Of Birds and Butterflies, Books and Differences! - Pauline Chandler
Do you love birds? I wouldn't have one as a pet in a cage, but I love to see them in the garden, especially finches. They're like bright little jewels.
Recently, I was struck by how different birds pick out different foods. Usually we fill up the feeders with sunflower hearts, to the delight of the finches. Then, one morning, we put out a pile of stale bread, pulled into chunks. The finches weren’t the least bit interested, but a great flock of jackdaws came down and took the bread away, every last scrap, within a couple of minutes, like pro burglars on an easy-peasy heist, in and out, roundabout, thank you very much. They left a most confused squirrel, frozen, beneath the bird table, eyes lifted to the skies and a speech bubble issuing from its mouth: ‘Wha.at? Wha.at? Wha.at sort of a cheese sandwich was that?’ (Love that ad!)
Recently, I was struck by how different birds pick out different foods. Usually we fill up the feeders with sunflower hearts, to the delight of the finches. Then, one morning, we put out a pile of stale bread, pulled into chunks. The finches weren’t the least bit interested, but a great flock of jackdaws came down and took the bread away, every last scrap, within a couple of minutes, like pro burglars on an easy-peasy heist, in and out, roundabout, thank you very much. They left a most confused squirrel, frozen, beneath the bird table, eyes lifted to the skies and a speech bubble issuing from its mouth: ‘Wha.at? Wha.at? Wha.at sort of a cheese sandwich was that?’ (Love that ad!)
Put that bread back or else! |
There ain't room in this town for both of us.. |
For instance,
the Grizzled Skipper lives on agrimony |
the Brimstone on buckthorn |
and the Fritillaries on dog-violets |
It’s all very specific, which makes it easy to see why some butterflies are at risk, when their food plants are decimated.
But to the point of this post: all my reading life I’ve had a worry at the back of my mind about reading the 'right' books. Maybe this was planted in my school days when we had lists of ‘suitable’ books to read, to prove that we were well-educated.
As a teacher, I’ve often been asked by anxious parents and students what books to read, in preparation for exams or university entrance, in other words, what to read to impress.
But to the point of this post: all my reading life I’ve had a worry at the back of my mind about reading the 'right' books. Maybe this was planted in my school days when we had lists of ‘suitable’ books to read, to prove that we were well-educated.
As a teacher, I’ve often been asked by anxious parents and students what books to read, in preparation for exams or university entrance, in other words, what to read to impress.
Look, I’d
like to state publicly now, that, in spite of having spent my working life as
an English teacher and writer, that I have not read War and Peace, Proust or
Ulysses. Nor have I read the complete works of Dickens, Thomas Hardy or
Shakespeare. I’ve read some of each, of course. Yet, always at the back of my
mind, was this prodding anxiety: ‘You should know it all…you should have
read more…learned more’.
What
codswallop! It’s only now in my sixth decade, that I'm able to take a step back
from the rush of a working life and see things in a more balanced way.
We are all different, with different appetites for different food plants and different books.
I used to be disappointed when friends hated the books I loved and confused when I just couldn’t see what the critics were raving about in the bestsellers. Now, I know it doesn’t matter a jot.
We’re all different. I have a catholic taste in books and read all sorts from murder mysteries to humour to biography, to historical fiction to ‘how to’ books. I like what I like. (Look, I just wouldn't admit that to everyone. (And, no, I haven't read '50 Shades of Grey'.)
We are all different, with different appetites for different food plants and different books.
I used to be disappointed when friends hated the books I loved and confused when I just couldn’t see what the critics were raving about in the bestsellers. Now, I know it doesn’t matter a jot.
We’re all different. I have a catholic taste in books and read all sorts from murder mysteries to humour to biography, to historical fiction to ‘how to’ books. I like what I like. (Look, I just wouldn't admit that to everyone. (And, no, I haven't read '50 Shades of Grey'.)
Currently
reading:
Kate
Atkinson : Life After Life, which is
beautifully written, in an almost spoofy way, verging on caricature at times,
considering the subject matter. (Is that the point? I still haven’t quite
squashed that worm of doubt in my own judgement). The book’s incredibly
dispiriting, though. Just when you’re in love with the characters, they pop
their clogs! It’s upsetting me no end. Superb writing though, so I’ll
persevere.
Just read:
Marc Levy: The Children of Freedom, a gut-wrenching
account of resistance fighters during Hitler’s occupation of France . Absolutely rivetting.
Pauline
Chandler
September 21st
2014
www.paulinechandler.com
Comments
When I reached 35 (some time ago now...) 'intimations of mortality' began to haunt my days. The thought occurred: 'I can't die without having read War and Peace - the great novel.' So I bought the paperback of the first half of this monumental tome, and prepared to suffer.
Three months later I emerged, with great reluctance, from Tolstoy's wonderful world. Towards the end I was reading less and less every day in a desperate effort to extend the pleasure.
What had started off with what I thought would be the kind of battle that I had lost with Proust, had almost immediately plunged me into that wonderful world that only a good book can conjure. The driving narrative, the fascinating characters all kept me carrying the book - and then the second volume - around with me all day so that I could fit in some precious moments wherever I was. I soon learnt there were rather boring philosophical 'bits' at the end of some chapters and would skip lightly over them. Enthusing to long-suffering friends I would gush: 'It's more like Dallas' (it WAS the 70s after all') 'than a worthy novel!!'
So I urge you, don't wait for 'intimations of mortality' to scare you - read it NOW, don't delay your gratification!
Sitting on a rowdy Tube and being able to disappear into the world of Jane Austen for 20mins is bliss.
I lasted approx two pages into Ulysses...
And no one could part me from either my word processor or my Kindle.