October 2011
We are freshly returned from two long road-trips, and are gradually recovering our equilibrium. The first trip was to a Civil War reenactment in North Florida, followed by one day of frantic packing and repacking, and then a trip to a family marriage conference in North Carolina. I hope to share more photographs and stories from these wonderful experiences in upcoming blog-posts. Meanwhile, I want to share with you some of the books and music I enjoyed this last month—some during the long hours on the road!
How I loved reading these stories set in Florida—where the places, the plants, the animals, and the weather were all very familiar to me! Mrs. Douglas’s Florida stories were very popular because in the early 1900’s the exotically beautiful setting was new to literature. The stories themselves are gripping.—There are airplane accidents; encounters with rumrunners, egret poachers, and murderers; hurricanes; mosquitoes; and sawgrass. (My family laughed at how oblivious I was to all else while reading “He Man.”) Yet, the focus of the stories is the landscapes of the country and of the mind. The characters are complex, and we learn something here of regret, perseverance, love, courage, wit, integrity, loyalty, and the value of crazy dreams.
Stories in this volume are “Pinelands,” “A Bird Dog in the Hand,” “He Man,” “Twenty Minutes Late to Dinner,” “Plumes,” “Bees in the Mango Bloom,” “By Violence,” “September—Remember,” and “The Road to the Horizon.” A brief introduction to the volume takes each story and describes its environmental and historical context. This book earns four and a half stars. This book is on my wish-list, and a must for any Floridian.
The first thing I noticed when I cracked the covers of this book was the words!—large pages full of words! This is unusual and wonderful in a children’s picture book. The vocabulary, sentence structure, and tone of the book are all respectful to the natural abilities of a child. And there are pictures, too! The margins are full of detailed pencil drawings and little notes of sea life, and every fourth page is a beautiful, full-page color illustration.
This delightful and funny book tells the life-story of Pagarus (Pagoo, for short), following his development from a tiny, feathery creature to a happy, two-fisted hermit crab. Always with him is Old Pal Instinct, who advises and directs him through his many adventures in the tidal pools. The story is interesting for itself, but also richly informative. Third Brother commented brightly: “You really learn things in this book!” We learned not only about hermit crabs, but about barnacles, crabs, snails, starfish, mussels, and other fascinating sea creatures and their habitat. There are twenty chapters of three pages each, so you can break the story into little readings, though Third Brother and I gulped it down in three sittings. (I appreciated the occasional inclusion of a pronunciation guide!) This book is now on my wish-list. A few phrases of evolutionary thought can be easily edited when reading. Words such as ‘enchanted’ and ‘witchery’ are used to describe the beauty of an underwater grotto. The octopus is referred to as the ‘Witch,’ and her tentacle as a ‘magic wand.’
Paris, the young Trojan prince, steals away Helen of the Fair Cheeks, wife to King Menelaus, and so begins a ten-years’ war between the Trojans and Greeks, in which even the mythical gods take sides. (I was commenting to my siblings that reading about Greek gods makes me so thankful for the one true God!) This is an introduction to children of Homer’s epic poem The Iliad, a classic of ancient literature. Although written in prose, Sutcliffe’s retelling preserves much of the poetic language of Homer (and many of the same disturbing images of violence). Nevertheless, I found the retelling a little too concise, and kept wishing the author would allow the characters to speak for themselves. This adaptation follows the tale past the Iliad to the end of the Trojan War, which I found more satisfying. Because of the mythical and often violent subject-matter, this book and illustrations (by Alan Lee) are not for young or sensitive children. I found Lee’s illustrations (which cover every page) strangely cool and detached, almost surreal in quality, even when very violent. There is one occasion of nudity in the illustration.
Tobias Burgess is just eleven when he is sent to his uncle’s castle to work as a page. He keeps a journal for his mother of what he sees and does—schooling, hunting, archery, tournaments, banqueting, harvesting, holidays, and more. With Tobias we explore the castle, meet the people, and learn about the customs of England’s Middle Ages. This fictional journal is very well-written with wonderful medieval character. The book ends with appended notes on medieval warfare, and a glossary and index. The many illustrations adorning the text are colorful and detailed. I was annoyed, though, by the expressions on the people’s faces, which were either absurdly pompous or dangerously grumpy. This book earns three and a half stars. There is one coarse joke about “privy members.” Also, the Christian chaplain is made a ridiculous, contemptible figure. When he objects to pagan Christmas customs the aunt replies, “Their religion is older than Christianity, so I see little harm in it.”
Thomas Jefferson has completed his writing of the Declaration of Independence. “And it was perfect. Every word rang. Every sentence sang. Every paragraph flowed with truth.” When the delegates of Congress want to make changes to the declaration, Jefferson is angry and embarrassed. To soothe his friend’s wounded pride, the wise Benjamin Franklin tells a parable of the hat-maker’s sign. The writing is unexceptional. Parker’s illustrations were a terrible disappointment: weak pencil sketches washed sloppily in watercolors.
