Books,books and more books

 

One of the many uses for books

We have too many books.

It seemed quite a large house until we started to run an Internet bookshop.With over 2000 books for sale and a greater number of personal books, something needs to be done.

A listener on the radio yesterday asked how much weight was safe to put on the floor of an upstairs room, as he had a huge number of books.The answer from a building surveyor was that it was safe to have the equivalent of a large rugby player on each square metre, but if the books were around the perimeter of the room, it should not be a problem. So from a health and safety point of view we need not worry as all our bookcases are situated around the perimeter of rooms.

 A female listener was more interested in where she could acquire the large rugby players to test the theory! 

 

By reducing the price of some of the books on sale, we may be able to move some stock, but it is the
proliferation of personal books that is the greatest problem. 

 

So I have devised a scoring scheme to put a numerical value on the merit of each book. In order for each book to be retained, it must score at least 3 points from the following list, with paperbacks requiring 4 points.

 

How to determine the personal value of a book in a few simple steps

First take the book in your hand and examine it for defects. This process will also stimulate your memory. You may get a flash of recognition relating to the time that you acquired the book. This can usefully be put to bear when you come to score the book.

Next, use the following scoring system giving each book one point for every statement that applies, subtracting one point if it is a paperback, and subtracting another point if it is significantly damaged. 

• This is a book that I have read, and it was so good that I want to keep it forever.
• This is a book that I have read and intend to read  again.
• This is a book that I started to read, and fully intend to finish.
• This is a book that was given to me by a very special person and I will keep it forever.
• This is a book that I read in my childhood and has very special memories for me.
• This is a book that I have been told I really should read sometime.
• This is a book that could be useful for research when I decide to write that novel which I have not started yet.
• This is a classic piece of literature which every educated person should have read.
• This is a book about a craft that I always wanted to try.
• This is a travel book about a place that I intend to visit sometime.
• This is a travel book about a place I have visited and has great sentimental value.
• This is a book that belonged to my father/mother/other significant relative and has great sentimental value.
• This is a book that I read to my children when they were little and has great sentimental value.
• This is a book that is so beautifully produced and illustrated that I must keep it.
• This is a book of poetry, and I know I should read more poetry.
• This is a book which I would like to keep in my holiday home that I have not yet purchased.
• This is a book about a foreign language that I intend to learn one day.

  

I hope you found my system simple to use and effective. Unfortunately, the number of books that I found to have satisfied the criteria for donation to a charity bookshop could be counted on one hand. I think I need to refine the scoring system further. Perhaps I should add in another coding system for the colour of the covers.

World Books 1949, excerpt from a Broadsheet.

In the 1940s and 1950s, World Books ran a book club which was exceedingly popular.The books were beautifully presented hardbacks in different colours and featured well known authors. The topics were varied from crime, adventure, travel and historical novels. I show a selection of them in the photograph above.
They were generally published monthly, though it is apparent that during the Second World War, when materials were rationed, only ten books a year were printed.
With each publication there was a broadsheet which often featured interviews with authors and letters from subscribers.


I would like to share with you a letter which was printed in the August 1949 Broadsheet.

"I was most perturbed to note that my subscription had lapsed. Nothing would upset me more than not receiving your monthly publication. Hastily I got on the radio to the local Post-master and a runner is now bringing up the necessary postal orders for another year's subscription.

"Your monthly news sheet is always a source of interest and more especially the letters from members. I cannot imagine a more perfect Book Club, for the variety is the very essence of the enjoyment it affords. Everyone here appreciates your books, which originally loaned out, have now persuaded five of our European population of ten to become members. People who write disparagingly should try living on the East coast of Borneo in an isolated spot with mail varying around twice a month. Your books are our major source of relaxation.

"My only fears are that the postal orders may not arrive in time to connect the boat out.

Yours appreciatively"
W.B.,Lahad Datu,
North Borneo.

Lahad Datu is now part of Sabah, Malaysia.

We can be thankful that on the whole, the purchase of books is a much more simple task for most of us!

There is no poverty in the garden

There is no poverty in the garden,

flamboyant colours

and lush green gloat in their perfection.

Regimented daffodils,

schoolgirls in uniform,

struggle to stand still as they wait

for the Queen to drive sedately by.

 

There is no modesty in the garden,

pink tulips with frills

in silky lingerie laze in the bedding,

seductive scents of jasmine,

sparkling raindrop jewels,

soaring songs of blackbirds

steal the senses.

