Dear Friends:
Please find below the recently “discovered” letter from the lost correspondence of The Sidewalk Artist's intrepid travel writer Miss Mildred Mercy.
As you delve into your holiday shopping, please consider helping those less fortunate. For example, one of Plan Canada’s Gifts of Hopes is a Library in a Box for Haiti. An entire library for only $60!
Best wishes for the Holidays and New Year!
Gina Buonaguro and Janice Kirk
Hotel Raphael, Rome
Christmas Eve, 1971
Dear Gentle Friends,
It never snows in Rome, my friend the Tuscan vintner told me. Those of you who read my travelogue On the Trail of the Writer in Europe: An American Woman's Pilgrimage will remember the vintner as the man who swept me most chivalrously away on his motor scooter as I waited in vain for a local bus. Having wooed him these past three Christmases with hand-knit socks and my very famous fruit cake, I was delighted when at last he succumbed (no doubt under the influence of the generous quantity of rum with which I spiked last year’s sweet offering) and invited me to meet him here in the Eternal City. And while I have not had a Christmas without snow in all my eighty-four years of living in North Dakota, it is a small price to pay to be here again in Italy with my vintner, who is at this very moment out purchasing a copy of that most venerable of American Christmas traditions, “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” spotted before breakfast in the window of an English-language bookshop.
What can I say about this city that I did not already cover in my book of travels? Dickens was here; Hawthorne came too. My vintner and I viewed St. Peter’s Square with Mark Twain’s colorful observations as our guide, though his myriad of similes designed to impress upon us the Basilica’s size and majesty (The Capitol in Washington, Niagara Falls, et cetera) failed us both miserably. The expenditure on this vast project may have indeed sparked the Reformation, but on this day in the year of our Lord 1971, between the glorious music in the square and the life-size manger that awaits the solemn placing of the Christ Child this very eve, no jaded soul - least of all this one - could hope to remain unmoved!
Rome, as I previously reported, was also a favorite haunt of the Romantics. Liszt, Byron, Shelley, Keats – all came to sigh their melancholic ways through the Roman Forum, the Circus Maximus, the Colosseum. Indeed, both Shelley and Keats are buried here, and my vintner and I have visited their tombs – a damp affair that inflicted upon us both simultaneous bouts of sciatica that could only be cured with a great deal of my friend’s wine (he never travels with less than a case). It was the ruinous damp too that was the nemesis of that great son of Rome, the Renaissance painter Raphael. There has always been much speculation about the identity of Raphael’s great love. The glory at present is bestowed upon a humble baker’s daughter, and while I am sure this honor is quite misplaced, I shall have to leave it up to some future author or authors cleverer than myself to uncover the truth of that mysterious affair!
As I look out the window now into the Roman night, I see my vintner friend striding down the street toward the hotel, a parcel wrapped in brown paper under his arm, no doubt proof of a successful excursion. My, what a handsome visage he has! Such a fine mustache and such jolly dark eyes… But goodness! What is this I see? Could it really be? It is! It’s snowing! What complete and utter bliss!
And so it is here, dear readers, I must leave you, for there are snow angels to be made and a Christmas tale to be read aloud before the fire – but I will not rush off before wishing you all courage and love for the holidays and the coming new year!
Fondest regards,
Miss Mildred Mercy
P.S. In the summer, my vintner promises to take me to the Euganean Hills of Northern Italy, where the sonneteer Petrarch spent his final years loving his Laura to the last. I shall report then of my travels there. Until then, we will spend the next few months in Tuscany – oh lucky me!
11/28/2011
11/18/2011
What We're Reading - Part II
Falling for Rain is now available as an ebook beyond Amazon's Kindle - and at a reduced price until December 18! Just enter coupon code MJ99M here.
***
And now it’s Gina’s turn to discuss her bedside reading pile.
Having just finished rereading Pride & Prejudice for my book club, I eagerly await our next choices, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, Little Bee by Chris Cleave, and Master Pip by Lloyd Jones. I don’t know much about any, so upon looking them up, I see that the first is a young adult novel set in Nazi Germany, the second is about a Nigerian orphan and a British couple, and the third is a New Zealand coming-of-age story. All come highly recommended. One of the best things about a book club for me is reading things I wouldn't have thought to choose on my own.
Middlemarch by George Eliot also sits upon the stack, a recommendation from a book club friend. I’m always a sucker for a classic and can’t believe I’ve never read this one. I’ve read lots of Jane Austen and Henry James - clearly it’s time for some Eliot.
