Look Back With Love

by Dodie Smith

Dodie Smith is best known as the author of "I Capture the Castle" and The Hundred and One Dalmatians", but in her childhood memoir "Look Back with Love", she created another magical book which is just as enchanting and full of humour.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Biography, Autobiography, Biography Memoir, Classics, British Literature

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1974

About the author

Born Dorothy Gladys Smith in Lancashire, England, Dodie Smith was raised in Manchester (her memoir is titled A Childhood in Manchester). She was just an infant when her father died, and she grew up fatherless until age 14, when her mother remarried and the family moved to London. There she studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and tried for a career as an actress, but with little success. She finally wound up taking a job as a toy buyer for a furniture store to make ends meet. Giving up dreams of an acting career, she turned to writing plays, and in 1931 her first play, Autumn Crocus, was published (under the pseudonym “C.L. Anthony”). It was a success, and her story — from failed actress to furniture store employee to successful writer — captured the imagination of the public and she was featured in papers all over the country. Although she could now afford to move to a London townhouse, she didn't get caught up in the “literary” scene — she married a man who was a fellow employee at the furniture store.

During World War II she and her husband moved to the United States, mostly because of his stand as a conscientious objector and the social and legal difficulties that entailed. She was still homesick for England, though, as reflected in her first novel, I Capture the Castle (1948). During her stay she formed close friendships with such authors as Christopher Isherwood and John Van Druten, and was aided in her literary endeavors by writer A.J. Cronin.

She is perhaps best known for her novel The Hundred and One Dalmatians, a hugely popular childrens book that has been made into a string of very successful animated films by Walt Disney. She died in 1990.

Reviews

[Plateresca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've enjoyed this piece of autobiography more than some novels. It is unbelievably funny (I was laughing out loud so much my dog was worried about me), but not at all superficial, and very touching. This is definitely recommended reading for those who love Edwardian times, the English sense of humour, and reading about families.

Quote:

'I will never attend another circus unless the lions send me a personal invitation to watch them eat the proprietor.'

I also think this is a great book to distract one from one's troubles, because Dodie captures the atmosphere so well, and this is such a charming atmosphere, with loving relatives, books and pork pies. Lovely.

My only concern is that 'Slightly Foxed' has no plans to publish the rest of 'Look Back with...' books, and they're not easy to find.

[Marie Saville · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me ha encantado este primer volumen de las memorias de Dodie Smith. Su título bien podría haber sido 'Una infancia eduardiana', porque eso es precisamente lo que describe con exquisito detalle y ternura. El retrato de una familia numerosa de Manchester que alentó desde el primer momento el carácter imaginativo de la pequeña Dodie.

Excursiones a la costa en un destartalado automóvil; visitas a la feria, al circo, a veladas musicales y, por encima de todo, a representaciones teatrales. El primer día de colegio, la primera mudanza, los primeros escritos...¡con cuanto cariño recuerda Dodie esos momentos!

Este primer volumen se cierra con el funeral de Eduardo VII en 1910, el final de una era y el comienzo de una nueva vida londinense para Dodie cuando acaba de cumplir catorce años.
Quedo con muchas ganas de leer la continuación.

[Cindy Rollins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely, vivid, delightful, laugh-out-loud funny look at Dodie Smith’s, of I Capture the Castle fame, Edwardian childhood.

I do believe I need to read the next volume!

[Emma Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite divine. It's a rare feast that of writing fiction and non- equally as well. Dodie's memoirs are an enchanting, eccentric and warm read. I fell in love with this book and I'm now quite determined to read the rest of her memoirs, if only Slightly Foxed would be so kind as to reprint the volumes.

[Resh (The Book Satchel) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Look Back With Love is Dodie Smith’s memoir that talks about her formative years, up to the age of fourteen. The book chronicles an Edwardian childhood in the city of Manchester. Dodie’s mother, Ella, was widowed when Dodie was only 18 months old and they moved to Old Trafford in Manchester to live with Ella’s parents (Furbers). They shared the house with her unmarried siblings, Harold, Arthur, Madge, Bertha and Eddie. Look Back with Love pulls the reader to drawing room comedies where the family indulged in musical evenings and recitals. Other methods for diversion included visiting Old Trafford Botanical Gardens, seaside outings, motor car trips and regular visits to the theatre.

