Saturday, September 4, 2021

Saturday Morning at the Library

 


When I was 5 years old, I was forced to take dancing lessons while the Brother was forced to take accordion lessons. I hated dancing class. The Knights of Columbus Hall where the classes were given had no heat or it wasn't turned on. I hated wearing the pink beginner tights. I liked clacking around in the tap shoes, but Ma wouldn't let me practice inside the house on the wood floors. I spent most of my time in class being miserable and crying. Eventually, I was taken out of class.

While the Brother still had to endure accordion lessons, Dad took me to the library. He would leave me upstairs in the children's library where I could look at the books and choose to take some books home with my own library card. As I got older, I would go downstairs to the adult library and wander among the stacks enjoying the scent of the books before going to find Dad in the reference area consulting the law books and catching up on his work.

So for the next several weeks, a list of my favorite books, some I have read as a child, others as an adult and some  I have read more than once.

This week, The Mabinogion, a collection of 11 tales from 14th century Wales. The stories range from Celtic mythology to King Arthur and his Knights. The tales were translated into English by Lady Charlotte Guest and first published in 1840.

If you haven't read this book, you can read it for free at Project Gutenberg or find it at your public library or favorite bookstore.

14 comments:

  1. I don't know this book at all. It sounds interesting. Hope you are enjoying this weather. Hugs-Erika

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    1. It's nice to see the sun shining and no rain. Though I'd be happier if it were 10 - 15 degrees warmer.

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  2. I used to get left at the Library too. I loved it. And on Saturday mornings, there was always a story teller. I still remember her name, Mrs. Brown. My fav childhood book was The Secret Garden, and I recently read it again. Even as an adult, I loved it.

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    1. Some books just stay with us and the story never gets old

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  3. I know lots of the Welsh tales and legends, but not this one. I'm reading some detective books set in Ireland. Happy weekend, Valerie

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    1. You probably know the legends in this collection. Technically, the collection should have been Mabinogi, but the translation was incorrect, but it stuck

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  4. I've never heard of that book, but I have heard of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

    It's nice to read you are safe and the sun is out. Happy Labor Day tomorrow, dear.

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    1. It's nice to see the sun for a change after all the rain we had

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  5. We had The Mabinogion... a Dover edition iirc, but it must be packed away. It's not on the shelf at any rate.

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    1. I can't find my copy. It was an old edition with a decorative book cover

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  6. Not heard of this book ...

    All the best Jan

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    1. Unless you studied Medieval Literature like I did, you probably wouldn't have heard of it

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