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Coral The Widow of Rose House by Diana Biller is a gothic romance with ghosts. Not on the coast though.
This question contains spoilers... (view spoiler)[The movie ended with Captain Gregg saying goodbye to Lucy and then leaving through the french door. He said she would only remember it as a dream. But the reviews seem to say that they stayed together for the rest of Lucy's life. So the question is really, how did it end? Were there two endings? Or
perhaps I can just choose the most satisfying ending for myself. (hide spoiler)]
Rebecca Bouchard He left her telling her she'd remember him as a dream, as you stated. However, this didn't happen at the end of the movie but earlier on. In the movie…moreHe left her telling her she'd remember him as a dream, as you stated. However, this didn't happen at the end of the movie but earlier on. In the movie, Lucy realizes it wasn't a dream when Anna comes home and talks to her about Captain Greg. Once Lucy dies, the Captain comes back and they walk through the French doors together into the forever....or where ever. (less) Community Reviews· 3,815 ratings · 710 reviews Start your review of The Ghost and Mrs. Muir
I've mentioned in a few of my reviews that I grew up in a household that watches a lot of classic movies. TCM and AMC (back when they were
commercial free and played movies rather than TV shows)were the two channels of choice in my house and before I was 6 I'd seen more classic films than many of my friends have seen now in my thirties. One of my favorite films as a kid was The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. It's a movie that has always stuck out to me for some reason, and while I would not included it on I've mentioned in a few of my reviews that I grew up in a household that watches a lot of
classic movies. TCM and AMC (back when they were commercial free and played movies rather than TV shows)were the two channels of choice in my house and before I was 6 I'd seen more classic films than many of my friends have seen now in my thirties. One of my favorite films as a kid was The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. It's a movie that has always stuck out to me for some reason, and while I would not included it on my top 10 anymore, it's a film I still greatly enjoy. I found it funny as a child, and
delighted at Rex Harrison's performance, but saw so much more in than just the humor as I grew older (while still laughing at his performance). A couple of years ago I found a copy of the novel in a used book store and immediately picked it up. It has remained on my shelf for years, being something I knew at some point I would want to read but never having any real desire to pick it up quite yet… Until now. The plot: Mrs. Muir is a young widow. She longs to escape from her
overbearing sister-in-law who determines how her life should be lived. One day, she decides just to escape. She visits a cozy seaside town and falls in love with a little house by the sea. A house which happens to be haunted by an old sea captain who is very bitter that a relative he doesn't even like owns the place and is renting it out and is even more annoyed that his death was considered a suicide when it was very much an accident. Rather than the traditional ghost story where the ghost
tries to kick his new residents out, what we get is a rather humorous book about two individuals who while very different, very much work towards each other's goals and build a relationship (that while sometimes is antagonistic) is very much based around things working out for the best. I rarely use the word "charming" in reviews, but I can think of no better one. This is not the best written book, it's not extraordinarily plotted or with prose to make the reader see the world in a new
light… it is a simple book, but one I really didn't want to end. It's short. It's only 170 something pages, and I reached the end with some dread as I could have continued on for another couple hundred pages. It's a cozy book. I don't know what else to say. The book is honestly a three star read for most of it. It's fun, it's funny, but not particularly deep… but it gets that extra star for having one of the most perfect endings of any book I have ever read. Honestly it is wonderful,
closing just as it was meant to be. 4/5 stars.
In a land far, far away, there was once a young girl who saw a delightful movie with Rex Harrison and Gene Tierney, that stole her heart and peeked her imagination and set some
fairly unrealistic ideas of what love is or at least can be. While browsing library shelves this week, what should that young girl, turned older lady, come across but the book from which that lovely movie sprang. Couldn’t resist. It is a lovely little book, more a novella than a novel. It was exactly the break I needed, h It is a lovely little book, more a novella than a novel. It was exactly the break I needed, having just read several mammoth and weighty books. It was serendipity and oddly enough, I could spot every point at
which the movie differed from the book (and I last saw that movie over 35 years ago). At moments like these I wish I had the ability to stream movies so that I could run out somewhere and find this one. Still, the sweetness of the book, coupled with the memories that keep playing in my mind, are entirely sufficient to make this a very pleasant interlude. Off I go to the next book that must be read...but, I do thank the spirits of the library for plopping this one, unsought, into my hands.
