Irish writers in my case are big healers. When I have some big pains they are in grade to re-balance my soul. It's not a compliment for the category or the country but the reality.
Weeks ago I was chatting wity my aunt in Memphis, Bobbie: She asked me about A Week in Winter
I am like that; sometimes I fall in love for a book and then I lose interest, reading it later. It's the old story I told you, dear reader, other times: books are magical and they arrive in our existence for let us see a different future, vision. We can't read them if we are not yet prepared; if our spirit is not yet prepared for that message.
That day I was choosing books for writing my book recommendations for this pandemic lockdown; it's necessary, indispensable an evasion of thoughts, accompanied my some gym, stretching, in a daily base.
I saw A Week in Winter by Binchy. The last book written by Maeve, disappeared abruptly at just 72 years. The book sent me by aunt Bobbie.
When I opened the book I found two bookmarks inside. One of them, sent by an American correspondent, Maria says: A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step, ( a quote by Lao Tzu). I found it, considering the times, pretty encougaging; there was also another beautiful message sent by Aunt Bobbie. This book was brought me not via mail but thanks to other two American friends, in visit: Connie and Phyllis. Thanks a lot, friends.
I thought that this one would have been a great reading for sure.
I completed iet yesterday night and it is an enchanting book.
First of all let me add that Maeve Binchy was a great story-teller. She had a light touch in doing this: she always saw the positive side of the existence, she was someone who thought that every problem could be sorted out, every person healed, and that, yes, there was for everyone, if searched and wanted, a bright light after the tunnel.
Maeve thought that happiness, serenity were not an options in the existences of people but solid reality; that sometimes misunderstanding brought unhappiness in families but that these problems could be sorted out speaking, opening our soul to the other ones.
In this sense this unicity of Maeve Binchy is incredibly important now, that the world is turned upside down; a positive message of hope, of encouragement, is necessary, because, after all life also when not affected by a pandemic pneumonia is hard, difficult.
The main protagonist of this tale can tell you that. Chicky Starr was born in Stoneybridge a little town located in the west of Ireland, and once she fell in love for an American guy living in New York City. Chicky was absolutely smitten and when he proposed her if she wanted to afford with him to NYC, she said immediately: of course. Her parents, siblings tried to convince her that this one was a bad decision but Chicky left for the USA. And, of course, it was a failure. She could not tell this to her parents or friends or siblings, so, with the time, she invented in her numerous letters her glamurous existence in New York City. Realistically Chicky lived in a little flat, in great modesty. Once, she returned home and a relative of her, deciding to emigrate in the USA, asked to join Chicky and her husband, considering their good existence and the big house for then starting her own existence.
Terrorized by this news The Big Lie: Chicky's husband died suddenly in a horrible car incident. The same Chicky decided to return home, a widow sad, but at the same time opened to new possibilities. And once in Stoneybridge the idea once she visited an old dear, kind lady, the owner of Stone House: the idea of buying it for create a solid reality, with weekly visitors, excursions, wild-bird watching and more.
In this story,there are innested the destinies of the rest of the Stone House's "family:" they partially will return, you will see, as also the ones of the other guests of the house in the first week of opening.
The story of Winnie and Lillian is emblematic. Winnie found someone in love for her and vice-versa, but the mother is a real boss. Rigger lived in Dublin, her mother stayed at Stone House when a girl, and left when pregnant, alone, because in a relationship with a wrong guy; Rigger grew up with her help and the one of his uncle, becoming, although intelligent, a little delinquent. He found his good and clean destiny in Stonebridge and precisely in Stone House. John is a famous actor in crisis, Henry and Nicola two doctors who lived several traumas thanks to various patients who killed themselves; for this reason in crisis. They will find an answer at Stone House and Stonebridge.
Anders is a Sweden boy in love for music, and in crisis because he wouldn't want to continue the tradition of the family-business, leaving it at his relatives.
The Walls are maybe the nicest couple of this book: they won this trip at Stone House and they were so sad; they preferred Paris.
There is just a case in which I saw resignation: the person of Miss Nell Howe. There won't be anything to do with this nasty woman. No lessons learned; not a best destiny after her trip at Stone House, a trip, present of his colleagues.
Freda was a psychic girl in search of answers after that she experienced a sad relationsyhip with a married man.
This book is important because put the reader in a more intense contact with the word travelling.
Substantially all the times I would have wanted to travel I had big problems and I needed to refresh my mind and my spirit. I thought that this one was also the case of these protagonists: their trip haven't been "just" a vacation for some sun, for some rinvigorating time, absolutely legitimate, but something more profound; the necessity to find new answers at old questions for new personal beginnings. In this sense the formula wanted by Chicky Starr, is the best one because all the guests eat together during the various meals and being this one a warm hotel, they have the possibility of an interaction with the rest of the other ones, exchanging experiences, places, portions of their existence; new friendships are born thanks to this holiday, leaving the spirits changed.
Of course the owner of Stone House "helped a lot" in this sense, to my point of view. Chicky Starr suffered for a long portion of her existence and so now she is a sort of healer for her guests, simply because having discovered the various faces of the existence during the decades spent distant from Ireland, she is now a strongest and wisest woman.
Beautiful book, highly recommended! I miss you, mrs Binchy.
Anna Maria Polidori
No comments:
Post a Comment