Hello booklovers,

It’s the seventh of December already! Behind today’s Advent door we have one of our most beautiful and much loved carols, ‘Silent Night’. Our wonderful committee member and festival volunteer Hannah offers a literary twist on this peaceful tune.

Hannah writes…

‘Silent Night has always been a favourite carol of mine. Its beauty is in its simplicity. The calming, lullaby melody is a contrast to the bold imagery of the lyrics. We have shepherds quaking, glories streaming and heavenly hosts singing – one suspects the first christmas wasn’t so silent!

This year, in which we have marked the centenary of the end of the First World War, I can’t help but think of the miraculous moment just over 104 years ago when this peaceful, unassuming carol sparked precious hours of silence from the usual gunfire. The Christmas Day Truce is documented in many books but there are two gorgeous little ones that I like to pull down from my bookshelf each year.

The first of these is The Best Christmas Present in the World by that giant of children’s literature, Michael Morpurgo, and illustrated by Michael Foreman. This tells the story of a man who purchases an old roll-top desk and dislodges a jammed drawer to find a letter written by a young soldier to his sweetheart back home in England. His letter tells of the truce of Christmas 1914 and it is written in such a way that even young children will understand. It’s a beautiful, poignant tale with lovely illustrations.

My second recommendation is Carol Ann Duffy’s The Christmas Truce. This is one of Duffy’s little, square festive poetry books, which make perfect stocking fillers. Each book has a different illustrator who brings a whole new feeling to the work. This one is illustrated by David Roberts whose pictures are at both childlike and haunting. Our Poet Laureate’s verse is, of course, completely on point, with not a word wasted:

“Men who would drown in mud, be gassed, or shot,

Or vaporised

By falling shells, or live to tell,

Heard for the first time then –

Stille Nacht. Heilige Nacht. Alles schläft, einsam wacht…

Cariad, the song was a sudden bridge

From man to man;

A gift to the heart from home,

Or childhood, some places shared…

When it was done, the British soldiers cheered.”’

Yuletide wishes, until tomorrow x

Hello booklovers,

On day 6 of Advent we turn to a more traditional and perhaps lesser known carol. Visitor to the book festival Andrew has chosen to write about a carol from his childhood, ‘Three Kings from Persian Lands Afar’.

Andrew writes…

‘Back in the dark and distant seventies a new science teacher arrived at the school that I was attending.  As teachers went he seemed OK; he had a reasonably good relationship with us, his students, though he was perhaps a little ‘free’ with his power to send those less well behaved amongst us to discuss our misdemeanours with the terrifying ‘Sandy’, founder and head teacher of the school.  But in the Christmas Concert that year in the local church Mr Scott’s ‘superhero power’ became apparent: boy oh boy could he sing!  His solo performance of ‘Three Kings from Persian lands afar’ was the first time I had heard this carol and it had a big impact on me – in part because I was entranced by the beauty of the carol itself, but it was also the shock of discovering that our really rather normal science teacher could produce such a beautiful sound!  To this day it is one of my favourite carols.

Doing a bit of digging on the interweb I’ve discovered that it is actually a German carol (why are all German carols so good?!).  One Peter Cornelius penned it in 1856 as part of his ‘Weihnachtslieder, Opus 8’.  ‘Drie Kon’ge wandern aus Morgenland …’ (which I would have said means ‘Three kings hiking from the East’ – but that’ll be why my career as a translator has not taken off!)

Hoping you’re enjoying Advent at least as much as I am!’

Festive and bookish best, until tomorrow!

 

Hello booklovers,

Today we are giving you something a little different! Anna, another fantastic committee member, presents us with Sir Paul McCartney’s festive hit ‘Pipes of Peace’. Whilst always a favourite in Anna’s family, the link between the song and the centenary of the end of the First World War makes ‘Pipes of Peace’ is particularly relevant in 2018.

