Lamb in Love

by Carrie Brown

Book Overview

Set in a rural English village the year of the Apollo moon landing, and tells of two unlikely people surprised halfway through their lives by passion, desire and love. Norris Lamb, the bachelor... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1565122038
• ISBN13: 9781565122031
• Release Date: April 1999
• Publisher: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill
• Length: 348 Pages
• Weight: 1.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 5.9" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

WHIMSICAL AND HEARTWARMING - BEAUTIFULLY DONE!

The golden promise of Carrie Brown's debut novel, Rose's Garden (1998) is more than fulfilled with Lamb In Love, an affecting tale of two very ordinary people transformed by the power of love. Choosing Hursley, a small English village as her setting, Ms. Brown again writes with eloquent grace in spare, prismatic prose - an intriguing glint here, a revealing glimmer there as she artfully sketches the emotional terrain of her characters. Fifty-five year old Norris Lamb is the village postmaster, a position he undertakes with the utmost respect and solemnity, viewing the mails as "a marvelous system of common trust," keeping "his postal scales highly polished," and employing "a new rubber stamp frequently so as to avoid smudges." He is also a philatelist, the volunteer organist for St. Alphage,, and a self-described "...stick whom his neighbors consider a confirmed bachelor. Terrified of women, perhaps? [....](So careful with his appearance, etc.)" But then, on the night of the 1969 American moon landing when Norris walked outside to get a closer look at the galaxy, he saw an even more remarkable sight - 41-year-old Vida Stephen dancing nearly naked in a garden. Norris had known her all his life, "But he'd never seen her like that before. He'd never seen anything like that before." And, quite suddenly, "He is Norris Lamb in love. Lamb in love." Vida lives at Southend House, a derelict mansion, where for twenty years she has served as nanny for Manford Perry, a retarded young man who is also mute. His mother dead and his architect father often gone, Manford is totally dependent upon Vida who is devoted to him. Never having had a holiday or ventured far beyond Hursley, the routine of Vida's life is relieved only by letters from her one living relative, Uncle Laurence, who lives on Corfu, a seemingly unbelievably beautiful locale of which she can only dream. Old enough now to be considered a spinster, Vida is viewed by fellow villagers with pity."But Norris knows - he believes he alone knows - what is there to be rescued and revived. He imagines that he sees what others, lacking the wondrous prism of his passion, cannot." The question that torments him is how he will win her. Unable to declare himself in person, Norris enjoins fellow postmasters to help him - he pens love letters which are posted to Vida from foreign lands. He leaves bouquets of flowers on a bench that she frequents. Finally, he ventures beyond Hursley, to Winchester where he buys Vida a gift - a nightdress an intricately patterned robe of Oriental silk. Norris finds himself emboldened by love. Not allowing "reason to interfere with the anticipation of adventure, even danger, that accompanies the matter of delivering his gift," he sneaks into Southend House and artfully arranges the robed gown on her bed. At first puzzled then frightened by these unfamiliar attentions, Vida confides to Norris that she feels stalked. He is desolate, "utterly undone." Later thinking

How Did I Miss This?

I don't know how I missed this lovely book when it was first published! American author Carrie Brown has done a masterful job of portraying life and love in a small English village far removed from the hustle and bustle of London.Brown has populated her novel, set in 1969, with a cast of endearing, lovely, yet "odd" characters. Norris Lamb, 55, the village postmaster, falls in love with Vida Stephen, the 41-year-old caretaker for Manford Perry, a young man who is both mute and retarded. Vida has cared for Manford for 20 years in the absence of his wealthy American father, who travels most of the time.How Norris falls suddenly in love with someone he has known all his life is told in loving detail by the author. This is a slow, engaging, delightful book without the silly conflicts or sickeningly sweet narrative of modern romances.The way in which Vida cares for Manford, and her fears, compassion, and aspirations for him, are portrayed in a totally captivating manner. When Norris becomes a part of their lives, you will be touched by his actions toward both Vida and Manford. Norris' bumbling attempts at love are so endearing. As he said to himself:"I have a gift for being in love, but there are technical difficulties".I highly recommend this book.

An Absolute Delight!

I just finished Lamb in Love and wish that I hadn't! I will miss spending time in the little English village of Hursley getting to know Norris Lamb and Vida and Manford and all the other characters in this charming and poignant novel about hope and courage. Beautifully written with humour and warmth I found myself alternately laughing out loud and welling up with tears. A wonderful and true snapshot of the magic and drama of "ordinary lives" told with compassion and wit. A memorable book - don't miss a trip to Hursley!

Wonderfully satisfying, calming, soothing book

The characters of Norris, Vida, Manford and the rest of the town seem like real people. My wish is that Brown writes a sequel soon. I would love to find out how Vida's trip to Corfu was, whether Manford ever learns to speakor play the organ, whether the town gains new respect for him and whether Vida and Norris ever marry and adopt Manford from the never-present Mr. Perry

Having mail to sort and stamps to admire, this must be brief

We Norris Lamb's of the earth appreciate the ordinary heroism told in this simple, but profound story. Even those of us who are handsomer than Norris have many of his foibles, although we acknowledge that his human traits are delightfully unique in their arresting hues and combination. We Norris Lamb's of the world are the very men who weep while reading this sweet tale with the loveliest of prose. We number many more than the Vida's of the world could imagine. And we appreciate and love the Vida's of the world. That is why this book must be read. In this story, from the simple and ordinary blossoms a powerful romance that, with rare exception, heretofore only has been portrayed as occurring between men and women with the build of Jeremy Martin (read the novel to understand). "Lamb in Love" reveals the miracle of selfless love transcending selfish, unromantic infatuation and obsession. I truly loved this book. It will be made into a fine movie, I am sure, perhaps starring Colin Firth as Mr. Lamb (that's just my recommendation). Now, I have said and revealed too much, so I must retreat to my post to sort the mail and admire my stamps. And I will await the movie with all the anticipation of a man waiting behind the horse chestnut tree for Vida to appear.