Monday 30 April 2018

Delightful New Books: Walter Crane, Edward Burne-Jones, The Faerie Handbook, Susan Hill, G.K. Chesterton

Being so neglectful with posting recently, I'm posting two at once to make up for it.  The subject of this one is on some recent book presents for my birthday, ones I'd been wanting for awhile and was very glad to get them! 
We will begin with this new Pook Press facsimile edition of Walter Crane's exquisitely illustrated 'A Floral Fantasy In An Old English Garden' from 1899. This is a beautiful book, the cover alone is very lovely.  I read it in no time, but it is one to return to again.

Fiona MacCarthy's big, fascinating-looking tome on the great artist Edward Burne-Jones, one of my favourite artists, and although I have other biographies about him, this is surely the ultimate Burne-Jones biography.  I was browsing through it and lost track of time.

'The Faerie Handbook', a newly published book that is absolutely stunning, packed with such beautiful art and images, one I couldn't wait to own, and all romantics (particularly romantic females) should have. "The Faerie Handbook is for all those fairy lovers who want a delicious escape, who see that old-world oak with its moss-grown trunk, who love to read poetry and sip herbal tea on a fainting couch on a rainy afternoon in front of a fire, or walk in long dresses over dewy lawns, feeling the wet grass on their feet and watching the light break over the landscape. This is a book that is meant to stir up childhood wonders..." (from the Introduction). A gorgeous book that I'm in the midst of reading and poring over the splendid images.


This is Susan Hill's 2017 companion book to her 'Howard's End Is On The Landing' from nearly a decade ago. It is a hodge-podge of her recollections and opinions on literature, life and literary figures. As with 'Howards...' this one was read through quickly and there are many topics of interest. 


G.K. Chesterton's imaginative fiction stories are rich, fascinating, and sometimes fantastical, and just irresistible to me; though I've not read many yet and in the past was only familiar with his Father Brown mysteries, and need to explore his wise non-fiction too, he had tremendous common sense about the world, and you just know when a character is expressing Chesterton's views.
 'The Return of Don Quixote' from 1927 is one that attracted me very much:

"Michael Herne is a librarian at Seawood Abbey, an estate owned by Lord Seawood. When Lord Seawood's daughter and some of her friends want to put on a play called "Blondel the Troubadour," the librarian is asked to play the part of a medieval king. Herne not only takes his role seriously by thoroughly researching the Middle Ages, when the play is concluded, he refuses to take off the costume. He remains in character, much to the befuddlement and consternation of the other players. With this device, Chesterton achieves a wonderful effect in contrast to the typical snide modern commentary on the past: he creates an opportunity for the past to offer a commentary on the present. Herne looks at his old clothes, that is, the modern clothes he once wore, with embarrassment. The modern world is embarrassing. It takes a previous age to see that." 

There is a lot more going on in this book than in that description, it's a very unusual and complex story and leaves one pondering with a haunting feeling over everything that occurred within. I was expecting it to be more lighthearted than it was, Chesterton presents some serious theories about life and society, and all the characters undergo great changes. There was an unfortunate word used a few times early in the book, but one must expect that sometimes in older books, and I can't abide this trend where people go around apologising for things in books from decades or centuries ago (there is generally more to be offended at in new books) and judging them with contemporary views.  Those that cannot think outside their own time should either leave old books alone or else read them, learn history and broaden their horizons, and develop a sense of proportion.

The character of Olive Ashley interested me from the beginning, as I identified with her pre-occupation with past times, the beauty and depth of art, her Romanticism and spiritual nature: 

"What I mean," she said, resuming the subject of microscopes, "is that all your science and modern stuff has only made things ugly, and people ugly as well.  I don't want to look down a microscope any more than down a drain.  You only see a lot of horrid little things crawling about.  I don't want to look down at all.  That's why I like all this old Gothic painting and building; in Gothic all the lines go upwards, right up to the very spire that points to heaven."

"In the old days people complained of young people breaking out because they were romantic.  But these young men break out because they are sordid; just prosaic and low, and wrangling about machinery and money-materialists.   They just want a world of atheists, that would soon be a world of apes."

Performing in the play 'Blondel the Troubadour,  makes the quiet antiquarian librarian Michael Herne undergo a tremendous life-altering experience and he refuses to change his costume for his normal clothes, and in fact he adopts a new persona that he didn't know was inside himself.
"No, I am never going to change."
After glaring a moment he went on "You all love change and live by change; but I shall never change. It was by change you fell; it is by the madness of change you go on falling.  You had your happy moment, when men were simple and sane and formal and as native to this earth as they can ever be.  You lost it; and even when you get it back for a moment, you have not the sense to keep it.  I shall never change."

