A Delightful Reading Binge

Oct 31, 2024

Lately, I have enjoyed spending time with Emily Pollifax. I am so grateful to all who recommended Dorothy Gillman’s Mrs. Pollifax series when we were talking about serial fiction a few weeks ago.

I have ~~read~~ listened to the first ten books in the series. There are four more to go. I don’t want to interrupt the series with other audiobooks, but I’ll be sorry to come to the end.

If you have not yet experienced the pleasure of Mrs. Pollifax, here’s a quick introduction:

Emily Pollifax is a widowed mother of two in her early 60’s living in an apartment in suburban New Jersey. She is bored with her life, and maybe a little depressed. Her doctor suggests she try something she always wanted to do, but never had time to pursue before. Mrs. Pollifax recalls a childhood desire to be a spy. She presents herself at the headquarters of the CIA to volunteer her services and, through a series of mistakes, is assigned to a “a simple courier job” in Mexico City. Of course, nothing goes quite as planned.

It sounds like it might be silly, doesn’t it? Why then have this character and her stories captured me so completely?

She’s Just Like Me

Mrs. Pollifax is not a superhero. She is not rich, nor well connected, nor particularly well educated. She has no special skills. She is a woman in her 60’s, widowed at the beginning of the series, remarried by book 6 (Mrs. Pollifax on the China Station). She is, is all respects, ordinary. Emily Pollifax is an aspirational character in the best possible way: almost any one of us could do what she does. Mrs. Pollifax is a role model for older women who are not yet done with adventure.

She Leads With Kindness and Compassion

Emily is unfailingly courteous. She treats everyone with respect. Her first instinct is always to be helpful and kind. But Mrs. Pollifax does not suffer fools. If someone treats her poorly, she lets them know such behavior will not be tolerated.

She is Open and Interested

Mrs. Pollifax approaches people and experiences with a lively sense of curiosity. She asks questions out of genuine interest. She delights in going new places, meeting new people, and tasting new foods. Emily is game for just about anything.

She Prevails By Paying Attention

If Emily Pollifax has a superpower, it is this. She listens, she observes, and she remembers. She notices what others do not.

She Never Quits

During her assignments around the world, Mrs. Pollifax gets tired. She gets scared. But she never loses sight of her mission, and she never quits. Whatever obstacles arise, Emily Pollifax finds a way around, over or through. She keeps going.

She Does the Homework

Mrs. Pollifax uses whatever time she can find to prepare for her assignments. She studies maps, reads up on the culture, and packs a phrasebook for the local language. Following her first assignment, she also takes up karate, working her way up to a brown belt. My knees hurt just thinking about it.

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The Books Recall an Earlier (not to say simpler) Time

The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax, the first book in the series, was published in 1966. The last installment, Mrs. Pollifax Unveiled, was published in 2000. There are no cell phones, no unlimited long distance, no email, no text messages, and no internet. Speedy international communication was accomplished by sending a telegram. I enjoy remembering what life was like before the answers to all of life’s questions were just a Google search away.

The Writing is Very Good

Dorothy Gilman (1923-2012) had a gift for writing dialog. The characters are always believable, and their conversations have a natural rhythm and flow. The plot of each novel, however unlikely, is well constructed. There is plenty of excitement and suspense. Every thread is neatly woven in by the end.

The Audiobook Narration is Superb

The Mrs. Pollifax series is read by Barbara Rosenblat. She is a prolific narrator, and the winner of multiple Audie Awards for best audiobook narration. Her reading has a snappy, no-nonsense pace appropriate for these books. She clearly defines the voice of each character, making it easy to follow the dialog. The voice she created for Emily Pollifax is pitch perfect; you could use it as the definition of “what a grandmother sounds like”.

I tend to focus on contemporary books, mostly fiction, with some non-fiction thrown in. I would likely never have encountered this 50-year-old series if not for the recommendations of those of you who subscribe to this newsletter. Thank you for bringing me such pleasure.

If you’re ready to meet Mrs. Pollifax for the first time (or eager to enjoy the series again), the audiobooks are available on Hoopla, which I access for free through my public library. They are also available for free to those with an Audible.com membership. Enjoy! You just might find yourself approaching problems with “What would Mrs. Pollifax do?”

But Wait, There Must Have Been a Movie!

Mrs. Pollifax—Spy was released in 1971 with Rosalind Russell in the title role. You can stream it on Amazon Prime.

There was also a made-for-TV movie starring Angela Lansbury (of course) called The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax. It aired on CBS in 1999. The only streaming version I can find of this film is a low-res (probably bootlegged) video on YouTube.

Yarn Dragon Update

This is the entrance to the Makerspace on the second floor of my local public library branch. To the left of the door is a little cart labeled Yarn Library.

Now, that’s just sad. No wonder the librarians were happy to see me show up with three boxes of yarn culled from my stash.

The sign at the top of the cart says, “Take What You Need, Leave What You Can”. I love that generosity. It also reminds me that I can drop off extra skeins of yarn anytime; I don’t need to wait until I do a big stash cleanup. Perhaps if I’m diligent about donating leftovers as each project is completed, sorting the stash would be less of a chore. Instead of becoming clutter in my office, those extra skeins of yarn can be used and appreciated.

As always, you have my gratitude for choosing to spend time with me this week. Continue the conversation: Is there a fictional character who seemed like a role model for you? I’d love to hear about it in the comments.