Straws and Prayer-Books

Rating:
Summary: Epilogue to the Biography of Dom Manuel with JURGEN asides
Review: The title of this book comes from a poem:"Behold the child, by Nature's kindly law, Pleased with a rattle, tickled with a straw. . . . Scarfs, garters, gold, amuse his riper age, And beads and prayer-books are the toys of age."

Before reading this book, look up the definitions of "arietin," "epigoni," "horary" and "thrasonical."

JBC stated that he wrote the Biography for his personal diversion, and maintained that that was the rationale for any literary work. Within such diversion, the writer plays with reason, common sense and piety which is explored in Chapter 1 thru 3. Chapter 4 returned to Poictesme to relate the fate of Sir Anavalt of Fomor who quested for and found Maid Vae, the Thin Queen of Elfhame. Chapter 5 discussed the change of a writer's viewpoint with age and the negative and positive aspects of the Puritan world-view on 20th century behavior. His analysis of LA ROTISSERIE DE LA REINE PEDAUQUE by Anatole France deserves careful study and his remarks about "celestial architecture" are insightful. Chapter 6 looked at the goals and idiosyncracies of established literary artists. Chapter 7 entitled "Diversions of the Anchorite," focused on Joseph Hergesheimer (1880-1954) as a shining example of that concept. Chapter 8 went back to Poictesme and followed the career of Sir Holden of Nerac who had become enamored with the delta-framed picture of the pagan Queen Radegonde who had died 1300 years before him. Sir Guivric of Perdigon enabled Sir Holden to love and later marry the queen with decidely mixed results. The final chapters focus on the work of George Moore (1852-1933) and hint that "the pen is a remedy against oblivion." An addendum to the book entitled "The Author of the Eagle's Shadow," has the young JBC asking the elder one if he should become a writer. The elder one discussed the positive and negative sides to becoming a writer, but left the query unanswered.