..."I mean the old society was truthful and that you are in a tangle of lies," answered Herne.  "I don't mean that it was perfect or painless.  I mean that it called pain and imperfection by their names...but you dare not call anything by its own Christian name.  You defend every single thing by saying it is something else...It is all false and cowardly and shamefully full of shame.  Everything is prolonging its existence by denying that it exists."

"It seems to be a sign of education first to take a thing for granted and then to forget to see if it is still there.  Weapons are a very good working example.  The man says he won't go on wearing a sword because it is no longer any good against a gun.  Then he throws away all the guns as relics of barbarism; and then he is surprised when a barbarian sticks him through with a sword.  You say that pikes and halberds are not weapons against modern conditions.  I say pikes are excellent weapons against no pikes. You say it is all antiquated medieval armament.  But I put my money on men who make medieval armament against men who only disapprove of modern armament.  And what have any of these political parties ever done about armament except profess to disapprove of it?  They renounce it and neglect it and never think of the part it played in political history; and yet they go about with a vague security as if they were girt about with invisible guns that would go off at the first hint of danger.  They're doing what they always do; mixing up their Utopia that never comes with their old Victorian security that's already gone."
Yes, indeed...

So, a varied and interesting selection, and more book gatherings will be featured here as well, there have been many arrivals on many subjects.

7 comments:

  1. Hello Lori! It has been a veritable age since I have responded or could locate your website until today~ It appears I have a lot of catching up to do here now, but began with this perfectly wonderful sounding book and the character of Olive , who , like you from the excerpt you included here, instantly appealed and one I can so easily relate to. I must look for this book. Have several I want to tell you about or ask if you know them already, but will have to wait until I am better able to stay on the pc for an extended time ~ my neck and back particularly unhappy lately but do hope to return here soon and read ALl your posts and comment as well. Hope that all is at least reasonably well with you , if not actually really enjoyable . More soon as I am able.

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    1. Hello Valkrye! It has been a veritable age indeed, I wondered what had happened to you! I am very curious and look forward to hearing about all those books, but am so sorry you are being bothered with those aches and pains, I hope they leave you soon, what a trial. I'm writing stories and reading a lot, and judging by the rate so far, am getting through quite a lot more books this year than last year. You can always chat to me on facebook, just look for Lori Hartbarger. Take care of yourself and get better. :)

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    2. Hello Lori! As always, so lovely to hear from you. You always feel so much a kindred spirit ~ I knew you had an FB page and suppose I could PM you if that is ok ? No time frame or obligation at all in replying~ just if and whenever you feel like it. There is always so much I want to comment on in your posts and to ask as well as just discuss ~ Wonderful to hear you are getting a lot of reading as well as writing done. Excellent that you are writing short stories ~ I think as far as writing , when I did a lot more of it in my youth , short stories worked best for me ~ I have also wanted to talk to you more about films and wonder if you like at all foreign films , particularly French one's but not confined to just French. While I am here must mention at least one book I am sure you will like ~ forgive me if I have mentioned it before but am fairly certain I have not mentioned it yet to you. It is a very fat book~ it feels as if it weighs at least five or more lbs! It is called The Lore of the Land ' (non fiction) by two women . Westwood and Simpson ~ it is a wonderous guide to England's legends ~ witty, wonderfully written as A.S Byatt states on the cover~ a good recommendation ~ I found it for a very good price online , although you might be able to find it there in a good second hand bookshop. I need to look at my booklist of more recent books I have read and see which ones you might be most interested in. Don't know if you are or ever were a Beatles fan at all but if you are and in a fairly in depth sense I just read a very interesting book (and I have read scores of books about them , so not easily impressed nor usually learn anything new ) but to my delight did glean several interesting tit-bits from a book devoted to the year 1966, (The Summer of Love) and the year the Beatles produced their first groundbreaking LP, Revolver~ so it is essentially just what was happening both to them as individuals, and what was happening in London, and the world with the counterculture etc~ This may be far from your cup of tea or interest but just on the off chance , it's called Beatles 66 by Steve Turner. Will get back to you soon on other books I have a better idea would suit you judging from your posts here. Take care

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    3. Of course you may PM me, that goes without saying, please do. I greatly appreciate your comments here, and it would certainly be lovely to chat about books or whatever over there too. I do post pictures of books over there often, and records and CDs too.

      Yes, the short stories, I can start masses of them, have so many ideas, it's the finishing that is really the most difficult, don't you find! I have watched some foreign films, and some French ones, but not a lot. Which are your favourites?