The writing is warm and innocent and provides the reader with ample traces of Cassandra, the famous heroine created by Dodie. According to Smith’s biographer, Valerie Grove, the protagonist in I Capture the Castle, is “pure Dodie.” Dodie's descriptions of the various houses they lived in, the eccentric relatives and family traditions are a joy to read. I would highly recommend this book for a cosy read.

This book is Part 1 of her memoir. Three more books follow.

You can read a full review here - http://www.thebooksatchel.com/look-ba...

Disclaimer : Much thanks to Slightly Foxed for a copy of the book. All opinions are my own.

[Sylvester (Taking a break in 2023) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a real trip to read this. Dodie Smith was an unusual person with an equally unusual family - lots of humour and fun in this memoir. I especially loved that she wrote about what books she liked to read (couldn't stand Thomas Hardy - can you imagine that?!), the plays she went to, what things were in fashion (Maude Goodman paintings and bronzes for the mantlepiece), where they went for holiday (Tenby), games they played at parties, treats they had for tea (seedy cake and parkin loaf- I spent a good deal of time looking these up, and it added considerably to the fun. Also, what it was like when cars first came out - no "petrol" stations or gas gauges...! A wonderful read.

[Beth Bonini · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have long been a fan of Dodie Smith’s most enduring novel - I Capture the Castle - but even that charming book does not give a full sense of the humour and whimsy of Smith’s personality. What a truly delightful memoir! Smith has such a distinctive voice and I was awed by her recall of the details of her childhood in Old Trafford, Manchester during the turn of the century. Her ability to evoke scenes and emotions from her long-ago childhood is truly impressive.

After her father dies at a young age, the toddler Dodie and her mother go back to live in the maternal family home where they are surrounded by grandparents, three uncles, two aunts and a variety of pets. There are also three pianos in the house - a good indication of the musical inclinations of this family. One of the uncles is a highly esteemed amateur actor, and from an early age Dodie seems to have been exposed to a highly charged atmosphere of creativity. She plays, she sings, she recites, she acts and she writes - and how amusingly she exposes her childish vanities, triumphs and failures for her audience. Of her first writing effort: ”The heroine had dancing eyes and the only touch of originality was in the spelling.”

The young Dodie seems to have been both precocious and coddled/humoured - not unusual for an only child living in a house full of adults. She furnishes a programme of a “typical” musical evening at home, and her part is much the largest: ”Myself: At least four recitations; The overture to Raymond as a piano solo; Solo dance; A sickening song about a defunct linnet.”. One gets the feeling that she had every ingredient in place for the making of a writer: inspiration, practice, encouragement and her own natural gifts.

I giggled throughout this book. I cannot think of many memoirs in which the subject so self-deprecatingly exposes her own eccentricities. This was a favourite passage, and one that made me snort with laughter:

”My mother said she knew I was happy because I so often did what she called ‘the codfish dance’. This consisted of chomping my jaw violently, waving my hands and prancing; I had done it all my life in moments of ecstasy. I wished to break myself of it as I feared I looked like a village idiot when I did it walking along a road, but my difficulty was that I had no idea when I was doing it. Sometimes I even did it on my bicycle, with diasastrous results.”

It’s a very happy book of family life - without being in the least bit treacly or insincere. I look forward to reading it again, and passing it on to various friends who I know will appreciate it.

[Linda Gillard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very enjoyable memoir of Dodie Smith's Edwardian childhood, up to the age of 14. It's really just a chronological collection of anecdotes, mostly humorous, occasionally laugh-out-loud funny. (She's very good on children's birthday parties.)

Dodie Smith presents an entertaining composite picture of her eccentric but loveable family and pets. She appears to have total recall of her childhood and her eye for detail & ear for dialogue seem to have been in evidence from her earliest years.

This was a quick read in a lovely little hardback edition from Slightly Foxed. I had high expectations after reading some reviews, but I wasn't disappointed. A classic "hot water bottle read", guaranteed to cheer you up. If you like Richmal Crompton's William Brown or if you're looking for another memoir like Rosemary Sutcliff's BLUE REMEMBERED HILLS, I think you'll enjoy LOOK BACK WITH LOVE.

[Elizabeth]

My timing with reading Look Back with Love was serendipitously perfect. On Monday, January 15, the Slightly Foxed podcast released an episode called "Dear Dodie", all about Dodie's life and work. It helped me to get a sense for her later life and works and a bit for her quirky personality as an adult too.

