Tidings: A Christmas Journey by Ruth Padel (Book Review)

Tidings: A Christmas Journey by Ruth Padel

About the author

Ruth Padel is a prize-winning poet, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, and Reader in Poetry at King’s College London. Her most recent collections include Darwin: A Life in Poems on her great-great-grandfather Charles Darwin, The Mara Crossing on migration and immigration, and Learning to Make an Out in Nazareth on the Middle East. She lives in London, the place where she was born.

Blurb

It’s Christmas Eve and on this enchanted night Charoum, the Angel of Silence, can speak. As night turns to day, he unfolds a resonant story of a little girl, a homeless man and a fox…

In the tradition of Charles Dickens and Dylan Thomas, Tidings takes us on a journey into the heart of Christmas, showing us celebrations down the ages and across the globe – as dawn sweeps from East Australia to Bethlehem, from London to the Statue of Liberty in New York.

This is Christmas in all its magic, reminding us that it is a time not only of good tidings, but of loneliness and longing, compassion and connection.

Beautifully illustrated and exquisitely musical, Tidings is a poem to be read out loud and cherished.

Review

Wow, what a beautiful book, I am so pleased I bought this book. This book is absolutely stunning and I think it will be become a Christmas tradition to read it every Christmas in my house. It took me less than an hour to read and I could not put it down and afterwards I could not wait to tell my husband about this beautiful book I had just finished.

This is the first work by Ruth Padel that I have ever read and it will not be my last. I loved how it used the carols from the children’s church service in the poem and it was beautifully entwined together. I also loved how reminiscent of Charles Dickens the poem’s story is, it reminds us that Christmas is not just about celebrating but also about remembering that there are people out there that do not find Christmas a time of celebration but of loneliness, hunger, fear and bad memories.

The contrast between the homeless man and the little girl is brilliant. The little girl is wondering if Father Christmas got her letter about the puppy she wants, her life is full of safety, happiness, love and wanting for nothing. The homeless man is full of memories he wishes to forget. He’s hungry, unwashed, unloved and only has one friend in the world, a little fox.

This book is beautiful and if you only want to read one festive book this year or next year I fully recommend this one. I have already been recommending it to friends and family. It is definitely a festive 5 out of 5 Dragons.

Purchase Links

Waterstones

Book Depository

Fourth Sunday of Advent

Yay! It is the last Sunday before Christmas! I have played the organ, flute and saxophone today for a beautiful Carols by Candlelight service and a morning service that was done like a Christmas morning service so all in all I have played a lot of carols today. I have loved it!

One of the carols we did today was Love Came Down at Christmas by Christina Rossetti it really is beautiful and I absolutely love it so I have decided to share it with you all.

Love Came Down at Christmas

Love came down at Christmas,

love all lovely, Love divine;

love was born at Christmas,

star and angels gave the sign.

Worship we the Godhead,

love incarnate, Love divine;

worship we our Jesus:

but wherewith for sacred sign?

Love shall be our token,

love be yours and love be mine,

Love to God and all men,

love for please and gift and sign.

Christina Rossetti

Happy reading!

The Nutcracker illustrated by Niroot Puttapipat (Mini Book Review)

The Nutcracker by E. T. A Hoffmann, retold by Kate Davies, illustrated by Niroot Puttapipat

Blurb

A beautifully illustrated retelling of The Nutcracker, capturing the magic of the ballet and the excitement of Christmas Eve. Join Clara and the Nutcracker Prince on a journey to the land of sweets, brought to life in a spectacular pop-up finale.

Review

Every Christmas I read a different version of The Nutcracker, this does mean I have quite a few different versions of The Nutcracker in my house now. This year’s choice is a little children’s version which is very abridged with beautiful illustrations and a stunning pop up illustration at the end.

I must admit I did miss a great deal of the story but understand why it had been shortened in such a way. The other thing I loved was how the story flowed so well, even though elements of the story were missing it did not make the story disjointed in any way.

I thoroughly enjoyed this little book and highly recommend it to children and adults. However, care needs to be taken with the pop up illustration as it is very delicate and could easily be damaged. I give this little book a massive 5 out of 5 Dragons.

Purchase links

Book Depository

Waterstones

Friday Poetry: Clare Bevan

Hello!

This week’s chosen poem is by Clare Bevan and I chose it because I have had a lot of students excited about acting in their school nativity plays.

Just Doing My Job

I’m one of Herod’s Henchmen.

We don’t have much to say,

We just charge through the audience

In a Henchman sort of way.

We all wear woolly helmets

To hide our hair and ears,

And wellingtons sprayed silver

To match our tinfoil spears.

Our swords are made of cardboard

So blood will not be spilled

If we trip and stab a parent

When the hall’s completely filled.

We don’t look VERY scary,

We’re almost small and shy,

And some of us wear glasses,

But we give the thing a try.

We whisper Henchman noises

While Herod hunts for strangers,

And then we all charge out again

Like nervous Power Rangers.

Yet when the play is over

And Miss is out of breath

We’ll charge like Henchmen through the hall

And scare our mums to death.

