, to House on the Cliff which links via Miss Martineau the landlady to The Blue Sapphire. The Katherine books also tell us more about MacAslan who we first meet in Smouldering Fire. Stevenson's last book, The House of the Deer (a reworking of a serial published in The Glasgow Bulletin in 1936) revisits the MacAslan family in the second generation, and is a sequel to "Gerald and Elizabeth".
Gerald and Elizabeth enter into the saga around Drumburly and re-introduce Freda from Five Windows. Jock from the Music in the Hills trilogy also knows of Freda. Bel Lamington links into these books. Bel's friend Margaret was a Musgrave and there are links from The Musgraves to The Tall Stranger which was a sequel (of sorts) to Five Windows (though Stevenson, uncharacteristically makes an error between the two books - in "Five Windows" the main character is David Kirke, in "The Tall Stranger" his name is spelled Kirk). The Musgraves give a tenuous link back to Ryddelton via the Mulberry Coach, a story written by one of Anna's daughters and nearly performed by Delia Musgrave.
The Amberwell books link closely to Still Glides the Stream which in turn ties in with the Sarah books, in that Will and Sarah both visit Nivennes and meet with the Delormes family, although their visits are many years apart.
Books Within Books:
Another recurring character is the author Janetta Walters
Janetta Walters
Janetta Walters is a fictional author of romantic novels, created by D. E. Stevenson. Born Jane Watt, about 1913, she and her sister Helen lived in a small house in Bayswater in semi-genteel poverty, until she discovered her writing talent...
, whose light romantic novels are either loved or loathed by Stevenson characters. We first hear of her books in Mrs. Tim Carries On and Spring Magic. She appears in person in The Two Mrs. Abbotts and The Four Graces.
Republished By Persephone Books
Persephone BooksPersephone Books
Persephone Books is an independent publisher based in Bloomsbury, London. Founded in 1999 by Nicola Beauman, Persephone has a catalogue of 93 "neglected novels, diaries, poetry, short stories, non-fiction, biography and cookery books, mostly by women and mostly dating from the early to...
reprinted Miss Buncle's Book in 2008 and Miss Buncle Married in 2011.