Atonement

It is 1935 and thirteen year old Briony Tallis is spending time with her family at their country house in England. As three of her cousins have joined them, Briony decides to organise them to take part in the performance of a play she has written. This plan is easier said than done.

Part one of Atonement by Ian McEwan deals with events occurring in the Tallis household in1935  including a secret relationship between Briony's older sister, Cecelia, and  Robbie Turner. Briony, who loves writing, observes events as they occur around her and makes assumptions about what she notices. Unfortunately she jumps to incorrect conclusions that destroys relationships between family members and friends.

Part two deals with the the horrific experiences of British and French soldiers endeavouring to reach the north coast of France for the Dunkirk evacuation between 26 May and 4 June, 1940.

Part three provides us information about Briony's experiences during the war when she working as a nurse in London hospitals and witnessing the often severe war injuries of rescued soldiers. On a day off she also visits the wedding of two of the protagonists from part one of the book and later that day has an encounter with her sister and Robbie. She is looking for a way to make amends for her past behaviour.

The plot then jumps to 1999 when Briony attends a celebration for her birthday in a hotel which used to be the family home. By this time she has become a successful author but her last novel will not be able to be published until after her death and the death of two of the protagonists in the book. The reader also becomes aware of a twist that occurred in part three of the novel.

Atonement is a book about family relationships, class, impact of war, guilt and the need for atonement as well as what is really required to become a writer. The novel, published in 2001, was nominated for many awards, winning some, and was made into a film in 2007. It is one of Ian McEwan's best known novels.

This Novel Had Everything - Penguin Books 

Atonement by Ian McEwan is a meditation on creativity in later life - The Conversation

Dunkirk evacuation - Britannica

Atonement (novel) - Wikipedia

Sceptred Isle: a new history of the fourteenth century

In Sceptred Isle, historian Helen Carr has written an overview of fourteenth century English history. The book covers the reigns of Edward II, Edward III and Richard II with the many challenges that occurred including wars with Scotland, France and Spain, plagues, unrest between the king and his advisors, disputes with the church and peasants' rebellions.

The fourteenth century was therefore a time of unrest and change. Each king also discovered the difficulties of working with others who often saw opportunities for gaining power and riches for themselves. The king also had to contend with the power held by the church though, during the fourteenth century, the teachings and control of the congregations by church leaders were beginning to be challenged by people such as John Wycliffe.

Since the Norman invasion, England had been ruled as a feudal entity, however with so many of the population dying due to waves of the plague as well as soldiers being killed in battles, the peasants began to assert their power to gain more control over their lives and certainly better pay and conditions.  

The fourteenth century saw the beginning of the Hundred Years War and accounts are provided of some of the many battles occurring at this time. Battles with Scotland also continued for many years.

Helen Carr, in Sceptred Isle, has provided a readable introduction to the end of the rule of the Plantagenets in England.

Cat's People

This is a story about a black cat and the people he befriends - Núria, Collin, Omar, Bong and Lily. The cat has a variety of names - Cat, Gatito and Itim. He lives on the street but each day is fed by Núria who feeds a number of cats in the neighbourhood each morning before going to work. As Núria likes wearing bright clothes Cat thinks of her as the Rainbow Lady. Then there is Collin who builds Cat a shelter near the back door of his home. Cat's name for Collin is Awkward Neighbor Guy. Omar (Cheery Mailman) delivers the post to local residents and Cat often accompanies him on part of his journey, especially when Omar stops at Bong's small grocery store and purchases Cat a treat. Then Lily (Bright-Pink Person) arrives in the neighbourhood looking for the sister she never knew.

The story in Cat's People by Tanya Guerrero is revealed via the viewpoint of Cat and his five people. We learn not only of the challenges and fears they face but how their individual care for a stray cat brings this small community together helping them make decisions impacting on their future. Once you start reading Cat's People you will want to continue reading until the story ends.

The Importance of Being Earnest and other plays

The Importance of Being Earnest was one of the plays we studied at school many years ago. I also remember seeing a theatre production of the play a few years later. When my grand-daughter told me she was playing Miss Prism in The Importance of Being Earnest in a school production I decided that I should read the play again before going to watch this version of the play.

Oscar Wilde wrote the play in 1894 and the first production was in February 1895. Despite a scandal concerning Oscar Wilde, the play has remained popular and has also been made into a film. The Importance of Being Earnest is the fourth of a series of plays satirising the upper class in Victorian England. In this volume the other three plays, Lady Windemere's Fan, A Woman of No Importance and An Ideal Husband are included as well as Salome.