Aug 03, 2011 Darla rated it it was amazing Beautiful, sad, romantic story. Less than 200 pages, a really quick read. In this case, I thought the movie (1947, and one of my favorites) did a really great job representing the original story. The only thing that was really different is that Lucy had a second child in the book, while in the movie she had only a daughter. My guess is that in the movie, it was too much to try to fit in the plotline an explanation of her relationship with her son; it was interesting to read it here. Side note: t Beautiful, sad, romantic story. Less than 200 pages, a really quick read. In this case, I thought the movie (1947, and one of my favorites) did a really great job representing the original story. The only thing that was really different is that Lucy had a second child in the book, while in the movie she had only a daughter. My guess is that in the movie, it was too much to try to fit in the plotline an explanation of her relationship with her son; it was interesting to read it here. Side note: the edition (1945) I got from the library was a first edition, and the title page said, "This book has been designed in a Victory Format. Smaller type and margins produce fewer pages which permit a vital saving of paper and labor in the manufacture of a Wartime book."--I love brushes with history like this! ...more
I am shedding some soft tears as I listen to the last few moments of The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. Whatever possessed
me to borrow this book? Nostalgia. I remembered how much I loved the old black and white film with Gene Tierney and Rex Harrison. When I found the book on Audible Plus, I snatched it up eagerly and there is sat on my shelf with all the rest of the books I’ve borrowed and never got around to reading – until yesterday. This is not a page flipping suspense thriller, but it was an extreme I am shedding some soft tears as I listen to the last few moments
of The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. Whatever possessed me to borrow this book? Nostalgia. I remembered how much I loved the old black and white film with Gene Tierney and Rex Harrison. When I found the book on Audible Plus, I snatched it up eagerly and there is sat on my shelf with all the rest of the books I’ve borrowed and never got around to reading – until yesterday. This is not a page flipping suspense thriller, but it was an extremely pleasant entertainment for my walks in the neighborhood
yesterday and today. Lucy enters into a loveless marriage to Edwin Muir; she is penniless, and the marriage afforded some financial security. The marriage also afforded a home already inhabited by a pushy domineering mother-in-law and two equally pushy domineering sisters-in-law. Presently the almost invisible Edwin disappears from the story altogether after losing most of his money in a poor stock market investment, dying, and leaving his wife a widow at the age of 31. Lucy is now free to
live her life as she sees fit, albeit on a very tight budget. She finds a house by the sea, far away from the domineering eyes and tongues of her in-laws. Despite a rental of only One Pound per month, no prior tenant has ever lasted even one day in Gull House. Lucy insists on renting the house despite the estate agent’s remonstrations. She is nonplussed at rumors that it is haunted by the Sea Captain who built and later died in the house. Lucy moves her two small children into Gull House, where
she lives out her life more or less how she pleases over the next hundred and fifty pages, has a bitter-sweet romance with a scoundrel, and ghost writes a book (pun intended). She and the sea captain remain in the house happily ever after! Published in 1945, under a pseudonym, this may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it is a sweet diversion, and I loved it. The book is almost always available in one form or another from the library, free with audible plus, and immediately available in
audio on Hoopla (if your library subscribes). The 1947 Mankiewicz film was also delightful – look for it!
Mar 27, 2021 Lizz rated it liked it I don’t write reviews. What is a live well-lived? Does it have to be one full of mediocre, but constant activity? Can you be just as fulfilled on your own? Or is that too selfish? Mrs. Muir thinks about these
things. As much as she can think deeply. The captain of a ship ghost talks things out with her. I mean he’s a ghost, who in life, was a ship captain. All this mangled philosophy has me confused. This story wasn’t great, nor was it bad. I felt like we never got to know the characters even th What is a live well-lived? Does it have to be one full of mediocre, but constant activity? Can you be just as fulfilled on
your own? Or is that too selfish? Mrs. Muir thinks about these things. As much as she can think deeply. The captain of a ship ghost talks things out with her. I mean he’s a ghost, who in life, was a ship captain. All this mangled philosophy has me confused. This story wasn’t great, nor was it bad. I felt like we never got to know the characters even though we spent years and eventually a lifetime with them. The lady was immature and selfish. For a lady who lived by the sea with her two
children, we saw next to nothing of them. They only came into play to create a minute of drama, here and there. But the ending... it was terribly sweet. And the ghost ship captain... I only cared about the captain. He’s the person we’ve all met at some point. A person who is too much in every respect, yet it’s never enough. The one with the stories. The stories which remain with you even if you’ve heard them only once. And in the hearing you find yourself changed and hopefully
inspired.
The rough, gray stone was warm under hand from the heat of the sun. In the cracks, a scarlet snapdragon flourished, and further
on, a yellow-brown wallflower, and nearer at hand, a cushion of gray-green upheld the roundness of sea pinks on their stiff stems, like old-fashioned hatpins. A seagull planed its way down to the water on curving, outstretched wings. The salt air blew coolly on her flushed cheeks and she smiled to herself in her happiness. ‘I wonder if there is something wrong with me?’ The rough, gray stone was warm under hand from the heat of the sun. In
the cracks, a scarlet snapdragon flourished, and further on, a yellow-brown wallflower, and nearer at hand, a cushion of gray-green upheld the roundness of sea pinks on their stiff stems, like old-fashioned hatpins. A seagull planed its way down to the water on curving, outstretched wings. The salt air blew coolly on her flushed cheeks and she smiled to herself in her happiness. ‘I wonder if there is something wrong with me?’ she wondered. ‘That I can get so much from so little?' Listened to the Screen Directors Playhouse radio adaptation with Charles Boyer and Jane Wyatt via archive.org: https://archive.org/details/the-ghost... Just as charming as the movie. 5 stars for nostalgia. ...more
As a youngster, I used to watch the television show, "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" starring Edward Mulhare and Hope Lange along with Charles Nelson Reilly and Reta Shaw as the indomitable Martha. I always loved the show and
it's whimsical take on a haunted sea-side cottage. So, when I happened upon this book at my local library, I decided to read it. The T.V. show was more comical and lighthearted than the book. I never saw the movie made from the book, starring Rex Harrison and Gene Tierney; so I d As a youngster, I used to watch the television show, "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" starring Edward Mulhare and Hope Lange along with Charles Nelson Reilly and Reta Shaw as the
indomitable Martha. I always loved the show and it's whimsical take on a haunted sea-side cottage. So, when I happened upon this book at my local library, I decided to read it. The T.V. show was more comical and lighthearted than the book. I never saw the movie made from the book, starring Rex Harrison and Gene Tierney; so I don't know how that compares (although now I may see if I can find it on DVD or streaming). The time is 1900 and the book is a more sobering telling of the tale of a
widowed woman, Lucy Muir, with 2 young children; that are living in her husband's family home along with his mother and sisters. Lucy feels that she always has to be agreeable around the family and they always see her as "poor Lucy". She decides she wants to be independent and goes about finding a place to settle with the children. She finds Gull Cottage and decides that it's perfect for her and her children's needs. Thus begins the tale. We learn about Lucy's triumphs and tragedies. How the
children view their mother and their lives and how a ghost helps to shape Lucy into a person that takes forays out of her comfort zone. All-in-all a good book.