But first I must finish all the books I’m halfway through. Three are work related. The first is Vanished Smile, highly recommended by Janice . The second and third are rereadings of a few key chapters of Renaissance Rome by Peter Partner and Michelangelo and The Pope's Ceiling by Ross King. Both are must reads for anyone interested in the time period.
Right after that I need to complete the second half of Steven Heighton’s Every Lost Country. I was greatly enjoying this novel by a Kingston, ON author that I know slightly and Janice knows better. Steven is originally a poet, and those skills are directly evident in his novels. This is a contemporary tale based on a true story that takes place on the border between Tibet and China. The tagline asks, “When is it acceptable to be a bystander, and when do life and loyalty demand more?” An intriguing question, to be sure. (I also greatly enjoyed Heighton's Afterlands, also based on a true story.)
Then comes Race Traitor by Elisa Hategan. A fellow Ontario author, I have gotten to know her through social networking. It’s about a runaway teenager who belongs to a paramilitary group that she later spies on - sounds extremely gripping.
After that, if I don’t get interrupted by other books begging to be read, comes a beautifully bound first edition of Louis Auchincloss’s Exit Lady Masham, inherited by my husband from a dear friend who died a decade ago.
Finally, The Last Concubine by Lesley Downer, a gift from our agent, another of his authors.
All this is what is preventing me from getting an ereader! With so many hard-copy books to read, how can I yet justify the transition?
***
And now it’s Gina’s turn to discuss her bedside reading pile.
Having just finished rereading Pride & Prejudice for my book club, I eagerly await our next choices, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, Little Bee by Chris Cleave, and Master Pip by Lloyd Jones. I don’t know much about any, so upon looking them up, I see that the first is a young adult novel set in Nazi Germany, the second is about a Nigerian orphan and a British couple, and the third is a New Zealand coming-of-age story. All come highly recommended. One of the best things about a book club for me is reading things I wouldn't have thought to choose on my own.
Middlemarch by George Eliot also sits upon the stack, a recommendation from a book club friend. I’m always a sucker for a classic and can’t believe I’ve never read this one. I’ve read lots of Jane Austen and Henry James - clearly it’s time for some Eliot.
But first I must finish all the books I’m halfway through. Three are work related. The first is Vanished Smile, highly recommended by Janice . The second and third are rereadings of a few key chapters of Renaissance Rome by Peter Partner and Michelangelo and The Pope's Ceiling by Ross King. Both are must reads for anyone interested in the time period.
Right after that I need to complete the second half of Steven Heighton’s Every Lost Country. I was greatly enjoying this novel by a Kingston, ON author that I know slightly and Janice knows better. Steven is originally a poet, and those skills are directly evident in his novels. This is a contemporary tale based on a true story that takes place on the border between Tibet and China. The tagline asks, “When is it acceptable to be a bystander, and when do life and loyalty demand more?” An intriguing question, to be sure. (I also greatly enjoyed Heighton's Afterlands, also based on a true story.)
Then comes Race Traitor by Elisa Hategan. A fellow Ontario author, I have gotten to know her through social networking. It’s about a runaway teenager who belongs to a paramilitary group that she later spies on - sounds extremely gripping.
After that, if I don’t get interrupted by other books begging to be read, comes a beautifully bound first edition of Louis Auchincloss’s Exit Lady Masham, inherited by my husband from a dear friend who died a decade ago.
Finally, The Last Concubine by Lesley Downer, a gift from our agent, another of his authors.
All this is what is preventing me from getting an ereader! With so many hard-copy books to read, how can I yet justify the transition?
11/09/2011
Berlusconi reviews our forthcoming novel as final act as Italian Prime Minister
Dear Mr. Berlusconi,
We know this has been a busy time for you, what with the mobs in the street demanding your resignation and the IMF your head on a platter, not to mention your own legal problems with pretty dancing girls. So we understand you might think us a little crazy for suggesting you take time out to read our forthcoming novel, The Wolves of St. Peter’s. But we think our book could give you a much-needed distraction – not only because it's a good read but also because “The Turk,” suspect numero uno in the murder of the unfortunate Marigold Madonna, was inspired by none other than you!
Why you, you may ask? Well, as you know, there's nothing like a scandal to market one’s book, as Dan Brown discovered with The Da Vinci Code. Our novel will probably annoy the Vatican – we can just imagine the tsk, tsking over our portrayal of Pope Julius II (all rooted in fact, as a matter of fact). But annoying the Vatican has been done before (not to mention they probably have a considerable backlog of materials just waiting for their seal of disapproval). Besides, we’re actually rather nice and don’t really enjoy annoying people too much, which is why we think you’ll like The Turk. Despite his rather unsavory side, he's pretty fun and has become one of our all-time favorite characters.
