This is my second choice for this week’s 1977 Club (hosted by Simon and Karen) and the third book I’ve read by Barbara Pym. Having so far read only Excellent Women and Less Than Angels, I was surprised by how different Quartet in Autumn is. It’s a much darker, sadder, more poignant novel and, although I did like it, I found it a little bit depressing.
The ‘quartet’ are two women and two men – Letty, Marcia, Edwin and Norman – who work together in the same office in 1970s London. They are four very different people with different personalities, but they have two things in common: they are all in their sixties and they all live alone. Although Pym never specifies exactly what their jobs involve, it is implied that the four of them have been sharing an office for several years and have an understanding of each other’s personal circumstances and living arrangements. Despite this, and despite their loneliness, they never do anything together outside of working hours – they eat lunch separately and then go their separate ways again at the end of the day.
We learn very little about Norman, except that people consider him an ‘odd little man’ and that his social life consists solely of dentist appointments and occasional visits to see his brother-in-law, whom he dislikes. Edwin, a widower, is sometimes invited to stay with his married daughter and grandchildren, but otherwise tries to keep himself busy by taking part in as many church activities as possible. The two men seem to play slightly smaller roles in the novel, at least until halfway through when the women retire (not to be replaced) and the quartet is reduced to a duo.
Letty has always planned to move to the countryside with her friend Marjorie after her retirement, but when the unthinkable happens and Marjorie gets engaged, she is left facing a future in an old people’s home instead. But it’s Marcia who is the most tragic character – Marcia who has had surgery for breast cancer and looks forward to her trips to the hospital as ‘holiday treats’, who has developed an obsession with hoarding empty milk bottles in the garden and who attracts the unwelcome attention of a concerned social worker.
A book about four lonely people doing meaningless, unappreciated jobs and looking for ways to fill boring, empty lives does not make the most uplifting of reads, but Pym still manages to sprinkle some humour into the story and to leave us with the sense that there is some hope for our characters after all. Letty, at least, seems to want things to change and to be willing to take the first steps towards bringing about those changes.
Despite the sad, melancholic feel of the book, I think it is my favourite so far by Barbara Pym. Her observations are both witty and sensitive and I found myself really caring about Letty, Norman, Marcia and Edwin. Another good choice for 1977 Club and now I’m looking forward to reading Jane and Prudence, the other Pym novel I have on my shelf.
She Reads Novels 
I’ve read Quartet in Autumn twice – loved it. Good review – thanks for the memories.
I think I would like to read this one again too – although not until I’ve read the rest of Barbara Pym’s books.
Glad you could join in again – this one has been quite popular for 1977. But there is a strain of melancholy running through Pym’s work, and I wonder if I’ve avoided this one in case it was too sad for me?
Yes, I had a feeling this would probably be a popular choice. It is a sad book, but there’s a little bit of humour too which saves it from becoming too depressing!
Another great review! Have you read any Anita Brookner? Thomas (from Hogglestock) said on goodreads of Quartet in Autumn, “This one is rather darker than most of her other novels. This is what Anita Brookner would be like if she had a sense of humor.” which I thought was spot on!
No, I haven’t read anything by Anita Brookner yet, but maybe I should.
I read all the Pym books when they were introduced, loved them
I only started reading Pym for the first time a few years ago, but I would like to read everything she wrote eventually.
I have not read Barbara Pym yet. She sounds very British. I just checked my 1977 list and found that apparently I hardly read much current literature that year. Of the ones I read that were published that year, my favorite was Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison, though I did not read it until 1999.
I thought about reading The Song of Solomon for 1977 Club but I had already chosen two books and knew I wouldn’t have time for three. I would still like to read it anyway.
This is my favourite of her books too. I’ve reread it once, about ten years later, and I loved it just as much. I so wanted the characters to connect, in ways they simply couldn’t (and, yet, the instances of connection that DO transpire are all-the-more amazing for all that they are rare). I second the recommendation of Anita Brookner for you if you enjoyed this one even more than you expected to.
Yes, it was sad that those four lonely people spent so much time together every day, yet had such difficulty in connecting with each other. I was pleased that the way the book ended left us with a little bit of hope. Anita Brookner’s books have never really appealed to me, but I’m starting to think that I need to try one.
Hello! It has been a while since this very thoughtful review was written, but what hit me in 2024 was how much more of a feat it is now to a middle-grade worker (i.e., not partner/business owner and a.) Be WORKING in a steady job in your 60’s rather than having been summarily made redundant/laid off over the past few years and b.) being able to (presumably) afford to live alone, along with eating and getting medical care of any sort without financial ruin or bankruptcy!
Yes, things have changed a lot since the 1970s! I think most of us would be happy just to have job security until our retirement and then a decent quality of life after that. Thanks for commenting!