{"id":14639,"date":"2024-09-08T23:36:15","date_gmt":"2024-09-08T22:36:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=14639"},"modified":"2024-09-08T23:36:15","modified_gmt":"2024-09-08T22:36:15","slug":"i-kiss-myself-goodbye-the-many-lives-of-aunt-munca","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=14639","title":{"rendered":"“I Kiss Myself Goodbye: The Many lives of Aunt Munca”"},"content":{"rendered":"

a\"\"<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

OFF THE SHELF<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

“I Kiss Myself Goodbye:
\nThe Many lives of Aunt Munca”<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

 <\/p>\n

This is a memoir written by Sir William Robert Ferdinand Mount (3rd Baronet). Principally he is writing about his relationship with his aunt, an apparent millionairess who calls herself Aunt Munca after the mouse in a Beatrix Potter book (it was never explained why). According to Mount, his aunt is a bit of an enigma and a consummate liar, \u201cNothing about her back story seems to add up\u201d. Mount writes about his summer holidays at her house by the sea and the comings and goings of various guests. He name-drops frequently throughout the book and paints the characters who come and go but in a very superficial or irreverent way. There is no depth to any of the characters.
\nMount does get to find out about his aunt\u2019s background \u2013 probably the most interesting part of the whole book. Despite that there was a general feeling of so what? The title, I kiss myself goodbye is a reference that Aunt Munca makes to her background – a background that she wants to disown and forget.
\nThis book has been well reviewed elsewhere \u2013 but take a deep sigh here \u2013 none of our book club members liked the book, only one gave it a six out of 10, with the rest scoring it as low as 2, 3 or 4. Three of us failed to finish it. It was described variously as tedious, boring, pointless and self-indulgent. Overall rating 4 \u00bd out of 10.<\/p>\n

\n
\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

a OFF THE SHELF “I Kiss Myself Goodbye: The Many lives of Aunt Munca”   This is a memoir written by Sir William Robert Ferdinand Mount (3rd Baronet). Principally he is writing about his relationship with his aunt, an apparent millionairess who calls herself Aunt Munca after the mouse in a Beatrix Potter book (it was never explained why). According […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[347],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6cWjO-3O7","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":7421,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=7421","url_meta":{"origin":14639,"position":0},"title":"International Women\u2019s Day","author":"Alan Williams","date":"2nd April 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"International Women\u2019s Day It was recently International Women\u2019s Day, so Happy International Women\u2019s Day! I have always been surrounded by incredible women. Between my Mam championing STEM and balancing a full-time career with twins, to my aunt who has raised my three cousins solo since they were young and doing\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General Interest Articles"","block_context":{"text":"General Interest Articles","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=334"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":8054,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=8054","url_meta":{"origin":14639,"position":1},"title":"The Book Character I Would Most Like to Meet","author":"Alan Williams","date":"12th August 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Page Turners The Book Character Page Turners Would Most Like to Meet A survey for World Book Day asked \u2018leading lights of literary luminaries\u2019 to name the characters who gave them the greatest reading pleasure. The list included Pip (Great Expectations), Elizabeth Bennett (Pride and Prejudice), Sherlock Holmes (Hound of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Wenvoe Page Turners"","block_context":{"text":"Wenvoe Page Turners","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=41"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":11896,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=11896","url_meta":{"origin":14639,"position":2},"title":"The Coronation – I Was There!","author":"Alan Williams","date":"8th July 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"I WAS THERE! As our village Jubilee Committee worked so hard putting together the programme of events for us, I felt I\u2019d like to contribute towards the \u201850s exhibition by recording my memories of watching the Coronation procession in London when I was ten years of age. 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From this unique vantage point, Harvey\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "New Items for February 2026"","block_context":{"text":"New Items for February 2026","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=430"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/OrbitalBook.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6822,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=6822","url_meta":{"origin":14639,"position":4},"title":"Elizabeth and Her German Garden","author":"Alan Williams","date":"10th December 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 Book review: \u2018Elizabeth and Her German Garden\u2019 by Elizabeth Von Arnim This book is a delightful read which gave a glimpse into the life of a wealthy German lady in the 1800s, who gently mocks the conventions of marriage and motherhood. The chapters show her life through the seasons\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Off The Shelf"","block_context":{"text":"Off The Shelf","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=347"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":11924,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=11924","url_meta":{"origin":14639,"position":5},"title":"Let\u2019s Not Go To The Dogs Tonight","author":"Alan Williams","date":"8th July 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"OFF THE SHELF Let\u2019s not go to the dogs tonight. by Alexandra Fuller. Alexandra Fuller writes her memoirs of her life as a child in Rhodesia with her somewhat dysfunctional family. It is an amazing childhood, and she clearly evokes that life for the reader. 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