From Narnia To Mitford For Christmas
Published November 22, 2005
Rachael Ray is clearly a rising star at The Food Network, and it's no surprise to me! If you're not yet a fan of the bubbly babe who knows how to work a budget, try to catch her on Food TV, or order one of her two new books. Rachael Ray 365 gives you one meal per day for an entire year with no repeats, while 30-Minute Get Real Meals emphasizes healthy eating with over 150 recipes that are more low-carb than some of her other books, but still sometimes include pasta and the like.
She's got style, she's got grace, and her effusively positive personality comes through even on the printed page. I've always learned something new from her books, as well as enjoying the recipe results. My wife, for some strange reason, isn't quite as big a fan as I am, but even my wife watches her shows and reads the books, all the while saying that Rachael Ray ought to be less "perky."
What's that you ask? Does Phillip have a bit of a crush? Yes, yes he does.
Light From Heaven is the eighth and final book in a series of books that follow the life of Episcopal priest Father Tim, rector of a small church in the fictional small town of Mitford. Along the way he has gotten married and in this book he finally leaves Mitford. While that opens up the way for future "Father Tim" books not set in Mitford, it's a bittersweet departure, as many fans will miss Mitford terribly.
When I began reading this series, I wasn't an Episcopalian, and now I am. I'm not sure if that's a warning, or an advertisement! I can't really say that the books led me to the ECUSA, either, except that when I met the man who is now my pastor, he reminded of Father Tim in very good ways.
The entire Mitford series is gentle and sweet, and Mitford is as fantastic a mythical place as Narnia, if you give it time and imagine that it could be real, somewhere.
From Narnia to Mitford, with some excellent food along the way, the book lovers in your life are sure to love these books. And if you need more, you can check out the Amazon top sellers
- From Narnia To Mitford For Christmas
- Published: November 22, 2005
- Type: Opinion
- Section: Books
- Writer: Phillip Winn
- Phillip Winn's BC Writer page
- Phillip Winn's personal site
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I aim to please, Captain EO!
I love these particular books intensely, and it seems to be easy to wax positive when that's the case.
Recent editions, including this one, have rearranged the books to match the chronological order of the stories as they take place in the mythical land of Narnia.
ARGH! Thank you for pointing this out. My husband came home with The Lion/Witch/Wardrobe two nights ago for our son, only to open the book and see it labeled on the title page as Book 2. So they had to wait until last night for my husband to go back to the store and get The Magician's Nephew so they could start with the alleged Book 1.
We had no idea that publishers are resequencing the books and that my hubby and son could have just started with Lion. I'm going to show the hubby this article and see if they want to switch back, since they're only a handful of pages into Magician.
Thanks!
Definitely switch! It's not too late!
LW&W plunges you right into the story, with four great human characters. MN came much, much later, and is basically the "back-story" for LW&W, detailing the creation of the world, basically. Since it was written so late, it assumes -- though Lewis is clearly trying not to -- that you already know all about Narnia.
Please, please, please, even if you read all of the rest in the current published order, start with LW&W and then Prince Caspian, which features the same four human characters from LW&W.
This is a note from reporter Abe Aamidor of The Indianapolis Star, the daily newspaper in Indianapolis. The URL listed is my personal blog, not the newspaper's. The Star is doing a little feature on best books to give for the Christsmas holiday season and we'll be including C.S. Lewis' books, currently being reissued, and I was impressed by your statements about the original order of publication. I'm looking for a quick quote for publication (we'll be listing several books very rapid-fire, with not much room for commentary). Will the owner of this blog call me, toll-free, at [phone number removed]? Thanks.
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very nice picaresque and cullinary journey, PW, thanks!