Category Archives: Bookish

Visits to book releases, signings and any author or book related event.

The Woman in White: Narrative of Vincent Gilmore

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The Woman in White

The Woman in White

The Woman in White continues! The first part is here, below is the second narrative, which could have been tied up in a few pages, but instead took many many pages. Also, dogs hate villainous people.

————-

Vincent: I am Vincent Gilmore, the lawyer of Mr. Fairlie. Sir Percival is here, looks old but acts like a young man.

Laura: Sir Percival is so old-looking. I must leave the room because I am too weak to do anything for myself, even to say I don’t want to marry an old man.

Sir Percival: Oh that anonymous letter. Anne Catherick is mad, you cannot believe anything that she says. Her mother begged me to put her into an asylum, and since she was a good woman to me and my family, I put her daughter away. But, because Anne knew what was going on, she decided to hate me.

Marian: I’m not certain.

Sir Percival: I will offer proof, because you are a woman and you need proof! Write to Mrs. Catherick and see if our stories don’t agree. Now I shall play with this dog.

[dog runs away from Sir Percival]

Sir Percival: We should try to find Anne Catherick! Poor soul. Tsk Tsk…

[dog tries to bite Sir Percival as he leaves the room]

Vincent: You don’t seem convinced Marian! And because you are smart and sensible, it makes me uneasy.

Marian: Don’t worry, we will find out from Mrs. Catherick. That dog sure is acting strangely.

————-

Mrs. Catherick: Yes! I know that Anne was put into an asylum.

Marian: hmmm .. that was curt!

————- Continue reading →

The Woman In White: The Narrative of Walter Hartright

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The Woman in White

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins

Have you seen the size of this book? Well, fear not! I’m here to help you, here is The Narrative of Walter Hartright from The Woman In White by Wilkie Collins – the bits that you really need to know.

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Walter: My Name is Walter Hartright, I am a poor, drawing teacher!

[Walter meets a woman dressed in white on the streets. He shows her the way to London.]

Random Men: Hark, You there! Have you seen a women dressed in white? She escaped from an asylum. We need to find her.

Walter: I have no idea what you’re talking about. [Runs away!]

Marian: I am Marian Halcombe, I am intelligent, witty, great in conversation and have a GREAT body, but, alas, I am ugly and have a mustache.

Walter: Marian, you are great to talk to. I met a random woman on the street. Some people said she was mad, but I threw them off her trail.

Marian: Oh, she sounds dreadfully familiar. Let me read letters to see how I know of her! BTW, my sister is a million times prettier than I am.

Laura: I’m Laura Fairlie. I’m so pretty, and quiet and gentle and I love drawing and walking with my dog. Oh how pretty are the flowers. Like me!

Walter: I am in love!

Laura: [quiet and gentle]

Walter: Every time we draw together I want to act inappropriately and hold your hand.

Laura: [quiet and gentle]

Marian: I have figured it out! Look, Walter, the woman you met has to be Anne Catherick, a girl who my mother took in and here, she dressed her in white and told her that was the best colour for her.

Walter: Fascinating!

Marian: Wait! The best part, she looks just like …

[Laura, dressed in white stops in front of them]

Walter: Your half-sister! Fascinating! Continue reading →

Coffee and a Book

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I’m back in New York and it feels great! I loved my trip, but I love New York, it is my home and I love coming home. 🙂

I just thought I’d post a picture that I took in Paris. I was in a Starbucks getting “un grande caramel macchiato. Froid, s’il vous plait?” when I saw this sign… It basically says, “A coffee and a book. This library is here for you to read a good book while having good coffee. If you like the book, you can continue reading it at home. You can bring it back when you are finished, or bring another book in its place. Another reader might enjoy it as well.”

I’m in love! Where in NY can I find a Starbucks like this? 🙂

Freedom Whispers on the Wind

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I’m on vacation!!! So, while I’m away, I’m going to be posting some things that I wrote in the past. Below is a post that I wrote on my writing blog. I’ve re-worked it just a little for this post.  

She stood at the edge, wings tucked in, looking skyward. The feel of the air through her feathers and the sweet caress of the gentle wind under her wings stirred a distant memory, calling to her, pulling her to the edge, whispering for her to take the leap that would send her soaring.

She stood at the edge, frozen. She still remembered the last time the wind called her. She flew to answer it’s called but crashed into an invisible barrier and found herself falling onto the hard floor, her back grazing against the fine grain. Defeated she lay there until her master gently lifted her up and placed her back in her cage, securing the latch.

He cared for her, fixed her wing and nursed her back to life. Yet, it was her master who captured her and caged her. It was her master who laid the initial trap that shackled her and broke her spirit, leaving behind a small bird in a beautiful cage, singing a song for freedom.

As she stood on the edge the soft call of freedom surged through her, “If I try again, I’ll just fail. The pain was unbearable, but it’s not so bad in here, at least I am fed and cared for.”

She turned her back on outside world, hopping over to her water bowl. “It’s not so bad in here.”

The tightness she felt in her chest loosen and she took a deep breath, he smell of the cool evening air filled her tiny lungs. Memories of another time rushed through her, the call was louder this time. “There must be a way, you can find a way.” they seem to whisper, “Come to me and I will sweep you away!”

Unable to deny it any longer she turned towards the opened cage door. The master thought that fear would be enough to hold her, but the wild undulating song of freedom sweep out from deep within; lost but not forgotten. The wind was calling and the distant memory was answering. With a hop and a leap she spread her wings and flew.

Following the whispers of the wind she found a way of escape – an open window behind her dependable prison. Doubts buffeted her as she approached, “Is it really opened? Will I really make it through?” But her wings kept flapping, the call of the inner overwhelming and with a loud trill she pushed onward, through the open window and into the vast expanse of freedom.

Let Justice Roll Down by John Perkins

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I’m on vacation!!! So, while I’m away, I’m going to be posting some things that I wrote in the past. Below is a review of the John Perkins book, Let Justice Roll Down, originally posted on my book blog. A great book about justice and what true justice in Christ looks like. If you have a chance, you should read it! 

“They were like savages – like some horror out of the night. And I can’t forget their faces, so twisted with hate. It was like looking at white-faced demons. Hate did that to them.
But you know, I couldn’t hate back. When I saw what hate had done to them, I couldn’t hate back. I could only pity them. I didn’t ever want hate to do to me what it has already done to those men.”

If anyone had a reason to hold on to hate, it’s John Perkins. In this biographical book, he outlines some of the major incidences where he witnessed and was faced with injustice. The way he handled these situations were surprising and thought provoking.

The beginning opens with the story of how his brother was killed. He continues by explaining the state of the church and his life (as well as his spirtual views), he shares his beliefs and how his experiences shaped his faith and ultimately his reaction to those around him. While standing up for the blacks in his community, he was wrongfully jailed and beaten, almost to death, yet he kept on living a faith-filled life.

This book was quite the emotional journey. It sheds light on the injustices of the not so distant past, a very important reminder for me and a way for me to better deal with the present. Let Justice Roll Down is a stark reminder of how we can hurt one another, even under the disguse of religion and truth. The quote above resonated deeply within me, and seemed to me to be a large theme running through the entire book. Hate turns a person into a savage. It’s easy to hate, to lash out and try to destroy those who hurt you, but how do you love them? And how does justice – the idea of fairness – fit into this?

His story leaves the reader with a lot to reflect on. I can’t stress how much I recommend that everyone read this book. It places you in an uncomfortable place, but I think that’s its worth.