I enjoyed this, but it was a bit on the “too quirky” end for me on the whole. I'm not sure quite how to describe it. That being said, there were several individual chapters in this that were four or even five stars for humor and for the delightful period detail of middle-class Edwardian, Manchester suburban life. I enjoyed Dodie’s self deprecating humor and laughed out loud in nearly every chapter. Maybe part of the issue is that I’m not used to reading about suburban life in England and it’s not quite the England I’m used to in my novels. I think it's very much worth a read though for the humor.

[Tisha (IG: Bluestocking629) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I have not enjoyed an auto-biography / memoir this much since I read Betty White’s “If You Ask Me” (Pro-tip: if you read Betty’s via audio book she will read it to you! Just be careful driving as hilarity ensues).

Dodie’s memoir takes place from her earliest memories to that of a young teenager. Most of her memories are of her family life including but not limited to her mother, grandmother, aunts and uncles. For most of her childhood the aforementioned clan lived under one roof! There are also memories of school life, time spent with cousins and neighbor friends.

It didn’t matter to me that at the time of my starting this book I had never read a book by Dodie as the book was enlightening. I learned a great deal about the Edwardian life. We have music, novels, fashion, modes of transportation, customs, etc. Quite fascinating actually! I feel more ready for Jeopardy after reading this book. True story ;)

My only complaint is the book ended before her adulthood - I wanted to keep reading! Bummer.

The book also makes me wonder how one remembers so much. If I wrote a book from my earliest memory till my early teens it would be 8 pages ;) Oh well.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful!

[Emjy · Rating 4 out of 5]

L'autobiographie de Dodie Smith a récemment été republiée par Slighted Fox Editions dans un élégant petit volume. J'ai été instantanément séduite par ce récit plein de sensibilité, de douceur et d'humour qui rappelle de manière assez extraordinaire le ton de l'héroïne de I Capture The Castle. Teintée de nostalgie, cet ouvrage nous plonge dans le quotidien d'une petite puis jeune fille de Manchester qui nous fait partager ses joies, ses peines, ses moments en famille, ou avec ses amis, ses lectures, ses réflexions (pseudo)existentielles et sa passion du théâtre. Ce récit aurait pu être banal et ennuyeux s'il n'était pas servi par la plume d'un auteur aussi talentueux que Dodie Smith. Dès son plus jeune âge, elle montre qu'elle a une forte personnalité, une sensibilité intéressante, un point de vue insolite sur le monde qui l'entoure et une véritable curiosité intellectuelle. Son côté très "petite madame" ne pourra que ravir ses lecteurs !
Je n'ai qu'une hâte maintenant : lire le second volume !

[Stuart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dear Dodie! How I love her books. Just what a memoir should be. Such magnificent fayre. Having adored, read, re-read, studiedthe beguiling I Capture the Castle and the delightfully droll dalmatian books I have always been eagerly awaiting to read the memoirs of the sublime Smith! Tragic what happens to poor Kit Kennedy! Full of hilarity from her childhood though I feel that she has a slightly high opinion of herself and how marvellous and special she believes herself to be. Probably from being an only child in a family of fastidious eccentrics! Delightfully humorous and witty. With its family anecdotes, burgeoning stage days, school girl antics and dark comic animal episodes LBWL is bound to make you smile. Onto the next!

[Melody Doyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yet another book I discovered through my subscription to Slightly Foxed Quarterly. Dodie Smith's recollections of her childhood in Edwardian England is an enchanting and engaging read. She writes with humor and warmth, and I found myself laughing aloud at many of her stories. In the past, I haven't been much of a reader of memoirs, but I'm definitely going to track down the other books in Dodie's 'Look Back with...' series. If you enjoy being transported to another time and place, do yourself a favor and pick up this lovely book.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful memoir of an Edwardian childhood, Dodie Smith has captured perfectly the spirits of her eccentric family members and her devoted Mama. It also includes the first hints of industrial change to lifestyle and to society in the UK, all in the last six years of the 19th century and the first decade of the twentieth century. Contained within is a glimpse into the imagination of a young girl and the humble beginnings of what turns out to be an iconic author and playwright.
Recommend.

[Katy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The autobiography of her childhood up to the age of 14 in Manchester. Well written, with interesting characters, and the roots of Cassandra in I Capture the Castle were very clear. I had ancestors living in Manchester at a similar date, and of broadly similar social class, so I found it particularly interesting as an illustration of some of the things that might also have been part of their day-to-day lives.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Smith shares her story of growing up in a pleasant, slightly eccentric family in Edwardian England. Spoiler alert: almost nothing happens, making this an excellent bedtime read.

[Marybeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

An utterly delightful glimpse into the childhood of Dodie Smith.

[Rosema1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderfully nostalgic memoir, combining both family comedy with the melancholy of the past.
I chose this book due to my love of the author's 'I Capture the Castle' and was eager to learn more about her life. Smith demonstrated the same whimsical innocence seen in her famous novel, but this time it was coupled with the gravitas of knowing that all the tales were true.
There were some surprisingly disturbing moments, particularly with animals, such as the decription of the demise of the old family cat with a brick and a tub of water. Admittedly, these coloured my impression of the otherwise sunny, cheerful childhood depicted.
Nevertheless, it was a warming memoir, which answered my wish for more of the unique nostalgic and Anglophilic writing seen in 'I Capture the Castle'. I have now ordered the second memoir in the series; a compliment to Smith's work.

[Suzanne Fournier · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really interesting, funny autobiography. She seems to have had a good childhood but as the next instalment is called 'Look back with mixed feelings' I wonder if things continued as well..

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of those infinitely re-readable books.

[Yuki · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was with warm feelings that I read this lovely memoir of Dodie Smith, which tells you about her early life up to the age of 14. I savoured it bit by bit as if revisiting my own childhood and smiled to myself to find the “origin” of many idiosyncrasies of Cassandra Mortmain in I Capture the Castle here and there.

The fact that this was written by someone who lived in the period that followed the tight-laced Victorian era astonishes me because Dodie Smith is very open about boys and “the facts of life” stuff. It changed my idea of the Edwardians a bit, which had been mostly based on Downton Abbey.

Although I was not born in Edwardian England nor did I have three eccentric uncles like Dodie’s (always referred to as “the boys”), her description of her childhood/girlhood experience felt curiously familiar. Her thoughts and feelings strike a chord with me so much that, if there were such things as spirit writers (like those spirit animals in Harry Potter or daemons in His Dark Materials), I am pretty sure mine would be a Dodie Smith spirit.

Dodie is talented at capturing those forgotten sentiments of one’s childhood that are too subtle to be recognised in retrospect but were certainly there once. I totally understood what she said about there being “the other-world quality” about a familiar sight seen upside down when you are on a swing or seen in a mirror. She then adds “there was a feeling of liberation, which becomes increasingly difficult to come by as one grows older.” (p.88) How true! (I am afraid none of these might make sense if you haven’t read the memoir yet though.)

The chapter on a family holiday at Tenby in South Wales is packed with hilarious anecdotes. I couldn’t help giggling all the while, but Dodie adeptly finish the chapter with the following bittersweet scene:

"Later, we went to the sandhills, in the sunset; I slid down the biggest on my stomack, but the sand was already losing its warmth and we settled, high up, to watch the last of the sun. I built a little pile of sticks and stones and said I would come back and find them when I was grown-up, but her mother said they wouldn’t be there; she thought some of the biggest sandhills might, but even they would be changed by the winds, and she added that it was often sad to revisit places. I remember feeling suddenly chilled; for the first time an inkling of beauty’s evanescence, of relentless change, dawned on me”. (p.202)

After reading this part, I was left with an overwhelming sense of poignancy. I think Dodie’s writing strikes a balance between humour and pathos. One moment you are laughing out loud, the next you are struck dumb with the stark realisation that those moments don’t last forever, and they are destined to become part of the past.

The part where Dodie is in doubt as to whether she is in love got me laughing hard. So I feel I ought to quote snippets of it here for future reference.

"Was I in love? I hadn’t known I was, but I had read somewhere that girls did not always know, at first. I had also read that Nature looks particularly beautiful to those in love – and never had I seen a finer sunset." (p.244)

"I found his nose less romantic than I had hoped. And I proceeded to fall in and out of love with him for a week; ‘in’ when I was away from him, and ‘out’ when I saw him." (p.245)

Such a shame that the rest of the series - there are three books following Look Back with Love - are out of print and only sold second-hand at an extortionate price.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book grows on you. I didn't even feel like I was enjoying it at the time - it's no rollercoaster, but it's gentle and written with candour and affection. No self-deprecation here, no false modesty, but she's not showing off either. I closed the book and felt like I was going to miss her. I may well read the next volume.

[Meha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dodie Smith I love you forever