"The Ghost And Mrs. Muir" is refreshingly unique, surely startlingly original in its day, in
beautifully-told prose. Ireland's Josephine Aimee Campbell Leslie was an eloquent, gifted authoress. She acquaints us with Lucy, Anna, Gregg, and Martha endearingly. For superb originality and authorship, five stars are easily earned. I settle at an appreciative four. Despite coming out 71 years ago, even earlier than the goody-goody 1950s, it was disappointing that Lucy quavered and seldom stood her gro "The Ghost And Mrs. Muir" is
refreshingly unique, surely startlingly original in its day, in beautifully-told prose. Ireland's Josephine Aimee Campbell Leslie was an eloquent, gifted authoress. She acquaints us with Lucy, Anna, Gregg, and Martha endearingly. For superb originality and authorship, five stars are easily earned. I settle at an appreciative four. Despite coming out 71 years ago, even earlier than the goody-goody 1950s, it was disappointing that Lucy quavered and seldom stood her ground before anyone,
except Gregg. She grew and got better but was only unequivocally firm about residing in her seaside house. One shocking attitude was Gregg declaring she could have his money and Lucy wondering if it should go to a relative. In the 1940s, didn't friends become family? If Gregg liked a cousin less than Lucy, her pets, and children; why hesitate? The owner of the money wants you to take it. Whom are people helping, by professing independence and declining assistance they need? Lucy bought the
house but Josephine did not clarify if that store was depleted. When Lucy and her family struggle again, we wonder about it. On the subject of follow-up information, I would have delighted in more evolved outcomes generally. Anna and Cyril have happy lives with Grandchildren. With Cyril secure in his career, Lucy could have taught him something by revealing everything about the famous book. It would have been a breeze to share Gregg's protective presence with Anna. In lieu of, it
should have afforded me tremendous gratification to know she would recount all of that information to her progeny, at least in a personal letter or will. We could do without the final paragraph. Prior to it, the end was unexpected in its spiritual jubilance. It leaves us floating upon that thought with wonderment and a smile.
It's been years since I saw the movie so my memories of it are a bit hazy. However, I do find the novel to be really good. I especially love the
idea that narrow-minded people that don't care about others can't hear the captain's voice. They are shut off spiritually. I've wanted to read the books for years and I'm glad to say that the book was just as good as I hoped it to be. Now I want to re-watch the movie! I recommend this book warmly. I've wanted to read the books for years and I'm glad to say that the book was just as good as I hoped it to be. Now I want to re-watch the movie! I recommend this book warmly.
Oh, Lucia,” the captain said softly, “you are so little and so lovely. How I would have liked to have taken you to Norway and shown you the fjords in the midnight sun, and
to China – what you’ve missed, Lucia, by being born too late to travel the Seven Seas with me! And what I’ve missed, too.” What’s in a name? Lucy Muir’s has its root in Italian and Gaelic, the sparkle of light upon the ever changing sea, a dream of adventure and beauty for a young woman that has been strait-laced into one of What’s in a name? Lucy Muir’s has its root in Italian and Gaelic, the sparkle of light upon the ever changing sea, a dream of adventure and beauty for a young woman that has been strait-laced into one of those Victorian whalebone corsets until she can barely breathe. They left her nothing of her
own. They chose her servants, her dresses, her hats, her books, her pleasures, even her illnesses. “Dear little Lucy looks pale, she must drink Burgundy,” and “Poor little Lucy seems to be losing weight, she must take cod-liver oil.” It wasn’t suppose to end like this. Born at the turn of the last century, Lucy has lived until seventeen in her father’s house, sheltered from hardships and reading romantic novels about heroines being swept off their feet by handsome strangers. Such a
stranger kissed her in her garden of innocence, and Lucy’s happy ever after turned sour almost overnight under the relentless dreariness of a clueless husband and of two bossy, know-it-all sisters-in-law. [ “you don’t know how humiliating it is to have to ask even for a penny to buy a stamp.” ]. The premature death of her husband served only to exacerbate the pressure on the young widow to conform to the expectations of her relatives. “This,” said little Mrs. Muir, awakening one
morning to a beam of March sunlight striking through the eastern window across her face, “this has got to stop. I must settle things for myself.” >>><<<>>><<< What’s in a name? R. A. Dick is a pseudonym, suggesting to potential readers a manly, vigorous pen ready to do battle with major philosophical questions. A woman writing the life story of another woman, who lived the best part of her life perched above the sea in an isolated cottage,
could not possibly use her own name if she wants her book to sell! Lucy Muir is herself writing a book, a novel within a novel, both to make ends meet and to put on paper the deepest desires of her soaring spirit. Gull Cottage, the low rent house she rents on a clifftop above the sea, is supposed to be haunted by the ghost of its previous owner. Whether Captain Gregg is real or just a figment of the girl’s imagination is actually irrelevant. What he represents is the desire to live your
