For Esme - With Love and Squalor by J D Salinger

I love listening to podcasts while playing with Deacon in the park, especially the ones pertaining to books.  Every once in awhile the presenter or a guest will gush about a story and stop me in my tracks.  That happened the other day while listening to Simon Evans and Hardip Singh Kohli discuss For Esme - With Love and Squalor during an episode of Books and Authors. I just had to stop everything and read it.

It starts off with an American receiving a wedding invitation from overseas.  The narrator then takes the reader back in time several years to England and the American is a soldier preparing to leave for battle in Normandy.  Passing a church he is drawin in by the performance of a choir and immediately fixates on a young girl with a beautiful singing voice.  Afterwards, he stops into a tearoom to escape the rain and before long the same girl arrives with her little brother, Charles (who is quite a character), and their aunt.

Now it is her turn to centre out this lonely soldier and she proceeds to engage him in all sorts of conversation.  She seems intelligent beyond her years in her use of language and opinions but there is no doubt of her innocence.  My heart broke when she spelled out s-l-a-i-n to protect Charles when mentioning the death of their father in North Africa.  The subsequent death of their mother has left the children orphaned.  It's apparent who used to be the owner of the man-sized watch adorning Esme's tiny wrist.

There is an immediate bond between these two characters and you could ponder for an afternoon about why that is.  In the end, this encounter between child and adult, that watch, a little boy's ability to laugh and a young girl's courage to face adversity will leave an imprint on your heart.  This story is poignant and unforgettable and if you haven't already then please read it!

An interesting tidbit, which fans of Lemony Snicket will be aware of, is that a secondary antagonist in A Series of Unfortunate Events is named, Esme Squalor.  References are everything and now I get it.

The Soul of Kindness by Elizabeth Taylor

'Why don't you have a cat?' Flora asked.
'I don't want a cat.'
'But it would be lovely for you.  Percy likes cats.'
'Well, Percy's got a cat.'
Flora, in fact, had given it to him and he had been obliged to take it in.  In four years, he had found that Flora was not biddable after all.  Although as good as gold, she had inconvenient plans for other people's pleasure, and ideas differing from her own she was not able to imagine.

During the early pages of The Soul of Kindness it is tempting to imagine Flora surrounded by a glowing halo of light, floating just above the ground so as to avoid the merest scuff on her shoes.  The world as she sees it is just about perfect and full of amiable people who are all the better for knowing her.  But as the story moves along you realize that Flora leaves a wake of disappointed, confused and lonely people who fall victim to her fanciful ideas or well-meant interfering.

Brushing aside her glistening tears Flora writes her mother a note after changing out of her wedding dress.  Instead of reassuring her mother that a strong bond still exists between them, Flora manages to imply that the task of motherhood is now over leaving Mrs Secretan feeling empty and useless.  Flora's numerous attempts to bring together a female friend with a man who is clearly homosexual paints a picture of ignorance which is far from blissful.  And at her worst, Flora is relentless at building the confidence of a young man, who hangs on her every word, in his ability as an actor with devastating results.

While the reader is busy watching Flora create her idyllic world, Elizabeth Taylor is masterfully painting a dark side to Flora.  Such as the resentment when things don't go her way, taking to her bed as a way of drawing people to her, childish sulking and ignoring news which doesn't please her.

Taylor's writing and skills of observation are as supreme as ever in this novel.  Discovering in Nicola Beauman's biography The Other Elizabeth Taylor that she would sit in her local pub with pen and notebook at hand to people watch, I smiled when she described a character on page 151.

'...a more than middle-aged man, jauntily dressed, in a navy-blue blazer heavily badged, and shoes with pointed toes, was also sitting alone.  He covered his mouth with one hand, and with the other worked with a pick among his gold or rotting teeth, eyeing every woman who came in.'

Ugh!  But I'm quite convinced this fellow actually existed and unknowingly sat down within viewing distance of Elizabeth Taylor while she jotted down the details of his very public display of dental hygiene.  Other details such as nurses removing flowers from hospital rooms at night and that television sets needed to warm up before the picture came on were charming reminders of what things were like when I was a child but forgotten about.  And I really must read von Arnim's Elizabeth and her German Garden as Taylor had Flora's mother reading it 'for the umpteenth time'. 

Others have mentioned that The Soul of Kindness would have been better served as a short story or novella and I would agree.  At times the pace did seem to stall ever so slightly.  But having said that, once I reached the ending and mulled over the brilliant characterization my affection for the story increased and I could have happily turned back to the first page.