Anna writes…

‘In my late teenage years, the Christmas of 1983 was memorable for a number of reasons, not least as the beginning of my sometimes wobbly tour through the trials, tribulations and immense joys, of life at university. But at this point also, when Top of the Pops was still the must see programme on the telly on a Thursday, Paul McCartney produced another classic song and an epic video (even in an era of great videos, this was the 80s remember) to go with it, and in the process, united two particular interests of mine at the time, I was a big fan of Paul McCartney, and of First World War poetry, and there they were both together in this song. The tune has a festive feel anyway, but the subject matter; messages of harmony and reconciliation,  coupled with the video, depicting a version of the famous truce of Christmas Eve 1914, bringing British and German soldiers together in peace, for a few hours, was very powerful to my eyes.

Obviously over the last few years we have become much more familiar with images from the First World War, as we have been commemorating the 100 years anniversary, but in 1983, such depictions were not so common, and I found the season, the song, and the vivid imagery of the video, all to be immensely affecting at that time, which was a period of great change for me anyway. To me this is a Christmas song that in the best tradition of such music, mixes a bit of whimsey and a catchy tune, with a much deeper message. It reminds me personally of a particular Christmas, after which my life took the course which has brought me to where I am today. But you don’t have to be a fan of Sir Paul,to admire the sentiment, or the timeless quality of his Pipes of Peace, particularly in the run up to Christmas 2018, and remembering 100 years ago.’

Food for thought, wouldn’t you agree? Have a listen to this wonderful tune via the video below…

Christmassy wishes until tomorrow! x

Hello booklovers,

I very much hope that you are enjoying the musical treats brought to you by our ‘carol a day’ advent calendar. Our contribution for December the 4th comes from another brilliant member of the Felixstowe Book Festival committee, Birgit, who has picked ‘O Christmas Tree’ as her choice of carol.

Birgit writes…

‘Over the years that I have lived in this country, stood at the light switch on in our little seaside town and listened to the Salvation Army band leading the frozen people through songs and carols, I realised one thing: English Christmas Songs seem so much more joyful than German ones.  Christmas service is a rather solemn affair in Germany. The songs are slow and depressing and not joyful and hopeful like so many British ones. 

I was asked to pick my favourite song and this has to be ‘Silent Night’. I like this one that made the jump across the channel (probably courtesy of Prince Albert I suspect, like real Christmas trees). Another Christmas song that I would like to mention and that is quite possibly also a ‘present’ of dear Albert, is ‘O Christmas Tree’. One has to ask oneself ‘why are we singing to a tree?’ Any other time of the year we would get very strange looks if we stood singing at a tree. But at Christmas it seems a perfectly normal thing to do. It is as if the normal rules don’t apply at Christmas. Interestingly the original song is a German Folk song that can be traced back around 500 years and has no religious lyrics but over the years the words have changed and these days a religious meaning has been added. The original lyrics talk about how we can learn resistance, trust and hope from the tree that stays green all year round, covered under snow and ice not giving up, waiting for the next spring. Personally I feel that is a good Christmas lesson too.

Frohe Weihnachten!’

Festive wishes to all, keep your eyes peeled for tomorrow’s entry! x

Hello booklovers,

On day three of our advent celebration we have Viv, another fab committee member, bringing us ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’.

Viv writes…

‘This is a Christmas song written by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane for the 1944 movie ‘Meet me in St Louis’. Judy Garland sings the song to her young sister who is distraught at the family’s plans to move to New York City, leaving behind their home in St Louis, Missouri.

It has a haunting melody and has been recorded over the years by various artists, the latest of whom is Sam Smith. For me it echoes the mixed emotions of Christmas, reflecting past troubles and putting them aside for the season, opening up to the joy of Christmas, being with people we love and looking to the future.

It is a time for remembering those who are no longer with us and for giving to those less fortunate than ourselves both at home and abroad,  but also enjoying the company of grandchildren and seeing the wonder in their eyes. Christmas is about the joys of giving rather than receiving; the religious significance, not the commercialism and remembering to ‘Have yourself a Merry little Christmas’ despite all our troubles, whatever they might be.’

All the very festive best, until tomorrow!