life on your own terms and not for the pleasure of bigoted, repressed old maids. What matters is the freedom of the mind and the pursuit of happiness, even if it leads you to a lee shore full of hidden rocks, to use some nautical imagery. “Writing is very different from painting your face or displaying the naked body in the limelight,” Cyril said coldly. Lucia Muir has a beautiful mind and a hidden inner strength that refuses to bow under misfortune. So does Captain Gregg, who grabbed life by its horns and sailed the Seven Seas before retiring to his dream cottage by sea. They should have sailed together, but have to make do with a platonic friendship across the great divide, holding loneliness at bay with
intimate conversations. She sat there, staring at the ghost of her own happiness. Is the ghost from the title the actual apparition of Captain Gregg, or a metaphor of the way life finds ways to crush our dreams? Captain Gregg urges Lucy, and us, to at least give it try, fight until the last drop of breath, enjoy the little things that are within your grasp – a friend, a sunny day, a loving pet, a good book, a letter from a loved one, an organ concert in a gothic cathedral. It was strange, thought Lucy, how much greater and more lasting the work of man’s hands and mind was than man himself. Looking up at the exquisite tracery of the vaulted roof, listening to the majestic music pealing up to join it, she felt dwarfed and humble, yet raised up in spirit beyond her own little ant hill of living. >>><<<>>><<< I held out on watching the movie until I could read the novel that inspired it, and I’m glad of this
decision. The classic film captures the spirit of the book beautifully, and the casting of Gene Tierney and Rex Harrison was truly inspired. Still, the story itself was streamlined and centred on the romantic part of the novel, on the deep affection between Lucia Muir and Captain Gregg. “I don’t want to interfere with my children’s lives any more than you do, but I want them to be happy. Must growing up always mean a breaking up?” she asked sadly. The older boy, Cyril, grows up in the image of his father : sanctimonious conformist, seeking a career in the clergy and judging other people from the high pulpit of his old-fashioned morality. The girl, Anna, dreams of becoming a dancer, of adventure and of love and of laughter. Lucy Muir loves them both and hides her own dreams under a stoic, benevolent smile. Grown up and successful in their careers, Cyril and Anna are trying to convince an older Lucy to give up Gull Cottage and move in with them before illness and money problems overwhelm her. But the little house above the cliff, with the brass telescope to look at the ships passing in the Channel and with the forbidding portrait of Captain Gregg hanging on the bedroom wall is where Lucia is most true to herself. Impossible to explain, even to Anna, that loneliness was not a matter of solitude but of the spirit and often much greater in company for that very reason. The end of the story is the end of any story: the closing of a page and the start of a new adventure, with new actors and with new scripts, while the old ones are ‘dropping from the tree of life like autumn leaves’ Josephine Aimee Campbell Leslie has written a true gem of a story, delicate and beautiful and poignant to the point of tears. A ghost story that is a love story that is a feminist manifesto that uses gentle prodding instead of a sledgehammer of slogans.
Jul 30, 2014 Linda rated it liked it Closer to 3.5 stars. Isn't it funny when you have watched a movie and more than once, only to find out it was a book written long ago? Of course, the movie was made decades ago but it never occurred to me that it was a book first. I first saw THE GHOST AND MRS MUIR in black and white when I was a teenager and fell in love with the ghostly charm of Captain Gregg, the sweet Mrs. Muir and,
of course, the awesome music. Years went by and I saw it again late one night as an adult. I still thought it wa Isn't it funny when you have watched a movie and more than once, only to find out it was a book written long ago? Of course, the movie was made decades ago but it never occurred to me that it was a book first. I first saw THE GHOST AND MRS MUIR in black and white when I was a teenager and fell in
love with the ghostly charm of Captain Gregg, the sweet Mrs. Muir and, of course, the awesome music. Years went by and I saw it again late one night as an adult. I still thought it was wonderful but this time I appreciated the costumes and, if I didn't know better, the winds and smell of the sea. I rarely buy movies but this was one time I searched for the dvd and acquired it. It was made in 1947 and, whether you rent it on Netflix or buy it, try to watch the black and white version with
Rex Harrison and Gene Tierney. Not the TV show. The movie is oh, so, good! But back to the book. I tagged it 'coming of age' because even though Lucy 'Lucia' Muir is in her early 30's and a widow with young children, she has quite a bit of growing up to do. Under the thumb of her sisters-in-law, she is bursting to finally be on her own and Gull Cottage calls to her. Captain Gregg, the original owner, unexpectedly died under unusual circumstances. Not meaning to, the home was left to
his good-for-nothing nephew. So he haunts it. And since then, no one has lived there for more than a few hours. Until Lucy 'comes home'. I enjoyed reading how the two originally met. Lucy is earthier in the story and prone to make mistakes. There were even a couple of times I didn't like the decisions she might have made if the Captain didn't get involved. In the book Lucy hears his voice but never actually sees his spirit as in the movie. There are other differences and, as someone else
said, it was probably to make the movie flow smoothly. Though I did like the story, if I had to choose between the two I would pick the movie, hands down. This is a fantasy-ghost story-historical romance and slice of life taking place in England-by-the-sea during the early 1900's. It has some 'woooooo' moments but they are light. Read it, watch it or do both and see which one you favor. Just take the time as I did and fall in love with the crusty, cantankerous Captain Gregg.
