A Treasure Found

Catherine Cookson

On our last full day in England, my friend needed to get some things at the grocery store, so while she was doing her shopping, Ken and I and our host, Mike, took a walk through the small village shops nearby. I was merely window shopping and enjoying the sights of the 4 bake shops and 2 butcher shops along with the clothing stores. I didn't expect to end up finding a treasure but that's what happened.

Mike, our host and good friend, loves books as much as I do so he's always looking for new and used books wherever he goes. Most English towns have several charity shops--secondhand goods--that are for sale. The profits go to support a particular charity. I assume the clerks are volunteers much like in our country where thrift shops are often run by churches. 

We popped into to two of them and then a third. Scanning the bookshelves, I let out an audible gasp when I spied a set of 10 paperback books written by one of my favorite English authors, Catherine Cookson. The books were in a gaily decorated heavy cardboard box, one of those sets that publishers sometimes put out. I ran my finger across the titles and realized I'd read about 4 of them but the rest were new to me. Many of Catherine Cookson's books have been publsihed in the USA but not all of the 110 she wrote over her career. 

The woman was a master storyteller who grew up in a working class society of middle England. Her older sister, Kate, was actually her mother, although she did not learn that fact for a long time. Her stories are not suspense or action thrillers, not adventure nor murder mysteries. Instead, they are about people and the things that affect their lives. Her characters are so real that the reader feels like part of the story and as if they knew the people personally. She makes you cheer her protagonists and boo the evil ones. 

I knew that I had to purchase the set of books to take home. I figured I could leave the 4 titles I'd already read with my friend, Mavis. That meant I needed to find a place for six paperbacks in our luggage. No problem, I told myself, being the always optimistic me. I paid the L4 price and clutched my treasure down the street and back to the car. L4 came to 40 pence per book--a pittance, even with the exchange rate of $1.52 to the pound.

I did manage to find room for all the books and they are now stacked on my desk. The hardest part is to choose which one to read first! You might like to read more about this English author and the stories she wrote, many of which were turned into films and TV movies. Google her name or read here. There is also an Amazon author page.

A simple stroll brought me a delightful treasure.

Do You Have Favorite Writers?

Do you have favorite writers? I certainly do. I found a new story today posted at Our Echo website. The author is one who use to post her work regularly at this website where writers of all levels can contribute. No rejections here, just readers who appreciate good stories.

This particular woman is one of the best of the Our Echo family of writers. Whenever I see a new story of hers, I feel a little thrill because I know I'm in for a treat. Born in Ireland and now a US resident, she has a way of using sensory detail that takes the reader straight across the Atlantic and into the green hills of Ireland. Her stories feature her growing-up years and the various people who were a part of that period. But beyond the fine detail and character development, her nonfiction stories have an underlying message and/or lesson for all of us. I'm not going to name her yet, as I'm hoping she'll consent to being a guest blogger here.

I have favorite novelists, too. Catherine Cookson wrote book upon book about often poverty-stricken working class people in England and the aristocrats who lord it over them. Coal miners showed up often in her fine stories, and since my grandfather was a miner here in the  US but born in London of Irish parents, this is of great interest to me. Ms. Cookson was a master storyteller and a prolific writer with a long list of books to her credit.

Another novelist I especially like is Barbara Taylor Bradford. Her rags to riches stories are fell-good and entertaining ones. Rosamunde Pilcher, another British author, ranks among my favorites. Do I like any American authors? Of course, I do. Among them are Kristin Hannah, Taylor Caldwell, John Grisham and David Guterson. Some I've named are contemporary novelists while others have passed on, leaving their published works behind.

I have a few favorite nonfiction authors, too. Stephen Ambrose probably tops that list. His books on American History often read like novels.

My favorite authors and yours are probably totally different because we don't all like to read the same kind of thing. I like a good story, historical fiction, good creative nonfiction but I don't read fantasy or science fiction. Yet some people will rank authors of those genres high on their list of favorites. How about you? Who are your favorite authors?