British Author, Harold Acton,* was asked to perform at a Conservative Garden Fete.  He decided to recite [T. S. Eliot's] The Waste Land from beginning to end.  "His audience's good manners were severely tested, as this dirge for a godless civilization, delivered in Harold Acton's rich, resounding voice, swept irresistible above their heads;  and one or two old ladies, who were alarmed and horrified but thought that the reciter had such a 'nice, kind face,' rather than hurt the young man's feelings by getting up and leaving openly, were obliged to sink to their knees and creep away on all fours."

*(July 5, 1904 - February 27, 1994)


THE LITTLE, BROWN BOOK OF Anecdotes, Clifton Fadiman.

Moment in the bookshop ~ captured by Kim Jeffrey.
Alan Bishop, John Passfield & John Ballinger


Thank you, Kim

THE BUTTERFLY'S DAY.

FROM cocoon forth a butterfly

     As lady from her door

Emerged ~ a summer afternoon ~

Repairing everywhere,

Without design, that I could trace,

Except to stray abroad

On miscellaneous enterprise

Photo: lbw

The clovers understood.

Her pretty parasol was seen

Contracting in a field

Where men made hay, then struggling hard

With an opposing cloud,

Where parties, phantom as herself,

To Nowhere seemed to go

In purposeless circumference,

As 't were a tropic show.

And notwithstanding bee that worked,

And flower that zealous blew,

This audience of idleness

Disdained them, from the sky,

Till sundown crept, a steady tide,

And men that made the hay,

And afternoon, and butterfly,

Extinguished in its sea.

~ Emily Dickinson, Collected Poems of Emily Dickinson, Chatham River Press, 1986.

REMINDER FRIENDS:  August Third Thursday, 15th at 1:00 p.m., Poems & Poets, a round-table sharing favourite poems.  Everyone welcome.  Every third Thursday of the month an informal reading of poetry or prose ~ or sometimes a Fascinating Personality of literature or other.

Join Neil Paul today in The Neat Little Bookshop ~ 1:00 p.m.  Neil will read from Shakespeare's Hamlet.  Informal Round Table discussion.

We reserve the Third Thursday of each month for An Afternoon With The Authors 

Retired from teaching, Neil is the author of A Small Volume; he frequently speaks to organizations and groups.

File photo ~ Neil Paul with Fan Mrs. Huitema

Please join Neil Paul on Thursday, March 21, 1:00

Reading:  Shakespeare's Hamlet

Neil published A Small Volume, a book of Poetry

"Coffee pot's always on..."

A Reminder ~

This Thursday, March 21, at 1:00 p.m.  An Afternoon with Authors.

Neil Paul will be in The Neat Little Bookshop.  Those of us who have heard Neil's readings never miss an opportunity to listen to his latest unpublished work.  His book of poetry A Small Volume is available in the bookshop.

This week Neil will read from Shakespeare's Hamlet.  Join us for a fun afternoon.

Special Guest

Michael Walton

Thursday, Feb. 21

1:00 p.m.

The book of beowulf
Anglo-saxon epic in modern English

It's Informal ~ Everyone Welcome

Coffee Tea Refreshments

READING ~

Author John Passfield

Thursday, January 17, 1:00 p.m.

"Coffee Pot's Always on..."

Everyone Welcome ~ no admission

Note:  Local author John Passfield has a new book, Babe Ruth.  Sports fans won't want to miss this one.  We hope to bring to you details and front cover image.

(To our Readers:  The Neat Little Bookshop blog has always included photographs and illustrations.  Of late, you may have noticed an odd repetition.  That is because something happened when we agreed to purchase additional storage from Goggle's Blogspot.  Suddenly, the only photos available for posting are those from earlier posts.  We are working to remedy the problem.) 

Join us along with Neil Paul

Thursday, November 15 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Neil will be reading poetry and prose

of Robert Service

"Bard of the Yukon"

Robert Service is the author of the ballads "The Shooting of Dan McGrew" and "The Cremation of Sam McGee."  "He has caught the spirit of wanderlust latent in every one of us and his verses will live on forever." ~flyleaf of Complete Poems of Robert Service.

R. Service Cabin in Dawson City, Yukon ~ Wikipedia