Tea Bread and Treasure

The Honey, Sultana and Pecan Tea Bread from Tea at Fortnum & Mason filled the kitchen with the aroma of Christmas yesterday.  My shorts, tank top and the sound of lawnmowers buzzing in the background set the record straight that it was most definitely not December!  There were some slight modifications, I had to investigate what "mixed spice" was (it's an English term) and had to do a bit of mixing of my own from jars of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves.  And I didn't have Earl Grey on hand so regular black tea it was with a splash of brandy for interest.  It tastes absolutely delicious!

I've been pulling my copy of Taste  from my bedside table in the morning before Deacon decides it's time to haul everyone out of bed.  This morning I read about wartime rationing and recipes for mock this and that leaving me quite thankful for a full pantry.

"Icing was illegal, wedding cakes were more often cardboard than edible, and, as Christmas Day dawned, 'Austerity Pudding' was likely to be made with potato, grated carrot and apple, as much dried fruit as you could get your hands on, dried egg, flour, breadcrumbs, cooking fat and a scraping of precious golden syrup or marmalade."

On a related kitchen matter, my good friend and colleague, Roberta, picked up this cup and saucer from one of her treasure hunting jaunts because she thought I would like it.  R loves to tease that over the years of her gifting treasures she hasn't lightened her purse by more than $7 to date.  We ignore him.  The exact reason for two handles, other than looking quite pretty, had us wondering.  With a bit of searching the internet we now know it's actually a cream soup bowl and stand.  My everyday china doesn't come with anything so pretty or so dedicated, it's all about simply making do.  I read that two handles also make tea drinking easier for the infirm.  Knock on wood, I won't need it for that reason for quite some time.

Incidents in the Rue Laugier by Anita Brookner

"Maud was quite aware of her mother's needs and desires.  She knew that her marriage would put an end to an overpreparedness which they both found intolerable.  How often had she winced to feel her mother's hand in the small of her back, propelling her forward to greet some man, any man, even the ancient family doctor, even Xavier..., and to hear her mother's voice voice exaggerating her slender accomplishments."

How could I ever have doubted Thomas' affection for Anita Brookner?  Her writing is beautiful, her characters keenly observed and she masterfully tells a story in a way that is both succinct and sweeping.

Appearance is everything to Maud's mother, Nadine, which means the small pension left by her deceased husband must be eked out very carefully.  Meat is bought every day but only small cutlets, trips to the dressmaker are spaced out and services to the concierge of the building are kept up twice a week to uphold her status in the building.  If she is careful, the money will last until Maud marries.  While marriage to a rich man would suit Nadine's pride, the truth is that any marriage will relieve her of her commitments as a mother.

Unspoken shame accompanies Nadine and Maud when the only annual trip they can afford is to accept a begrudgingly made invitation by Maud's aunt.  During this year's visit the house is buzzing with her cousin Xavier's friends while Maud stands apart with her careful grooming and starched blouses.  The other young guests with their pedigree backgrounds laugh, drink and sneak away in couples to the summer house.   One of them, David Tyler, is perfect in every way with his ability to make any outfit look better for his wearing it, his handsome face and charming ways that heighten the colour of even mature women.  His reputation for bedding young ladies and leaving them heartbroken in the span of an afternoon does nothing to lessen his appeal.  His friend, Edward Harrison is well on his way to building a secure future and has a conscience.  Guess which one Maud falls for?

Left in a troubled state, Maud is rescued by the offer of marriage from Edward.  He is from an English family and their differences result in a riveting exploration of cultures clashing and the expectations of marriage.  Brookner writes stunningly from both sides of the marital bed and I sympathized equally with both partners.  With Maud for having no option other than to marry someone she didn't love and knowing her mother was fine with that.  And with Edward, conflicted over desperately wanting his wife to belong to him heart and soul while feeling he is sacrificing his freedom to take on another man's responsibility.  Though I must say that I quite enjoyed the way Brookner dealt with Tyler.

Incidents in the Rue Laugier completely changed my mind about Brookner making it a good choice as a first book if you're considering this author.  Thanks to Thomas at My Porch for being passionate about this author and surreptitiously reminding to give her another try.

Co-hosted by Thomas at My Porch and Simon at Savidge Reads

Playing Hooky from Housework

Every few weeks it's important to forget about the lawn mower, the laundry and the grocery shopping so you can just take off and have fun.  Last winter, R and I discovered West Bloor Village in Toronto and since strolling is much nicer in the warm weather that's where we set off for yesterday.  Imagine walking into what looked like an average Chapters bookstore to discover it used to be a vaudeville theatre!  To visit the ladies room you have to exit stage left but naturally I couldn't resist turning to look out over a sea of books and imagine faces.  What a ham!
 