Hello booklovers,

Today marks my own contribution to our advent calendar, my festive choice being ‘The Sussex Carol’.

‘On Christmas Night all Christians sing…’

When I was small, a favourite Christmas film of mine was an animation of The Tailor of Gloucester by Beatrix Potter, which I would annually watch with my grandma. The film starts with Miss Potter (portrayed by Niamh Cusack) preparing for Christmas. She lights candles with tapers by her twinkling Christmas tree, as her maid bustles about sorting the festivities. To this day, this depiction of Beatrix Potter’s front room has been my ultimate image of a Victorian Christmas. A troupe of children playing violins and singing appear at the door and are greeted with a plate of mince pies adorned with a sprig of evergreen – the carol they sing is The Sussex Carol. 

The lyrics to this joyful tune first appeared in 1684 in a text named ‘Small Garland of Pious and Godly Songs’. The music most commonly heard today was completed by much loved composer Ralph Vaughn Williams, who composed many of our most popular carols. The Sussex Carol is often performed at the King’s College ‘Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols’ on Christmas Eve, marking the end of Advent and the start of the Christmas festivities.

On hearing this song I am transported back to being a small child, safe and content in the company of a much loved grandma and in the world of a much loved children’s author, waiting for the excitement and joy that Christmas brings. Whilst everything else around me changes, the music stays the same old beautiful tune it has always been.

Follow the link below to have a listen to this joyful and uplifting piece of music – happy carolling!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAjHi8Lbgo4

Imogen x

Hello booklovers,

Advent has arrived, as has the Felixstowe Book Festival advent calendar… let the excitement commence! To begin our ‘carol-a-day’ celebrations, Jan, one of our wonderful committee members, brings us In the Bleak Midwinter. 

Jan writes…

In the bleak midwinter

Frosty wind made moan

Earth stood hard as iron

Water like a stone

Snow had fallen, snow on snow,

Snow on snow

In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

‘This carol was published as ‘A Christmas Carol’ in 1872 in the American magazine ‘Scribner’s Monthly’. The editor had met poet Christina Rossetti and asked her to write a Christmas poem for the magazine. Long before it came to be known by its famous first line, it was set to music by the composer Gustav Holst, accompanied by the tune known as ‘Cranham’.

This melancholy and evocative carol imagines the Nativity in a snowy Northern landscape a whole world away from the more temperate climate of the Middle East. What a marvelously descriptive setting for a carol or indeed for the winter season itself.’

See you tomorrow for your next advent treat – happy caroling! 

 

Hello booklovers,

The season to be jolly and joyous is nearly upon us. I don’t know about you, but I am certainly thinking “Where on earth did November go?!”. When I reflect on what reminds me of Christmas I am always drawn to two things: books and music. Every year on the first of December my parents and I delve deep in the loft to draw down an enormous and rather heavy box stuffed to the brim with Christmas books of all shapes and sizes. In this hallowed box you can find all manner of literary treats, my personal favourites including Slinky Malinky’s Christmas Cracker (for old times sake!!) and The Wren Boys, one of Carol Ann Duffy’s beautiful little poem books. I love nothing more than delving into my much beloved copy of Christmas Days by Jeannette Winterson, a delightful collection of winter stories and recipes to boot, not to mention the annual treat of A Literary Christmas, a literary anthology courtesy of the British Library.

Once the box of books has been brought down, we turn to music. Our much loved festive carols create much needed pockets of peace and tranquility amongst all the excitement of the festive season. I adore the cheer of ‘The Holly and the Ivy’ and ‘The Sussex Carol’ just as much as the melancholy of ‘O Come, O Come Emmanuel’ and ‘The Shepherd’s Farewell’. I find the history and traditions surrounding Christmas carols endlessly fascinating. Each year I feel the same familiar comfort of this timeless music as well as gleaning something new from it as I grow older. Matching these with the glamour and pizazz of Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole or the comforting tones of Chris Rea and Jona Lewie, my Christmas is set.