Characters in The Importance of Being Earnest include Jack Worthing, Algernon Moncrieff, Gwendolen Fairfax, Cecily Cardew, Lady Bracknell, Miss Prism, Dr Chausable, Lane and Merriman. Jack and Algernon are friends who meet regularly in London but in order to escape the country house where he lives, Jack has created an imaginary friend called Ernest. Algernon uses a similar ploy which he calls being a Bunburist. 

When Jack comes to town to propose to Algernon's cousin, Gwendolen, Algernon decides to travel to the country where he meets Jack's ward, Cecily. Life becomes complicated when Algernon also uses the name Ernest. To confuse matters further, when Jack is asked to reveal his parentage all he knows is that he was found in a bag left at a railway station. By the end of this three act play the truth is revealed and all's well that ends well. 

I look forward to seeing a version of the play again.

The Importance of Being Earnest - LitCharts 

The Red Prince: the life of John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster

John of Gaunt, a son of King Edward III, was never a king, however he played an important role supporting the kingship of his nephew, Richard II, as Richard struggled to be a leader. John was known as a good mediator in disputes at home and overseas. However he had many enemies who plotted against him. Despite these challenges his family was influential in the leadership of England for many years.

Historian, Helen Carr has written  the book, The Red Prince, to provide an account of England during the life of John of Gaunt and also clarify some of the misconceptions about his life as well as his achievements and failures. 

This is an excellent book providing an introduction to a dramatic period of English history. As the author writes there are huge gaps in the available information about these historic times. Much of the information that is available is written by individuals promoting a viewpoint that would receive approval from those currently close to the king. It is therefore a challenge for historians to sift through the information that is available and attempt to discover what really was happening in the second part of the fourteenth century.

John of Gaunt: father of England's Medieval Monarchy and self styled Spanish king - History Extra 

Burial Rites

 

Last year I read the memoir of Hannah Kent, Always Home, Always Homesick, in which she mentions visiting the location where her novel Burial Rites was set. Burial Rites is a novel of historical fiction about Agnes Magnúsdóttir, who with two others was accused of murdering two men. Agnes was executed on 12 January 1830 for her alleged part in the crime.

 

In Burial Rites by Hannah Kent we first meet Agnes when she is in prison awaiting her execution. To say that she is being mistreated in prison would be an understatement. Then one day she is taken from prison to a farm where she is to spend the rest of her life. The farm is a property where she once lived as a young child. Most of the family is not welcoming to the new arrival. 

 

A minister is sent to prepare Agnes for her impending death but it is sometime before she feels that she can begin to confide in him. Eventually the reader learns about Agnes' early life as well as the events that led to the murder of her employer. We gradually come to know more about Agnes as a person.

 

This novel of historical fiction is based on historical records relating to the crime plus life in Iceland at the time. This first novel by Hannah Kent won a number of awards in 2014 including the Sydney Morning Herald Best Young Australian Novelist, ABIA Literary Fiction Book of the Year, Indie Awards Debut Fiction Book of the Year, Victorian Premier's People's Choice Award, Booksellers Association Booksellers Choice Award and shortlisted for a number of other prizes.

Ghost Stories on the Trail of Agnes Magnúsdóttir - Stuck in Iceland 

Agnes Magnúsdóttir - Find a Grave

The Place of the Last Execution in Iceland - Total Iceland

The Performance

Three women attend the performance of the play, Happy Days, by Samuel Beckett. Meanwhile bushfires rage in the state threatening lives and property.

Margot, an older lady, is a professor of literature. She lives with her husband whose health is failing and has outbursts which end with her covered in bruises. As the prospect of retirement approaches, Margot is concerned about her future.

Ivy attends the play with her lifelong friend, Hilary. Ivy is a philanthropist and is making a donation to the Theatre Company producing the play. But Ivy has had problems with relationships over the years and is concerned as to how to relate to her son and his family.

Summer is a drama student who works for the theatre company. Once the play begins she is allowed to watch the play. Summer is very concerned about the bushfires, especially as she knows that her partner will have attempted to drive to meets her parents who will be trying to escape the fire.

Throughout the book we have visions of what is happening on the stage as the play unfolds. However we are also shown how concerns about their own lives affect the viewing of the play by the women. At interval Ivy recognises Margot as she was once one of Margot's students and Margot, Ivy and Hilary attend the function organised in the break. Meanwhile Summer goes to the staff room to check her phone for phone calls about the fires and manages to make contact with Alice who is safe.

 By the end of the play the three women have a greater understanding of their lives beyond the theatre.

Happy Days By Samuel Beckett - Wikipedia

Pamela Rabe shines in this hypnotic revival of Samuel Beckett’s classic play Happy Days - The Conversation May 12 2025

Happy Days - SparkNotes