Tight buds of apple blossom

wait to open wide and stun with beauty

when the sun warms the earth.

 

Leave your problems by the gate,

even though the glare of colour

taunts your dull grey coat.

You are welcome here

to let the sun light your face.



                         

                             

                

                       

The deep deep wood

 

 

 

 

He left the bar as it closed, staggering a little and carrying a wine bottle that he had picked up from a table by the door. He took a few swigs from the bottle and headed off towards the village. The night was clear and cold with a bright moon casting peculiar shadows along the road. He climbed over the style and stumbled along the muddy path; a short cut through the woods to his cosy cottage nestled on the side of the hill.

He felt guilty now. A few drinks with friends had turned into an entire evening with the lads. There was football on the wide screen and the whole room was filled with enthusiastic fans. He found it impossible to get up and leave as he should have done, knowing his gentle new bride, Jenny, was alone at home, expecting him to arrive back for dinner. He had tried to phone her but the signal was bad. He texted a message saying ' sorry, got tied up with the lads and football and will be late'.

As he got deeper into the woods, the canopy of the trees blocked out the moonlight and it was difficult to follow the narrow path. He could hear the distant sound of traffic on the dual carriageway across the valley. He knew the route well in daylight and could just make out the familiar shape of the large oak tree by the stream.  He tripped over a stone and the wine bottle flew out of his hand to land some distance away with a clunk. He picked himself up, stuffed his cold hands into his pockets and carried on, humming to himself.

He began to feel much colder and his breath made tiny icy clouds. He shivered and looking around, disconcerted to find a thick billowing fog moving quickly towards him. The sounds of far off traffic could no longer be heard, and there was an ominous silence like a weight pressing down upon him. Normally a very confident person, he experienced a twinge of anxiety as he realised that he was now lost. He could make out his feet by using his mobile phone as a torch, but the light penetrated no further than a yard or so around him, so he turned it off to save the battery. He thought the best option was to find a sheltered spot under a tree, pull his warm coat around him and sit it out until the dawn light.

He struggled deeper into the dense wood until he felt soft moss under his feet. He sat down with his back to a wide tree trunk, pulled his collar up, trying to peer through the gloom and swirling mist. The false bravado of the alcohol now gone, he became aware for the first time in his life of fear. A soft whooshing noise passed him several times. Was it an owl perhaps? He considered calling for help but realistically knew that would be pointless. No-one would hear him. Faint lights seemed to flicker around him then disappear. He thought he was probably imagining them, but the more intently he tried to focus on them, the more uncertain he became.

He closed his eyes for awhile and dozed fitfully. Something touched his cheek and he woke with a terrified start. He could see nothing at first. He stood up and saw a glimmering light before his eyes, shifting and rotating, moving forward then coming back to him as if beckoning him to follow. As he tentatively took a few steps, the light drew him further and further into the depths of the woodland.

An opening appeared between the thorny bushes, a tunnel leading into a welcoming  light filled space. He bent his head to avoid the low branches and felt the path slope down. When he straightened up, he found himself in a warm cavern beneath the roots of the trees. Tangled roots twisted above his head with lanterns dangling from them.

 At the far end of the room was a table and chairs and seated on one of the chairs was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. She was tall and slim with pale skin which shone with a pearly sheen. Her hair hung in golden tresses to her shoulders and her green eyes sparkled like emeralds. She motioned to him to sit beside her, talking in a language that he did not understand with music in her voice. She smiled and began to feed him titbits of the most delicious food he had ever tasted. There were tiny fruit filled pies wrapped in beech leaves, sumptuous wild mushrooms in creamy sauce and goblets filled with a golden liquid that coated the mouth with honey. As he ate these wondrous foods, all memory of his past life left him and he became enthralled by the seductive wood nymph.

Jenny awoke as the grey dawn tried to push its way past the curtains. She turned over in bed and found the sheets next to her cold. He had not come home. Instinctively she knew that something terrible had happened and called the police. A huge search party was organized, with tracker dogs and volunteers from the village. They searched all day and into the night. Deep in the woods, an empty wine bottle was found and on testing, traces of his DNA were noted on the rim. No other clues ever came to light about the mysterious disappearance of the young man who strayed too far into the woods.

Riding a bicycle

     I believe I was either ten or eleven years old and had never owned a bicycle. Living on a busy main road, it certainly would not have been safe to learn to cycle outside my childhood home, and I had to make do as a child with a scooter or pedal car in the garden.

