The Passionate Elopement is a sparkling satire of manners set in Curtain Wells, a fashionable inland spa where health cures, flirtation, gossip, and social display are all part of the same ritual. From the disciplined morning promenades at the Pump Room to masquerades, valentine schemes, tea tables, and carefully staged public entertainments, the novel delights in exposing the absurd machinery of high society while celebrating its wit and theatrical energy. At the center is Phyllida Courte...

Poor Relations follows John Touchwood, a witty but self-dramatizing playwright whose life is thrown into comic confusion by success, gossip, and the demands of family. On the Atlantic crossing home from New York, he basks in theatrical triumphs, rereads affectionate and exasperating letters from relatives, and falls into a flirtation with the reserved Miss Hamilton and her sharp companion Miss Merritt. What begins as an amused, romantic voyage soon exposes the gap between John's public cha...

It's 1943 and the war has brought rationing to the Hebridean islands of Great and Little Todday. When food is in short supply, it is bad enough, but when the whisky runs out, it looks like the end of the world.Morale is at rock bottom. George Campbell needs a wee dram to give him the courage to stand up to his mother and marry Catriona. The priest, the doctor and, of course, the landlord at the inn are all having a very thin time of it. There's no conversation, no jolity, no fun - ...

Aileen has lost her parents and she is now solely responsible for herself and her younger brother. She is jaded and no longer wants to look for love because she is not even sure if true love even exists. Or if it is attainable for her. Suitors are plenty, but she is afraid to give her heart and risk having it broken.Quinn has recently become the Laird of the village, a huge responsibility for him yet all he can think about is the mysterious and beautiful girl he saw in the village....

The Complete Works of Compton MacKenzieThis Complete Collection includes the following titles:--------1 - The Altar Steps2 - Carnival3 - Plashers Mead4 - Sinister Street, vol. 15 - Sinister Street, vol. 26 - The Passionate Elopement7 - Poor Relations8 - Kensington Rhymes9 - Rich Relatives10 - The Vanity Girl11 - The Early Life and Adventures of Sylvia Scarlett12 - Guy and Pauline...

Sir Compton Mackenzie, (1883–1972) was a prolific writer of fiction, biography, histories, and memoir, as well as a cultural commentator, raconteur, and lifelong Scottish nationalist.It is described by Dr. John MacInnes (formerly of the School of Scottish Studies) as "one of the greatest works of English literature produced in the twentieth century."Sylvia & MichaelGuy and Pauline, 1915The Early Life and Adventures of Sylvia, 1918Scarle...

Chester Royde, an American millionaire, travels to Scotland with his new bride Carrie and sister Myrtle, to find out more about Carrie's Scottish ancestry. Their new 'relatives' turn out to be a little more authentically Scottish than they bargained for. Ben Nevis, Laird of Glenbogle Castle, is fiercely protective of his lands and the Macdonald clan spirit, but being cash-strapped he's not above attempts to marry heiress Myrtle to one of his many brawny sons. But then a group of hikers stu...

The Best Works of Compton MacKenzieCarnivalGuy and PaulinePlashers MeadSinister Street, vol. 1Sylvia & MichaelThe Altar StepsThe Early Life and Adventures of Sylvia Scarlett

"The Seven Ages of Woman" likely explores the various stages of a woman's life, from childhood to old age, drawing inspiration from the famous monologue on the seven ages of man in William Shakespeare's "As You Like It."Compton MacKenzie, known for his wit and keen observations of human nature, likely imbues the play with humor, insight, and perhaps a touch of social commentary. Through a series of vignettes or scenes, the play may delve into the joys, challenges, and complexities of woman...

Guy and Pauline is a 1915 novel by the British writer Compton Mackenzie. It was begun on Capri and written in three and a half months, and remained Mackenzie's favourite of his own works. It was published in America with the alternative title of Plashers Mead. The story follows the lives of two young people, Guy and Pauline, as they navigate their way through the complexities of love and relationships in early 20th century England. Guy is a handsome and charming young man who comes from a ...

In "Sylvia & Michael," the narrative unfolds with Sylvia Scarlett and Michael Fane navigating their lives after the events of the first novel. Sylvia, originally disguised as a boy named Sylvester to escape capture, continues to explore her identity and relationships in a world where gender roles and societal expectations are challenged.The plot delves into Sylvia's further adventures and personal growth, as well as her complex relationship with Michael Fane, exploring themes of love, iden...

Jasmine Grant arrives alone at York railway station, exhausted after a long journey from southern Italy to the chill of the north, and at once feels herself a stranger in England. Draggled, grieving, and out of place, she wanders the city walls in a state of exile and memory, mourning the island home of Sirene, her dead father, and the mother she barely knew. Compton Mackenzie turns her displacement into a social comedy of loss, where family obligation is as bewildering as the climate. A f...