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The Travels of Maudie Tipstaff

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The Travels of Maudie Tipstaff

By: Margaret Forster
Narrated by: Jacqueline King
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About this listen

 Plagued all her life by her roisterous husband, straitlaced, outspoken, domineering Maudie is now on her own. Invited by her two daughters and her son to spend four months with each of them, she leaves Glasgow for the first time, uncertain of what awaits her. But what she finds in the very different homes of her children is not what she expects, causing her to reassess her life.©1967 Margaret Forster (P)2006 Oakhill Publishing Ltd Women's Fiction
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Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I'd read books by Margaret Forster before, but I had not realised that this one was set in the 1960s pre-decimal era, and the character therefore a product her time and uprbringing. The story was not fast paced, but the main problem I had was with the disagreeable character of Maudie. She was instantly recognisable as a kind of Scottish sourpuss I remember from my youth, but would rather forget! So I have to hand it to the author and the narrator: brilliant characterisation, and great mastery of accents. Please God I don't ever meet Maudie, though, and thank God that she is not my mother! I'd like to say it was bittersweet, but there was more bitter than sweet in Maudie, even towards the end.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Scatty Sallie the middle daughter

Which character – as performed by Jacqueline King – was your favourite?

Maudie

Could you see The Travels of Maudie Tipstaff being made into a movie or a TV series? Who would the stars be?

No. It's too dated, not enough plot

Any additional comments?

Maudie espouses a type of mealy mouthed disapproving older woman I sincerely hope we have seen the back of!

Ok, but ....

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Thoroughly enjoyed this book ... 'Dear God!' will forever bring Maudie to mind. She is a well rounded character with depth, irritating as most elderly parents are, and entertaining. Good narration too.

Dear God!

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impeccable characterisation and description, an easy book to escape with, fascinating but simple storyline involving family relations and the human heart.

fascinating, gentle and funny

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If, like me, you are old enough to have done battle with disapproving aunties and Mums back in the 1960's, this will all be very familiar! Margaret Forster has the most wonderful ear for conversations with a fierce old body who can't bring herself to mention certain subjects, but has determindly fixed ideas on everything else! It is very funny and touching, and Jacqueline King's excellent reading will have the catchphrase 'Dear God!' ringing in your ears for a long time to come.

Nostalgia with bite.

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a well spent credit! I really enjoyed this down load. Its beautifully crafted individuals were so real to me. Any one interested in people and how they interact with each other will find it enjoyable

a good " listen"

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'Dear God' is still ringing in my ears. Whilst listening to this wonderful tale, my bus was being terminated from the destination it showed when I got on the bus. 'Dear God' was buzzing in my ear at that precise moment in time and I had visions of Maudies's lips being 'handbagged' as mine were at that moment in time. Forster has always been very good at the oberservation of family relationships. I beleive that we all have a 'Maudie' in our family.

Brlliant

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What did you like most about The Travels of Maudie Tipstaff?

Maudie ie so inflexible. There is only one way to do everything, her way. But this only works if you live by yourself. Maudie hasn’t seen any of her 3 children for many years when she decides to go and stay with each of them for a few months. They are all completely different, is it Maudie’s fault their lives have turned out the way they have or is it just human nature?

What did you like best about this story?

It’s about family relationships. I loved the different sections in which each of Maud’s adult children is shown and how Maude reacts to them and they to her. How we hurt and disappoint each other without meaning to and how the picture we have of our family doesn’t live up to the reality of actually living with them.

Have you listened to any of Jacqueline King’s other performances? How does this one compare?

I haven’t listened to her before but she is wonderful and I will look out for her narrations in future. So many Audibles are ruined by poor narration.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It is rather sad but not sad in a way that makes you want to stop reading it.

Any additional comments?

I love Margaret Forster. Please get more of them onto Audible.

Very enjoyable

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