Over the Gate - Couverture souple

Miss Read, or in real life Dora Saint, was a teacher by profession who started writing after the second world war, beginning with light essays written for Punch and other journals. She then wrote on educational and country matters and worked as a scriptwriter for the BBC. Miss Read was married to a schoolmaster for sixty-four years until his death in 2004, and they had one daughter.

Miss Read was awarded an MBE in the 1998 New Year Honours list for her services to literature, She was the author of many immensely popular books, including two autobiographical works, but it was her novels of English rural life for which she was best known. The first of these Village School, was published in 1955, and Miss Read continued to write about the fictional villages of Fairacre and Thrush Green for many years. She lived near Newbury in Berkshire until her death in 2012.

Another entertaining slice of Fairacre life from the bestselling author of VILLAGE SCHOOL.

'The story of the village goes back a long, long time, and it still goes on. I have listened to my neighbours' accounts of tales long ago, and with what unfailing curiosity I observe the happenings of today!'

From an unusual weight-loss recipe found in an old notebook - and used with alarming consequences - to the queen of copycats who drives her neighbour mad with anger, OVER THE GATE is a hugely entertaining collection of tales from Fairacre, past and present.

Miss Read, the schoolmistress, continues to attract odd stories and village folklore, and retells them with her characteristic compassion and humour.