     For reasons that I am unclear of, I went to stay for a couple of weeks in the summer with my cousin, Diane, who lived in Northern Ireland. She was eleven months older than me and more like a sister than a cousin as we were 'double cousins', her mother being my mother's sister and her father being my father's brother. She was the eldest of a family of five.

     It was a glorious summer and she and I and her two younger siblings played outside every day. The house, a bungalow, was situated on a very quiet crescent, well away from busy roads with no through traffic. We congregated in the garage, playing music on a portable radio. One day, Diane had acquired some bottles of Coca-Cola. I tasted it for the very first time and detested it, but sipped it slowly, pretending I liked it. To this day, I cannot drink Coca-Cola.

      There were several bicycles in the garage.  Each day I would take one out to the road and attempt to ride it, wobbling precariously. I was a bit embarrassed at not knowing how to cycle, and did not let my aunt and uncle know what I was trying to do, but they had probably glanced out the window and seen the red faced determined girl in shorts , T-shirt and hand knitted cardigan, struggling again and again to balance on the bicycle.

      We would attach old playing cards to the spokes of the wheels, secured by wooden clothes pegs. No need for a bell to announce our presence as the wheels made a pleasantly addictive whirring noise, alerting pedestrians, as we cycled by on the pavement.

     One memorable morning, I climbed on the bicycle and began to pedal. A slight wobble as I sat on the saddle, and then away I went, passing all the neat gardens, up the gentle slope, and then with the wind in my hair, freewheeled down the other side of the hill to arrive back at the house with a big grin on my face. It was almost as if I had added another dimension to my life; a skill to add to the milestones achieved during childhood. The next challenge was to learn to swim, and I did not achieve that until I was more than twenty years old!

Smugglers Cave

My passion from the time that I left school was for caving. My classmate Jim and I met up almost every weekend to pursue this hobby. We did not spend our earnings in the pub like most of the lads at that time, but on ropes and gear for caving.

The thrill of finding a new cave system and knowing that no one had ever stepped foot there before was akin to an addiction. On the weekends when the weather was too inclement, we would pour over old maps, eagerly planning the next trip.

We heard an old folk tale about a smugglers cave in Devon, where kegs of whiskey and other contraband used to be stored, but the exact location was no longer known. This was a challenge which we embraced gladly. We read old newspapers dating from the early 1800s and examined ancient maps. We identified a cove where smugglers boats had been known to land and knew that this would be our starting point.

We chose a Bank holiday weekend for our search to allow us extra time, packing our tents, provisions and gear well in advance in order to make an early start. The weather was glorious, cloudless skies, bright sunshine and a hint of a sea breeze. Arriving at the location we set up camp and commenced searching among the craggy rocks above the secluded cove.

Our first find was of a sink hole, far too small to enter, but on dropping a stone down, we heard the splash of water far, far below. There was definitely a cave system underlying the sloping cliff surface. Then I heard Jim call excitedly from 100 yards or so to my right. He had found the entrance to a cave, narrow but passable.

We geared up with our ropes and head lamps and I went first, squeezing my way through the opening. I had to crawl on my hands and knees for some distance until the passageway began to open up. The ground underfoot was dry and sloped quite steeply as it widened out eventually into a large cavern.

We stood together and marvelled at the large space. Several chinks of light played on the floor of the otherwise dark cavern. There was an ink black small pool in the centre, but the perimeter was dry and there were natural rock ledges on one side which would have been perfect for storage of wooden boxes or kegs. The roof and walls were solid and there was no evidence of any recent rock fall.

We continued to stand, playing our headlamps around the walls and roof until we both intuitively moved to the perimeter, examining the rock and looking for clues as to the possibility that this was the smugglers cave. Jim walked around the dark pool and began to explore an additional small chamber. I thought I saw something glinting in a pile of stones and went over to investigate it more closely.

I put my hand down and picked up a silver coin, dated 1850. As I turned it over in my hand, I suddenly felt as if there was a presence beside me and turned to see a shadowy figure in the gloom; a tall, wiry man in a rough leather coat, with his long lanky hair tied in a ponytail. He seemed to look at me before very quickly disappearing from view. Instinctively I did not shout for Jim as this seemed to be a private,personal experience which I did not want to share. There was an overpowering aroma of wet tweed mixed with sweat which lingered for a minute or so.

