Oh I enjoyed this...I was sorting out old books yesterday for the Oxfam shop, and came across some of the newspaper cuttings my elderly Dad would send me twenty years and more ago. I was up to my ears and beyond with work, teenagers and the menopause (not to mention elderly, frail parents) and he would politely and unfailingly inscribe each lovingly sent article (usually an obituary) 'You may perhaps have missed this...' 😊
Oh, that’s so lovely, Janey! When I was growing up I always wanted to be part of a relationship in which we would exchange bons mots about articles perused in quiet company over the breakfast table. I’m happy to report that I’m in just such a relationship!
It’s so interesting what one discovers about people from the cuttings they have put aside, or sent. Mum’s got lots from Grandma - mostly recipes printed in the newspaper with her comments written around the edges. Lovely stuff.
Rebecca has always been one of my favourite all fine favourite books. I love the inscription from Frank and your. There maybe an incredible story behind Frank and his wife given it was just 3 years after the war. Thank you as usual Rebecca for a beautiful post 😘😘
I last ‘read’ Rebecca in audiobook format - it was wonderful and chilling and the whole gamut of emotions, very different from when I’d read it on paper. I have to admit that I’d bought this copy purely for the ‘CHEAP EDITION!’ announcement on the cover. I am nothing if not romantic! 😉
Rebecca...such a tale of twists, turns and the power of self esteem or lack there of. I love old books as well and find fascination in who owned them, which pages were/are dog eared, dates the books are purchased, places they were purchased and that takes me down the rabbit hole of research. Rebecca, I so loved this piece!
I love the story behind the inscription on the fly leaf of Rebecca. I wonder who Frank was? And his wife. Are they still around? My writer’s mind has gone into overdrive!
Awww, thanks for reading, Rosy! And gosh, yes, I’m sure there’s a story to tell from this writing prompt of an inscription. For starters, I’d love to know the name of Frank’s wife. Was she perhaps called Rebecca, or Daphne? Or neither? You’ve got me thinking of how their story might play out!
Well, he was SUPPOSED to be learning alongside me - German and Linguistics - but his role in my university life became more supervisory than academic, right down to his use of the ‘hard stare’ so typical of his kind.
Thank you Rebecca for this wonderful journey through literary time and place. To be considered separately from real world time and place - whatever “real” designates. I enjoyed your masterful inquisitiveness with dates of publication, addresses and Google street view, reader’s embellishments, and so much more. As always I enjoyed this post considerably.
I love it when you bring back these classic posts, Rebecca. They are just too good to be buried down in the archive. I venture you could do a re-post every week for a year and they would feel like brand new to us - or like running into an old friend. Only YOU could give us Pumps and Peyton Place in the same post and make sense of it.
Oh Sharron, that’s so kind of you. Thank you for reading this updated version of an already familiar post - I had fun digging it out and dusting it down, and I’m so very glad that it’s being read!
(I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to make much sense of the book about pumps, mind……!)
I was age 13 when someone brought a clandestine copy of Payton Place to school, all the "good parts" were dog-eared. It got passed around for days. OMG! Now, of course, it is quite tame.
This essay made me think of a writing prompt you can offer your readers. There’s a story behind each one of these old book inscriptions. Ie: What was Frank’s story?
That’s such a great idea, Carissa! I’ve been wondering for a while what Frank’s wife’s name was - and voilà, there’s an exciting rabbit hole to explore right there! Thank you so much! ☺️
I know nothing about pumps or cavitation, but I do know that you are decidedly NOT a cheap edition. Thinking about who held these books before you, and what stories they brought to them is rich. Thanks, Rebecca...and here's to all the rest you need.
I love the words on the back: "Frank, revealing, and shockingly honest." Reminds me of my mother prudishly informing me that such words described the subject at hand as (gasp) SEX!!!!! Mustn't go there! It's like nobody knows about such things, and perhaps in the case of her generation of women, that was true. We've come a long way, Baby!