King Richard the Lion-Hearted and the despicable Prince John are known mostly as supporting characters in the Robin Hood legends. This children’s book tells us more about these two Angevin kings, and the tumultuous time in which they lived. Short, illustrated chapters give the treacherous sequence of events that led to the reluctant signing of the Magna Charta—the great document which secured the rights of the English people. The prologue of the book, “The Magic Island,” contains references to various mythical and magical creatures. There is a startling illustration of Queen Eleanor in a close-fitting dress; she seems nude and is suggestively posed. Daughtery was apparently an FDR “New Dealer” who in the final section of the book, “Children of the Magna Charta,” seeks to tie the Magna Charta to (ultimately) the League of Nations. In this section he also argued that the American colonists desired greater liberties than were theirs as English citizens; actually, the colonists just wanted to be treated as British citizens.
In 1610 a cottonwood tree begins to grow on the Great Plains and becomes a witness to many adventures: buffalo stampedes, Indians, Spanish explorers, and cowboys—each leaving their mark on the tree. Even when lightning kills the tree in 1834, its adventures are not over. For over two-hundred years, the tree has watched the world pass by. Now, as a new ox yoke for Jed Smith, the storied cottonwood will follow the Santa Fe Trail. This book has wonderful illustrations and side-notes to complement the rich reading. There is frequent mention of “Good Medicine,” but as Indian belief, not fact.—except in the closing prophesy of an old chief, in which he predicts cars and airplanes. I would just skip that part in reading aloud.
This is the inspiring account of one’s man’s enduring conviction in the face of intense pressure, imprisonment, and eventual execution. King Henry the VIII wishes to divorce Catherine Parr for the more beautiful and young Anne Boleyn, but he desires and demands the public approval of his close friend and chancellor Thomas More. More, a devout Catholic, cannot give it, and the treachery of Thomas Cromwell will undo all but his steadfast faith.
An introduction from the playwright shares the strengths and weaknesses of the script and stagecraft, as well as his inspiration and purpose for the play. I look forward to soon watching the famous film adaptation of this award-winning play. More insults his friend Norfolk in order to save Norfolk from a dangerous friendship, using the word b*tch to question his lineage in the context of a discussion about dogs.
My two youngest brothers and I had so much fun reading this exciting book together! It is my favorite William O. Steele book yet. Every year the Rabun family and other nearby settlers must flee to the fort for protection from Chickamauga raiders. This year is no different—Chickamauga braves shoot flaming arrows from without—but the real trouble comes from within the fort. Among the settlers seeking shelter there are the Logans, whose father “Traitor” Logan is fighting with the Indians and whose oldest son Josiah is about Chad’s age. The settlers are determined to cast them out, but Mr. Rabun promises to be responsible for them. Chad can’t understand why his father would want to shelter these traitors, but he soon learns some important truths: Josiah Logan can’t be judged by the bad deeds of his father—nor can Chad be judged by the good deeds of his father. Each must prove himself. Boys and girls alike will enjoy this adventurous, fast-paced story—and hate the cliff-hanging endings to the chapters! (Even I was impatient for our next reading!)
I read the first chapter, and knew it was going to be a good book, so I saved it for an upcoming road-trip. It was worth the wait!—Not for a long time have I found myself so engrossed by a novel. Miss Sutcliff’s natural descriptions are beautiful, her historic setting fascinating, her characters and themes complex, and her story engaging. (This book reminded me of Elizabeth Goudge.) Although “officially” a children’s book, adult readers too will find Sutcliff’s writing compelling. (Somehow I had gotten it into my head that this was the first book in a trilogy about Roman Britain; it is actually the last, so I hope soon to read the first: The Eagle of the Ninth.)
The crumbling Roman Empire is withdrawing the last of her troops from Britain, leaving the land to the conflicting claims of Saxons, Celts, and the remaining Romans. Aquila is a young Roman Decurion who discovers at the last minute that his true loyalties belong to Britain rather than the Legion. He returns to his family, only to soon have all he loves destroyed by raiding Sea Wolves, and he himself taken into thralldom. He escapes and discovers his sister and the name of the traitor, but then finds both his love and revenge taken from him to leave only bitterness. All that remains is for him is to join the fight against the treacherous Vortigern and his Saxons—to raise up Ambrosius, the hope of the Romans, as High King of Britain.
From the fly-leaf: “This is an exciting chronicle full of stirring incident and bitter conflict. With her customary skill Rosemary Sutcliff brings to vivid life the turbulent period of her story, the time when the last of the Romans in Britain were struggling to carry forward what light they could into the Dark Ages that were to follow.” (Aquila early in the book decides that God only laughs at prayers. This is not presented as a fact, but as Aquila’s bitter response to tragedies. Only near the end of the book does Aquila just begin to sense that God has orchestrated redemption.) There are a few instances of God’s or Christ’s name used in vain.
vv I finished reading The Lantern Bearers while staying at a conference center in North Carolina. I had to hide some bittersweet tears, though, from my little brothers!
Other Books
These are the books that I revisited or did not read completely.
This book about “Old Florida” is a collection of magazine and newspaper articles, many only two or three pages long, and typically superficial and unsatisfying. A few are laced by profanity, and one at least is unreadable because of its language and subject-matter. This was soon back in the library returns pile.
