My Uncle Silas: From the author of The Darling Buds of May, the inspiration behind The Larkins

The deeds and misdeeds of Uncle Silas the rural reprobate were renowned in the short stories H E Bates published in the 1930s.In this collection the stories are presented in full accompanied by the original drawings by Edward Ardizzone that perfectly capture the little reed-thatched house atop a violet-banked lane.Over the course of ninety-five years Uncle Silas found the time to do most things: He boasted of the villains he had knocked to kingdom come as he boasted of the women whose hearts he had truly captured. Crotchety vainglorious occasionally wicked he maintained a devilish spark of audacity which made him so attractive to everyone he met.