I'm wondering if anyone else sensed/interpreted a thread of goodness in the last few paragraphs? I was brought to tears by the reality that Mrs. Palfrey did matter to a group of people at her death. I can think of many times a work or life situation has thrown me in with a group of people that, without the circumstances, I would not have formed relational bonds.
And then there's the mentioned fact that Mrs. Palfrey was a thankful person. Scripturally, that is the key to surviving many of life's trials.
Ludo. It hit me that he didn't get that portion of inheritance from her, because she died before she could address the change in her will. But he had his mettle tested and came out noble, and I like that.
The pacing of the end is perfect. And the whole experience of the book brought me back to the quote from Paul Bailey in the intro: "I envy readers coming to her work for the first time. Theirs will be an unexpected pleasure, and they will-- if they read her as she wanted to be read--learn much that will surprise them."
As a homesteader and homeschooling mother of elementary-aged children, I have often thought (thank you, Hannah Coulter) about how life is now all busyness and beautiful chaos. I have to fight for moments of sanity for myself. Making even a half-hour of reading time, or to gather and type out thoughts on a book, is a struggle for these moments. And I often think of how one day my life will be quiet and will have many moments that need filling. That's what this book makes one feel--the existential dread of going from one end of the spectrum to the other. I am so glad that I pushed through that initial dark sadness I felt upon beginning this book. When I start another literary group someday I'd like to base a good stretch of it on growing together over "books that make us more human." And this one will be on my list. Thanks, Close Reads for sharing this gem.
I really liked the bit that Sean pointed out about Mr Osmond:
"He – Mr Osmond – thought of drawing him to one side and asking him if he had heard the one about the man who went into the chemist’s shop; but the realisation of Mrs Palfrey’s being in the room shamed him. He now remembered lingering outside strip clubs looking at the photographs there, of making, indeed, special journeys to Soho to do that. He shied away from the knowledge of Naturist magazines in a drawer upstairs in his room. These reminders, in the very room where Mrs Palfrey was sitting, seemed to make a monster of him – a being from a different, shoddier world. She could not have understood, and he would not have respected her if she had."
I remembered noticing it in passing, but I'd forgotten it and I really liked the insights about the way Mrs Palfrey makes him desire to be a better man. Not only did he not tell the joke, but he remembers his past deeds with shame.
So glad David brought up Ludo's book. I find it fascinating that the original title is "We Aren't Allowed to Die Here," but it becomes "They Weren't Allowed to Die There." It feels like an intentional distancing, which seems to echo the novel's final melancholic line.
Part of our family reading was George Washington and the cherry tree, so I had to share David’s story of being teased and cussing out that kid with my kids too :)
Just starting the episode, but I think you guys would really enjoy “The Temperment God Gave You” by Art & Laraine Bennett! The school day reminiscing in the first few minutes made me think of it.
It builds on Hippocrates’ 4 temperaments & describes how someone of each type can motivate, parent, build on virtue, avoid vice, etc.
Sorry to psychoanalyze but sounds like Heidi may be at least part choleric (like St Paul), Sean phlegmatic (like St Thomas Aquinas), David melancholic (like St John the Evangelist), & Tim sanguine (like St Peter)
I'm wondering if anyone else sensed/interpreted a thread of goodness in the last few paragraphs? I was brought to tears by the reality that Mrs. Palfrey did matter to a group of people at her death. I can think of many times a work or life situation has thrown me in with a group of people that, without the circumstances, I would not have formed relational bonds.
And then there's the mentioned fact that Mrs. Palfrey was a thankful person. Scripturally, that is the key to surviving many of life's trials.
Ludo. It hit me that he didn't get that portion of inheritance from her, because she died before she could address the change in her will. But he had his mettle tested and came out noble, and I like that.
The pacing of the end is perfect. And the whole experience of the book brought me back to the quote from Paul Bailey in the intro: "I envy readers coming to her work for the first time. Theirs will be an unexpected pleasure, and they will-- if they read her as she wanted to be read--learn much that will surprise them."
As a homesteader and homeschooling mother of elementary-aged children, I have often thought (thank you, Hannah Coulter) about how life is now all busyness and beautiful chaos. I have to fight for moments of sanity for myself. Making even a half-hour of reading time, or to gather and type out thoughts on a book, is a struggle for these moments. And I often think of how one day my life will be quiet and will have many moments that need filling. That's what this book makes one feel--the existential dread of going from one end of the spectrum to the other. I am so glad that I pushed through that initial dark sadness I felt upon beginning this book. When I start another literary group someday I'd like to base a good stretch of it on growing together over "books that make us more human." And this one will be on my list. Thanks, Close Reads for sharing this gem.
I really liked the bit that Sean pointed out about Mr Osmond:
"He – Mr Osmond – thought of drawing him to one side and asking him if he had heard the one about the man who went into the chemist’s shop; but the realisation of Mrs Palfrey’s being in the room shamed him. He now remembered lingering outside strip clubs looking at the photographs there, of making, indeed, special journeys to Soho to do that. He shied away from the knowledge of Naturist magazines in a drawer upstairs in his room. These reminders, in the very room where Mrs Palfrey was sitting, seemed to make a monster of him – a being from a different, shoddier world. She could not have understood, and he would not have respected her if she had."
I remembered noticing it in passing, but I'd forgotten it and I really liked the insights about the way Mrs Palfrey makes him desire to be a better man. Not only did he not tell the joke, but he remembers his past deeds with shame.
So glad David brought up Ludo's book. I find it fascinating that the original title is "We Aren't Allowed to Die Here," but it becomes "They Weren't Allowed to Die There." It feels like an intentional distancing, which seems to echo the novel's final melancholic line.
Part of our family reading was George Washington and the cherry tree, so I had to share David’s story of being teased and cussing out that kid with my kids too :)
Just starting the episode, but I think you guys would really enjoy “The Temperment God Gave You” by Art & Laraine Bennett! The school day reminiscing in the first few minutes made me think of it.
It builds on Hippocrates’ 4 temperaments & describes how someone of each type can motivate, parent, build on virtue, avoid vice, etc.
Sorry to psychoanalyze but sounds like Heidi may be at least part choleric (like St Paul), Sean phlegmatic (like St Thomas Aquinas), David melancholic (like St John the Evangelist), & Tim sanguine (like St Peter)
I had never thought about us as representing the four humours–this is great!
Is there a Q&A episode yet?