I put the coin in a pocket, determined not to show it to anyone. As we clambered out into the sunshine again, I wondered if I had imagined the figure in the cave, but the coin was very real. To this day Jim is unaware of my find. Sometimes I pick up the coin again and turn it over slowly in my hand, and can still smell that intriguing, unpleasant aroma briefly.

 

CPJan2014

The Attic

I thought I would like to tell you about the attic in my childhood home. The house is currently up for sale and my brother and I spent several days at different times, clearing out the accumulated mass of items which had been stored there. It was a large attic, covering the entire footprint of the house, with a squeaky metallic ladder to gain access, and electric lighting to illuminate the gloom.

My parents had lived in the same house for over fifty years. It was their first marital home. Not only did they bring all their own belongings, but my mother's parents also moved in with them bringing many personal items when they left their very substantial house.

There was no concept of recycling in years gone by, and my parents were loathe to throw anything out. Broken electrical appliances, old televisions, crockery no longer in use, children's clothing, all were relegated to the attic.

On the death of an uncle, his belongings also joined the extraordinary collection, and I am ashamed to say, some of my unwanted wedding gifts, university notes and books were added also.

It became apparent in more recent years that the weight of the stored items was causing cracks to appear in the walls. Initially thought perhaps to be due to subsidence, this was disproved by an engineer, and so the process of clearing the attic became  more urgent.

As children, we were sometimes allowed to play up there because my brother's Scalextric track was set out on the floor- boarded area of the attic. There was no heating up there, and extra sweaters had to be worn in the cold winter months. We were strictly told not to delve into the piles of bags, boxes and other items, but of course from time to time we could not help ourselves.

Over in a dark unlit corner lay the upholstered mattress- like seating from a metallic swing garden chair. There are photographs of my grandmother seated in this chair, knitting in the summer sunlight, at her house, decades before my childhood home was built. Next to that, an old pram, and a cot, with some bags of old clothes, dusty fabric, and unwanted bed linen strewn around.

 

 

 

 

Moving in more towards the centre of the attic, a large pile of church organ music and scores for church choirs, preludes, hymn books, copies of  The Messiah, Elijah, all a legacy from the time that my grandfather was a church organist. Beside these dusty music books, a violin in a black leather case. This was my mother's. Before her marriage, she used to play violin in an orchestra but for inexplicable reasons, the violin became relegated to the attic after her marriage, and I cannot remember her ever playing it.

In the far corner, old copper kettles, warming pans, boxes of ornaments and crockery, rolls of unused wallpaper. Many paintings which used to hang in other houses and boxes full of old family photographs. One  small framed photograph showing forgotten relatives in early 1900 clothing, fell and smashed as we picked it up. Behind the framed photograph, another one tucked away, showing two small girls with stunted growth. No-one talked about these unfortunate children , genetically abnormal, apparently sent away to spend the rest of their life in a distant care home.

A bookcase stood against the far wall, crammed with old books, Victorian children's novels, bible study aids, poultry keeping guides, silk rearing textbooks and memorabilia from the Methodist Church in Ireland. A number of very beautiful old  cameras in leather cases and a lantern viewer from the early 1900s placed on the lower shelves.

There were many old leather suitcases, filled with hats, old clothing, scraps of leather, patterns for making hand- made leather gloves, and battered toys. Some dolls that had lost limbs and bags of dolls clothing lay on the floor. One large case containing children's sandals, unisex, passed down from one to the other, then placed here when grown out of.

Hidden under the eaves, a brown paper parcel, bulging and soft. When opened, it caused amazement, as it contained silk samples, documents, Royal Warranties  all from the early days of the Atkinson Silk Poplin Company which had been a very successful business developed originally in 1820. Kings and queens from European states had ordered silk for gowns, and the samples of the fabric were still in good condition. These extraordinary items have been donated to the National Museum  to take their rightful place in the industrial history of Dublin.

The death of my mother's uncle resulted in all his books being added to the attic. He had worked in his younger days in the Foreign Service and had learnt several languages. There were huge leather bound textbooks on learning Mandarin and other oriental languages. Many of these we donated to the Chester Beatty Library. He also had an interest in scientific development and there were large numbers of  books on physics, chemistry, mathematics and astronomy dating from the 1940's and 1950's.His collection of glass photographs, many of 1920's China,  gave a glimpse into a long lost culture.

Cleared of the vast quantity of stuff, I believe the house has now been freed from the responsibility of holding all the combined memories of several generations; free to begin a fresh  phase of life and provide a comfortable home for another family. That is a comforting good feeling.