Vanity Fair by William M. Thackeray

     "As the manager of the Performance sits before the curtain on the boards and looks into the Fair, a feeling of profound melancholy comes over him in his survey of the bustling place. There is a great quantity of eating and drinking, making love and jilting, laughing and the contrary, smoking, cheating, fighting, dancing and fiddling; there are bullies pushing about, bucks ogling the women, knaves picking pockets, policemen on the look-out, quacks (OTHER quacks, plague take them!) bawling in front of their booths, and yokels looking up at the tinselled dancers and poor old rouged tumblers, while the light-fingered folk are operating upon their pockets behind. Yes, this is VANITY FAIR; not a moral place certainly; nor a merry one, though very noisy. Look at the faces of the actors and buffoons when they come off from their business . . .
     "And with this, and a profound bow to his patrons, the Manager retires, and the curtain rises."
                                                                                         LONDON, June 28, 1848*

With these words, Thackeray opens his tale of life in Vanity Fair.  What is Vanity Fair?  The term itself comes from John Bunyan's 'Pilgrim's Progress":

   "Then I saw in my dream, that, when they were got out of the wilderness, they presently saw a town before them, and the name of that town is Vanity; and at the town there is a fair kept, called Vanity Fair. It is kept all the year long. It beareth the name of Vanity Fair, because the town where it is kept is lighter than vanity, and also because all that is there sold, or that cometh thither, is vanity . . .
    "This is no newly begun business, but a thing of ancient standing. I will show you the original of it.  Almost five thousand years ago, there were pilgrims walking to the Celestial City, as these two honest persons are; and Beelzebub, Apollyon, and Legion, with their companions, perceiving by the path that the pilgrims made that their way to the city lay through this town of Vanity, they contrived here to set up a fair; a fair wherein should be sold all sorts of vanity, and that it should last all the year long. Therefore at this fair are all such things sold as houses, lands, trades, places, honors, preferments, titles, countries, kingdoms, lusts, pleasures, and delights of all sorts, as wives, husbands, children, masters, servants, lives, blood, bodies, souls, silver, gold, pearls, precious stones, and what not."**

Not a very pleasant description.  And not a pleasant place - Thackeray never appears to set out to make this world of Vanity Fair welcoming or beautiful.  No, indeed.  To Thackeray his society was merely a modern version of Bunyan's Vanity Fair.  However, while Bunyan's protagonist Christian makes it through Vanity Fair and continues to the Celestial City, Thackeray's characters are caught in Vanity Fair and must survive its heartless cruelty, duplicity, and greed.

Like a Dickens tale, "Vanity Fair" follows many characters, makes many detours to keep the reader up-to-date with the activities of its numerous players.  Its principle characters are Becky Sharp, Amelia Sedley, and William Dobbin.  Other key people are George Osborne, Rawdon Crawley, and Lord Steyne.  It may be necessary to take notes while reading this book to keep track of who is related to whom.  It is a tangled web of familial relations.

The story is set during the Napoleonic Wars and covers several decades.  Becky Sharp is a resourceful, clever school mistress.  She has been teaching French at Miss Pinkerton's academy, a school that teaches young ladies.  She occupies a low station in the social world because her father was a poor and a painter.  To make her situation worse, Becky's mother was French and performed on the stage.  In those times, a woman who was a performer was assumed to have loose morals.

The story begins with Becky Sharp leaving the school with her friend Amelia Sedley.  Amelia, beloved of her schoolmates, is young, beautiful, innocent, and wealthy.  Everything Becky is not, with the exception of beauty.  Becky is quite beautiful.  Amelia is taking Becky to her home where the two friends will stay for a few weeks before Becky begins her job as a governess.

In the arts of flirtation and flattery, Becky quite outshines gentle Amelia.  Amelia, who looks for the best in people, is blind to Becky's dark nature.  She does not realize that Becky's affection for her as a friend is merely a ploy to enable her to move among her superiors.

From the beginning, Becky is unconventional.  She is a superb actress but a terrible schemer.  She does not want to accept the lowly station of governess.  She eyes the success, money, property, and popularity of the rich with a cunning, lustful eye.  However, the only way that she can achieve her desired position in society is through matrimony.  But who will this remarkable, ambitious woman woo?

There is Amelia's well-to-do older brother Joseph Sedley.  He is a government employee who works in India.  He is shy around women and not at all handsome.  However, Becky discovers his weak point: flattery.

There is George Osborne, Amelia's fiancé.  He is in the military and the son of a wealthy businessman.  His weakness is his pride and selfishness.

There is William Dobbin, George's good friend and fellow officer.  He is humble and selfless, unlike his friend.  He worships the ground Amelia's walks on and feels that George doesn't value her as he ought.

There are the Crawleys; the father and two sons.  The father's wife is sickly and the old man comes to rely on Becky's strong nature and resourcefulness.  The older son, Pitt, finds her attentions and subtle flattery pleasing.  The younger son, Rawdon, is a dashing, careless soldier.  In spite of his reckless nature, he is the favorite of his rich aunt, Miss Crawley, and, it is assumed, stands most likely among his family to inherit her considerable fortune.

Becky plays for high stakes, risking everything for a chance to climb to the top of society.  Her struggle is critically chronicled by William Thackeray, as are the adventures of the rest of the characters and players who make up Vanity Fair.

"Vanity Fair" is an attack on society - an all out attack on its ways, habits, and life.  No one escapes Thackeray's barrage.  To him, everyone lives in Vanity Fair and we all participate in its useless, purposeless existence.  I think Thackeray could agree with Solomon and say "vanity of vanities; all is vanity." (Ecclesiastes 1:2, KJV)  It is this hopelessness that I found most discouraging in the book.

Thackeray reminded me of his contemporary Dickens.  Both critiqued society; both created stories with large casts; both wrote serialized novels; both were fluent in their use of the English language; both created stories based on the complexities of their characters.  Despite the similarities, however, I find Dickens more pleasing to read than Thackeray.  Why?  Dickens has a special sense of humor.  Even when he was describing something morbid or some horrid social injustice, he said in with a wry smile.  Many times I'd find myself chuckling or smiling at something that, upon further reflection, I realized wasn't a bit humorous.  Thackeray does this but not with the same comic effect as Dickens.