What a wonderful, sweet and beautifully sad romance. A romance that isn't a romance but really is. I loved it. I saw the old black and white movie years ago - and lapped up the tv series - but this source of those two visual medias is far better. It is the story of a widow who wants to break out of the family restraints and live life her way. She buys a house near the sea and meets it's
invisible resident - the ghost of Captain Daniel Gregg. The Captain helps Lucy Muir to live the life she wants I saw the old black and white movie years ago - and lapped up the tv series - but this source of those two visual medias is far better. It is the story of a widow who wants to break out of the family restraints and
live life her way. She buys a house near the sea and meets it's invisible resident - the ghost of Captain Daniel Gregg. The Captain helps Lucy Muir to live the life she wants - empowers her to say no - and is there every step of the way. Interfering in-laws, a pompous son, a flamboyant daughter and even a love affair are all handled efficiently with the help of the Captain. Thoroughly recommended.
A perfectly delightful story seasoned with Captain Gregg's salty language-just as good as the movie and perhaps even better! A perfectly delightful story seasoned with Captain Gregg's salty language-just as good as the movie and perhaps even better! ...more
This was such a nostalgic read. As a child of the 60's I remember watching the TV version on the ABC right before dinner. And the movie with Rex Harrison and Gene Tierney is a romance
classic. Such a sweet and classic love story although as a book the characters are a little one dimensional and the writing a tad dated. But the descriptive passages of Gull Cottage and the wind swept cliffs balance this out and I dare anyone to read the last page without a tear in their eye! Such a sweet and classic love story although as a book the characters are a little one dimensional and the writing a tad dated. But the descriptive passages of Gull Cottage and the wind swept cliffs balance this out and I dare anyone to read the last page without a tear in their eye!
Some of my complaints in reading is that "nothing is happening"; Character Studies are generally not for me; Romances too sappy; Paranormal too unrealistic. So to my surprise I found this book to be a very sweet romantic look at one woman's struggle to mold her life on her terms. I was always tense when others, well-intentioned or not, tried to force her into "doing what was best" for her. To my
surprise, I even cried at the end of her journey! A charming story. So to my surprise I found this book to be a very sweet romantic look at one woman's struggle to mold her life on her terms. I was always tense when others, well-intentioned or not, tried to force her into "doing what was
best" for her. To my surprise, I even cried at the end of her journey! A charming story.
Feb 04, 2021 Hope rated it really liked it What can I say? The premise is ridiculous; the conversations about heaven and eternity are plain silly. But I loved this book. It is not the sweet & cute story depicted in the TV series that I
grew up watching. The novel begins with Lucy Muir recently widowed and looking for cheap housing. Finding a house with a ghost in it doesn't faze her a bit. As the story progresses, Lucy faces many challenges with her children, her in-laws, her love life (not with the ghost), and her finances. It is her rel The novel begins with Lucy Muir recently widowed and looking for cheap housing. Finding a house with a ghost in it doesn't faze her a bit. As the story progresses, Lucy faces many challenges with her children, her in-laws, her love life (not with the ghost), and her finances. It is her relationship with Captain Gregg that pulls her through each trial. A very endearing friendship. My only access to this title
was through audiobook and I must say that Captain Gregg's salty language (though mild by today's standards) wafted unpleasantly through my head most of the day, which is probably why I didn't give it five stars. Ironically, I think the best way to experience this book is to listen to it.
Oh, what an absolutely sweet
and lovely book this turned out to be. A classic of the era, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir carries the reader on a soothing journey of finding oneself. Lucy Muir wants only to be allowed to live life in her own terms without too much inference from her late husband’s sisters or his mother. To achieve her independence, she moves to a sea side village of Whitecliff and begins life anew in her own terms with her children. But Gull cottage also has another resident, that of a Lucy Muir wants only to be allowed to live life in her own terms without too much inference from her late husband’s sisters or his mother. To achieve her independence, she moves to a sea side village of Whitecliff and begins life anew in her own terms with her children. But Gull
cottage also has another resident, that of a very handsome ghost of Captain Daniel Gregg. Lucy finds companionship in the ghostly presence of the sea captain and what others believe as loneliness is purely what Lucy desires. As days and weeks turn into years, Gregg forces her to write his life story so that she can have an income and sees her children grow up and choose their own paths into life, grow old and cranky and finally find love and happiness in the beyond. This was purely
excellent writing capturing the inner essence of a woman’s basic need of finding peace and simple joy in the day to day happenings of her life rather than be forced into things for someone else. I loved the writing so much, as a major part of it reflects the elemental need of a person and his or her right to choose it.
