It has been almost a year since my last post in this tea and book blog. I have thought about giving up many times over these past months in which there was little time to just sit and read, with or without a cup of tea. A week and a half ago, I joined my public library's adult summer reading program, and have been making up for lost time. I had briefly lost sight of something I thought I always knew. A story, a book can change your whole outlook on life. Netflix has a relatively recent, but pretty dark Polish film, Kraj, in which a police officer repeats the following line every time he deals with criminals, "They don't read and have no imagination about what can happen." I read. I have an imagination, which I wish to expand upon. I want to continue with this blog. Without further ado, here are three recently read books that focus on the power of stories and books.
Fiction: A lot of book bloggers, reviewers, Youtubers, etc. have already featured Anthony Doerr's epic tome, Cloud Cuckoo Land. This book deserves the attention. It is a masterpiece of storytelling, and the author never loses control of these seemingly disparate, yet intricately woven narratives, spanning thousands of years, from Constantinople just before its fall to the Turks in 1453 to the future in which Konstance, a young girl is the sole survivor of a social experiment gone awry. What connects all of these characters is one particular book that has managed to survive throughout time. Many have called Cloud Cuckoo Land Doerr's ode to authors and books, but I think his ambitions go way beyond the written word, to story itself. Writing and books are necessary to preserve the story and pass it down, but it is the power of the story itself which inspires the need to preserve it. All of the characters in this novel went through really difficult circumstances, and yet all found comfort and meaning in the story of Aethon and his desire to find a better world. Doerr shows that a great story transcends time and place but is reinvented or reinterpreted for each individual reader or listener. When times are difficult and dark, which stories help us find enough meaning in order for us to cling to life and decide to stay in this world?
Nonfiction: This book from 1947 was the first one I read for this summer's adult reading program. Written by John Gould, a local Maine author, The House that Jacob Built, intertwines family lore surrounding the house the author's great grandfather built in 1780 in Lisbon Falls, with the rebuilding of this same house after a tragic fire destroyed the original on the night Gould's son was born. Every bit nostalgic but with a clear eye, Gould goes room by room in the old farmhouse, letting the stories unwind, both the good and the bad. They include strawberry shortcake, a wedding in the front parlor, and open back doors, along with longstanding feuds with the neighbors, the rejection of a little black boy after the Civil War, and the freezing to death of Sam Bellamy on a cold January night after too much apple cider. What makes this collection of stories particularly powerful is my ability to identify with them. I, too, live in an old Maine farmhouse, I grew up hearing family stories, and have made a few new ones of my own. Which ones will I be passing down to the next generations?
Children's Book: The Paper Dragon by Marguerite W. Davol and illustrated by Robert Sabuda is one of my favorites of all time. The story is about a local artist, Mi Fei, who paints the myths, fables and legends of his community. When Sui Jen, the dragon wakes up from a 100-year nap and wreaks havoc on all the surrounding villages, Mi Fei is elected to go try to convince Sui Jen to go back to sleep. The dragon agrees to go back to sleep if Mi Fei can accomplish three challenges. Although only equipped with his brushes, paints and paper, Mi Fei is successful because he remembers all of the stories from the past. This is a great book to read aloud to a group of children as each page folds out with the words on one side for the reader, and the illustrations on the other side facing the audience. The pictures are bright and colorful, and appear to have been made by paper cut outs such as are used in traditional Chinese silhouette art.
Tea: There are two teas that seem to fit these reading selections very well. The first tea is called Mystic Dragon from the Spice and Tea Exchange. I have been drinking this for a while and it is one of my favorite green teas. Mystic Dragon features a blend of Japanese Sencha and Chinese Dragonwell, but what really sets it apart is the hint of strawberry and rhubarb flavors, perfect for the season. The second tea is a recent find: Maple Fig from TeBella Tea Company out of Tampa, Florida. I have tried a lot of teas with maple flavoring, but never a combination with fig. Blending Old and New World flavors, TeBella says that this black tea is a popular choice for the Fall. However, I think its unique combination is for any season.
Artwork credited to Aurora Draws - contact aliceechesley@gmail.com for more details
All photographs by the author
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