Wilkins Macawber

Many of Dickens's characters are memorable, pitiable, loveable, and laughable.  That's not to say he didn't create horrible villains.  His villains are evil and frightening: Uriah Heep, Bill Sykes, Fagin, Ralph Nickleby, Mr. Murdstone, Madame Defarge, Monks, to name a few.  But he contrasts these dark characters with the light of other characters: Joe Gargery, Miss Pross, Jarvis Lorry, Wilkins Micawber, Betsey Trotwood, Mr. and Mrs. Crummles, and the brothers Cheeryble.  These loving, humorous, loyal friends of the heroes and heroines cheered the darkest moors and warmed the bleakest London street.  Characters of these types are absent from "Vanity Fair."  Thackeray's work lacks the themes of redemption, love, and hope  - ones that you find more easily in Dickens's work. 
The subtitle to "Vanity Fair" is 'A Novel Without a Hero.'  This is very true.  After reaching the middle point of the book, I realized that I only liked one character out of the entire host.  Becky is too cruel and heartless for me to root for her, and the others were too blind, greedy, and selfish for me to like or wish them well.  Becky and her compatriots are a far cry from the sympathetic protagonist of a Dickens tale. 

If you love Thackeray or are purposefully exploring famous works of literature, then you may enjoy this lengthy novel.  That's why I picked it up - I love classical literature.  If, though, you are looking for an uplifting, pleasant novel, classical in nature, I would recommend Dickens or Elliot.  Vanity Fair is a lonely, sad place.

*Vanity Fair.  Thackeray, William Makepeace. 1848.
**The Pilgrim's Progress.  Bunyan, John.  1678.

 

Five Children & It by E. Nesbit

  

                                                             TO JOHN BLAND

                                                My Lamb, you are so very small,
                                             You have not learned to read at all.
                                            Yet never a printed book withstands
                                            The urgence of your dimpled hands.
                                             So, though this book is for yourself,
                                                Let mother keep it on the shelf
                                              Till you can read. O days that Pass,
                                              That day will come too soon, alas!*

And with this sweet dedication, Edith Nesbit begins her tale about five children and a Psammead (little wonder she refers to the creature as "it" in the title).  What is a Psammead, you might ask?  A Psammead is a Sand Fairy - a creature quite rare nowadays.

The five children are Cyril, Anthea, Robert, Jane, and the Lamb.  The four older children are the main protagonists, while the Lamb, their two year old brother, is a minor player in most of the adventures.  Another recurring character is Martha, a servant who takes care of the house and the Lamb.  The children's parents do not feature prominently in the story.

The children meet the Psammead (or Sammyadd, as they call him) on holiday in the country.  They are digging in the gravel pit - trying to reach Australia - when they unearth this strange, little creature.  The Psammead is not your typical fairy - sweet and with wings and a magic wand.  He is a small, furry creature, with "snail-like eyes."  He lives buried in the sand away from water, because water kills sand fairies.  As he tells the children, a long time ago people used to build sand castles for Sand Fairies.  The Psammeads enjoyed these delightful homes - until people began digging moats to go with the castles.

Just like beautiful fairies, the Psammead can grant wishes.  But his method is quite unorthodox.  He inflates himself and then lets out his breath.  Granting a wish exhausts the fairy and aggravates his already sullen nature.  The girls, though, treat him kindly.  In one touching scene, Anthea offers to let him sit in her lap to keep warm.  He does.  It's sweet, but I can't help but shudder at the thought of a warm, little, furry creature with "snail-like eyes" sitting in my lap.

The Psammead grants the children nine wishes over the course of the book.  Each wish turns into a misadventure as best and danger at worst.  But is it the children's naivety or the Psammead's sullen nature that causes the trouble?

I am a fan of E. Nesbit's books for children.  Her style is child-like.  She pictures things as children do and includes only the details that would appeal to children.  Her humor it witty and her tales imaginative.  She is very honest about the motives that drive us to do and act as we do.  I think it is this honesty that I particularly find real in her style of writing.

Her characters differ very little from story to story.  Anthea is quite like Bobby, from "The Railway Children", and Jane is just like Dora from "The Treasure Seekers."  The personalities alter little, but they are such fun to begin with that it makes little difference to me.  The pure, innocent fun is refreshing; the stories original; the setting always a delight.

I wish I had a first edition of this story - the cover is gorgeous.  But as the likelihood of finding a first edition of an E. Nesbit book is rare or way beyond the reach of my pocketbook, I found a very modern nice edition.  It is from the "Looking Glass Library", published by Random House.  It features the original illustrations by H.R. Millar.  Some may find the pictures outdated, but I love the Victorian artwork.

There are film adaptions of this story.  I haven't seen the 1991 BBC miniseries, but I did watch the 2004 version starring Freddie Highmore and Kenneth Branagh (in a very "un-Shakespearean" role).  The story is based during WWI, and tells the story of five children sent to the country because of the war.  Their father (Alex Jennings), is a pilot serving his country overseas.  The story has more of a feel of "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe," with Freddie Highmore's character a bit like Edmund Pevensie, as interpreted in the 2005 a film adaption of the C.S. Lewis classic.  However, the screenplay writers borrowed from Lewis; Lewis did not borrow from Nesbit.  I enjoyed this version, though it is nothing at all like the book, so I would not recommend it as a substitute to reading the original story.  I would like to see another adaption - one that tells E. Nesbit's story.

Five Children and It is the first in a trilogy.  The following works are The Phoenix and the Carpet and The Story of the Amulet.  Before I finished the book, I had logged onto the library's website and requested the sequel.  This may show you how much I enjoyed the story!  It's a tale for all ages, but whether all ages will enjoy it, I don't know.  If you enjoy the adventures, magic, and cleverness of "Peter Pan", "Winnie the Pooh", or any other E. Nesbit tale, you will not be disappointed in this choice.  After reading the story you may find yourself wondering If I were to unearth a Psammead, what would I wish for?

*Five Children and It.  Nesbit, E.  1902.

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

     Cholera invades the British colony of India, changing young Mary Lennox's life forever.  Her father was an officer in the British army stationed in India.  Her mother was a popular socialite, who seemed to want to deny the fact that she had a little daughter.  Neither parent has been attentive.  Mary has been mostly raised by servants native to India.  She is spoiled and does not know how to do the simplest things for herself.
     When the cholera epidemic kills her parents, her nurse, and forces the servants to flee, Mary is left alone in her parents' bungalow.  A couple of British soldiers find her.  They take her to stay with another British family.  The children nickname the disagreeable girl "Mary, Mary, quite contrary." 
     The late Mrs. Lennox had a sister.  She was married to a wealthy British gentleman, Mr. Archibald Craven.  Mrs. Craven died many years ago, but her husband respects his connection to Mary, and sends for her to live with him in his manor on the English moor.
     Mary travels to England and begins her new life at Missilthwaite, under the care of the strict housekeeper Mrs. Medlock.  Mary does not meet her uncle right away.  He chooses not to see her.  All she knows about him is that he is a middle-aged, solitary hunchback.
     Mary's low spirits and serious nature are foiled by Martha, one of Mr. Craven's maids.  Warm and kindhearted, Martha takes Mary under her wing.  She tells Mary all about her large family, especially her brother Dickon.  Dickon spends most of his time on the moor with the animals.  He understands animals and they trust him.
     Under the grey, early spring skies, Mary explores the gardens on her uncle's estate.  She makes two more friends (Ben Weatherstaff, the crusty gardener, and Robin Red Breast, a friendly robin).  In the garden, where she loves to play, Mary finds a secret garden, with no door.  Ben and Martha both know something about this doorless garden, but both are reluctant to tell her the entire story.  All Mary can learn is that it was once Mrs. Craven's, and it has been locked up ever since she died.
     Another mystery appears to live inside Misselthwaite manor.  At night Mary can hear moans and crying.  Although Martha tries to persuade her it is just the wind, one particular night, Mary decides to uncover the truth.
     Contrary to many stories that feature an angelic girl who changes lives for the better, Mary Lennox must experience a change within her own heart before she can help and understand those she meets in her new home.  Her feisty temper and spoiled nature make her a miserable companion.  But with time, friendship, and the garden, Mary's character improves and she becomes another charming daughter of literature.

