My Friend Muriel

I too have read all the Jane Duncan "My Friend" books and love them. Read one and you begin searching for all the others. For the reviewer who wanted to know more about Jane Duncan, suggest you search online under Scottish authors (website - Scottish Libraries across the Internet... sliante.org.uk/scotauth/scauhome.htm - FYI Jane Duncan was actually born March 10, 1910. She died Oct. 20, 1976. There are 19 "Friends" books in all. You might also enjoy her childrens books, Camerons on the Hills, Camerons on the Train, Camerons in the Castle, which were written for her nieces and nephews. In "Letter for Reachfar," an autobiography, she explains how she came to write her books and the sources for her characters, her character name choices, etc.

This reaction is especially meant for Nicky Thomas who wrote the review on "My friend Muriel". Just like Nicky (male or female?) did I read the books of the 'My friends" series over and over again. They give me great joy, the characters are so alive and also the humour she uses to describe situations is wonderful. But she is also capable to touch me and sometimes makes me cry (My friend my father). I have become very curious about her and would like to know more about her and her life. Can anybody help me with that? What I don't understand is that not many people know her books, is it my generation, or did she go out of fashion. Eather way I don't understand this, for I find her a wonderful author. Today, the 10 th of March it would be the main character's (Janet) birthday), I doubt if this is also her own birthday. But being born in 1910 gives her a small chance of still being alive, but it is possible. I cannot say which book I like best, mostly the one I just finished! Since I live in the Netherlands, I have never seen them in a bookshop so I borrow them from the library. I would like to have them myself and also I have some hope that perhaps there are some more "My friends" books which I haven't read yet. Could anyone give me a complete list of her books? I know this isn't a normal review, but I have tried so often to know some more about her that I was very happy to read the review of Nicky Thomas. I am not the only one who loves to read her!

I have read all of the 'My Friend...' series by Jane Duncan many times, and the titles are appropriate because the books do make you feel as though you are making and finding out about new friends. The author is the best I have ever come across at putting over the personalities, feelings and motivations of the book's characters. I think the whole series is wonderful but I would put this as (just!) my favorite as it details how the 'writer' meets and falls in love with her future husband. This does not mean that the book is a gooey romance, as the love story in fact is just one of the many relationships that you are drawn into when reading, and there is plenty of humour in there too (as there should be in all good relationships). For me this book performs the main function of a good read - it takes you right out of yourself into somebody else's life and times, with complete conviction.