Today was another dull, wet, day.
Seated on the sofa, I lunched on scrambled egg and toast while watching the Rugby World Cup third place play off between Wales and New Zealand. It was a very good match, albeit no doubt rather an anti-climax for these two losing semi-finalists.
This afternoon I finished reading ‘I Can’t Stay Long’, a selection of
Laurie Lee’s essays. This portrait of the author by William Thompson forms the frontispiece of my 1975 edition published by Andre Deutsch.
Here is the biography presented by Britannica.com.
‘Laurie Lee, (born June 26, 1914, Slad, near Stroud, Gloucestershire, England—died May 13, 1997, Slad), English poet and prose writer best known for Cider with Rosie (1959), a memoir of the author’s boyhood in the Cotswold countryside.Educated in his home village and in nearby Stroud, Lee eventually moved to London and traveled in Spain in the mid-1930s. Upon his return to England, he worked as a film scriptwriter (1940–43) and as an editor for the Ministry of Information (1944–45). Lee published several volumes of poetry in the 1940s and ’50s, but he achieved little recognition until his autobiographical book Cider with Rosie (U.S. title The Edge of Day) was published by Leonard Woolf in 1959. Cider with Rosie became an instant classic and was widely read in British schools. An account of Lee’s happy childhood in a secluded village, the book nostalgically evokes the simplicity and innocence of a vanished rural world.Lee wrote two more volumes of what became an autobiographical trilogy, As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning (1969), a description of his walk to London and then across Spain just prior to that country’s civil war; and A Moment of War (1991), an account of his experiences in Spain during that war. Lee’s other works included the poetry collections The Sun My Monument (1944), The Bloom of Candles (1947), and My Many-Coated Man (1955) and a collection of stories, I Can’t Stay Long (1976).’ My first edition of this latter publication attests to the fact that it was published the year before this extracts states.
1959 was the year before I left school. I was one of those who read the instant classic that was ‘Cider with Rosie’ – but, I think, a little after 1960. ‘I Can’t Stay Long’ is presented in three parts, each one introduced with a decoration by Susan Campbell.
relates to periods of the author’s childhood;
is more philosophical, presenting the author’s views on love, appetite, charm, paradise, and parenthood; and culminating in a compassionate and insightful visit to Aberfan the year after ‘the village lost its children’. I feature this terrible disaster in my post: https://derrickjknight.com/2015/12/05/aberfan/
is a set of travelling stories. It is in these in particular that Lee’s splendid poetic eloquence is given full rein. Like a rich Christmas pudding filled to capacity with glazed fruits, nutritious nuts, and silver sixpences, the author’s fluent and elegant prose is packed with simile, metaphor, alliteration; amplified with appropriate adverbs and adjectives, yet nothing superfluous. He writes like the poet he is, managing to reflect the varied atmospheres, pace of life and people encountered. Contrasting ‘A Wake in [communist] Warsaw’, including the barren journey to reach the town, with the lively, yet languorous ‘ Sugar Islands’ of the West Indies, or the self indulgent sybaritic exploitation of ‘A Festive Occasion’ at Cannes, all demonstrate Laurie Lee’s keen ear and observation.This evening we dined on tasty pork cutlets; roast potatoes, chestnut mushrooms, and Yorkshire pudding; tender greens, and crunchy carrots, with which Jackie drank Hoegaarden while I drank more of the Fronton.
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is more philosophical, presenting the author’s views on love, appetite, charm, paradise, and parenthood; and culminating in a compassionate and insightful visit to Aberfan the year after ‘the village lost its children’. I feature this terrible disaster in my post: https://derrickjknight.com/2015/12/05/aberfan/
is a set of travelling stories. It is in these in particular that Lee’s splendid poetic eloquence is given full rein. Like a rich Christmas pudding filled to capacity with glazed fruits, nutritious nuts, and silver sixpences, the author’s fluent and elegant prose is packed with simile, metaphor, alliteration; amplified with appropriate adverbs and adjectives, yet nothing superfluous. He writes like the poet he is, managing to reflect the varied atmospheres, pace of life and people encountered. Contrasting ‘A Wake in [communist] Warsaw’, including the barren journey to reach the town, with the lively, yet languorous ‘ Sugar Islands’ of the West Indies, or the self indulgent sybaritic exploitation of ‘A Festive Occasion’ at Cannes, all demonstrate Laurie Lee’s keen ear and observation.This evening we dined on tasty pork cutlets; roast potatoes, chestnut mushrooms, and Yorkshire pudding; tender greens, and crunchy carrots, with which Jackie drank Hoegaarden while I drank more of the Fronton.
Sounds like you made the best of it. Weather should never hamper our day. There is always something interesting to do.
Enjoy your weekend.
Thanks very much, Drew.
I read Cider With Rosie when I was very young and again in my twenties. Loved it both times. But I don’t think I have read anything else of his. He has a look of a young Robert Redford in glasses I’ve decided after puzzling over his portrait for a while.