Christmas at Thompson Hall by Anthony Trollope

Victorian Bookshelf's rating (10 being the best, 0 the worst) ~ 8 stars

     In this screwball comedy, set during the 1870s, Anthony Trollope tells a charming, humorous story about two people on their way to their family's Christmas gathering.
     Mrs. Brown and her husband live in France.  Mrs. Brown's family lives in England, and every year the family gathers at Thompson Hall to celebrate Christmas.  Mrs. Brown, however, has been unable to join her family for eight years because her husband dislikes traveling in the winter which might endanger his delicate health.  This year, though, Mrs. Brown's family insists that she and her husband join them for the festivities.  Jane Thompson, Mrs. Mary Brown's only sister, wants her to come to meet her fiance, who is traveling to Thompson Hall for the Christmas celebration.
     Despite her husband's misgivings about the trip, Mrs. and Mr. Brown leave their home in Pau.  They break their journey overnight at the Grand Hotel in Paris.  Before he goes to bed, Mr. Brown pleads an increasingly painful sore throat.  Mrs. Brown, who will not miss Christmas with her family, believes that he must be feigning his illness.  Nonetheless, near midnight, she agrees to go in search of the hotel's mustard jar.  What is the mustard for?  A mustard plaster, an old-fashioned remedy for throat discomfiture.* 
     Mrs. Brown leavers her quarters, Room 333, in search of the salon.  On the way, she gets lost in the dark hotel.  The night porter rescues her.  Too embarrassed to admit that she had come down to find the mustard jar, she lies that she is searching for her handkerchief, which she supposedly left in the salon.  After the fruitless search, the porter escorts Mrs. Brown back to her room.  She waits until the porter disappears.  Then she hurries back down to the salon, fills her handkerchief with mustard, and begins her journey back to Room 333.
     She returns to her room, opens the door and quietly slips in.  Her husband has fallen asleep; she can hear his peaceful breathing.  In the dark room, she places the hard-won mustard plaster on her husband's throat.  Just as she has finished her deed, she discovers that she has made a ghastly mistake: she has put the mustard plaster on the wrong man!
     This short story is ideal for a winter's evening read and certain to bring a smile to the reader's face (although, I was pretty nervous as I read about Mrs. Brown's misadventure!)  It might not have the moral value of Dickens' superb "A Christmas Carol", but "Christmas at Thompson Hall" is a warm, humorous story that just happens to take place around Christmas time!

     List of Characters ~
Mrs. Mary Brown, the unlucky heroine
Mr. Charles Brown, the afflicted husband
Mr. Jones, the wronged man
The night porter, the witness to Mrs. Brown's night wanderings
Miss Jane Thompson, the engaged sister
Uncle John and Cousin Robert, the relatives

 *(to learn how to make a mustard plaster or what ingredients are used, visit this site and look at number 37 http://www.liferesearchuniversal.com/grannymain.html.)

Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter 1913

     You can always find something to be glad about.  At least that is Pollyanna Whittier's philosophy.  And it's a philosophy that impacts an entire town.
     Pollyanna is the daughter of a poor Western pastor.  After her mother died, the Ladies Aid tried to teach her the basics of housekeeping.  Her father, however, teaches Pollyanna her most valuable lesson:  how to be glad in the worse circumstances.  Father and daughter play "the game" - until Rev. Whittier joins his wife in death, and Pollyanna becomes an orphan.
     The Ladies Aid sends Pollyanna to her mother's younger sister, Miss Polly who lives in Beldingsville, Vermont.  Eager and excited, Pollyanna journeys to Beldingsville.  But Miss Polly is not enthusiastic or "glad" about this sudden addition to her household.  Passionate only about her duty, Miss Polly considers all the drawbacks of having a child live with her.
     When Pollyanna arrives, Miss Polly sends Nancy, her maid, to meet the girl at the train station.  Nancy knows the cool welcome awaiting Pollyanna.  She was the one to clean the poorly furnished attic room for the little girl, when there are many lovely rooms quite vacant in other parts of the house.  Pollyanna's bright spirit is not daunted by the large mansion and its strict mistress, even when Miss Polly forbids her from mentioning her father.
     Nancy befriends Pollyanna, and becomes the first to learn "the game."  Others who live in Beldingsville soon learn to appreciate the friendly, sweet child.  Pollyanna's friends include Mrs. Snow, a cranky invalid, Mr. Pendleton, the silent recluse, Jimmy Bean, an orphan looking for a home, and Dr. Chilton, Mr. Pendleton's amiable physician.  She wins the affections of everyone she meets, touching many lives.  Only Miss Polly appears indifferent and uncaring.
     In her mother's old haunts, Pollyanna finds ghosts of love lost, festering grudges, and Nancy says Mr. Pendleton even has a skeleton in his closet!  But the secrets cannot long withstand the optimistic Pollyanna, who knows how to bring the best out of everyone.
     Do you know how to be glad for crutches when you wanted a doll?  Or how you can be glad you have a broken leg?  Pollyanna knows.  But the game is put to the ultimate test one day.  Will it work?
     Come play the game with Pollyanna, a child full of unconditional love and an unstoppable spirit.

A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton Porter

     Dear friends of mine introduced me to this book by the American naturalist Gene Stratton Porter.  It was published in 1909, and the next year Richard W. Pascoe, Hans Von Holstein, & Richard A. Whiting wrote a song of the same name.  I discovered this delightful piece of sheet music in an older relative's music treasury. 