In fact, it would be doing us a big favor if you could mention him in a news conference or two. And if it would help, we could send you a list of publications for you to send your endorsement to – The New York Times would be a good start. But please do it soon – even as we write this, the wolves are circling your presidential palace!
We can even help by preparing your endorsement. How about something like:
Great Book! Couldn’t put it down. Merkel and Sarkozy called three times demanding I squeeze more blood from a stone, but I told them to get a life and go read The Wolves of St. Peter’s. The authors (two charming Canadian ladies) tell me they based the character of The Turk on me. Even called him Silvio (that’s my first name: Silvio Berlusconi). Don’t see it myself. That painter, Michelangelo, no it was Raphael, called The Turk “the most cheerfully evil man” he’d ever met. I tell you, Raphael better be careful in the future or I’ll paint moustaches on all those pretty Madonnas of his! And that little upstart from Florence, Francesco, said I… I mean The Turk… looked like that fat old bullfrog from the fairytale…. And what was with the guy who thought he was a bat? But I did like the bunga bunga, and oh, la, la, that Calendula – what a looker! Shame what happened to her. And the ending! How shocking! I never guessed who the murderer was. Well, I won't spoil the surprise. You'll just have to wait until it's published and read it for yourselves.
Will that do? We really do appreciate you doing this. In the meantime, good luck with all your problems!
And one more thing. You really must do something about Pompeii. Another wall came down last week, and we don’t want our children to know about Italy’s historic treasures from books alone.
Sincerely, Janice Kirk & Gina Buonaguro
PS - We know you were probably anxiously awaiting Gina's book recommendations, but when we heard you were about to resign, we just had to get this out to you.
We know this has been a busy time for you, what with the mobs in the street demanding your resignation and the IMF your head on a platter, not to mention your own legal problems with pretty dancing girls. So we understand you might think us a little crazy for suggesting you take time out to read our forthcoming novel, The Wolves of St. Peter’s. But we think our book could give you a much-needed distraction – not only because it's a good read but also because “The Turk,” suspect numero uno in the murder of the unfortunate Marigold Madonna, was inspired by none other than you!
Why you, you may ask? Well, as you know, there's nothing like a scandal to market one’s book, as Dan Brown discovered with The Da Vinci Code. Our novel will probably annoy the Vatican – we can just imagine the tsk, tsking over our portrayal of Pope Julius II (all rooted in fact, as a matter of fact). But annoying the Vatican has been done before (not to mention they probably have a considerable backlog of materials just waiting for their seal of disapproval). Besides, we’re actually rather nice and don’t really enjoy annoying people too much, which is why we think you’ll like The Turk. Despite his rather unsavory side, he's pretty fun and has become one of our all-time favorite characters.
In fact, it would be doing us a big favor if you could mention him in a news conference or two. And if it would help, we could send you a list of publications for you to send your endorsement to – The New York Times would be a good start. But please do it soon – even as we write this, the wolves are circling your presidential palace!
We can even help by preparing your endorsement. How about something like:
Great Book! Couldn’t put it down. Merkel and Sarkozy called three times demanding I squeeze more blood from a stone, but I told them to get a life and go read The Wolves of St. Peter’s. The authors (two charming Canadian ladies) tell me they based the character of The Turk on me. Even called him Silvio (that’s my first name: Silvio Berlusconi). Don’t see it myself. That painter, Michelangelo, no it was Raphael, called The Turk “the most cheerfully evil man” he’d ever met. I tell you, Raphael better be careful in the future or I’ll paint moustaches on all those pretty Madonnas of his! And that little upstart from Florence, Francesco, said I… I mean The Turk… looked like that fat old bullfrog from the fairytale…. And what was with the guy who thought he was a bat? But I did like the bunga bunga, and oh, la, la, that Calendula – what a looker! Shame what happened to her. And the ending! How shocking! I never guessed who the murderer was. Well, I won't spoil the surprise. You'll just have to wait until it's published and read it for yourselves.
Will that do? We really do appreciate you doing this. In the meantime, good luck with all your problems!
And one more thing. You really must do something about Pompeii. Another wall came down last week, and we don’t want our children to know about Italy’s historic treasures from books alone.
Sincerely, Janice Kirk & Gina Buonaguro
PS - We know you were probably anxiously awaiting Gina's book recommendations, but when we heard you were about to resign, we just had to get this out to you.
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