      An excellent choice: 'The Lore of the Land', I have it! I found a like-new hardcover copy sometime back, for quite a good price too. I've only dipped into it here and there yet, but what a great tome it is! I also have 'The Lore of Scotland', and recently got 'The Fabled Coast' as well, they all look fascinating. Jennifer Westwood also had a book called 'Albion' that goes well with the others, and I think that one is easily found second hand. I must do a post on all these, even if I haven't read them cover to cover. Have you read all of Lore?

      Oh yes, I've always loved the Beatles! And the solo Beatles, particularly Paul and George. I'm very interested in the creativity of that time, though not on some elements of the counterculture and the drugs and that sort of thing though; but that one sounds interesting since it's discussing London at that time, which is fascinating, unlike London of now. You take care too, and I look forward to hearing from you!

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    4. Oh excellent, that you were interested enough in Lore of the Land. to go in search of it and found a copy! I had read one other by the same two authors on ghosts of Britain but have forgotten the title~ As far as having read Lore of the Land completely, no , just dipped in and out as the mood takes as I always seem to have so many books on the go and read them by whatever my current state of mind or if they are library books and under time constraint. Having said that, over the years I have read so many excellent books on the lore and legends of England and UK in general that many are covered as well in the Lore but many still I am not familiar with . Have we spoken before at all about Sylvia Townsend Warner ? have you read any of her books or short stories?~ such a unique voice ~ I really love her. And two of my faves by her are both based in the world of magic that seems particularly of England ~ wonderfully evocative description of place and atmosphere . Beautiful and beautifully strange. Well , that's a relief that you love The Beatles both as a group and as individuals~ I like each for different reasons~ I was always a Lennon fan first and foremost, but appreciate each in too many ways to detail here. If you don't know much of what was taking place in London during that period, it is fascinating. In many respects it was still quite small in that there were a limited number of artistic, creative people , whether music , art, literature, avant garde stuff, ~ only one really'hip' or avant garde art gallery and bookshop at the time ~ it must have been quite exciting ~ Paul M. really in the thick of it as he was at that time the only bachelor in the Beatles living in London (the others living just outside in the suburbs at that point coming in only to record in the studio or attend parties and such) and meeting everyone from playwrights, authors, actors,filmmakers, the avant garde, fellow rock musicians . Living there, certainly gave Paul a lot of ideas for his songwriting and lead to greater experimentation in the studio. I knew quite a bit I thought already, but learned even more . Had to smile in recognition about the difficulty in short stories, coming up with a satisfactory ending ~ I think that is almost always the most difficult part~ I always feel after I have read one of your posts that if I was actually in the same room with you, would be talking for ages ~ one thought tends to spark off another and a jumping off place for yet more thoughts and questions. I certainly will take you up on your kind offer to message ~ that way, if there are other readers of your blog I shall not be dominating the comment section here. I still must respond to your most recent post! Will speak more on films next time ~ perhaps in a message via FB. Oh! but while I am thinking on it... have you seen any trailers / previews of the new film with Bill Nighy (I quite like Bill as an actor and person and discovered he is a fellow bibliophile and knows the names of all the independent bookshops in every town he visits!) ~ The film he is in is called Simply The Bookshop apparently from book by the same name by Penelope Fitzgerald (who happens to also be one of his fave authors)~ Do you know anything about either? Visually it looks good and some excellent actors ~ now if only the script does justice to the book! "Florence Green, a free-spirited widow, puts grief behind her and risks everything to open up a bookshop -- the first such shop in the sleepy seaside town of Hardborough, England. But this mini social revolution soon brings her fierce enemies: she invites the hostility of the town's less prosperous shopkeepers and also crosses Mrs. Gamart, Harborough's vengeful, embittered alpha female who is a wannabe doyenne of the local arts scene. Mixed reviews but I hardly pay critics any mind and prefer to decide for myself . I do hope it is good as would love to see a really interesting contemporary made film for a change!

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  2. Please forgive what I now see as I re-read my comment, MANY typos and spelling faux pas! Hard to see when you are writing it all in one small box.

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  3. Do not worry about commenting, please comment away! My blog gets readers, but sadly, none of them will comment but you. It's rather disappointing and made me wonder whether to continue sometimes. I've collected a good selection of books on English and Celtic folklore and legends, it's all endlessly fascinating, isn't it? I've only read one Sylvia Townshend Warner book, 'Lolly Willows', which was good but I felt somewhat disappointed in the main character the way she let herself be so walked over through most of it, as if she was just going through the motions with no soul or sense of self. I remember reading that one bit with delight when she splurged on a bunch of beautiful, vibrant flowers. What is your overall impression of her work?
    Now that film, 'The Bookshop'...I've been keenly awaiting it! Once I read a blog about the original book and it sounded very good, them heard about this new film months ago and keep waiting and waiting, can't wait to see it!

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