     Set in Indiana, where the author herself lived, the story circles around the life of Elnora Comstock, who lives on the edge of the Limberlost Swamp.  Her father died when she was a baby, and her mother does not appear to care very much for her.  Elnora spends most of her time in the Limberlost, collecting moths, moss, and other pieces of nature.  Like the author, Elnora is a naturalist and loves the outdoors. 
     The book begins with Elnora going to her first day of highschool in Onabasha, much against her mother's wishes.  Mrs. Comstock uncaringly sends her daughter to school in an ugly hat and out-dated dress.  But receiving an education is most important to Elnora and it outweighs everything else.  Right away, the reader is filled with respect for this brave young girl.  Anyone who has been self-conscious on their first day of school will sympathize with her. 
     Elnora's dreams are almost instantly dashed when she learns that she will have to pay a tuition to attend highschool and buy her own books.  She knows she will receive no help from her mother.  Not only does Mrs. Comstock not approve of highscool, but she is very poor.  Our heroine finds her "fairy godmothers" in her dear neighbors Uncle Wesley and Aunt Maggie.
     A very bright and intelligent girl, Elnora does well in school, and even makes friends with the city girls.  In addition to her regular classes, she studies the violin at school.  Her dead father used to love his violin, but now Mrs. Comstock will not tolerate it.  Elnora has inherited her musical talent from her father, but she does not understand why her mother hatres this instrument.  Elnora loves the violin and cherishes its music from the depths of her soul.
     The mystery surrounding Mr. Comstock's death hangs over Elnora and the first half of the book.  Whatever happened that fateful day has turned Mrs. Comstock's heart bitter and cold, unable to give the love that Elnora craves.
     I loved the first half of this young adult novel.  I liked learning what American highschool was like way back in 1909.  If you enjoy the outdoors, you will like all the references to the birds, plants, and moths native to the Limberlost and Indiana.  I really liked Uncle Wesley and Aunt Maggie, and the character arch of Mrs. Comstock is different and touching.  Elnora herself was different, in that I had never read a book in which the main character is a naturalist. 
     In reading the book, I felt that the novel was actually two stories.  A long time ago I saw a 1990 TV version of Mrs. Porter's book, and it told only the first half of the story.  While the first "story" is about Elnora and her mother's dark heart, the second half focuses on Elnora's love story.  Unfortunately, the love story was disappointing.  I could see the end coming chapters before it came.  I do find comfort in recurring patterns, but I could not fully enjoy this one. 
     Nonetheless, do not let this dissuade you from reading this book.  I enjoyed it, and I would read it again, it's just that the fist half is my favorite.  I have not read anything else by Gene Stratton Porter, but I want to.  She is another one of those delightful lady authors of the early 1900s.  Once well known, her works have been surpassed in the waves of time by such contemporaries as Lucy Maud Montogomery.  If you like the Anne of Green Gables books, learning about everyday life in America during the turn-of-the-century, or nature you are sure to delight in "A Girl of the Limberlost."

Oh, just as a side note, this book makes references to another tale by Gene Stratton Porter.  It is "Freckles," published around 1900.  It is not necessary to have read "Freckles" to appreciate "A Girl of the Limberlost." 

Silas Marner by Mary Anne Evans

     Gold.  Gold, glimmering in the firelight, is a lovely sight, but can it fill the deep longing all human beings have for companionship and belonging?
     In the rural English village of Raveloe lives a recluse weaver Silas Marner.  The villagers think he is mysterious and strange.  He has only lived in Raveloe fifteen years and he keeps to himself.  He is known to have unusual fits, and his eyes are large. 
     Falsely accused of stealing, Silas Marner finds refuge in Raveloe from his old church congregation.  Withdrawn from the world that has wounded him, Marner's only joy in life comes from selling his wares and counting his beloved gold coins.  It takes another robbery and a tragedy to bring the solitary man into a world of warmth, companionship, and hope.  And just when Silas Marner needs a miracle, a miracle comes to him and transforms his life forever.
     The old weaver, though, isn't the only person with troubles in Raveloe.  While Silas Marner is the main character, an interesting subplot revolves around the upper class Cass family: a subplot that frequently entertwines with the main one. 
     Squire Cass is Marner's landlord.  His pocket book is strained, and his two sons are also hard up for "ready cash."  Dunstin, the younger, gambles and drinks away his allowance, while Godfrey spends his in quite another fashion.  He is secretly married to a woman who lives in another town.  He has made a disgraceful alliance.  He is not proud of his wife and he cannot make his marriage known to anyone.  Dunstin knows of his brother's dilemma, and he uses this information to his advantage.  Godfrey spends his allowance secretly caring for his wife, a drunk, and their daughter and bribing his unscrupulous brother.  To make matters worse for Godfrey, he is in love with Raveloe's Nancy Lamiter.  Her father is well to do and his land borders the Cass's.  Mr. Cass is pressuring Godfrey to propose to Nancy, but Godfrey must miserably reject the very idea that would make him happy.
     Driven close to the breaking point and lacking moral courage, Godfrey recklessly agrees to let Dunstin take his horse to be sold to cover his debts.  Unreliable Dunstin makes several poor choices that eventually turn the entire tide of the story. 
     This tale is full of warm, colorful characters.  It is relatively short, compared to other works of literature of that day.  If you are unfamiliar with Victorian literature, I highly recommend this story as an introduction to this delightful genre.  Like Dicken's "A Christmas Carol," it is not long and it speaks to the heart. "Silas Marner the Weaver of Raveloe" is a tale of friendship, taking responsibility for a one's actions, and overcoming bitterness.

The Racketty-Packetty House

     A short story by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

     Before Pixar's Toy Story, there was Racketty-Packetty House.  In young Cynthia's nursery is a doll house.  It once belonged to her grandmamma, who was a little girl during the childhood of Queen Victoria.  Her grandmother loved and cared for the doll house and its 10 occupants.  Decades later, Cynthia receives the doll house.  Cynthia does not care much for the little run-down house and its shabby inhabitants.  Only six dolls still live in their dear home: Ridiklis, Meg, Peg, Kilmanskeg, Gustibus, and Peter Piper.  Embarrassed by its shabby appearance, Cynthia and her nurse hide "Racketty-Packetty House" behind a chair, out of sight.
     However, unknown to Cynthia, these little dolls have their own lives and personalities.  They play, dance, entertain, and shop whenever Cynthia is gone.  The five brothers and sisters and their maid are jolly souls who are good friends with the cat, the puppy, the Gentleman Mouse, the two cock sparrows, and the Fairies. 
     Their happy life changes when Cynthia is given Tidy Castle for her birthday.  It's a brand new doll house, inhabited by lords and ladies, gardeners and servants.  Cynthia devotes all her time to playing with these new dolls, forgetting completely about Racketty-Packetty House.  This is probably all for the better, because the nurse had threatened to burn the disgraceful house.  Hidden behind the chair, the little dolls' home is temporarily forgotten.
     The dolls enjoy watching the lords and ladies of Tidy Castle from their windows.  The dolls of Tidy Castle, though, look down their noses at the Racketty-Packetty dolls.  All except the lovely Lady Patsy.  She loves their jolly lifestyle.
     Danger threatens Racketty-Packetty House again.  A princess is coming to visit Cynthia, and the nurse decides that the old, run-down doll house must be burned.  Will Ridiklis, Meg, Peg, Kilmanskeg, Gustibus, and Peter Piper be homeless, or will their friends help to save their home?
     From "The Velveteen Rabbit" to "Racketty-Packetty House," the idea of toys coming alive and having special adventures is not new.  Each story is warm, amusing, and touching.  Although short in length, "Racketty-Packetty House" was fun to read, full of fantasy and imagination.


