Books like As we were by E. F. Benson

The Picture of Dorian Gray is a philosophical novel by Irish writer Oscar Wilde, first appearing as a novella in 1890 and expanded into a full novel in 1891.

A contemporary day in the life of Clarissa Dalloway, a 1920s London politician’s wife, as she prepares for an evening party and is haunted by memories of youth, friendships, and past loves.

In post‑war New York, Newland Archer faces a dilemma when his fiancée’s cousin, the rebellious Ellen Olenska, challenges his elite society’s expectations and his own loyalty.

In wintry Starkfield, Massachusetts, disabled farmer Ethan Frome is trapped in a loveless marriage to Zeena while his unrequited love for Zeena’s cousin Mattie drives a desperate, tragic triangle that culminates in a failed attempt to escape together.

A young governess in a remote estate discovers that the souls of two children are threatened by the malevolent ghosts of a former governess and her lover.

Posthumously published, Hemingway’s *A Moveable Feast* is a memoir of his Paris years in the 1920s, detailing his early career, intimate relationships, and encounters with other literary figures of the Lost Generation.

American Dorothy "Daisy" Miller charms in Switzerland and Italy, but her lively spirit and romance with the young American Winterbourne clash with the conservative norms of their fellow expatriates, prompting a critique of Anglo‑American cultural differences.

E. F. Benson’s nostalgic novel follows young David Blaize from preparatory school to the sixth form at Marchester College, capturing the humor and trials of late Victorian English public school life.

A Duke's temptation: The notorious author of dark romances seeks to change the moral compass of the public, while a devoted fan discovers scandalous secrets about his character.

A Backward Glance, a work by Edith Wharton presented in an affordable modern edition.

Better known for her five volume portrait of English rural life, Our Village, Mary Russell Mitford (1787-1855) was one of the most prolific female writers of her day. Part critical essay, part autobiography, Recollections consists of a series of sketches on and selections from Mitford's favourite authors, stemming from her desire 'to make others relish a few favourite writers as heartily as I have relished them myself'. The collection is arranged according to Mitford's own eclectic system of categorization including 'fashionable poets', 'cavalier poets', and 'poetry that poets love'. Mitford wears her immense literary skill lightly and Recollections is masterfully written, full of lively wit and fascinating biographical detail. Published just three years before Mitford's death, it was based on earlier articles and letters. Authors included range from Chaucer to Sir Walter Scott and Mitford's friend Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

In the English village of Riseholme, Lucia rules social life with wit and flair, until a new neighbor threatens her reign.

The toils, troubles, and satisfactions of pioneer life are recorded with charm and vivacity on *The Backwoods of Canada*, by Catherine Parr Traill, who, like her sister Susanna Moodie, left the comforts of genteel English society for the rigours of a new, young land. Traill offers a vivid and honest account of her trip to North America and of her first two and a helf years living in the bush country near Peterborough, Ontario. Treasured by its nineteenth-century readers as an important source of practical information, *The Backwoods of Canada* is an extraordinary portrayal of pioneer life by one of early Canada's most remarkable women. The New Canadian Library edition is an unabridged reprint of the complete original text and all its illustrations.

James Boswell’s 1762‑63 London journal offers a personal window into the mind of a young Scottish author who, at twenty‑two, begins his literary career and meets Samuel Johnson for the first time.

Hemingway’s classic memoir of 1920s Paris, detailing his early years, friendships with expatriates, and first‑hand accounts of the city’s post‑war exuberance.