Ha!!! Things are so much more open now, aren’t they? Mum tells me that Grandma would always say ‘Sex are what the coal comes in’ - as in how mid-century Britishers with the ‘right’ accent would pronounce ‘sacks’. 🤣
And right now I find myself wondering whether the Frank who had given ‘Rebecca’ to his wife was not JUST Frank, but also ‘revealing and shockingly honest’! 🫣🤣😉
'Rebecca' is one of my favourite books - LOVING the dust jacket on yours! I know exactly the feeling that you describe when you pass these each day on display too.
Your curiosity about everything is really fabulous, Rebecca - I really enjoy that in a person. Carry on!
Awww, thanks, Sue! And gosh, you’ve reminded me of Kipling’s Just So stories and the elephant child’s insatiable curiosity! Might have to dig it out for a re-read - I love these explore-y tunnels which the fabulous people of Substack furnish me with.
The dust jacket of this edition of ‘Rebecca’ is hilarious, isn’t it?! I LOVE that I’m the cheap edition! 🤣🤣🤣
Ohh, how fun is your romp through hardback literary history-well I guess 'literary' in its most broad-minded scope! I can see how you were drawn to the covers of each one of these! When browsing in a bookstore I am always a sucker for interesting graphics and title names: a marketer's dream, clearly. You'd think I would know better, but, ahem, no!
Thank you for reposting this: if I read it the first time around, I have forgotten and I thoroughly enjoyed it this time! xx
Oh I enjoyed this...I was sorting out old books yesterday for the Oxfam shop, and came across some of the newspaper cuttings my elderly Dad would send me twenty years and more ago. I was up to my ears and beyond with work, teenagers and the menopause (not to mention elderly, frail parents) and he would politely and unfailingly inscribe each lovingly sent article (usually an obituary) 'You may perhaps have missed this...' 😊
Oh, that’s so lovely, Janey! When I was growing up I always wanted to be part of a relationship in which we would exchange bons mots about articles perused in quiet company over the breakfast table. I’m happy to report that I’m in just such a relationship!
It’s so interesting what one discovers about people from the cuttings they have put aside, or sent. Mum’s got lots from Grandma - mostly recipes printed in the newspaper with her comments written around the edges. Lovely stuff.
Rebecca has always been one of my favourite all fine favourite books. I love the inscription from Frank and your. There maybe an incredible story behind Frank and his wife given it was just 3 years after the war. Thank you as usual Rebecca for a beautiful post 😘😘
Awww, thank you for reading, Jo!
I last ‘read’ Rebecca in audiobook format - it was wonderful and chilling and the whole gamut of emotions, very different from when I’d read it on paper. I have to admit that I’d bought this copy purely for the ‘CHEAP EDITION!’ announcement on the cover. I am nothing if not romantic! 😉
Rebecca...such a tale of twists, turns and the power of self esteem or lack there of. I love old books as well and find fascination in who owned them, which pages were/are dog eared, dates the books are purchased, places they were purchased and that takes me down the rabbit hole of research. Rebecca, I so loved this piece!
Oh, so kind, Mary - I appreciate you! Other people’s books can tell such great stories, can’t they? x
I love the story behind the inscription on the fly leaf of Rebecca. I wonder who Frank was? And his wife. Are they still around? My writer’s mind has gone into overdrive!
Awww, thanks for reading, Rosy! And gosh, yes, I’m sure there’s a story to tell from this writing prompt of an inscription. For starters, I’d love to know the name of Frank’s wife. Was she perhaps called Rebecca, or Daphne? Or neither? You’ve got me thinking of how their story might play out!
There's that yellow bear . . . . ❤️. Always a good read, RH.
Yup! That’s where you spotted him for the first time! 😊❤️
And thank you! x
He’s so cute and you’re welcome. My yellow bear is reading at the moment. 😁
Every bear I’ve met has been extremely well-read - the ones around here are, certainly! One of mine - Teddy Edward - even went to university! 😁
Oh, Teddy Edward! What a wonderful name for a bear. What was his main course of study? 😊
Well, he was SUPPOSED to be learning alongside me - German and Linguistics - but his role in my university life became more supervisory than academic, right down to his use of the ‘hard stare’ so typical of his kind.