Illustration by Wendy Anderson Halperin

This is a perfect story to share with children.  My favorite edition of this book is illustrated by Wendy Anderson Halperin, 2006.  The pictures are enchanting.  I give it 5 stars!

June 2011 Preview

     Greetings, Readers!

     The theme for the month of June will be lady-writers.  The featured authoresses will be Frances Hodgson Burnett, Mary Anne Evans, and Gene Stratton-Porter. 
     Frances Hodgson Burnett wrote through the late Victorian and Edwardian era.  Her well-known books include The Secret Garden, The Lost Prince, & A Little Princess.
     Mary Anne Evans was a mid-Victorian authoress, who wrote under the pen name of George Elliot.  Her famous works include Middlemarch, Adam Bede, and The Mill on the Floss. 
     The last lady authoress is an American naturalist, Gene Stratton-Porter.  She wrote during the Edwardian era, and some of her works include The Song of the Cardinal & Freckles.  
     I look forward to sharing more book reviews with you in the upcoming month!

          ~ Katelyn

     If you like history and want a deeper understanding of the nuances and references found in Victorian/Edwardian novels, these books are wonderful sources.  I have enjoyed reading them and they have given me a greater appreciation not only for novels but for period movies based during the old-fashioned days.

"What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew: from Fox Hunting to Whist: the Facts of Daily Life in Nineteenth-Century England" by Daniel Pool.

"The Writer's Guide to Everyday Life in Regency - Victorian England from 1811 - 1901" by Kristine Hughes.

"Life in Victorian England: The Way People Live" by Duane C. Damon.  The Way People Live is a wonderful series, covering all sorts of interesting topics, from medieval to modern times.

"Inside the Victorian Home" by Judith Flanders.  This is my favorite resource.  It is incredible and an enjoyable read!

If you enjoy antique shopping, keep an eye out for old etiquette books.  I have purchased several, and they are full of fascinating information.  They can include remedies, fashion tips, and tea time.

Cornell Series of Standard Books

     Hello Readers!
In one of my antique shopping adventures, I came across this interesting little pamphlet, written for the school years of 1917-1918.

                 School Supplies
                          ~
                Catalogue
          From The Publishing Office of
          A. J. Fouch Company
          Warren, PA.
           Publishers, Manufacturers and Dealers
          School Supplies.
          Teachers' Supplies.
          Books, Cards, School Merchandise
                         ~
          We solicit and desire your patronage.
          A. J. Fouch Company, Warren, PA.
          Catalogue Edition 1917-1918.


     It has amazing lists of school supplies, from globes to school plays, and the prices for each item.  It was so much fun to see what students almost 100 years ago studied in school.

     On of the interesting lists I found, was "Cornell Series of Standard Books."  See how many of these books sound familiar to you!  How many have you read?

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Caroll                       
Anderson's Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Anderson                  
Not Like Other Girls by Rosa Nouchette Carey
Aunt Diana by Rosa Nouchette Carey                                    
New Arabian Knights

Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens
Biglow Papers by James Russell Lowell
Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
Black Rock, a Tale of the Selkirks by Ralph Connor
The Blithedale Romance by Nathaniel Hawthorne
A Book of Golden Deeds by Charlotte Yonge
The Courtship of Miles Standish by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Crown of Wild Olives by John Ruskin
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
Diana of the Crossways by George Meredith
Donovan by Ada Ellen Bayly
East Lynne by Ellen Wood
English Orphans by Mary Jane Holmes
Esther, from the Bible
Gold Elsie by Eugenie Marlitt
Grandfather's Chair by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Green Mountain Boys by Daniel Pierce Thompson
Grimm's Household Tales by the Brothers Grimm
Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift
House of Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne
In His Steps by Charles M. Sheldon
Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott
John Halifax, Gentleman by Dinah Maria Mulock Craik
The Lamplighter by Maria S, Cummins
Last Days of Pompeii by Edward Bulwer-Lytton
Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper
Lena Rivers by Mary Jane Holmes
The Light that Failed by Rudyard Kipling
The Little Minister by J. M. Barrie
Longfellow's Poems by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Man in the Iron Mask by Alexandre Dumas
The Minister's Wooing by Harriet Beecher Stowe
Mysterious Island by Jules Verne
Mosses from an Old Manse by Nathaniel Hawthorne
The Oregon Trail by Francis Parkman
Our Bessie by Rosa Nouchette Cary
The Pathfinder by James Fenimore Cooper
Paul and Virginia by Jacques-Henri Bernardin de Saint-Pierre
The Phantom Rickshaw by Rudyard Kipling
Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan
The Pilot: A Tale of the Sea by James Fenimore Cooper
The Pioneers by James Fenimore Cooper
The Pleasures of Life by Sir John Lubbock
The Prairie: A Tale by James Fenimore Cooper
Red River by ?
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Silas Marner by George Eliot
The Sketch Book by Washington Irving (essays)
The Spy by James Fenimore Cooper
St. Elmo by Augusta Jane Evans
Swiss Family Robinson Johann David Wyss
Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Tales of a Traveller by by Washington Irving (essays)
Tanglewood Tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Tempest and Sunshine by Mary Jane Holmes
Ten nights in a Bar Room by Timothy Shay Arthur
Tollers of the Sea by ?
Tom Brown at Oxford by Thomas Hughes
Tom Brown's School Days by Thomas Hughes
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
Two Admirals by James Fenimore Cooper
Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
The Water Witch by James Fenimore Cooper
Whittier's Poems by John Greenleaf Whittier
A Wonder Book for Girls and Boys by James Fenimore Cooper 


     Quite a list of books!  I've only read nine of the books - am I behind!  They must have really held James Fenimore Cooper and Nathaniel Hawthorne in high regard.  Their names appear multiple times.  I've only read "Last of the Mohicans" by Cooper and nothing by Hawthorne.
     Perhaps, if you are doing the summer reading challenge, this list might give you some ideas.  I've started on the reading challenge, and I am reading "The Red Badge of Courage" by Stephen Crane.  If you would like to join me in the challenge, visit my post titled "Summer Reading Challenge!" May 17, 2011. 


Happy reading!

~ Katelyn

  

Summer Reading Challenge!

