A magnificent book by a wonderful person. While writing this book she was at the age of 77 still doing more than most 50-year-olds. There is so much in this book of help to aspiring writers that it should be a textbook for all writing classes in the English language.

P.D. James is an excellent writer of mystery, not so much memoir. She wrote about her year age 77-78. I was impressed by her stamina and all of the functions she attends. However, the book is dry and she seems a bit of a cranky, judgement type. Reading about how she tours was interesting. I got very few insights from the book .

It was kind of interesting to read this book at the same time that I read The Diana Chronicles since P.D. James wrote this diary-like book during the year of Diana's death. I found the book fascinating, probably because I find it so interesting to have a glimpse into how an author thinks. It is not hard to see where the books come from - the worldview that she shows in her diary feeds both the Adam Dahgleish mysteries and, especially, Children of God.

An odd autobiography but one that grew on me. I particularly enjoyed learning her philosophy about writing detective novels, the importance of setting, realistic forensics, her view of death, the broad appeal of mysteries and detective novels in general.

An original format - explicitly a diary of a year in P.D. James's life in her 70's. But she takes this starting off point to range widely, to reveal parts of her life, and to digress on matters that interest her.

Her energy and enthusiasm is awe-inspiring, for any age. A bright, positive, intelligent thinker, it's not surprising Phyllis is so much in demand for book-signings and talks.

James was less revealing about being married to someone with a mental illness. In part I admired her - especially in these 'tell-all times' for her reticence, but then she was dismayed by society's misunderstanding - and so surely this should have been a wonderful opportunity to open the door to reveal what it's like to be connected to someone with mental problems and how society could impact positively.

Small gripe, this was a wonderful, uplifting book, by a very special woman.

P.D. James is amazing. This year-long journal chronicles a year I remember well, 1997, and the insights of this hip old lady were tons of fun. Of course there were moments where it dragged (-1 star) but as I write this review months later I as struck by how much I still remember her self-aware tone. I really need to start another of her mysteries, stat!

‘Time to be in Earnest’ by PD James is not a conventional writer’s autobiography. Instead it is the year in her life between her 77th and 78th birthdays during which ‘A Certain Justice’, the tenth Adam Dalgliesh book was published, and in which dates, places and events trigger memories from her life. She died in 2014 at the age of 94 and was prolific to the end. Her final book ‘Death Comes to Pemberley’ was published in 2011 and two editions of short stories were published after her death.
James sets the tone of the autobiography in the Prologue, “There is much that I remember but which is painful to dwell upon. I see no need to write about these things. They are over and must be accepted, made sense of and forgiven, afforded no more than their proper place in a long life in which I have always known that happiness is a gift, not a right.” Her diary entries, some brief, some long, make this an ideal book to dip in and out of. She is a pragmatic, factual commentator who is at times forthright, other times secretive.
Like all good autobiographies, familiar names are scattered throughout – Dick Francis, Ruth Rendell, Frances Fyfield, Salman Rushdie – and we are shown glimpses of her writing methods, particularly interesting is her discussion of the setting in ‘Devices and Desires’, eighth in the Dalgliesh series. She writes about the origins of detective fiction, its evolution and techniques, the development of forensic science as well as her favourite authors and books. Just as entertaining though are the glimpses into James’ private life, her family, her cat Polly-Hodge, her assistant Joyce McLennan.
It is impossible to read James’ memories of childhood, the war, motherhood and marriage, without making connections with her books. Her fascination with history, nature and architecture, and her faith, all add depth to her writing.
If nothing else read it for Appendix Two. ‘Emma’ Considered as a Detective Story: Jane Austen Society AGM, Chawton, Saturday 18th July 1998’ is a fascinating take on ‘Emma’. But if you love reading PD James’ books or detective fiction in general – or you are a writer curious about how a great did it – read this book. This is not a how-to book, more a snapshot of a year in the life of a great writer.
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I enjoyed this more than I expected. The diary is only from a single year of James's life and the entries are typically much more than a litany of what she did each day. She included entries mostly on days in which she left the house for some reason. It may have been to have lunch with a friend or family or to meet with her publicist or give an interview or a speech. Quite often she traveled to cities outside of London to literary festivals or charity events where she was a guest of honor or to visit family or friends. She also traveled to a few countries in Europe and to the US and Canada to promote her most recent book that was just being published in those countries. She socialized with several other authors whom she had known for years, and she was also acquainted with other well-known people whom she had met in various capacities through the years.

