My hardcover copy of The Crofter and the Laird by John McPhee, first printing in 1970 is also inscribed. To Mary Scoville with affectionate good wishes, Frances Haynes, it states. Somehow I feel that Frances had chosen this book especially, over many other books, like a good friend who really knows you would do. Maybe Mary has a Scottish heritage or spent a lovely visit to Scotland. The name Scoville originated in Cornwall, England and has a registered coat of arms. Peoples of the United Kingdom tended to move around from Wales, Ireland, Scotland, and England so it is easily possible.
The inscription makes the book personal beyond what the author accomplished. A treasure is created by the mere touch of a pen that reveals thoughtfulness. It is an addition that doesn’t come with the buying of a new book. It is also a good writing prompt. Can’t you just create a great story around the inscription inside a book?
James Graves has black and white sketches depicting scenes McPhee wrote about. Remember when publishers did that? It gave an artist a helping hand in getting their work and name into print. The reader benefitted, too. I still remember the pleasure my Nancy Drew books, with pictures, gave me when I was growing up. My Nancy Drew books came from the school library but I wonder how many an Aunt set a reader on fire with an inscribed Nancy Drew book.
Category: writing
WRITING IN BOOKS
Were you taught to not write or mark your books when you were growing up? Teachers especially stressed that the books loaned to us for class had to be reused the next year and the year after that. Strong words were spoken about the love and care of books.
That love and care of books remains with me today and the memories of those teachers. Yet after decades of keeping my books pristine has changed drastically.
In the 90s I came to appreciate and to buy mostly used books. Often I would open a book to see a personal note written on the flyleaf by someone gifting the book. This brought me into the scene of the giver and receiver. A privilege; almost like being invited to share a confidence.
Pictured here, the John Woolman, American Quaker by Janet Whitney book, a first edition published in May 1942, is inscribed, To Cousin Gertrude, a Direct Descendent of John Woolman, with love and best wishes, from H…. Hutchinson Cook. The dots replace the writing I could not read. The first initial could be an H or a TH. I wonder about the relationship between these two cousins. I imagine the delight she felt with receiving this gift. He sounds happy to have found this book for her to read.
The original price in the book is $3.75. It is listed online for $33.00 to $85.00. For serious book collectors the inscription would lower the value of the book. I think of it as adding value.
More on this subject in the near future.
Longbourn by Jo Baker…..a review
Longbourn. The very name of the manor house of the Bennet family of Jane Austen fame will perk up the ears of any reader and avid fan of Pride & Prejudice. Yet there are so many offshoots of the Jane Austen novels that are not worthy of a true fan of hers. I found that Longbourn by Jo Baker is an excellent read. The story comes from the voice of Sarah, an orphan servant below stairs. As she comes of age, she tells the story from her viewpoint, longing for love and wishing a man would rescue her from this life.
When James Smith comes on the scene as a footman, it is obvious to Sarah that there is a secret to uncover; something to do with Longbourn. Secrets must be uncovered, she says to no one there.
Ptolemy, a freed man of Africa, who takes on his master’s name of Bingley enters the picture with big, wild, dreams of his own and he’d like Sarah to share them. Sarah longs for a life away from the drudgery and doesn’t mind going after what she desires.
Jo Baker does an exceptional job of writing. She keeps the language of the early 19th century, only revealing what the downstairs servants would have known or heard of what was going on upstairs, and describing what their lives would truly have been like. She also shows a different view of Mr. Bennet and Mr. Collins. Brava to you Ms. Baker.
The WAM Maya Angelou Tribute
Thomas Park of the Warren Artists’ Market (WAM) declared the First Friday Poetry Night in June to be a tribute to the memory of Maya Angelou; a great idea for a great lady who influenced many people in her lifetime. Several folks read a poem or two of hers. I had just recently taken “Maya Angelou: The Poetry of Living” by Margaret Courtney-Clarke out of the library, so I brought it along. In the book there are over a hundred pages of comments from people whose lives she touched, along with a few comments of her own.