Dear Avid Readers,

     I apologize for my sporadic blogging.  There have been great demands on my time, and I find that there are not enough hours in the day, as they say. : )  I can hardly believe that month of May is half over!  I will not post three book reviews this month as I am already way behind schedule.  I will attempt to resume my usual schedule in June.  For May I will try to post some special editions and some interesting Victorian tips.
     As I finished classes last week, my summer has begun, and I would like to propose a "Summer Reading Challenge."  Please join me!  It'll be quite jolly. : )

     The challenge begins today, May 17th, and ends on September 1st.  The goal is to read four different books, all, with the exception of one, written before 1920:

1.  A book written by a author that you have never read before.
2.  A book that you have never read but written by an author that you like.
3.  A book written by an author that is not a native of your country.
4.  A book of your own choice!  It can be written at any time in history. 

     I hope you will join me in this summer reading challenge.  It will be lots of fun.  There are so many wonderful books out there: books by authors that will live forever and books by authors forgotten by the masses.  Visit your library, surf the web, or patronize an antique shop and you are sure to find wonderful treasures.  If you find any wonderful books this summer, I'd love to hear of your discoveries!  You can email me at kmpreuss@gmail.com. 
Happy reading!
~ Katelyn

The Adventure of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

     Is man completely good?  Or is he good and bad?  The nature of man is the theme of this psychological horror tale by Robert Louis Stevenson.  Add the foggy streets of Victorian London, with narrow lanes, and a mysterious door, and you have a delightfully creepy tale for the hours around midnight.

    Mr. Utterson and Mr. Richard Enfield are taking a walk through the roads of London.  Their way passes a mysterious corner of London:

     "Two doors from one corner on the left hand going east, the line was broken by the entry of a court; and just at that point a certain sinister block of building thrust forward its gable on the street.  It was two stories high; showed no window, nothing but a door on the lower story and a blind forehead of discoloured wall on the upper; and bore in every feature the marks of prolonged and sordid negligence.  The door which was equipped with neither bell nor knocker, was blistered and distained."*

     Mr. Enfield has an unusual connection to this dark place.  During one of his walks, he saw a terrible accident.  A man and a girl ran straight into each other, but, unlike any civil gentleman, the man "trampled calmly over the child's body and left her her screaming on the ground.  It sounds nothing to hear, but it was hellish to see."*  Mr. Enfield chased after the man and demanded restitution for the girl to the amount of 100 pounds.  To avoid a scene, the man agrees to the amount.  He takes Mr. Enfield to this very door in question, enters, and then reemerges with some of the money and a cheque.  Mr. Enfield tries to describe this horrible man to his friend, but "He is not easy to describe.  There is something wrong with his appearance; something displeasing, something downright detestable.  I never saw a man I so disliked; and yet I scarce know why."*  His name is Hyde.  And the name on the check is a Dr. Henry Jekyll.
     It is Mr. Utterson's turn to reveal some information to his friend.  He knows of this Mr. Hyde.  His friend and client, Dr. Jekyll, has left this man everything in his will.  Mr. Utterson, the lawyer, does not like the conditions of Jekyll's will.  He finds the terms disturbing: "in the case of the decease of Henry Jekyll . . ., all his possessions were to pass into the hands of his 'friend and benefactor Edward Hyde,' but that in the case of Dr. Jekyll's 'disappearance or unexplained absence for any period exceeding three calendar months,'"* Mr. Hyde will also inherit.
     Dr. Jekyll is a good, respectable man, and Mr. Utterson fears that Mr. Hyde may be blackmailing him for some youthful follies of years gone by.  Confused and concerned, Mr. Utterson discusses the mystery with a mutual friend of Jekyll, Dr. Lanyon.  Jekyll has been pursuing his own strange theories, and Dr. Lanyon has not seen him in a long time.
     When Utterson visits Jekyll, the latter seems calm and unconcerned about Hyde.  " '. . . I will tell you one thing: the moment I choose, I can be rid of Mr. Hyde. . . . this is a private matter, and I beg of you to let it sleep.' "*
     The advice to let sleeping dogs lie, lasts for almost a year.  Then a terrible murder is committed - and the murderer is Edward Hyde.  Greatly shaken, Jekyll declares that he has rid himself of Hyde.  The doctor's life changes suddenly.  He becomes more sociable, donates to charities, and attends church.  It appears that the doctor's life has changed for the better, and Mr. Hyde completely disappears.  But only for a short time.

     Although short in length, The Adventure of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is not small in literary stature.  The story excites imagination and thought.  The nature of man is a deep subject and controversial.  Is man by nature fully good?  If so, what causes him to do evil, commit horrid crimes, and completely disregard the people around him?  Some may say society forces people to turn to crime and vice.  However, what if man is both good and evil?  If so, where did the evil and where did the good come from?

*Stevenson, Robert Louis.  Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Other Stories.  New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1925.  Print.  From the series "Everyman's Library."

The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

     In the mid-18th century, the evil master of the Manor of Baskerville brings a curse down upon his descendants.  Wicked and selfish to the core, Sir Hugo Baskerville kidnaps a maiden from a nearby farm.  He locks her away in a room in his spacious manor.  While she awaits a terrible fate, he goes downstairs to sup and drink with his dishonorable friends.  The maiden, desperate, escapes and flees for her life across the dark moor.  Sir Hugo discovers her flight, and makes chase - with his hounds.
     Sir Hugo's friends follow him.  They stop a night shepherd to ask directions, and he replies that Sir Hugo was seen, running away from "a hound of hell."  Three of the men continue in their search, only to find death and horror.  The maiden is dead: "dead of fear and of fatigue."  Close to her form is the mutilated body of Sir Hugo, brought down by the hound.

     ". . . there stood a foul thing, a great, black beast, shaped like a hound, yet larger than any hound that ever mortal eye has rested upon.  And even as they looked the thing tore the throat out of Hugo Baskerville, on which, as it turned its blazing eyes and dripping jaws upon them, the three shrieked with fear and rode for dear life, still screaming, across the moor.  One, it is said, died that very night of what he had seen, and the other twain were but broken men for the rest of their days.
     "Such is the tale, my sons, of the coming of the hound which is said to have plagued the family so sorely ever since.  If I have set it down it is because that which is clearly known hath less terror than that which is but hinted at and guessed.  Nor can it be denied that many of the family have been unhappy in their deaths which have been sudden, bloody, and mysterious.  Yet may we shelter ourselves in the infinite goodness of Providence, which would not for ever punish the innocent beyond that third and fourth generation which is threatened in Holy Writ.  To that Providence, my sons, I hereby commend you, and I counsel you by way of caution to forbear from crossing the moor in those dark hours when the powers of evil are exalted."*  