I zipped through this one--a charming, delightful novella about a widow, Lucy Muir, wishing to escape her domineering [though well-meaning] in-laws. She begins to exert independence and settles in a cottage by the sea. She meets the ghost of a sea captain, Captain Gregg. The two form an unlikely but warm friendship which lasts through the years. His wisdom and counsel along with prompt action rescue her from several scrapes. To escape penury, she "ghostwrites" [wordplay intentional :)] his memoi I zipped through this one--a charming, delightful novella about a widow, Lucy Muir, wishing to escape her domineering [though well-meaning] in-laws. She begins to exert independence and settles in a cottage by the sea. She meets the ghost of a sea captain, Captain Gregg. The two form an unlikely but warm friendship which lasts through the years. His wisdom and counsel along with prompt action rescue her from several scrapes. To escape penury, she "ghostwrites" [wordplay intentional :)] his memoirs Blood and Swash which become a bestseller. Ending of story just perfect. A heartwarming story laced throughout with gentle humor. No wonder this became a successful Hollywood movie and later a television series! Highly recommended. ...more
Goosebumps at the end. I found it so relatable with so much truth in it. I loved this book!
Having seen and enjoyed the movie version several times, I was delighted to run across the book! It's beautifully written and a pleasure to read. And while I'd willingly watch Rex Harrison any day of
the week and twice on Sundays, I have to say that the role of the captain is better written in the book. His character is more well-rounded and, I might even say, has a more moral point of view. For instance, he insists that Lucy apologize to Martha for her sharp words near the end of the story ("Yo Having seen and enjoyed the movie version several times, I was delighted to run across the book! It's beautifully written and a pleasure to read. And
while I'd willingly watch Rex Harrison any day of the week and twice on Sundays, I have to say that the role of the captain is better written in the book. His character is more well-rounded and, I might even say, has a more moral point of view. For instance, he insists that Lucy apologize to Martha for her sharp words near the end of the story ("You can't leave her like that -- weren't you taught as a child never to let the sun go down on your wrath . . . ?"), which is something I would have
liked to see in the movie. A real treat, whether you've seen the film or not!
I had no idea that the delightful movie, a favorite since I first saw it as a teen, was based on a book. But lo, it is! A slim little novel, wonderful in every way! A romance of sorts, a ghost story of sorts, and a book about a woman who desperately wants to be LEFT THE HELL ALONE, something which I sympathize with 100%.
Jun 03, 2021 Terris rated it really liked it I loved this ghost story of Mrs. Muir coming to live in a house where the former owner, now a ghost, doesn't want her to live. It's a very entertaining story! I loved watching the TV series in the late 60's and was glad to finally read the book :) I loved watching the TV series in the late 60's and was glad to finally read the book :)
Feb 11, 2013 Diamond rated it it was amazing I really, really enjoyed this book. I was skeptical because of the
many tepid reviews. I adored the movie; and thought it would provide me further insight to the characters I loved so much in the film. If you like the film I highly suggest you read this book. There are differences; for example Mrs. Lucy Muir has a son in the book, Cyril. However I can see why the film adaptation didn't include him in the story. This is a short book. It's one of those easy, short, lovely books that you can read i This is a short book. It's one of those easy, short, lovely books that you can read in a
weekend. It's also the kind of book that takes you through someone's life in a very straightforward and clear way. I'm surprised by how attached and sympathetic I feel to the main character, Lucy. For a 143 page book, that is. Another thing that surprised me in a good way was the ending. Don't worry I won't spoil anything. I just have to confess I shed tears at the end. I was so happy. I really adored the ending and I thought the novel made some great points about life. The ghost aspect
was interesting too. I liked how there were remarks about the afterlife that Captain Gregg made, yet left a lot to imagination. In a way, it was very plausible. It was less a book about a haunted cottage-- and more a book about a woman and how she carved her way in life after the death of her husband, Edwin. Again, if you are considering reading this book I say-- read it!! It's a great read. You'll definitely want to see the movie again after. Whoever says movie adaptations never live up
to the books they were created by are wrong in this case.
Jan 2012 May 2015
I suppose I saw movie based on this book years and years ago, but I couldn't really remember it. I am actually glad I didn't try and find it again before reading this one--it felt like I was meeting everyone for the first time, with
no preconceptions. For being so short, this is a truly sweet story about a widow and the ghost of the sea captain who lives in the cottage she rents. The story covers vast swathes of time without ever feeling dismissive or, alternatively, bogging things down. I genui For being so short, this is a truly sweet story about a widow and the ghost of the sea captain who lives in the cottage she rents. The story covers vast swathes of time without ever feeling dismissive or, alternatively, bogging things down. I genuinely liked the characters and the story that emerged. It felt much more like a
D.E. Stevenson or even Berta Ruck novel than I expected. I have very mixed feelings about Mrs. Muir herself. One of the silly, stuffy characters (her son or sister-in-law or someone) describe her as a leaning vine. And it is
quite accurate, in its own way. She is a timid woman. She does show bursts of strength and just wants to be left alone, but given the option to flutter into the strong arms of a Male, you rather gather she would. The twist, of course, is that instead of meeting a Male she meets a ghost. And the ghost takes a platonic interest in her (was that different in the movie? I seem to recall this being more romantic. And I mean, it is romantic, but not in the way you expect) and becomes the strength she
needs. That's what makes their friendship so lovely. Because of him, she can stand on her own, till the very end. But till the very end, he is still telling her what to do, and that's a bit where my mixed feelings come in. Still, I found this book unexpectedly nostalgic and bitter-sweet. Definitely one I must read again.
