The Spirit of the Age and Other Stories from the Home Front by E. M. Delafield.* I loved this so I am saying right away that you should read it. It is a series of vignettes set during WWII in a little village called Little-Fiddle-on-the-Green. They are charming and funny and full of great characters who make you laugh out loud. If you loved Delafield's Provincial Lady then you will like this. It isn't quite as good, but then, few things are.

A collection of light hearted, short articles, I'm imagining written for Time and Tide or a similar publication, which portray the anxious, meandering response of middle class ladies, and gentlemen of certain age, to World War Two. If that doesn't sound promising, think again, for E M Delafield had the talent of a devastating observation and a killing turn of phrase, in the manner of Joyce Grenfell.

This is a beautiful companion to her "Provincial Lady" series and will have you giggling aloud, so best not read on a train, unless you wish your fellow travellers to view you with suspicion.