The Book Trunk

chrisharding53

  • Merry Christmas – in Nine Languages!

    Gledelig Jul! That’s Norwegian for Merry Christmas, and it seems an apt way to start a festive post, since the blog is dedicated to the memory of my Grandmother, who ran away from her home in Norway way back in… Continue reading

  • The Year’s Midnight

    This portrait of Donne was painted around 1595, by an unknown artist, and is in National Portrait Gallery. Given the date (December 13), there is only one possible choice that could be made for today – John Donne’s A Nocturnall upon St Lucie’s Day,… Continue reading

  • A Perfect Christmas Read

    Well, it’s December 12 and there’s another 12 days to go until Christmas Day, and so far my books have included children’s classics, poems, a Stuart recipe and a Medieval. Coming up are some more children’s tales, John Donne, TS… Continue reading

  • The Country Child’s Christmas

    I’m celebrating Day 11 of the Advent Bookfest with a 1952 Faber and Faber edition of Alison Uttley’s The Country Child, illustrated with woodblock engravings by CF Tunnicliffe. Uttley is probably best known for her children’s books, especially the Little… Continue reading

  • The Green Knight

    This illustration, taken from a Medieval manuscript, is onthe front cover of  an old Penguin edition of Sir Gawayne and the Green Knight. Day Ten, and I’ve travelled back in time to 14th century, and the tale of Sir Gawayne and… Continue reading