With tv on hold right now, it seems that channels are leaning way in to movies for quarantine entertainment...and I am here. for. it. I'm normally not one to prefer the movie to the book, but I'm making an exception here. The movie version of The Ghost and Mrs. Muir was so wonderful that I eagerly dove into the book fully expecting a deeper look into the lives - and loves - of these characters. And I suppose technically I did get that with the book...but it wasn't what I had been anticipating. Poo I'm normally not one to prefer the movie to the book, but I'm making an exception here. The movie version of The Ghost and Mrs. Muir was so wonderful that I eagerly dove into the book fully
expecting a deeper look into the lives - and loves - of these characters. And I suppose technically I did get that with the book...but it wasn't what I had been anticipating. Poor Mrs. Muir - she's in her mid-30s but is walked all over by practically everyone, including her children. I get that she was meant to be a somewhat sheltered, timid woman, but she felt so, so much younger. Her son (who was mercifully cut from the movie!) was a pure terror and absolute brat even as an
adult. While I didn't get as much of a haunted house/ghosty romance as I did in the movie, I'm still glad I read this one. It's super short and was a lovely way to spend a lazy afternoon. ...more
This was a favourite fiction read of my teen years, I finally re-acquired and re-read it and it was as lovely a story as I remembered. Like the
Jane Austin books this book satisfies in it's descriptions of people and society, but does so without sermonising. The world is seen only in context of the individuals and their experiences and at the end one closes the book with a feeling of satisfaction at a book well read. It is as good as I remembered it, and I am very happy I have managed to get a new Like the Jane Austin books this book satisfies in it's descriptions of people and society, but does so without sermonising. The world is seen only in context of the individuals and their experiences and at the end one closes the book with a feeling of satisfaction at a book well read. It is as good as I remembered it, and I am very happy I have managed to get a new copy. A constant re-read that never disappoints, is as
beautifully written every time and as insightful and kind to humanity as ever! Postscript 2022 - still as charming a re-read as every!
From a modern standpoint, the question comes up: was a ghost really helping her with her life, or was it all in her mind? Perhaps because it was the 1940s, the single woman didn't feel like she had any power, and
she made up the voice of a man in her head, telling her what to do. Or was I supposed to take it literally?
Sep 06, 2016 Sandy rated it it was amazing If you were to ask me to name my top two or three favorite fantasy novels, the answer would take me a long time to come up with, given the overwhelming number of possible choices. But if you wanted to know my top two or three fantasy films, well, I could give you that
reply fairly quickly. One of them would of course be "The Wizard of Oz" (1939), which I steadfastly maintain must be viewed on the big screen. Next up, for me, is "The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T" (1953), co-created by Dr. Seuss himself If you were to ask me to name my top two or three favorite fantasy novels, the answer would take me a long time to come up with, given the overwhelming number of possible choices. But if you wanted to know my top two or
three fantasy films, well, I could give you that reply fairly quickly. One of them would of course be "The Wizard of Oz" (1939), which I steadfastly maintain must be viewed on the big screen. Next up, for me, is "The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T" (1953), co-created by Dr. Seuss himself. And third, a film that has been charming me (and millions of others) for decades now, 1947's "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir." The only one of these three to be shot completely in B&W, the film provided one of my very
favorite actresses, Gene Tierney, with one of her greatest roles (Laura Hunt in 1944's "Laura" and Ellen Berent in 1945's color noir "Leave Her to Heaven" being her two greatest, natch), and she was perfectly matched by Rex Harrison's gruff but likeable portrayal. Director Joseph L. Mankiewicz helmed his film with great sensitivity, while composer Bernard Herrmann provided a lush and haunting score, years before his many collaborations with Alfred Hitchcock. But while this film has been a
favorite of many for almost 70 years now, few, I have a feeling, have read the picture’s source novel, "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir," released in 1945 and written by R.A. Dick (the pseudonym for Irish authoress Josephine Aimee Campbell Leslie, who passed away in 1979). Now, however, thanks to Doubleday's Vintage Movie Classics series ("novels that inspired great films"), a new generation will finally be able to read this long-out-of-print wonder. And as it turns out, Dick's original is every bit as
good as its film, with some significant differences. In the book, the reader makes the acquaintance of Mrs. Lucy Muir, a 34-year-old (Tierney was 27 when she did the picture), recently widowed mother of two in the England of the early 20th century. Fed up with the stifling attentions of her in-laws, she boldly takes her son and daughter to the coastal town of Whitecliff, where she rents the abode known as Gull Cottage. Lucy soon realizes that the house is haunted by the ghost of its
previous owner, the 12-years-dead sea captain Daniel Gregg, with whom she strikes up a reasonably friendly relationship. The captain tells Lucy where he has hidden some gold, allowing her to purchase the cottage outright, and he suffers her to stay on his property with the provision that she will one day bequeath the house to be used as a rest home for retired sailors. As the years pass, the captain helps Lucy in many aspects of her life, giving brusque but sage counsel regarding her snoopy
in-laws, her children, and her financial affairs. When Lucy unwittingly has a love fling with a married man, the captain comes to her aid; when Lucy is close to running out of money, he dictates his memoirs to her, which autobiography brings in decades of royalties. The reader senses that the aging widow and the deceased sea captain might have made a perfect couple, despite their bickering, if only...you know, one of them wasn't noncorporeal, and all.... Excellent as the film version is,
Dick's book is just as charming, and possibly even more wise, along with those aforementioned differences. (Screenwriter Philip Dunne did a marvelous job at adapting the source novel, and the changes that he made don't really detract from the film's fine qualities.) The two main differences between book and film are that Lucy's son, Cyril, does not appear at all in the picture, not to mention all the subplots pertaining to him--although daughter Anna, played in the film by 9-year-old Natalie
Wood, does--and the entire section dealing with that married cad, Miles Fairley Blane (portrayed by the great George Sanders in the film), takes place in an entirely different context. We get to know a lot more about Lucy's and the captain's past in the book, making for more well-rounded characters, too. Gene and Rex, as it turns out, were indeed perfectly cast, although Tierney, who was 5' 7", was surely a taller woman than the diminutive Mrs. Muir, as described by the author. Still, the film
does basically hew to the novel fairly faithfully, up to and including that truly lovely finale in the afterlife. And speaking of afterlife, Dick's novel does give us a sneak peek as to what the great beyond will be like, but for the most part, Capt. Gregg says he just doesn't have adequate words (reasonably enough, I suppose), although he surely does dispense words of wisdom aplenty throughout "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir." I mentioned that her work is very wise in places, and just take a
look at some of the more touching samples, many of them from the mouth of Capt. Gregg himself: "Real love isn't blind, it sees everything and has an endless capacity for forgiving...."; And on and on. The entire book is like that, full of sage and wonderful commentary. Dick, as it turns out, is a lovely writer, with a winning way with her descriptions of nature and a sure hand at amusing dialogue.
