Almost all of these recent reads were acquired while in Norway or England. Whenever I get a stack of new books to read, I dive into them with any spare moment. I picked a few to highlight here.
The New House by Lettice Cooper
This is a Persephone book (published in London where there is also a lovely bookshop selling these titles. I will have to visit that book shop next time.) celebrating lesser known twentieth century female writers. In a strange twist, I bought this book in Norway. I didn't know what to expect, since I didn't know the author, but I thoroughly enjoyed this novel detailing family dynamics in the 1930's, and how changes in life sometimes sparks us rise to a challenge to do something we never thought we could do. The whole book takes place over one day, as the family packs and moves to a smaller house. The author has a lyrical way of writing, and she lets the reader in on the feelings of each character, through the strains of marriage, the difficulty of loss, the relational aspects of mother-daughters, the desires to make a change, and hints of socialism. It's the kind of novel where there's not much action, but I found myself not waning to put it down.
St. Francis of Assisi by G.K. Chesterton
You wouldn't think that a little biography of St. Francis could be a riveting book, but if G.K. Chesterton is the author, you can bet it will be and you will be right. I can read anything of Chesterton and be drawn in every time. There is something about how he writes, and it's far from traditional. He tells a story through paradox and in the case of St. Francis, he sets out on the path of telling how God used him at the end of the dark ages to come out of a humble place and bring light to a yearning world. He is known for his love of nature and animals, but I love how Chesterton turns a narrow love that might put others in the background by pointing out that St. Francis didn't see anything in the background. "He saw everything as dramatic, distinct from its setting, not all of a piece like a picture but in action like a play. A bird went by him like an arrow; something with a story and a purpose, thought it was a purpose of life and not a purpose of death. A bush could stop him like a brigand; and indeed he was a ready to welcome the brigand as the bush."
I found this book at a used book shop in Canterbury for ₤2. This is the story of Charlotte Brontë, told in a story form in the 1960s. This telling of Charlotte's life really made me feel her as my kindred spirit. I relate to her so much in her attitude, independence, and love (need) to write. She was also not afraid to travel, which she did many times to London (a two-day journey from north England). She never gave up, loved her family, and knew she was meant to write. Charlotte is the most well-known, but her siblings were brilliant in their own writings: Emily the poet, and Anne the novelist. Even their brother Branwell was a writer and artist. I learned more about what Charlotte and her sisters drew for the ideas in their writings, and admire them even more after this quick little read.
The Story of Kullervo by J.R.R. Tolkien
I have wanted this book for a while, so when I saw it at Daunt Books in London, I decided now was the time to read it. Before Middle-earth was consuming Tolkien's imagination, he wrote this story, a recast of a Kalevala tale (the Finnish epic of myths). It's a tragic tale of Kullervo, who is born and immediately enters into a series of events that set-up the tragedy. His father is killed, his mother is kidnapped, attempts on his life are tried three times, he escapes with help from a magic black dog, he encounters his own anger and rage as he seeks revenge, and by his own folly he meets his end. Not a cheery tale, but it is the clear beginnings of one of Tolkien's main stories of The Silmarillion, the story of Túrin Turambar. To me, it's really fun to see the connections that come out in later Tolkien stories.
Wabi-Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers by Leonard Kohen
I recently bought this book at Oxford Exchange when I was in Tampa a few weekends ago. I've seen it before and was drawn to the minimal style and focus on noticing the beauty in the details. The Japanese wabi-sabi doesn't really have a clear definition, nor is it an organized thing. Moreso, it is a way of appreciating and noticing the details, whether they be old, new, broken, or repaired. It can relate to religion, buildings, homes, tea houses, etc. In relation to Japanese tea houses, the author explains why in ancient days the tea houses were made with purposeful intention of bringing you to humility and causing you to pay attention. The doorway of a tea house would traditionally be very low, so one would have to stoop low, to bend over in humility to enter. I like relating these insights into daily practice of appreciation and humility, and the enjoyment of the simple and beautiful.
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