🙂 Thanks very much, Pauline.
I love his poems “Day of these days” and “Home from abroad”.
x
Thanks very much, Melanie X
I’ve read “Cider with Rosie.” Wonderful writer. Good first name, too. 😉
🙂 Thanks very much, Laurie.
Sounds like a very comfortable way to spend a rainy day with delicious meals thrown into the mix. I wonder who will win the final tomorrow. I can’t make up my mi d whether to root for England or South Africa. My sister says she’s backing South Africa, so I’ll do the same. May the best team win.
No surprises for guessing my allegiance. 🙂 Thanks very much, Sylvia.
At least you made the best of your day. A terrific meal.
It’s been very cold and rainy here these days. I guess winter is wanting to come early.
Thank you very much, More. Winds at 70+ m.p.h. at the moment.
Ouch! 🙁 (Hope Nugget and Muggle have chosen their bird box/teapots!)
So do we
Oh my goodness
I hope you are all ok.
We are, thank you.
I hope that you get a good match to watch tomorrow too.
So do I, Tootlepedal. Many thanks.
I read your earlier post. The mine disaster victims will be in my thoughts and prayers.
Thank you very much, Lavinia. I doubt that the survivors ever got over it.
I lost a grandfather in a mine collapse here, long before I was born.
That is sad.
Sounds like some perfect rainy day activities, Derrick.
Indeed, Jill. Thanks very much.
do you prefer ruby to soccer?
I do indeed. I played myself until I was 45. Thanks very much, Dymoon.
You seem to have a treasure trove of volumes such as those. It’s amazing how a great book can take you on fascinating journeys when the world around you has been overtaken by inclement weather.
Thank you so much, Uma. I have collected since my first purchase in 1958 aged 16. I stopped about 10 years ago when I realised I will not have time to read them all.
I hadn’t heard of Laurie Lee, although his face looks very familiar. From your description, it sounds as though his work is well-worth becoming acquainted with.
It is, Liz. Many thanks.
I’ve just spent an enjoyable time looking up Laurie and reading some of the poems of the internet. Very very good.
I’ve never heard of him before. Leonard Wolff wow!
He was almost a cult figure in the 50s and 60s. Many thanks, Luanne.
Wow, so interesting!
“Like a rich Christmas pudding filled to capacity with glazed fruits, nutritious nuts, and silver sixpences, the author’s fluent and elegant prose is packed with simile, metaphor, alliteration; amplified with appropriate adverbs and adjectives, yet nothing superfluous.” Beautifully written too!
Thanks very much, Anne. I did my best to reflect the master 🙂
👏 👏 👏
Sounds like you had a very relaxing day Derrick. I do enjoy days like that. 🙂
Thanks very much, Sue. I did, indeed.
Rainy, gloomy, gray days are great days to stay in and rest, read, and ponder. I think these days come along to slow us down sometimes… ??? 🙂
I shall look up Laurie Lee and read more.
That title “I Can’t Stay Long” just touches a chord in me.
(((HUGS)))
So right, Carolyn. 70 m.p.h. winds today. Thanks very much. X
Wow! That be windy! 😮 Good to stay in and not end up in OZ!
I hope Nugget was okay in all that wind. Now I’m worried about him.
We only get high winds on stormy days. Most days our winds are like 11 mph.
🙂
I’m hoping Nugget and Muggle will roost in their nest boxes to keep warm, I have put them up facing away from the wind, with food nearby.
You’re a great Mum! 😉
Has Nugget forgiven you yet?? Or is it too rough to find out?? 😉
Far too rough.
🙁
Stay Safe!
Oh, I hope so, too, Jackie!
Thank you for being such a wonderful mum to them! 🙂
I read Cider with Rosie and As I walked out one Midsummer’s Morning. Good stuff. And England against New Zealand was a great match. As good as I’ve seen England play for a whole match.
Indeed. Thanks very much, Alex.
I was 7 when Aberfan happened – i remember the news reporting on TV clearly to this day.
I’m torn now – have just wished a good friend good luck in the Final – she’s South African (with Welsh parentage)… and you did knock us out of the tournament!!!
A half-hearted: “Good Luck, England” 😉
Thanks a lot, Bob
Thank you for your review. I’ve only read a paragraph of ‘Cider with Rosie’, presented to me by one of my then colleagues, which would have been only a year before Laurie Lee died.
Thanks very much, Helen.
Thank you for the review Derrick
My pleasure, Sylvie. Thank you, too.
🙂
What a wonderful review with beautiful descriptions, Derrick! I love Laurie Lee’s writing very much.
Thank you very much, Clare.
🙂
I am not familiar with this writer, Derrick, so I thank you for a wonderful review that prompts me to read his books.
Thank you very much, Dolly. I think you will like him.
You are very welcome, Derrick.