This week, we finally managed to install our new (not new ) item of furniture - a mid-18th Century grandfather clock. It's not bright and shiny like more modern ones, but a dark oak with a warm patina which the beeswax polish is drawing out. In order to set it up, we had to do a certain amount of research - how to hang the pendulum, where the weight went on the endless chain - and it got me thinking... where and when did certain divisions of time come from? The time periods which I have written either had household clocks or didn't, I have not written novels from the time of their invention. Clocks have been around for a long time, and the obsession with measuring time in an ordered fashion dates back to at least the ancient Sumerians. It was they who established a circular reading of time and, I imagine, the sixty seconds/minutes came about as much because it was an easy way to divide a circle as anything else. But it wasn't until much later that the precision of seconds ...
"A Wounded World" by Crit Kincaid
Book Review
☆☆☆☆☆
“A Wounded World” was one of 5 books I got off Amazon. I’d
just got a subscription for Kindle Unlimited and I knew I would want to read
something while on the train north. I scrolled through my Kindle and clicked on
this book at random – entirely unsure what to expect but I wasn’t holding my
breath…
The first chapter gripped my attention in an uncommon way. I
have not read many books where my interest is piqued so near the beginning but
I found that I really did not want to put my kindle down. The Highland scenery
went by…and I was still engrossed in this book.
As far as I’m concerned, a book that can elicit heightened
emotions from me is a sign of good writing. At one point, I looked up from the ‘page’,
needing to find the composure to carry on. My Mum notices, as she does, and
moves forward to place her hand over mine.
“Don’t read it!” She says.
“No, I have to.” I stubbornly look back down to my kindle. “It’s
so wonderful!”
The uplifting nature of the book, and the perceptions of
life after death are utterly astounding for me.
On top of this, the characters were all well-developed –
something I’m keen on. The teenage angst parts reminded me of why I chose to
teach primary, but the author has portrayed secondary school very cleverly
indeed, the comments on bullying almost breaking my heart. Being in Scotland, I
don’t really understand the American system, but I reckon we have our fair
share of these characters on this side of the water too!
As with all books, I try and find something that could be
better…it’s just my nature I suppose! Aside from a couple of typos that are
easily overlooked, I would do nothing to this book to change it.
What a profound insight into the world and human nature! I
would highly recommend it!
Book Blurb (from Goodreads)
A story about living with the wounds that death can leave behind and healing those wounds with love. A boy hides from a world that hurt him, and a girl must learn how and what love is in order to help him realize there is life after death.
"A strange young man, indeed," said Shu, the old gardener who was really a doctor. "He's like that graveyard cat, who hunts mice amongst graves at night and occasionally ventures out into the bright light of the living world. But even then, he stays in the shadows, avoiding contact, forgetting that his natural place is with the living and not with the dead."
"Sí! La vida no debe rondan a los muertos."
The old man looked to his Hispanic friend and nodded. "My friend, Mr. Rosalis..."
"Ramirez!"
"...agrees, 'The living should not haunt the dead.' I fear bringing that boy to this place was a mistake."
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