     Now, in the later years of the nineteenth century, a descendant, Sir Charles Baskerville, lives in the shadow of this curse.  He is found dead in the grounds of his manor.  His body is found by his butler, Barrymore.  On Sir Charles's face is a look of horror.  The diagnosis is cardiac exhaustion.  His mysterious death is attributed to the Hound.
     Before his nephew and heir, Sir Henry Baskerville, can arrive at the manor, Dr. Mortimer brings the case, the legend, and his concerns for Sir Henry's safety to Mr. Sherlock Holmes at 221B Baker Street.  Holmes listens to the case, but appears to be little interested in this "supernatural" hound and the curse.  Instead, he sends Dr. Watson with Dr. Mortimer and Sir Henry to Baskerville Hall.  Dr. Watson's instructions are to write detailed reports and mail them to Holmes in London.
     The beginning of the novel follows Dr. Watson and his investigation and adventures at Baskerville Hall and the nearby village.  Besides meeting Barrymore and his wife, Watson makes the acquaintance of a neighbor, Mr. Stapleton and his sister, Miss Stapleton.  But the plot thickens, the night comes, and the houd roams the moore.
     An excellent edition of "The Hound of the Baskervilles" and other Sherlock Holmes mysteries is The Original Illustrated Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.  37 short stories and a complete novel from The Strand Magazine.  They are printed so as to look like they did in the magazine, and they include the dates when each story was released.  It an excellent book for all Sherlock Holmes fans. (This is not meant as an advertisement :), but as a suggestion for all book lovers and Holmes fans!)

     *All quotations are from this source:  
     Doyle, Arthur Conan.  "The Hound of the Baskervilles."  McClure, Philips & Co., 1902. Print.  Doyle, Arthur Conan.  "The Original Illustrated Sherlock Holmes."  Edison, New Jersey: CASTLE BOOKS, A Division of Book Sales, Inc.  Print.  

The Innocence of Father Brown by G. K. Chesterton

     G. K. Chesterton introduced us to the amusing, yet brilliant Father Brown in 1911 with his book "The Innocence of Father Brown."  These first twelve stories are not only amazing mysteries, but wonderful narrations and commentaries on life and how individuals view their world.  Perception, formed by our reality, really does affect how we act.  While Holmes investigates how the crime was committed and the motive behind the crime, Father Brown examines the psychological motives of the criminals.  These stories made me an instant Father Brown fan, and I hope you enjoy them, too!
  

     Here is a brief plot synopsis of each of the stories in The Innocence of Father Brown.   

     The Blue Cross: The internationally famous French investigator Valentin chases the infamous, genius French criminal Flambeau in England.  Valentin follows a trail of crazy clues, pursuing a tall priest and a short priest.    
     The Secret Garden:  When Father Brown attends a gathering at Valentin’s house, a man dies mysteriously in a garden that is surrounded by walls with only one entrance.  
     The Queer Feet: Father Brown goes to an exclusive club to hear the confessions of a dying man.  While he’s there, an amazing robbery occurs, right under the noses of the victims. 
     The Flying Stars:  Sir Leopold Fischer gives his goddaughter three precious African diamonds: a tempting conquest for any thief! 
     The Invisible Man: Miss Laura Hope has two unwanted suitors – Smythe and James Welkin.  When Smythe prepares to present his suite to Miss Hope, he receives a death warning from his rival James Welkin.
     The Honor of Israel Gow: Father Brown investigates the death of a Scottish earl.  He fears foul play, even witchcraft.    
     The Wrong Shape: Mr. Quinton is found dead in his room.  It appears to be suicide, but a clue points to a different conclusion.  What is the clue?  Mr. Quinton’s stationary is cut in the wrong shape. 
     The Sins of Prince Saradine: Prince Saradine, an Italian nobleman, has retired from the social whirl, and lives quietly.  Father Brown visits him with a friend and becomes acquainted with him, his butler, and housekeeper.  Little does he know that someone is seeking revenge and the prince’s life.   
     The Hammer of God: Once there were two brothers: a clergyman and a dandy.  One lives a life of virtue and piety; the other a life of sin and darkness.  As the clergyman prays in the church, sudden judgment comes upon his wicked brother.   
     The Eye of Apollo: Miss Pauline Stacey is defiant and determined to live life by her own rules.  She is a disciple of the mysterious worshiper of the sun, Kalon.  However, things turn very wrong one day at noon. 
     The Sign of the Broken Sword: General Sir Arthur St. Clare is remembered as a brave and noble soldier and martyr of England.  But are all heroes as great as history says? 
     The Three Tools of Death: An accusation, a distressed woman, a suspect.  Father Brown comes to comfort a suffering daughter, whose father has just been murdered by his secretary.  But perhaps events are not as clear as they first appear?    

Too busy to read a book?  I highly recommend this dramatic reading by Kevin O'Brien.  Each story is prefaced and ended by Dale Ahlquist, giving interesting information about the story and about G. K. Chesterton.  This CD album can be purchased at www.ignatius.com

  

Warning: if you do not like blood, gore, and violence, these stories are rather explicit, more so than the Sherlock Holmes mysteries.

Special Edition: Bobtail Dixie, Chapter I

     "Bobtail Dixie" by Abbie N. Smith.  My grandmother owned this book.  My grandmother lived next door, and I spent a lot of time with her.  I cannot really remember reading this book at her house.  I remember reading other books there, such as "Dandie: The Tale of the Yellow Cat" and "The Sunbonnet Babies Trip to Italy."  This book now sits on our bookshelves.
     Bobtail Dixie is a dog, owned by Preacher Smith and his family.  I have a copy of the 4th edition, copyrighted in 1901 by Abbey Press and 1902 by the authoress.  The story is in first person and told from the dog's perspective.  It is an interesting child's book, filled with photographs that act as illustrations, in addition to drawings.
     Following the Table of Contents is the dedication:  "To my nephews and nieces, this book is affectionately dedicated by the Author."  Chapter I is preambled by this question:  "Every dog has his day, why not I?"
     I have copied the first chapter of this charming little book.  Enjoy!

                                                    Chapter I.
                                         WHEN I WAS A PUPPY.

