It was impossible to describe what the full soft lips of Mariette had felt like against his own except that it was, perhaps, like having them brushed by the skin of a warm firm plum, in full ripeness, for the first time. Pop and Ma Larkin and their many children take joy in nature, each other's company, and almost constant feasts. however, reminds us that Bates also differed from Pop in important ways, such as his literary, gardening, and artistic interests, among other things. Bates was a great lover of the countryside and its people and this is exemplified in two volumes of essays entitled Through the Woods and Down the River.

One thing was for certain – the second the Larkin’s got home and saw poor Charley standing there in their yard, he never, ever had a chance. I enjoyed parts and there were some hilarious situations but overall the language and intimate descriptions left me wishing I had passed on this book. It will have you falling wholeheartedly in love with the Larkin family and their carefree way of life.Ma and Pop are more calculating than they let on (especially considering this came out in 1958), but gosh, you can’t help but love them. Articles concerning the models for the Larkin family appeared in the Evening Standard and the Guardian in 2006 and in the Daily Mail in 2021 (linked below). Although Charley can’t quite figure out what Pop Larkin does (he claims to be a farmer) and how he makes his money, any questions he has are soon brushed away in favour of another Dragon’s Blood or bowl of strawberries and cream. Chapter one was published with the title "The Darling Buds of May" in the Saturday Evening Post (January 18, 1958).

ITV produced a television series of the novel, and its sequels plus additional original storylines, The Darling Buds of May, which ran from 1991 to 1993. Pop is in fact an expression of my own philosophy: the need to go with the stream, never to battle against it.Now known as “Charley,” our hapless hero floats along on a stream of unstinting alcohol and unending feasts.