Bournville by Jonathan Coe
OFF THE SHELF
“Bournville” by Jonathan Coe
The village of Bournville was developed at the end of the 19th century. George Cadbury had expanded his chocolate making business to a larger factory set in countryside outside Birmingham. He was a Quaker and believed that workers had a right to good working conditions and housing. Over time he bought 120 acres near his factory and built the village of Bournville. This provided his workers with good quality houses with gardens. He also provided leisure facilities which he believed, led to a better quality of life.
Jonathan Coe’s story follows one family through a period, from the end of the second world war to the beginning of the COVID epidemic. Principally this is a story about family and family relationships.
Coe sets his story in the context of Bournville village life and historical and often life changing cultural events, beginning with VE day and Royal coronations, and the development of television through 75 years to the COVID epidemic. The story begins at the beginning of the COVID epidemic and moves between present and past. In this book Coe uses the family stories around these events to illustrate how the British see themselves in relation to the rest of Europe and just occasionally using humour to do this. Alongside the occasional humour there was poignancy and sadness but nevertheless a story that offers optimism and hope.
Overall, our book club enjoyed the book and gave it a score of 8.5.