So good. I felt Really emersed in her life for one year . The loosing was St o rich, I stopped looking up words after half the book. It was fascinating to be a fly on the wall of a famous British author, lots of garden parties, presentations , and award ceremonies. I loved all the mentions of places and landmarks. Also of high interest were all the issues of the moment that she expanded on .

Love this interesting approach to a memoir. Love this author.

Autobiografia della nota giallista inglese.
Non troveremo dettagli intimi, anzi sembra dare di sé un'immagine di work addicted china su lavoro e figli (parla poco del marito, che passò molti anni in manicomio e morì relativamente giovane).
A tratti il libro annoia: paludato, accademico, non rivela quasi nulla dei processi creativi che spingono una persona a scrivere, e a scrivere gialli in particolare. Se poi pensiamo che, appunto, la James passò lunghi anni a mantenere tutta la famiglia compreso un marito malato di mente, colpisce il miracolo dell'insieme di forza di volontà, creatività, dedizione, autodisciplina e coraggio che devono essere stati fortissimi.
Un'occasione sprecata.

I expected not to like Time to Be In Earnest simply on the principle of it being an autobiography and therefore being navel-gazing. Consequently, I was happily surprised to really enjoy it.

I liked the format of the book--part daily diary, part lifelong history. I thought James combined the two well, going from a discussion of a minute detail of her life to the broader topic of, for instance, the purpose of the BBC, fairly effortlessly.

James referenced a number of events and people of whom I had no notion, so at times it was handy to have the internet close by to look things up, and that was a bit arduous.

It is clear that James loves her country--the cities, the churches, the country landscape, the ocean, the language. This love comes through her writing clearly, and with me reading, she was preaching to the choir.

This reminded me a bit of May Sarton's "At Eighty-two", though P.D. James at 78 seemed much more spry than did Sarton at 82. Several of the reviews quoted on the back cover of the book mention that we learn as much about James from what she leaves out as from what she includes. The decisions she made about what to write about are thus as interesting as the actual content.

She includes musings on various aspects of writing, the mystery genre, the difference between American and English fans, as well as reminiscences of her past, and her struggles with the gradual onset of old age.

British mystery writer P.D. James writes about two years in her life. Although the day to day parts of her book can often be tedious, she also writes about her early and mid life which is the most enchanting part of her autobiography. Britsh mystery fans will enjoy her relationship and encounters with other well known British mystery writers.

4.5 stars

A Fascinating Life

I never realized the status P. D. James achieved in England (a member of the House of Lords and a Governor of the BBC), and I would have guessed that such social mobility was unlikely there. It is remarkable to see her energy and vigor at age 77. As you would expect, there are lots of interesting insights into life and writing. She seems like she was a lovely woman and yet a force to be reckoned with.

The diary, really, of one year in the late 1990's (the year that Princess Diana's death happened). Nicely written. Not a real autobiography: lots of room for reminiscences and memories evoked of a long, long life (childhood, early education in a girls' school WW II spent in London, the success of a first novel, the death of a husband, the maturation of P.D. James' daughters...). All this, while writing diary notes about her current (late '90s) daily life for one calendar year: book-signings and mystery-novel-promotions, speeches given (none is quoted, only the events remembered)and book tours (including even a short trip to America). Two inserts of b&w photos, spanning the years of her life. Very beautifully written -- she is probably a master of the elegant prose style we read here. (And, as I'm not a mystery-novel fan, I've never read a single one of her mysteries...)

The book is a diary for one year, beginning at age 77. I enjoyed her Prologue, but I'm just not that interested in her life, and especially not in the details of one year, at this point. I do think I might like to try some of her fiction.

In 1997, P.D. James began keeping a journal for a year--between her 77th and 78th birthdays. She planned that it would be a record of her year (without betraying any confidences) plus reflections on her life: her childhood, her education, and her writing career. The result is Time to Be in Earnest. As I was reading this book, I felt like I was having tea with a beloved aunt, who was reflecting on life and sharing what I needed to know going forward. It is clear that James has no idea what the future holds at age 77, so knows that it is time to record some thoughts while she still can.

James was a very private person, but devoted to family and friends. In the general biographical pieces I have read on James, her marriage is dismissed as a nothing: Oh, her husband was mentally ill, so she needed to work. In Time to Be in Earnest, James respects the memory of Connor and his privacy, her husband, but it is clear that she loved him deeply, and his illness cost her incredible pain.

1997 was the year that the Adam Dalgliesh novel A Certain Justice was published, so the journal includes discussions of book tours, publishers both in UK and UA, and the marketing of a novel. James talks about the changes in publishing since her first book, Cover Her Face, was published. I really enjoyed learning more about the process behind bringing a book to market.

My favorite parts are the discussions of writing, writing process, and the writing of mysteries. James was very thoughtful and deliberate in her approach to writing fiction, and I appreciate her insight.

James went on to live for many more years after Time to Be in Earnest was published and even added to the Dalgliesh series before dying in her 90s. I enjoyed the experience of reading about her, what it was like to grow up in England between the wars, life during WW II, as well as her work and family life after. This book is worth a visit.

PD James wrote a diary for one year (1997-1998). She writes about her activities and family and also memories. Interesting if you like her books.