Accepting fairly and squarely, that there are many among us who say that there is no such thing as co-incidence, I confess that I do find I feel a little tingle now an again when they happen.
There has been a glut of them lately in my world. Holding myself back from reeling them off so that nobody falls asleep, the main theme that I have picked up, has been the somewhere between the mid 1930’s and my early childhood. I was born in 1939. I can almost hear friends saying, “Well, she is getting on in years, a bit long in the tooth so maybe having a period of refection”.
Books I have read of late have assisted this slide into the past. I have always been a fan of Tracey Chevalier, I think that like many, my first one of hers was, Girl with a Pearl Earring, that was made into a lovely movie too. (Steve and I made a trip to the Mauritshuis in Den Haag to see the famous painting by Johannes Vermeer). My most recent read by this remarkable story spinner was, A Single Thread. It is set in 1932 and the heroine of the story is 38 years old from a staid home where a father, brother and fiancĂ©e, had been lost during the previous war whilst in the book’s running time, war sabres already begin to rattle leading the WWII. I loved every sad moment in the poor woman’s ruined life and the rare glimpse of hope for happiness. I lent it to a dear friend who told me she had read it in two days and loved it as much as I had. I have just passed it on to another friend/neighbour who is as big a book worm as myself. I couldn’t get it out of my mind, even though I have gobbled up two other books since that one, so when my husband asked me if I had any suggestions for the next audible book, for us to listen to in the car and over dinner, I mentioned The Single Thread and he didn’t need to apply any further thought to the subject. I am loving the book all over again hearing about Cathedral borderer Violet, given a voice by Audible. My man is thoroughly enjoying this very different story too, but of course he is often sitting opposite me whilst I work on my latest embroidery project. The poor man is used to stepping on needles every now and again in our home.
I thought I had read most of Tracy Chevaliers books and did a quick check this
morning online, and ordered the only one I had not read which will be with me
before I finish my present bedtime reading which is Patricia Cornwell’s Port
Mortuary, that I found during a cupboard turn out searching for something else
entirely. It is one of the many Kay Scarpetta books.
A little while ago we watched a new movie on TV that we both really adored. That was, Ammonite with Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan as its marvellous stars. So one can see why I was not surprised when, after I had checked that I had missed any of Tracy Chevaliers books from my bedtime reading I discovered that the only one I have missed from at least a dozen of her published books was one with the title, Remarkable Creatures, from about 2010. I ordered it in paperback immediately before checking what it was about. The book is about Mary Anning who was fossil collector, as was Kate Winslet’s character Elizabeth Philpot in Ammonite. I will soon find out for myself if they are more or less the same woman. Both lived in Lyme Regis collecting snake stones and Devils toenails as they were called by some. DO NO TELL ME if you know
Before any of my friends should ask…..! Yes of course I have a few small fossils in my home, my coffee mug is standing on one of them.
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