I was quite impressed at how busy she was and how much energy I can image her activities took for a seventy-seven year old woman. She went to some kind of event or to visit with other people every two or three days which is much more than I do outside of work right now. Her diary entries were not restricted to her daily activities by any means. She related parts of her childhood and her life as a young working woman. James also used the diary to record her opinions about various other topics such as a few notorious crimes in England's history, about the role of the BBC, and about the television adaptations of some of her novels as a few examples. The subtitle of "a fragment of autobiography" is accurate because she used the entries for much more than a tale of her daily tasks. She did not add entries about writing a book at that time so possibly she wasn't doing so, but she mentioned at the end that she hoped to write more novels as long as she could do still write well and hoped she would recognize when she no longer could.

Delightful and Insightful

I thoroughly enjoyed this autobiographical account: James calls it a “partial record of one year” (of her incredibly active and full life), but manages to reminisce enough so that we catch glimpses of a great deal more of it. Her musings range from her childhood experiences growing up in England, to religion, current events and, of course, fiction writing. She shares thoughts on it all— thoughts which are insightful, well articulated, and a pleasure to read. I enjoyed the peeks into British Life, English landscapes, and, as a great Jane Austen fan, I particularly relished the treatment James gives Austen, her “favorite novelist.” (Included at the end of the book is a superb foray into EMMA—a talk James gave at Chawton House—and reason in itself to read this book.) I have not been a big fan of the detective novel, but after reading this, I’ll be giving P.D.James’ books a try—beginning, of course, with DEATH COMES TO PEMBERLEY.

Time to Be in Earnest: a fragment of autobiography is P. D. James's response to Dr. Johnson's advice that seventy-seven is "a time to be in earnest." The much celebrated and beloved writer of mystery novels has created a luminous memoir of one year of her life. During the course of that year she not only relates experiences of the current time, but travels in time to give the reader snapshots of her life. These snapshots are vivid--full of descriptive clarity and beautiful language, only to be expected from such an accomplished writer.


It would be hard to do full justice to this memoir in a review. The entries are so varied that one could only give the full flavor by recounting each and every one. James covers everything in this memoir from the elusive quality of memory to why women seem to dominate the mystery field (and if, in fact, they really do). She talks about numerous fellow authors, from Ruth Rendell to Dick Francis, without gossip and with genuine affection.


It was, in fact, difficult to do full justice to this memoir reading it straight through as I did. I think it would have been better to savour the entries over a longer period of time, perhaps in daily readings over the course of the year just as the memoir was written. There is so much here to absorb and consider. And I think it a mark of how much this book has affected me that I have numerous slips of paper peppered throughout--marking passages that I want to go back and reread and possibly add to my quote collection. Thus earning this memoir four and a half stars out of five.


In the last days of this memoir, James gave a talk at the annual meeting of the Jane Austen Society. The entire address is given in an appendix to the memoir and is entitled "Emma Considered as a Detective Story. Someone who commented on my review of Emma suggested that reading these insights by James might better inform my reading of Emma (I wasn't a fan of this particular Austen novel) and that it changed her entire view of the book.


I readily admit all of James's points that give parallels to the detective novel. 1. That we have facts that are "hidden" but which the reader should be able to discover by logical deduction from clues inserted in the novel. 2. That we have a reconciliation of those mysterious facts which brings order when the previously misinterpreted facts are seen in their true light. 3. That we have a self-contained set of characters forced into a sometimes unwilling proximity. However, none of this changes my opinion of the novel. In fact, it just might lower it. You see, if I am to compare Emma to a detective novel, then I would want that comparison to be positive. A good detective novel, in my opinion, presents the reader with all the clues and keeps him or her thoroughly mystified until the final unravelling. As far as I can see the only one mystified in Emma is Emma herself. I recognized the truth behind the "misinterpreted facts" early on. I was quite certain I knew who sent the piano to Jane (and was right). As a mystery novel, Emma fails for me, every bit as much as it did as a serious novel. Sorry, but Emma still remains one of my least favorite Austen novels.

I re-read this gem after twenty years and liked it even more this time. The title is a quote from the great 18th century writer and lexicographer Samuel Johnson, " At seventy-seven it is time to be in earnest." Phyllis James wrote it in 1997 when she turned seventy-seven. It's not a conventional diary or memoir although there is plenty of autobiographical material. It's also reflections and musings on the art and craft of writing, not limited to the detective stories and three stand-alones for which P.D. is so deservedly famous. She died in 2014 at the age of ninety-four and remained actively writing and speaking until her death I consider her one of the finest novelists of the 20th century. (For anyone not familiar with her work, I recommend reading them in order.)

I thoroughly enjoyed this brief synthesis of autobiography, diary and literary criticism. The cool intellect of P D James comes over on every page. Her account of her childhood, married life and the sad descent of her husband into mental illness are illuminating. What is most impressive is the breadth and volume of her daily life in the year she describes. The contribution she made across everything she did was noteworthy and perhaps a reproach to those less public spirited. I finished the book with my appreciation of her greatly enhanced. She writes beautifully and anyone wishing to find a model could do no better than to read this short book.