As someone who has a designated 'chocolate cupboard' my eye was drawn to a display of Dolfin chocolate bars in a shop full of the most fresh and colourful take-out food you can imagine.  These are for the gourmand with delectable flavours such as lemon and ginger, pear and grilled almond and dark chocolate with violets.  But who am I kidding?  Cadbury Fruit and Nut Dark takes me to a happy place every bit as well.

With Mexican music playing in the background we could have closed our eyes and pretended to be on a hot, sunny beach.  And we would have had to pretend as the weather was quite cool and grey yesterday in Toronto, not at all typical for June.  While these bottles were a feast for the eyes with their summery picnic packaging we found some chardonnay from a local winery on offer at a great price.  You can probably guess which one we brought home.

And last not but least we found the proverbial 'doggy in the window'.  With sleepy eyes this little sweetheart watched a steady stream of people go past the shop from the comfort of a sofa on display.  Hopefully whoever ends up buying it isn't allergic to dogs!

I suppose that my book find should also have a mention.  At BMV Books, a second-hand shop, I found a great deal on a very nearly pristine copy of this.  But first I have some housework to catch up on before I get stuck in!

The Night Watch by Sarah Waters

"The woman's coat and hat had gone, and her hair was loose about her face; the evening-gloves were smooth and unmarked, still, on her dangling arms.  Her silk dress, silvered by the moonlight, was pooled about her on the pavement as though she were curtseying, but the flesh of her bare back bulges where the iron pressed at it from within.
'The last set of railings in the street,' said the warden, as he took Kay and Mickey down the area steps.  'What luck was that, eh?"

Through Kay and Mickey we experience the devastation of the blitz while buildings still burn, bodies lie in the street, bricks are falling from buildings left with gaping holes and the percussion of bombs in the distance reminds us that the moment still holds danger.  These women are part of a team whose job it is to deliver first-aid or retrieve body parts in the aftermath of an air raid.  Kay is often mistaken for a young man with her slicked hair, dungarees and cuff links but it's clothing she feels comfortable in as a butch lesbian.

Waters has written The Night Watch in three parts, working her way back in time through 1940s London.  Beginning with 1947, we meet the central characters and are teased with secrets from their past.  Viv and Duncan are brother and sister, she is having an affair with a married serviceman and Duncan has been left shell-shocked but not by an enemy bomb.  Involved in a terrifying incident he serves time in prison and has to endure the disappointment in his father's eyes during visits.  Other men's boys spent the war fighting for their country while his spends his days as the topic of whispers amongst neighbours.  Helen is Julia's lover but their past is linked with Kay's and while on the surface all seems well there is an undercurrent of doubt, suspicion and jealousy.

Nothing too small escapes Waters' eye for detail such as describing the bite marks on a cup that define it absolutely as belonging to a child.  There are also plenty of pots of tea, sips from whisky flasks, gas rings and blackout curtains to evoke the atmosphere.  And humourous moments such as a soldier mentioning to another how his girlfriend would somehow manages to turn her ankle whenever they passed a jeweller's window are welcome to lighten the mood.  The paragraph I quoted and two other scenes were absolutely gripping and had my own house been crumbling around me I don't think I could have put this book down.

The Night Watch is clever and once I finished it I immediately wanted to turn back to the first page as the beginning of the book is actually its summation.  Things you read early on now make sense, we know what makes the characters tick and their secrets have been revealed. 

If you want to experience the Blitz in literature I hold books such as Vere Hodgson's Few Eggs and No Oranges, Marghanita Laski's To Bed with Grand Music or Mollie Panter-Downes Good Evening, Mrs Craven in the highest favour.  But Waters didn't embarrass herself with this one, in fact, it was quite entertaining and well worth the time spent reading it.

Deacon Ponders Brookner...

'One summer at La Gaillarderie, 18-year-old Maud - handsome but not flirtatious - meets two Englishmen, and they all move eventually to an apartment in Paris. Maud is seduced by the assured and ruthless David who leaves her pregnant, whereupon the quiet dreamy Edward offers to marry her.'

"Oh, Maud...the things I could have told you about men, you silly girl" thought Deacon as he ponders Incidents in the Rue Laugier.

My first attempt at reading Brookner fell a bit flat with Fraud but Thomas' enthusiasm and the antics of a cross-dressing border collie have encouraged me to try again.  Speaking of which, by the looks of my vintage dress now that playtime is over he needs to be reminded where we keep the lint brush!

Thomas is kindly hosting International Brookner Day.  For more information click here!