This little anthology is an introduction to American nature-writer John Burroughs, “bard of the bird-feeder,” whose many essays provide “local, small-scale, homey glimpses of nature.” This collection of natural history, philosophy, and rural craft is headed by a thoughtful introduction by environmentalist Bill McKibben. The fourteen essays in this collection are “”Birch Browsings,” “April,” “A Summer Voyage,” “An Idyl of the Honey-Bee,” “A Snow-Storm,” “Wild Life About My Cabin,” “The Art of Seeing Things,” “A Walk in the Fields,” “A Hunt for the Nightingale,” “In Field and Wood: Intensive Observation,” “In ‘The Circuit of the Summer Hills,’” Speckled Trout,” “The Still Small Voice,” and “Nature Near Home.” Evolutionary thought influences the introduction and many passages in the essays. I preferred the collection The Birds of John Burroughs, reviewed last month. Perhaps I just tired of his style, reading so much of him at once. I do hope to try him again later!
Minn of the Mississippi. Holling Clancy Holling. ✩
Because of the heavy evolutionary content, we decided to stop reading this one.
This book was invaluable for our picture study of Jean-François Millet. It contained large, detailed reproductions of many beautiful paintings and drawings by the French peasant-artist—iconic masterpieces as well as lesser-known but no less expert works. (Also included is a rare self-portrait.) Although I didn’t read most of the main text, I found most interesting an appendix of Millet’s own letters to friends and patrons—the original French with English translations. These especially helped me to learn more about this simple family man. Only three or four instances of art involving some (mostly sketchy) nudity—something to be grateful for in an art book! A few post-its should take care of that.
Additions to the Library
These are the books that were added this month to my personal library.
Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease [Ninth Edition]. Shills, Shike, Ross, Caballero, Cousins, etc.
I must make room on my health shelf for this enormous text-book! This will make a marvelous reference as well as provide fruitful browsing. I first became interested in this text when I found citations indicating that it made the rare but important distinction between folate and folic acid.
Robinson Crusoe [Franklin Library Edition]. Daniel Defoe.
We encountered a wonderful used-book store on Cherry Street in Black Mountain, North Carolina. My siblings and I so enjoyed browsing through the many shelves full of wonderful old books. I could not pass up a gilded hardback copy of Robinson Crusoe with colored woodcut illustrations—especially since it was only $20!
Music
“Daybreak,” Daphnis et Chloé, Suite No. 2. Maurice Ravel. ✩✩✩✩✩
Grieg’s morning is a drawing back of white curtains to let in the sunrise of a sweetly tranquil day. Ravel’s morning is a birth in the solitary wild. It is grey mists and the waking wind, the first lark and the mounting chorus, the lightening in the east, and then the sudden, glorious burst of gold. For several days I played this piece over and over! You can hear the entire suite (which begins with “Daybreak”) at YouTube HERE.
Gilliekrankie. Anonymous. ✩✩✩✩✩
Unfortunately, the violin performance I love is not available anywhere for purchase. There was, however, a version by One Harp and a Flute on their album Leaves of Gold, and, though these are not my favorite instruments, the beauty of this Scottish air made the purchase worth it to me.
In my last post I alluded to the beautiful score of one of my favorite films—Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World. I don’t usually enjoy listening to film music apart from the film,* because I find tiring the intense but often simple emotion. The score of Master and Commander is different: many of the pieces are classical (Bach, Boccherini, Corelli, and Vaughan Williams) or traditional folk music. They are so beautiful on their own—though enhanced by remembrances of favorite scenes and beautiful seascapes.
* Other notable exceptions include the main themes from John Adams, The Great Escape, and The Magnificent Seven, as well as the prologue from 49th Parallel and the “John Dunbar Theme” from Dances with Wolves.
Reel Mess. 7 lbs. of Bacon. ✩✩✩✩✩
We greatly anticipated the release of this third album from 7 lbs. of Bacon, and were so excited to learn at a recent Civil War reenactment of its release. We promptly bought it, downloaded it to our various iPods, and have played it as many times more than Mama liked. (Thank you, Mama.) This dance album contains all our favorites from the Civil War balls: “Kingdom Coming,” “Soldier’s Joy,” “Longstreet’s March,” “Angelina the Baker,” “The Girl I Left Behind,” “Ash Grove,” “Queen Anne’s Reel,” “Over the Waterfall,” “South Wind,” “Golden Slippers,” “Arkansas Traveller,” “Old Joe Clark,” “Simple Gifts,” and “Dixie.” This will certainly see great use during our upcoming Second Annual Costume Dance! We know the musicians (and even contributed our clapping skills for one of the tracks), and these have a wonderful homemade (authentic!) sound. On some of the tracks you can hear frogs croaking, and the musicians talking and readying their instruments (which include a cigar-box fiddle, cigar-box mandolin, cheese-box guitar, and wash-tub bass). If you are interested in purchasing your own copy of Reel Mess, email me, and I will put you in contact with the seller.
Photograph: I enjoy reading Dallas Lore Sharp’s book The Hills of Hingham at a recent Civil War reenactment. The Raid of Chipco Crossing. October 2011.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011