Combining literature and music, here at the Felixstowe Book Festival we are treating you to an extra special way to celebrate the Christmas season. Welcome, booklovers, to Felixstowe Book Festival Advent 2018. We present you with… a carol-a-day! From the 1st of December until Christmas eve we will have 24 days of blog fun with each day bringing you a new Christmas carol or song, with contributions from our lovely volunteers and festival guests. So keep your eyes on our blog and on our Twitter feed and let the festivities commence!

A tune humming, toe-tapping, holly-laden bookish best,

Imogen and the Festival Team x

Hello booklovers,

The fourth Thursday in November has arrived and it is time to wish our friends across the pond a very happy Thanksgiving!

A North American holiday, Thanksgiving has come to symbolise the importance of home and the importance of family, marked by the preparation and consumption of a rather delicious meal. Thanksgiving has always been associated with a general thanks for the fruits of the autumn harvest, and then by the arrival of the pilgrims in America in 1621. However it was only in 1863 that, thanks to the rigorous campaigning of a lady named Sarah Josepha Hale, President Lincoln decided that the date for Thanksgiving was to be the 26th of November and would mark a day of national unity. Now Thanksgiving is fixed on the fourth Thursday of November and in Canada it has been celebrated on the second Monday in October since 1957.

As my own Thanksgiving gesture, I thought I would pay tribute to a favourite American author of mine, Louisa May Alcott, and her most beloved tale of the March girls, Little Women. Following the lives of Meg, Beth, Amy and Jo, Alcott’s story has been a favourite book for many readers for many, many years.  

Little Women is often much maligned, and labelled as a tale of hopes and dreams that are never truly fulfilled. Be my guest to take this view, but if you look closer (and I beg that you do) what you will find is a tale unfolding of self discovery through all the very realistic trials and tribulations that life offers. Poverty, civil war, the death of a sibling: issues that remain pertinent in our own society and will remain so in societies of the future.

This is a story about sisterhood, humility, friendship and the forging of equal relationships. Now often criticised for writing too much in her own time, Alcott actually very much ahead of her time, particularly in her portrayal of female agency and the process of growing up. It takes much skill as a writer to create four girls who have stayed in the minds of their readers from childhood to adulthood for 150 years.

Little Women is of particular relevance to the festival of Thanksgiving with its true depiction of familial affection and a love of home. With that sentiment in mind, I wish all the Megs, Jos, Amys and Beths of this world, and every other reader of course, a very Happy Thanksgiving!

‘I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship’ 

Louisa May Alcott

Bookish best,

Imogen

Hello-ooooooo booklovers,

October the 31st has arrived. Across the nation pumpkins will be carved, bonfires lit and sweets distributed to small visiting witches and wizards and other such spooky folk.

According to folklore, Halloween is the night where the barrier between the supernatural world and the land of the living is at its thinnest – we are closer to those who have shuffled off this mortal coil than ever before. Make of that what you will… but either way it’s a nice excuse to light a fire and indulge in some Autumn themed treats (my current favourite ingredient is pumpkin, it’s so delicious). It is also a wonderful reason to share some spine-tingling stories. For centuries at this time of year people have gathered together to ward off the Autumn darkness and to tell a ghoulish story or two. Feast your eyes below for some hauntingly good recommendations…

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James

What goes unexplained is the most frightening thing in this jewel of a tale. Who actually is Peter Quint and what dreadful thing has he done? Was it even him who committed such an act in the first place, or someone smaller and seemingly more innocent?

The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

If you enjoy post-war tales of old families, dilapidated houses and things that go bump in the night, this is the novel for you. An unnerving story of repression, class and the repercussions of being made an outsider, The Little Stranger keeps you guessing until the very end and looking over your shoulder for a very long time after that.

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

For those who prefer a good old fashioned Gothic tale, exploring fears over scientific the scientific innovations and the decadence of the Victorian age. Lots of thick city smog, gas lamps and grotesqueness – terrific.

Enjoy dear booklovers – don’t get too spooked!

Autumnal wishes,

Imogen x