For me, her book was absolutely unputdownable. "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" is the sort of book that you wish would go on indefinitely, but sadly, is one that clocks in at under 200 pages. Still, the evenings that I spent with it were very pleasant ones, indeed. I suppose the bottom line is that if you are a fan of the 1947 film (and I cannot imagine any viewer who would not fall in love with it), then you will surely appreciate the added depth and character background provided by Dick's
source novel. The new Doubleday edition, incidentally, arrives with an introduction by novelist Adriana Trigiani, who tells us how addicted she was to the film while she was pregnant, and how she loved the fact that Capt. Gregg refers to Lucy throughout the film as "Lucia," which was Trigiani's grandmother’s name. (Indeed, she seems to have written a 2003 novel entitled "Lucia, Lucia.") Her enthusiastic intro (marred only by her saying that Capt. Gregg had died in a house fire, instead of by
accidentally gassing himself to death) makes this new edition of a long-unavailable classic even more worthwhile. And I have just noticed that other titles in this inspired series include Davis Grubb's "The Night of the Hunter" and William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson's "Logan's Run"! I might have to pounce on those, too, before they disappear again for decades, although I doubt if either of them will be half as charming as "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir." Oh, dear me, I called the book
"charming" yet again. And as Capt. Gregg once said, "it's a sign of old age creeping on when you make the same remark twice in as many minutes...." (By the way, this review originally appeared on the FanLit website at http://www.fantasyliterature.com/ ... a most excellent destination for all fans of vintage fantasy fare....)
R.A. Dick was the pseudonym of Josephine Aimee Campbell Leslie, An Irish writer who wrote the 1945 novel The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. The book was made into a movie in 1947 starring Gene Tierney, Rex Harrison, George Sanders and Natalie Wood. It was also a television series in the 1960's. She also wrote The Devil and Mrs Devine. R.A. Dick was the pseudonym of Josephine Aimee Campbell Leslie, An Irish writer who wrote the 1945 novel The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. The book was made into a movie in 1947 starring Gene Tierney, Rex Harrison, George Sanders and Natalie Wood. It was also a television series in the 1960's. She also wrote The Devil and Mrs Devine. ...more Related ArticlesWhat makes a book a hit in the publishing industry? There’s no standard, really. Depending on your point of view, various commercial and... “Oh, Lucia the captain said softly, you are so little and so lovely. how I would have liked to have taken you to Norway and shown you the fiords in the midnight sun, and to China- what you've missed, Lucia, by being born too late to travel the Seven Seas with me! And what I've missed, too.” — 18 likes “Knowledge and book learning are not wisdom," said the captain. "Is this book wisdom?" asked Lucy, putting the manuscript back on the table. "It has some elements of wisdom in it, me dear," replied the captain. "I did not lead a very wise life myself but it was a full one and a grown-up one. You come to age
very often through shipwreck and disaster, and at the heart of the whirlpool some men find God.” Welcome back. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Is there a book The Ghost And Mrs. Muir?Muir is a 1947 American romantic fantasy film starring Gene Tierney and Rex Harrison. It was directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, and is based on a 1945 novel written by Josephine Leslie under the pseudonym of R.A.
What is the story of The Ghost And Mrs. Muir?Defying her conventional in-laws, young widow Lucy Muir (Gene Tierney) leaves London with her young daughter and moves away for a quieter life in a secluded seaside cottage. Lucy discovers the ghost of the deceased former owner, sea captain Daniel Gregg (Rex Harrison), is haunting the house, but gathers the courage to stand up to him, and woman and ghost become friends. Faced with dwindling means of support, Lucy agrees to the Captain's challenge to write his colorful life story.The Ghost and Mrs. Muir / Film synopsisnull
How did The Ghost And Mrs. Muir end?Climactic Moment: Lucy dies and Captain Gregg comes for her spirit. Resolution: Lucy and the captain walk into the clouds together.
Who wrote the book The Ghost And Mrs. Muir?R. A. DickThe Ghost and Mrs. Muir / Story bynull
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