David Harum: A Story of American Life
Registered by zenryaku of South Perth, Western Australia Australia on 2/21/2006
This Book is Currently in the Wild!
This Book is Currently in the Wild!
2 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by zenryaku from South Perth, Western Australia Australia on Tuesday, February 21, 2006
From Grandad's pile of books.This is the fourth reprint of the first edition, 1920. The message handwritten in the front is dated 1933.
Like most of the old hard or cloth backed books from Grandad, this novel had no synopsis or review. How I begin to read these type of books is by simply starting, and if I like to read after the first chapter, I'll keep going. In a way, it is fun to read a book not knowing the genre or having any idea of the plot.
The only difficulty I had with reading this book is the use of colloquial American English. I almost had to read out loud in parts to attempt to understand what was being said. There are some gems, which I wish I had bookmarked so that I could quote them easily here. One that I have been able to find is about the wine over Christmas dinner:
"Presently Sairy appeared with fur tumblers which she distributed, and was followed by David bearing a bottle. He seated himself and began a struggle to unwire the same with an ice-pick. Aunt Polly leaned forward with a look of perplexed curiosity.
"What you got there?" she asked.
"Vewve Clikot's universal an' suv'rin remedy," said David, reading the label and bringing the corners of his eye and mouth almost together in a wink to John, "fer toothache, earache, burns, scalds, warts, dispepsy, fallin' o' the hair, windgall, ringbone, spavin, disapp'inted affections, an' pips in hens," and out came the cork with a "_wop_," at
which both the ladies, even Mrs. Cullom, jumped and cried out.
"David Harum," declared his sister with conviction, "I believe thet that's a bottle of champagne."
"If it ain't," said David, pouring into his tumbler, "I ben swindled out o' four shillin'," and he passed the bottle to John, who held it up tentatively, looking at Mrs. Bixbee.
"No, thank ye," she said with a little toss of the head, "I'm a son o' temp'rance. I don't believe," she remarked to Mrs. Cullom, "thet that bottle ever cost _less_ 'n a dollar." At which remarks David apparently "swallered somethin' the wrong way," and for a moment or two was unable to proceed with his dinner. Aunt Polly looked at him suspiciously. It was her experience that, in her intercourse with her brother, he often laughed utterly without reason--so far as she could see.
"I've always heard it was dreadful expensive," remarked Mrs. Cullom.
"Let me give you some," said John, reaching toward her with the bottle. Mrs. Cullom looked first at Mrs. Bixbee and then at David.
"I don't know," she said. "I never tasted any."
"Take a little," said David, nodding approvingly.
"Just a swallow," said the widow, whose curiosity had got the better of scruples. She took a swallow of the wine.
"How do ye like it?" asked David.
"Well," she said as she wiped her eyes, into which the gas had driven the tears, "I guess I could get along if I couldn't have it regular."
"Don't taste good?" suggested David with a grin.
"Well," she replied, "I never did care any great for cider, and this tastes to me about as if I was drinkin' cider an' snuffin' horseradish at one and the same time."
"How's that, John?" said David, laughing.
"I suppose it's an acquired taste," said John, returning the laugh and taking a mouthful of the wine with infinite relish."
Veuve Cliquot is one of my favourite, so it was amusing to read of this account written many years ago.
The story seems plodding at first, but the pace picks up, slows, picks up and I found that I was carried along in reading with enjoyment.
Like most of the old hard or cloth backed books from Grandad, this novel had no synopsis or review. How I begin to read these type of books is by simply starting, and if I like to read after the first chapter, I'll keep going. In a way, it is fun to read a book not knowing the genre or having any idea of the plot.
The only difficulty I had with reading this book is the use of colloquial American English. I almost had to read out loud in parts to attempt to understand what was being said. There are some gems, which I wish I had bookmarked so that I could quote them easily here. One that I have been able to find is about the wine over Christmas dinner:
"Presently Sairy appeared with fur tumblers which she distributed, and was followed by David bearing a bottle. He seated himself and began a struggle to unwire the same with an ice-pick. Aunt Polly leaned forward with a look of perplexed curiosity.
"What you got there?" she asked.
"Vewve Clikot's universal an' suv'rin remedy," said David, reading the label and bringing the corners of his eye and mouth almost together in a wink to John, "fer toothache, earache, burns, scalds, warts, dispepsy, fallin' o' the hair, windgall, ringbone, spavin, disapp'inted affections, an' pips in hens," and out came the cork with a "_wop_," at
which both the ladies, even Mrs. Cullom, jumped and cried out.
"David Harum," declared his sister with conviction, "I believe thet that's a bottle of champagne."
"If it ain't," said David, pouring into his tumbler, "I ben swindled out o' four shillin'," and he passed the bottle to John, who held it up tentatively, looking at Mrs. Bixbee.
"No, thank ye," she said with a little toss of the head, "I'm a son o' temp'rance. I don't believe," she remarked to Mrs. Cullom, "thet that bottle ever cost _less_ 'n a dollar." At which remarks David apparently "swallered somethin' the wrong way," and for a moment or two was unable to proceed with his dinner. Aunt Polly looked at him suspiciously. It was her experience that, in her intercourse with her brother, he often laughed utterly without reason--so far as she could see.
"I've always heard it was dreadful expensive," remarked Mrs. Cullom.
"Let me give you some," said John, reaching toward her with the bottle. Mrs. Cullom looked first at Mrs. Bixbee and then at David.
"I don't know," she said. "I never tasted any."
"Take a little," said David, nodding approvingly.
"Just a swallow," said the widow, whose curiosity had got the better of scruples. She took a swallow of the wine.
"How do ye like it?" asked David.
"Well," she said as she wiped her eyes, into which the gas had driven the tears, "I guess I could get along if I couldn't have it regular."
"Don't taste good?" suggested David with a grin.
"Well," she replied, "I never did care any great for cider, and this tastes to me about as if I was drinkin' cider an' snuffin' horseradish at one and the same time."
"How's that, John?" said David, laughing.
"I suppose it's an acquired taste," said John, returning the laugh and taking a mouthful of the wine with infinite relish."
Veuve Cliquot is one of my favourite, so it was amusing to read of this account written many years ago.
The story seems plodding at first, but the pace picks up, slows, picks up and I found that I was carried along in reading with enjoyment.
Journal Entry 2 by zenryaku at The University of Western Australia in Crawley, Western Australia Australia on Monday, May 5, 2008
Released 15 yrs ago (5/6/2008 UTC) at The University of Western Australia in Crawley, Western Australia Australia
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
Finally read by others in the household, so now I can let it go.
On bench seats near the entrance to the Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery.
Finally read by others in the household, so now I can let it go.
On bench seats near the entrance to the Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery.
I haven't read this book but I feel bookcrossing is very lovely idea to share the book you love with many other people. Hope this book will be read by many book lovers.
