Cornwall, Part 2

One sign of a successful trip is when you keep eagerly saying or thinking, “When I return . . .”

Overlooking Peel Cove, near Menabilly

Cath had asked what parts of Cornwall I was particularly interested in seeing, and I vaguely thought of artists in St. Ives but said I deferred to her judgment, except that I yearned to see Fowey, the setting of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier (1907-1989).

Cornwall, Part 1

Having read many books set in Cornwall, I was eager to see it for myself and asked my friend Cath of Read-warbler, who grew up there, if she and her husband could spare the time to go there with me, following my month in London. I was delighted when she agreed not only because I knew it would be fun to meet her in real life but also because I knew I would see more of Cornwall with two experts. And I suspected that three book lovers would never run out of things to say!

St. Ives from above

The Maid by Nita Prose

Title: The Maid
Author: Nita Prose
Publication: Ballantine Books, hardcover, 2022
Genre: Mystery
Setting: New York

Description: Molly, 25, is extremely literal and often misses the social cues others juggle easily. When her grandmother was alive, she helped Molly navigate the world.

Flambards by K.M. Peyton, one of my favorite orphan stories

Title: Flambards
Author: K.M. Peyton
Illustrator: Victor G. Ambrus
Publication: World Publishing Company, hardcover, 1967
Genre: YA Historical Fiction
Setting: England, 1908-1912

Description: In the first of this four book series, orphaned Christina is forced to go live with her Uncle Russell, and his sons, Mark and Will, at their home, Flambards, 40 miles outside London in the countryside. Mark and his father are obsessed with horses while Will is obsessed with machinery and aviation. Christina, just 12, is an heiress but used to be shuttled from relative to relative, all indifferent to her wellbeing.

When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller

Title: When You Trap a Tiger
Author: Tae Keller
Publication: Random House, hardcover, 2020
Genre: Middle-grade fiction
Setting: Washington state

Description: Lily and her older sister Sam have moved to Washington with their mother to be near their Korean grandmother who is very ill.

My June 2022 Reads

I have had no uninterrupted time to write about my trip to Cornwall (I will tease you with one picture) but I did manage to read several books while I was meant to be studying in London. I am paying for it now: my term paper is due on Friday and is only half done!  My favorite book of the month was From a Distance, a library discard I picked up for 20p.

Daphne du Maurier's private beach

Fiction

A Rural Affair by Catherine Alliott (2011). Poppy Shilling may have fantasized about her boring husband slipping on ice on his way to get the paper or contracting malaria from a mosquito bite, but she never imagined Phil would actually have a freak accident and die, leaving her a widow with two children.

The Perfect Lie by Jo Spain

Title: The Perfect Lie
Author: Jo Spain
Publication: Quercus, paperback, 2021
Genre: Suspense
Setting: Long Island, NY and Cambridge, MA

Description: Erin Kennedy left Ireland for New York after her sister was murdered, and obtained a job in publishing which she enjoys. After she meets and marries Danny Ryan, a local policeman, she moves to Long Island, hoping for a happy ever after with him.

Spell the Month in Books – July

Can you #SpelltheMonthinBooks? What books would you use?

Spell the Month in Books is hosted by Reviews From the Stacks and occurs on the second Saturday of each month or maybe a few days later! Here are books from several authors I admire for July:

Day 25 – Apsley House and Pub Quiz

It was hard to know what to savor on my last day in London. We were asked to do an evaluation of the British Studies program on computers in an underground classroom which took until after 10:00, and then I unexpectedly had to put together a PowerPoint, one of my least favorite things to do. Once that was done, I set off to visit the London Review Bookshop and, just as importantly, its cake shop next door, as I was craving Victoria sponge cake.

Day 24 – The Globe Theatre

On our last day of formal study, we visited the Archives of the Globe Theatre, which is a modern reconstruction of Shakespeare’s 16th-century theatre with a repertoire of Shakespeare and other plays. It is located on the bank of the Thames and consists of a theatre and education center (see website).

The Globe, during King Lear

Day 23 – The British Library and King Lear

The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom and is one of the largest libraries in the world, with more than 170 million objects, including books.  It is a legal deposit library like the Library of Congress. This means it receives copies of all books published in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Before 1973, the Library was part of the British Museum but now has its own impressive building near St. Pancras Station as well as storage facilities in Yorkshire. The Library is open to everyone who needs to use its collections. Anyone with a permanent address who wishes to carry out research can apply for a Reader Pass; they are required to provide proof of signature and address. I myself obtained one during our first week in London. The Library’s website is available here; the special collections are also set forth.

Hello, George III!

Six Degrees of Separation – from Wintering to Love in a Cold Climate

It’s time for #6degrees, inspired by Kate at Books Are My Favourite and Best. We all start at the same place, add six books, and see where we end up. This month’s starting point is Wintering by Katherine May, a memoir about surviving dark times and winter itself.  It's almost worth reading just for the cover!