Middlefocus

This book was on the English Literature course when I studied it way back in the 1960s. I suppose its adventure theme, with deadly battles and buried treasure, was judged suitable to capture the interest of  16-year-old  boys. Boys and their reading - still a matter of recurring educational concern.   I came back to the book after having watched a TV programme in which it was referenced. The programme charted the course of the English novel and, as one of its themes, explored literature associated with Empire and colonisation. Hooked, I decided that it might be interesting to reread KSM after more than 50 years. An early front runner of this type of story there are many books of this genre today and this one is still easily available.   Stuck in my memory Some of the characters and situations had certainly stuck in my memory and as I met up with them  again,  I wondered why that was. Since they stuck, there must have been something that...

An indoor queue this time. The simple strips adhered profusely over the mall floor kept everyone well apart. No jostling, no creeping forward. The shoppers waited patiently for each to be called forward in turn. Respectful distancing. Seems like we've all got the message. Complying. Toeing the line.

Palm leaf crosses presented to churchgoers on Palm Sunday  Today is Palm Sunday. 5 April 2020. The occasion recalls the Entry into Jerusalem at the beginning of the first Holy Week in the Christian tradition. This year services commemorating the Entry have been curtailed as a result of the Covid-19 Coronavirus. The virus has taken its toll with many succumbing to its deadly onslaught. Their personal Passion... My dad was born on a Palm Sunday. It was 5 April 1925. As first born in his family it was no doubt a celebration.  A Hallelujah! It always amused him that his own father would on the occasion of Palm Sunday each year wish him a Happy Birthday. My grandad, we called him Granda Christy, never seemed to realise that Palm Sunday just like Easter is an ecclesiastical and therefore a variable date.  Some still don't get this as calls continue to be made for Easter to have a fixed calendar date.  Commercially driven no doubt. But maybe in that bygo...

Books are like old friends. That's certainly the case with this one that an old (and still) friend presented to me as a gift 60 or so years ago. It says something about the nature of gifts back in those days - the pleasure of the printed word. It's on my reread list and I'm wondering whether it will feel dated by today's standards. That's because I reread King Solomon's Mines a while ago and felt that some of its themes and attitudes were of their time and could be considered inappropriate by today's standards. So in preparation for my reread I did some background research into the Coral Island. That's a story in itself. I'm still going ahead with the book and will try to recover the experience of that first read. Six decades ago. I love the gift of the printed word.  A gift that keeps on giving. Yes, books are like old friends...the older the nicer. More: Interested in the book, its author and creation? Check out the  Wikipedia a...