Clare Bevan

Happy Reading

Christmas Decorations!

Hello!

As promised here are some of the pictures of all the Christmas decorations in the Book Dragon household.

I hope everyone is ready for Christmas!

Happy Reading

Mid Week Quote: Brigham Young

Hello!

I have gone for another festive quote this week! I must admit I am rather looking forward to my Christmas break. A nice festive rest is just what I need.

This week’s quote is by Brigham Young.

“Love the giver more than the gift.”

Brigham Young (1801-1877)

Happy Reading

New Books: 17th December 2019

Hello!

So today has been a nice quiet day with a little bit of teaching thrown into the mix. Today also involved buying new books! This was not planned, we went into the supermarket for a few things and I came out with three new books.

Here are the new books:-

A Midwinter Promise by Lulu Taylor

I’ve read a few books by Lulu Taylor and have always enjoyed them so I am looking forward to reading this.

A Perfect Cornish Christmas by Phillipa Ashley

After just finishing ‘A Christmas on the Little Cornish Isles’ I thought I would give another of Phillipa Ashley’s books a try and hope it is as good.

A Wedding in December by Sarah Morgan

No reason for this choice other than I liked the sound of it. Fingers crossed it proves to be good.

So here are my new books! Please drop me a comment if you have read any of them and tell me what you thought.

Christmas Reading List: Update

Well it is beginning to look very festive in the Book Dragon house hold. Today more decorations have gone up and more sorting and tidying has also been happening. Slowly we are getting ready for Christmas. This has also meant the reading has slowed down slightly but I’m still reading my festive books and I have crossed off a few more from the list.

Christmas Reading List (The crossed out ones are links to the reviews)

~~A Very Murderous Christmas by various authors~~

The Night I Met Father Christmas by Ben Miller

Miss Marley by Vanessa Lafaye

~~A Very Country Christmas by Zara Stonely~~

A Literary Christmas: An Anthology

~~Christmas on the Little Cornish Isles by Phillipa Ashley~~

~~Festive Spirits by Kate Atkinson~~

Tidings by Ruth Padel

Murder at Christmas by various authors

The Nutcracker by E.T.A Hoffmann

Christmas at Woolworths by Elaine Everest

~~Twas the Nightshift Before Christmas by Adam Kay~~

Christmas Cakes and Mistletoe Nights by Carole Matthews

~~The Nightmare Before Christmas by Tim Burton~~

~~One Day in Winter by Shari Low~~

I will post some festive snaps later in the week.

Happy Reading

Third Sunday of Advent

Today I had the Carol Service for my one church that I play for and it was interesting because we went for half traditional carols and half new hymns. I think it went down well with everyone, well nobody shouted at me so it must have been ok.

My second service was Third Sunday Advent so I have gone for another Advent hymn for my Sunday post because as you will have noticed I’ve been posting one every Sunday in December so far.

Hark, the glad sound!

Hark, the glad sound! The Saviour comes,
the Saviour promised long;
let every heart prepare a throne,
and every voice a song.

He comes, the prisoners to release,
in Satan’s bondage held;
the gates of brass before him burst,
the iron fetters yield.

He comes, from thickest films of vice
to clear the mental ray,
and on the eyeballs of the blind
to pour celestial day.

He comes the broken heart to bind,
the bleeding soul to cure,
and with the treasures of his grace
to enrich the humble poor.

Our glad hosannas, Prince of peace,
thy welcome shall proclaim,
and Heaven’s eternal arches ring
with thy belovèd Name.

Philip Doddridge (1735)

Happy Festive Reading!

The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde (Review)

The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde

About the author

Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde was born in Dublin in 1854. He was a playwright, poet, novelist and short story writer.

Blurb

Everybody in the county knows that the great manor of Canterville Chase has been haunted for 300 years. But when the American minister Mr Otis moves in with his wife and family, they refuse to be frightened by something as Old World as a ghost.

The Canterville Ghost vows to have his revenge and terrify them all to death with his most despicable deeds. But after the minister offers practical solutions such as Pinkerton’s Champion Stain Remover for the bloodstain in the sitting room, and the twin boys torture him by pelleting him with their peashooters, it’s the poor ghost who is left severely spooked.

Can he possibly rescue his reputation, or will the family offer him a chance to finally lay his – detachable – head down forever?

Review

I was very excited to find this book whilst looking for Christmas presents at Waterstones. I love the film of this story where the ghost is played by Patrick Stewart.

This is a super little short story where you can not help but feel sorry for the poor ghost. He has spent all his ghostly life haunting and terrifying the residents of the manor and now all of a sudden he has a family he can not scare and who delight in scaring him instead. He tries all his tricks but to no avail and slowly it starts to affect his health. That’s if ghosts actually do have ill health?

The Otis family are stereotypically American and a real good laugh. They take everything in their stride and are not fazed by anything. Thankfully one member of this family can also be the ghost’s biggest aid.

I love this little story, I find it sweet and funny and just generally a fun read. I highly recommend this book to everyone and give it a massive 5 out of 5 Dragons.

Purchase Links

Waterstones

Book Depository