The Darling Buds of May (novel) The Darling Buds of May (novel) The Darling Buds of May is a novella by British writer H. E. Bates, first published in 1958. It was the first of a series of five books about the Larkins, a rural family from Kent. Pop and Ma Larkin and their many children take joy in nature, each other's company, and almost constant feasts. Their only income is through selling scrap, picking strawberries, and selling farm animals or previous purchases that they've tired of. Nevertheless, they joyfully spend money on horses, cars, perfume, fine furniture, and holidays abroad. Pop Larkin opposes taxes and
The Triple Echo (novel) The Triple Echo (novel) The Triple Echo is a 1970 novella written by English author H. E. Bates. Set during the early years of World War II the story describes the strange relationship that develops between a young army deserter and a married woman struggling to run a farm alone in the absence of her P.O.W. husband. Bates later said he began working on the story in 1943 but encountered a stumbling block over a character, later removed, and was unable to make any progress with the project until 1968. Although first published in book form in 1970, the complete