😂
Thank you Rebecca for this wonderful journey through literary time and place. To be considered separately from real world time and place - whatever “real” designates. I enjoyed your masterful inquisitiveness with dates of publication, addresses and Google street view, reader’s embellishments, and so much more. As always I enjoyed this post considerably.
Thanks for reading, Gary! I loved finding out the things I found out - it was such fun to look into the background of these books. 📚
I love it when you bring back these classic posts, Rebecca. They are just too good to be buried down in the archive. I venture you could do a re-post every week for a year and they would feel like brand new to us - or like running into an old friend. Only YOU could give us Pumps and Peyton Place in the same post and make sense of it.
Oh Sharron, that’s so kind of you. Thank you for reading this updated version of an already familiar post - I had fun digging it out and dusting it down, and I’m so very glad that it’s being read!
(I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to make much sense of the book about pumps, mind……!)
However, Peyton Place? Easy-peasey.
BIG admission…... I haven’t read it yet………
Note to self: get to grips with reading list! x
I was age 13 when someone brought a clandestine copy of Payton Place to school, all the "good parts" were dog-eared. It got passed around for days. OMG! Now, of course, it is quite tame.
I love this, Sharron! I remember books borrowed from friends which would fall open at ‘certain’ pages……..!
Super sleuth Rebecca. Just as engrossing on a second read. Your mind is amazing. 🤩☺️💕
LOL Beth! Thank you for the compliment - although I’d venture ‘bonkers’ in place of ‘amazing’! 🤣 xxx
This essay made me think of a writing prompt you can offer your readers. There’s a story behind each one of these old book inscriptions. Ie: What was Frank’s story?
Love this!
Me too!
That’s such a great idea, Carissa! I’ve been wondering for a while what Frank’s wife’s name was - and voilà, there’s an exciting rabbit hole to explore right there! Thank you so much! ☺️
I know nothing about pumps or cavitation, but I do know that you are decidedly NOT a cheap edition. Thinking about who held these books before you, and what stories they brought to them is rich. Thanks, Rebecca...and here's to all the rest you need.
Awww Elizabeth, these words mean a great deal to me. Thank you so very much. 😘
🧡❤️🧡
I love the words on the back: "Frank, revealing, and shockingly honest." Reminds me of my mother prudishly informing me that such words described the subject at hand as (gasp) SEX!!!!! Mustn't go there! It's like nobody knows about such things, and perhaps in the case of her generation of women, that was true. We've come a long way, Baby!
Ha!!! Things are so much more open now, aren’t they? Mum tells me that Grandma would always say ‘Sex are what the coal comes in’ - as in how mid-century Britishers with the ‘right’ accent would pronounce ‘sacks’. 🤣
And right now I find myself wondering whether the Frank who had given ‘Rebecca’ to his wife was not JUST Frank, but also ‘revealing and shockingly honest’! 🫣🤣😉
😂
'Rebecca' is one of my favourite books - LOVING the dust jacket on yours! I know exactly the feeling that you describe when you pass these each day on display too.
Your curiosity about everything is really fabulous, Rebecca - I really enjoy that in a person. Carry on!
Awww, thanks, Sue! And gosh, you’ve reminded me of Kipling’s Just So stories and the elephant child’s insatiable curiosity! Might have to dig it out for a re-read - I love these explore-y tunnels which the fabulous people of Substack furnish me with.
The dust jacket of this edition of ‘Rebecca’ is hilarious, isn’t it?! I LOVE that I’m the cheap edition! 🤣🤣🤣
Ohh, how fun is your romp through hardback literary history-well I guess 'literary' in its most broad-minded scope! I can see how you were drawn to the covers of each one of these! When browsing in a bookstore I am always a sucker for interesting graphics and title names: a marketer's dream, clearly. You'd think I would know better, but, ahem, no!
Thank you for reposting this: if I read it the first time around, I have forgotten and I thoroughly enjoyed it this time! xx
Awww, thank you for reading it again, Sabrina! I love how you’ve called it a ‘romp through hardback literary history’ - what a fabulous headline! 🙌