     First, you will want to know who I am and what I look like.  As far as I know, from glimpses I have caught of myself while drinking from a shiny tin basin, I am a little dog, white in color, except a dark brown mark over my right ear and eye; my eyes seem to match in color the brown on my ear, and I do not seem to have a tail worthy of mention.
     I was born "way down South in Dixie," on a farm, near Houston. Texas.  My master's name was Smith; perhaps you have heard the name before, as they say there are a great many Smiths in the world; but I am very sure that not one of them is quite as nice and good as my master Roy.  When a little boy, Roy was a great favorite of his grandfather, who loved animals and was kind to them, so perhaps that is the reason my master has always been kind and good to them, too.
     Roy owned several other dogs besides myself, and we did have such good times running around and playing on the farm.  One of our duties was to make some pigs stay where they belonged, and as there were no fences on our farm, we sometimes had great sport chasing the pigs out of the yard and garden.  It was funnier for us than for them, as we sometimes pulled their ear to teach them to stay at home.  Roy's grandfather said it reminded him of the way teachers used to pull the ears of unruly pupils in school.
     Our home was so happy I wanted to stay there always, but could not, as you will see.  It happened this way: an uncle of my master came to visit him, and Roy, who was very proud of us, showed us to the gentleman.
     "I have two little cousins, living up North, and I would like to send them a present; how do you think they would like one of my dogs?"  I heard master say as I listened to their conversation.
     I was greatly interested, and listened eagerly for his answer.  I heard the uncle say he was sure nothing would please them more, and as he and his wife were soon going to visit them, he would gladly take them a dog.  This excited me still more, and I thought, "Can it be they will select me?"  On second thought, I was sure there were handsomer and nicer dogs than I on the farm, though I am proud to say I am not a mongrel, but a real aristocratic dog.  I thought it would be a fine thing to go away and see more of the world, and I wanted to see those little children.  But I soon thought how I should miss the other dogs, even though we did not always agree, and sometimes grieved our kind master, who reproved us for quarreling.
     As I was one of the smallest dogs, I usually came out of a fight feeling very humble, and sometimes looking pretty rough.  But that is an unpleasant subject to me, so I will drop it.
     They took some time to decide which dog to take, looking us over very carefully several times.  Then they looked at me again, and my master said,"This is a cute little fellow and I believe I will send him, although I shall miss him."
     I was glad and sorry, too; but it did not seem to make much difference how I felt about the matter, for I was no consulted int eh least, thought it was to make such a difference in my life.
     I forgot to tell you that I was to be a Christmas present.  They knew Master Roy was to send them something, but had no idea it would be alive; probably thought it would be a drum or a doll; they surely did not think a little dog would go so far to see any one.
     At this time I was only three months old, but you know dogs know a great deal more than babies do at that age, at least they are not so helpless; for while babies cannot even creep, dogs can run real fast.  I will confess, though, that when babies do walk they walk on two legs, which the oldest and wisest of dogs cannot do, unless they are what are called trained dogs; and between you and me they do not like it, and never do it except when compelled to do so by their master, and then they drop down and walk on four legs just as soon as they dare.  They are not comfortable at all walking on two legs.  Some trained dogs are even dressed up like folks and try to act like them - the "Snyder Family," for instance, who, with their master, travel about giving exhibitions.  Roy took me to see them one day, and bought one of their pictures.  Would you like to see it?
                                             

      Isn't it an adorable photo?  I wonder if the child this book was given to enjoyed the story and smiled at the pictures.  My grandmother's copy has a little message written on the first page:  Miss Ruth Walters  Xmas
From Uncle Jim.  It was a sweet note.

     April update coming soon! 

"The Adventurs of Pinocchio" by Carolo Collodi

     Once there was a block of wood.  It had a life, albeit short, before it came into the hands of a woodcarver, named Geppetto.  This block of wood is nothing but trouble from the start.  As Geppetto carves out the legs and arms of his future puppet, his creation instantly strikes out and hurts him.  No wish or Blue Fairy are necessary here to bring the little marionette to life.  But do not fear, the Blue Fairy does play an important role in the overall story.
     Pinocchio has his share of adventures as he learns to be a good boy.  He is tempted by the Fox and the Blind Cat, kidnapped by Stromboli - the shady entertainer - and goes to "The Land of Toys."  Along the way, he meets many unusual and frightening characters with whom Disney fans will not be familiar.  Pinocchio spends most of his time searching for Geppetto or the Blue Fairy, who raises him as her boy.  For a time he lives with the Blue Fairy and obediently attends school.  Then, a couple of hours before he becomes a boy, he falls to the greatest temptation of running away from home with a bunch of other boys.  There at "The Land of Toys" all the boys turn into donkeys, including our little marionette friend - miserable, mute donkeys.
     After watching Disney's fun, family-friendly 1940 animated version of Collodi's fairytale, I figured I should read the original.  While it follows the basic plot line of Disney's classic, the book has many subplots and characters that did not make it into the movie.  The story is much darker than the film:  Pinocchio actually kills the Cricket who tries to help him, and, when he falls asleep by the fire, his little feet burn off.  Pinocchio is certainly not a character to be admired.  He constantly disobeys and is easily deceived by those who wish him harm.  Certainly most of us can relate to Pinocchio - we've given in to things we know we should not have, gone down the wrong roads, met the wrong people.  We repent and try to make things right, but the damage can already be done and may be pass repairing.
     Published in 1881, "The Adventures of Pinocchio" follows one puppet's journey from "puppethood" to boyhood.  It's a long lesson and a long journey to becoming a real boy, but it is well worth the sacrifice and struggles.    

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

     Have you ever been to Hannibal, Missouri?  I visited this town many years ago.  I do not remember the setting very well, but after reading "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" I would like to return to the hometown of my favorite American storyteller.
     How many Mark Twain novels or short stories have you read?  I have read "The Prince & the Pauper," "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court" and, for the first time, "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer."  There are many more that are on my Must Read list (for instance, Pudd'nhead Wilson & The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn).  Very American in tone, Twain's novels ring with independence, adventure, and essential scrapes and misadventures that accompany old-fashioned boyhood.
     Tom Sawyer is the mischievous, curly-haired boy from St. Petersburg, Missouri, who is always on the look out for trouble and danger.  The epitome of the independent, self-reliant American spirit of the early 1800s, Tom Sawyer steals our hearts and our attention from the beginning. He is always one step ahead of poor Aunt Polly, who adores him in spite of his naughtiness.  Quick as a jack-rabbit and as clever as a fox, Tom leaps from adventure to adventure. 
     Yes, Tom Sawyer is white-washing the fence as a punishment, but not for long.  Perhaps the neighborhood boys may be "coaxed" into helping him.  Also, there is the swell from St. Louis to be dealt with, not to mention the pretty Becky Thatcher, who is new to St. Petersburg.  But let's not forget the cemetery . . . at midnight!
     In a superstitious endeavor to get rid of warts, Tom Sawyer and his friend, the disreputable Huckleberry Finn, creep into the local cemetery.  However, warts are the last thing on their minds when they witness Injun Joe murder the town doctor and then lay the blame of the horrendous crime at drunk Muff Potter's door. Terrified of the ruthless Injun Joe, Tom and Huck make a pact never to tell a soul what they witnessed.  But when Muff Potter is charged with the murder and faces the hangman's noose, will Tom and Huck decide to tell the truth, even if it means their safety?
     St. Petersburg may be small in size, but it is not lacking in thrills and laughter.  The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is a perfect read for the spring or summer.  I hope you will decide to pick up this wonderful book and view the world through the imperfect, but strikingly honest, eyes of young Tom Sawyer.