To accent my chosen readings from the book, I added two poems that touched me especially. “Alone” was one and the other “Touched by an Angel” surely she had personal experiences with both.
Sterling added some soft jazz in the background and gave us all a special treat by playing a recording, bringing Maya Angelou’s voice right into the room with us! A delightful experience!
Maya cooked with words of all varieties. She also was a kitchen cook. Reading her cookbooks, The Welcome Table and Great Food, All Day Long, etc. that sit on my cookbook shelves, are filled with recipes for elegant dining, the best recipes for leftovers, and a running conversation. They make me feel as if she is in the kitchen with me. A blessing and a comfort, indeed.
I hope she got her cool drink of water before she died.
Writing Memoir
I gave up a chance to paint with friends one day last month because I knew I’d been postponing writing the next chapter in a memoir, written strictly for healing purposes. The Past kept burning me to get out of the place I had buried it so many years ago. Like the characters in my Major Fraser book that would not let me sleep at night until I told their story.
So I gave up the beautiful day for painting and stayed inside, on my PC, and wrote, and wrote, and wrote; only taking time out for nibbles and water from the kitchen. These trips to the kitchen help keep my lower back from protesting the hours at the PC. Lizzie came after me, pawing at my elbow at 3 o’clock. She wanted me to join her in our loosely scheduled reading time.
“Not today, Lizzie” I told her. “My muse is hot and my fingers nimble. I’m cranking.” She looked properly disappointed but understood. She’s a witness to me on a writing hailstorm.
It’s a half hour before midnight and I’ve completed the chapter. I’ve wept, dried the tears, and kept writing. I feel great now. A good cleansing made me feel lighter. The memoir is near completion and I’d like to get back to some kind of normal life, for a while anyway. Maybe do some planting if the season has not passed me by . . . cut the grass… clean the house… all waiting for me while my memories were unloading onto the paper.
Looking for a Lost Relative
Looking for a Lost Relative
The trouble women face, not as often today as in the past, is the name thing. When we get married and take our husband’s name as our own, we lose our identity. This makes genealogy searches on women extremely difficult. And when we marry a second time, it makes it twice as difficult.
It also makes it hard when cleaning out old files and boxes full of photos that the next generation will know nothing about. Which brings me to my dilemma; I have photos of a first cousin, who I only remember meeting once or twice in a lifetime that spans two centuries. (The last one and this one-I’m not over 100 years old.)
The photo posted was Janet Bice at her Holy Communion, born in Trenton, New Jersey area, I think. in the late 1930s. Daughter of William Bice. Not sure, but I think her mother’s name was Helen. The last I heard, she lived to Texas. This would have been in the 1970s. If anyone has an idea of who she or her family is, please let me know. I know someone out there would love to have these pictures.
Speaking of Good Writing-Downton Abbey’s Julian Fellowes
Downton Abbey is so refreshing to hear as well as to watch. It’s the writing! It’s good dialogue. The actors can hardly discharge good lines if they aren’t any good when written. Thanks to Julian Fellowes we hear good lines…..and thanks to Maggie Smith, of course.
The Dowager Countess character puts me in mind of an earlier writing extraordinaire of Fellowes’, Gosford Park . Countess Trentham, snobbish aunt of Lady McCordle, played superbly again, by Maggie Smith. She has the best lines in the movie. Well, among the best. Fellowes declares that he fashioned her after an aunt of his own. It is a movie I have watched many times because of the good writing; the subtle hints to dwell on, trying to figure it all out. After I did figure it out and I knew what was coming next, I still enjoyed it because good acting follows good writing.
If you want to search and enjoy more of Julian Fellowes, check out Monarch of the Glen. He acts resplendently as a delightful character in the series from 2000-2005.
No, that is not a picture of Downton Abbey. It is America’s Castle, the Biltmore, former home of George Washington Vanderbuilt in Asheville, North Carolina.
Son Kenny’s Poetry of Love 1982
Since it is near the end of the year 2013, a good time for browsing through files, going over the past, readying for the future, I came across this item in my folder.
