For nearly thirty years Annie Tempest has entertained ‘Country Life’ magazine readers with her weekly strip cartoon, Tottering-by-Gently, reaching much greater audiences worldwide through the associated merchandise, including book compilations such as this new volume on the subject of drink. A whole generation has grown up following the gentle everyday observations of this very British extended family with their dogs, daily struggles and difficulties in adapting to the fast-paced, technological and now woke world. Cheers to all! Onwards and upwards without spilling a drop. Snifters at Tottering Hall is the eagerly awaited, post-lockdown offering from Lord and Lady Tottering on the subject of liquid refreshment. It is well-timed to put a smile back on our faces after a notably unamusing confinement. Annie Tempest’s superb cartoons, depicting this delightfully eccentric couple, remind us that life must be celebrated and taken with a pinch of salt and a stiff upper lip.

Annie Tempest is one of the top cartoonists working in the UK. This was recognized in 2009 with the Cartoon Art Trust awarding her the Pont Prize for the portrayal of the British Character. Annie’s cartoon career began in 1985 with the success of her first book, How Green Are Your Wellies? This led to a regular cartoon, ‘Westenders’ in the Daily Express. Soon after, she joined the Daily Mail with the ‘Yuppies’ cartoon strip which ran for more than seven years and for which, in 1989, she was awarded ‘Strip Cartoonist of the Year’. Since 1993 Annie Tempest has been charting the life of Daffy and Dicky Tottering in Tottering-by-Gently – the phenomenally successful weekly strip cartoon in Country Life.