John Steinbeck, 'A Russian Journal'

I have just read this marvellous and totally engaging book that makes me want to marry John Steinbeck and move to Georgia. Although unsure of its exact  accuracy, I would whole-heartedly recommend it.
And I found out about so much in this enchanting and lovely book. I never knew before that 'every Russian town of any size has its permanent circus in a permanent building'. I didn't know about the churches that were 'rich and oriental' with paintings which were 'very black with incense and age'. Nor did I know of, and this one is amazing, the railway in Kiev run entirely by children! Wow.

Strawberry Hill

In preparation for Halloween, I visited the Gothic house of Horace Walpole, author of The Castle of Otranto. The house is amazing, and much of the intricate detailing within was made, like Walpole's books, of paper. The stained glass windows are also fascinating, and were collected in Europe, as stained glass rare in the UK at the time. I would definitely recommend a visit. 

Images Courtesy of:

http://intranet.arc.miami.edu/rjohn/ARC%20268%20-%202003/Pugin.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Strawberry_Hill_House_from_garden_in_2012_after_restoration.jpg

Chapter 3

Oh dear, it's the final chapter of the novel. Our lives will be so empty without it. But we might as well enjoy what we still have. Let me tell you, this one is a scorcher:

Chapter 3

I am going to get some food at the shop called the Gold Food.

This is a picture of the shop called the Gold Food.

I know you're probably feeling pretty low now that it is all over. But don't worry, because coming shortly is a tale about Poppy, the bunny rabbit; a poodle and a policeman.

But, you're going to have to wait, because I'm afraid I won't be here for the next two weeks! 

Chapter 2

I know you've all been waiting for it, so here it is: Chapter 2 of my firstA novel.

Chapter2

It is because I'm at 

the desert. It does not rain very often in the desert.

The desert is hot

The end.

Don't worry though, this is isn't actually the end, there's one more chapter of breathtaking action before this story draws to a close. 

'Chapter 1 is about a ship'


So here's Chapter 1 in full. Just in case you can't understand it, I've also typed it out below:

Chapter 1 is about a ship.
How can I get there?
I know I'll use this map.
I'm on the ship.
I'm over the sea.
Now I'm on the desert.
Very very hot.
Yes it is.
No it isn't.
It is.

My first novel

Here's a little teaser, Chapter 1 of my first novel. I hope you can control your excitement

Cinderella

Look what I bought for 50p! This Ladybird edition of Cinderella is so beautiful that I had to share it with you. Of course we all know the 'Bibbidi bobbidi boo' of Walt Disney's Cinderella (which I will include), but this book is even lovelier. So here it is, the front cover and my favourite illustration. 

Cinderella is such a fascinating story, and so embedded in our culture. Cinderella is the archetypal oppressed hero, who is ultimately rewarded. Her repression is perhaps typical of women throughout history. Her reward, true love; seems to have informed modern ideas of romance.

And what is with the shoes? For a start, glass slippers sound clammy, cold and unflattering. Secondly, if Cinderella's clothes turned to rags at midnight, then her shoes should have done too. Then there is the strangeness of the idea of tracking down your beloved using her shoes. This had been done before, in the tale of Rhodopis, which was recorded by Strabo in the 1st century BC.

 'when she was bathing, an eagle snatched one of her sandals from her maid and carried it to Memphis; and while the king was administering justice in the open air, the eagle, when it arrived above his head, flung the sandal into 

p95

his lap; and the king, stirred both by the beautiful shape of the sandal and by the strangeness of the occurrence, sent men in all directions into the country in quest of the woman who wore the sandal; and when she was found in the city of Naucratis, she was brought up to Memphis, became the wife of the king'

That seems to be the root of the 'what is with the shoes?' question, I wasn't expecting to answer it so thoroughly. But it leaves my Ladybird book looking pretty new in comparison. On a less highbrow note, here's 'Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo', as promised. 

 Text on Strabo courtesy of http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Strabo/home.html