In 2005: I found this poem while cleaning out the attic for the big move to the South. This is how son Kenneth Bice Morrison wrote and set the poem six months before he passed away in an auto accident. Hopefully the young woman he wrote it for happens to read it.
Jan ‘82
I remember
the ferria in Seville
and Rota
and in some town tween there
and a bull fight in Sanlucar.
going for a ride in a rent-a-car.
I remember
way too much drinking
far to few
moments spent with you.
I remember
picking flowers
partying at late hours
your fear of height in a tall church tower.
I remember
falling
madly
hopelessly
in love.
Memories
of the way it used 2 B
brings a fear rushing over me
Wraps around my heart
A crazy love
I live imprisoned by a forsaken love
It does NOT have to be this way. . .
More on the Drunken Sorceress
Nearly a year ago Thomas (Park) came up with the idea of putting together an anthology of poetry. Of course I said, “Good idea!”
So it began. We sent out invitations to writers we know across the country. Following is a list of the people whose talented words you will be reading in poem or prose form in Sitting with a Drunken Sorceress, the title poem of Thomas’.
D. Bernard Alston, Devonte’ Alston, Arlene S.Bice, Carrie Champion, Susanne Doucet, Rebecca Dutton, Otis Evans, LaVerne Gardner, Margaret Griffin, Elizabeth Groeger, Kate Guilford, Nancy Iak, Patricia Lapidus, ET Malone, Parker Mincey, Mary Ann Myers, Nancy Cassada Nelson, Eleanore Newbauer, Thomas Park,Jack Peachum, Gary Peterson, Abigail Pillitteri, Judith Prest, Mike Ranes, Thom Record, Kaylee A Roach, Seth Saeugling, Savannah Short, Mary Sullivan, Robert J. Surrette, Hilda Ward, Anita Merriweather Williams, Jyoti Wind,
We were working toward a totally unrealistic publishing date of June 2013, but then writers often work with fantasy. So we pushed the date ahead to September which could possibly have been attained. But alas, the little leprechaun that lives in my house, popped up to cause a few more road blocks. He likes me to know he is alive, well and in control.
Our dear friend, greatly talented artist JA Person was to have his original art work on the cover of the book. In between taking photos of his art work and getting his written permission, JA died. Suddenly. Out of respect for his talent and our friendship, we attempted to have someone in the family sign over one-time copyright for the piece. Sadly, his aging mother passed away shortly after.
We extended the deadline again to come up with new cover art. Next we planned a Holiday Season release just in time for gift-giving.
OMG! The ‘proof’ came back from the printers with the uncorrected copyright page showing JA’s name. Uh-oh. The manuscript had to go back to the printer with the correct information. Uh-oh. The second ‘proof’ was not corrected, either.
Now, surely, Sitting with a Drunken Sorceress will be available for purchasing before the new year.
Hmmmm. I wonder about that drunken sorceress.
a forever feeling
from: Sitting with a Drunken Sorceress
It is nearly here, books are expected to be available in a week or two.
a forever feeling
Words written
have a forever feeling,
a deeper meaning
that goes on and on
that outlives the writer
a word written on paper
is etched in stone
to be found centuries later,
read and enjoyed or wept over.
The word spoken
is thrown out
to the wind
to carry it away
can leave a scar
to be remembered
but it doesn’t last forever,
a word spoken softly
to soothe and caress
may be felt for the moment
but flies away into the air
soon forgotten by the speaker.
Ah, but the word written
remains
to enter our dreams
to carve us,
yearning
brings a tender tear
overflows
falls upon the breast
soaking into the heart; it stays.
A word written binds
like your washing of another’s hands,
gently, caressing
as the soap cleans; scents the skin
seeping into the flesh
to stay as the memory
of that other touch rubs deeply
into that space in you
that no one knows is there.
The written word can be revisited
again and again a treasure
to tease,
to awaken a sleeping moment,
Arlene S. Bice (C)