One afternoon, four books

When it's gloriously sunny, I like to sit in the garden and read, and I've recently discovered the secret to reading in the heat... 

This post is sponsored by the colour yellow (I got carried away).

Instead of reading my kindle, which means I get so engrossed I miss out on watching the birds and the bugs, listening to the trees and day dreaming, I found three books I got from a second-hand book shop that need a once over, and one book I'm determined to start which needs the first chapter reading. 

Four books, one bikini, a shady chair under the tree, a cold drink, a short attention span and a happy day. What could be better?

Here's a tune to get you in the mood...

Dorothy Parker

The New York wise-cracking poet, author, critic and satirist Dorothy Parker (1893-1967) has always intrigued me. I think she would've been a difficult person to be around, but hilarious. She's a character both of her time and out of her time. A unique woman who, from what I read about her, had an incredible spirit, even if it was often acerbic. She joked she was a drinker with a writing problem, and claimed to write five words but change seven of them. She infuriate people, delighted her readers and lived her life exactly as she pleased. She sounds great. 

I picked up this American collection of her work in Canterbury, and it's full of treasures. Who else would describe a character like this...

"Mrs Martindale's breasts were admirable, delicate and firm, pointing one to the right, one to the left; angry at each other, as the Russians have it."

Or write a poem like this...

Razors pain you;

Rivers are damp;

Acids stain you; 

And drugs cause cramp.

Guns aren't lawful;

Nooses give;

Gas smells awful; 

You might as well live. 

The copy of the book I got comes all the way from California. 6152 Auburn Boulevard, Citrus Heights... I looked it up. Looks like Dan's Books is now a car dealers! But I had a good walk around Citrus Height on Google Maps just so I could see what my book has seen. Then I had a little day dream about who bought this book, and how it ended up in Canterbury here in the UK. That's why my way of reading in the sun is so genius; daydreams can happen at any time. 

Joyce Grenfell

Another woman of her time, who makes me laugh so much! She's like Victoria Wood's gran. I got this book in Whitstable because I have adored her since I was little. When she performed her monologues, her timing and characters were spot on. She played the far-too-nice teacher perfectly, with the phrase "George, don't do that" making you wonder what the hell George was doing (I always thought he was eating his bogeys). This book has the added benefit of illustrations by John Ward which sum up the scenes hilariously. 

Here's just a snippet...

"Sidney, put your crown on straight please, not over one eye. What have you got under your jersey?

That's not the place for a hamster, is it. Put him straight back in his little pen, please.

Sidney, which one have you got, Paddington or Harold Wilson?

Well, who's got Paddington?

Neville, put him back at once. 

Poor Paddington and Harold Wilson, it isn't very Christmassy for them under your jersey.

Sidney, I think it serves you right if Harold Wilson bit you, and don't bite him back.

Because he's smaller than you are...."

Listen to her perform that....

A long time ago I was a nursery school teacher and that's exactly what it was like!

Elizabeth David

So here's the thing... I watched that film Julia & Julia, ages ago, about the larger than life cook Julia Childs. Loved it. Years later I was in a London book shop, and because I'm a narna and have a bad memory for film titles, names and famous people, I saw this book and thought "that's the cook that film was about. I wonder if that's the actual book". So I bought it, and forgot about it, until we re-watched the film not long ago, and I said, all smug, "I have the book this film was based on". I then realised what a narna I am when I had to show Mr V this book. Elizabeth David FFS!

This book is amazing though. I was looking for a recipe for how to make confit de canard, as Cafe Rouge is closing in Canterbury and it's one of my favourites. That dish will be on my list when I'm on death row (notice how I said will and when!). I didn't find a recipe but I did discover her writing. It is joyful! I'm going to read this book, as a book, not a cook book. 

Her writing is so descriptive and you can almost taste what she writes, plus it's full of anecdotes of her travels in France. LOVE IT!

So that's three women writers and now the fourth book...

Dow Mossman

I love documentaries and in 2003, I watched the film Stone Reader about Mark Moskowitz's search for the author of The Stones of Summer, a book he had bought in 1972 aged 18 and read 25 years later. He was blown away by the book and wondered why the author, Dow Mossman, had never written anything else. He then documented his search for Mossman and it is brilliant. I bought the book after watching the film, and now 17 years later I think I'd better read it. It seems Dow Mossman readers need a long time to work up to this book. 

I Googled the film and it is going to be remastered for re-release this year. So, it might spur me on to read it. It's a hard read apparently, so a chapter at a time I think. 

And that is how you do summer reading; a bit of this and a bit of that! Four books, one happy daydreamer. 

Thanks for reading!

If you have an idea what George was doing, let me know. If you have read Stones of Summer, let me know too.