Oh, I enjoyed this so much! I was really disappointed to have to miss it live on Tuesday evening so I was glad for the chance to catch up over my coffee this morning. I am reading and enjoying Wise Women, having wanted to read Sharon Blackie's books for ages.
Something I wondered while I was listening was whether Northern European folk tales were influenced by Norse and Scandinavian views of women? I know very little about it so it is just conjecture on my part. My understanding is that the popular perception of Vikings as more egalitarian than other European cultures is too simplistic, but perhaps there is some connection there...
This book and this discussion is making me think much more about the portrayal of older women in books and stories. The story 'The Hedley Kow' reminded me of Julia Donaldson's lovely picture book 'A Squash and a Squeeze', which I am appreciating more and more while I majorly declutter my flat as I approach the 'empty nest' stage of life. And the 'Tending Eden' story reminded me of 'Miss Rumphius' by Barbara Cooney (although that one sadly has no pixies placing their babies to sleep in tulips!), another story where we see a 'happy, ordinary elder woman'. Well, we see Miss Rumphius in all stages of life, but it ends with her in old age. (I've written a post about the beautiful 'Miss Rumphius' picture book, if anyone is interested.)
Thank you so much Katherine and Sharon for a thought-provoking discussion. I am going away with so many new ideas and perspectives!
I saw your post about Miss Rumphius’ last night Emma and really look forward to reading it 💕 I’d just started reading ‘Lolly Willowes’ by Sylvia Townsend Warner when I saw your post, which has a central protagonist who embraces ‘nature’ too but in more ways than just a love of plants I gather!….
And I hope you enjoy Miss Rumphius too. I've just shared my plans for Wondering Steps for 2025 which include more reading of and discussions about children's literature. I was partly encouraged to go ahead with this after our exchange on one of Katherine's The Children of Green Knowe posts. Rest assured I won't be looking at children's literature and Theosophy though! That is completely out of the scope of my knowledge!
I’ve been thinking a lot about our exchange Emma. Your plans for 2025 sound wonderful and I’ll really enjoy reading about the books you explore. I started looking at E. Nesbits children's books again last night but became side tracked by her adult ghost stories!
I loved E Nesbit as a child, especially The Enchanted Castle, although I have no memories of why I particularly loved that one. I have never read any of her adult ghost stories though! *mustn't head off on an E Nesbit ghost story side quest...*
What a wonderful conversation! I’m about halfway through the book, and now want to go back and reread those stories I’ve already read. So much insight and encouragement. Plus, the two of you together are the embodiment of the women telling stories to one another. Thank you!
Thank you both, this was such a perfect discussion for an evening where my increasing frazzled-ness and brain fog were definitely needing soothing in community (even though I watched the recording, that sense of connection really came across).
I found that my thoughts were with my matriarchal ancestors as I listened. In ‘recent’ centuries Irish, Cornish and French ancestry dominates in my DNA, so Celtic in a broad sense, where women held greater equality I believe, but ultimately, all young women were at risk of dying if they gave birth, so to survive that, into what would have been perceived as old age (though in reality probably ‘old’ was very young compared to our life span now) would confer some degree of status , and wisdom, while those who lived long enough to go through the menopause and all that brings, were maybe seen to have even greater powers because it would have been relatively rare.
The beautiful story of the woman who became a vixen, reminded me of Mary Webb’s heartbreaking novel ‘Gone to Earth’ which is in contrast a familiar story of the impact men can have on women and wild creatures by wanting to own and control them, or kill them, if they can’t.
This was a lovely interview! I am a therapist and will recommend this book . So many of us need these strong woman archetypes to guide us through this middle way.
Oh, I enjoyed this so much! I was really disappointed to have to miss it live on Tuesday evening so I was glad for the chance to catch up over my coffee this morning. I am reading and enjoying Wise Women, having wanted to read Sharon Blackie's books for ages.
Something I wondered while I was listening was whether Northern European folk tales were influenced by Norse and Scandinavian views of women? I know very little about it so it is just conjecture on my part. My understanding is that the popular perception of Vikings as more egalitarian than other European cultures is too simplistic, but perhaps there is some connection there...
This book and this discussion is making me think much more about the portrayal of older women in books and stories. The story 'The Hedley Kow' reminded me of Julia Donaldson's lovely picture book 'A Squash and a Squeeze', which I am appreciating more and more while I majorly declutter my flat as I approach the 'empty nest' stage of life. And the 'Tending Eden' story reminded me of 'Miss Rumphius' by Barbara Cooney (although that one sadly has no pixies placing their babies to sleep in tulips!), another story where we see a 'happy, ordinary elder woman'. Well, we see Miss Rumphius in all stages of life, but it ends with her in old age. (I've written a post about the beautiful 'Miss Rumphius' picture book, if anyone is interested.)
Thank you so much Katherine and Sharon for a thought-provoking discussion. I am going away with so many new ideas and perspectives!
I saw your post about Miss Rumphius’ last night Emma and really look forward to reading it 💕 I’d just started reading ‘Lolly Willowes’ by Sylvia Townsend Warner when I saw your post, which has a central protagonist who embraces ‘nature’ too but in more ways than just a love of plants I gather!….
I love Lolly Willowes! I hope you enjoy the book!
And I hope you enjoy Miss Rumphius too. I've just shared my plans for Wondering Steps for 2025 which include more reading of and discussions about children's literature. I was partly encouraged to go ahead with this after our exchange on one of Katherine's The Children of Green Knowe posts. Rest assured I won't be looking at children's literature and Theosophy though! That is completely out of the scope of my knowledge!
I’ve been thinking a lot about our exchange Emma. Your plans for 2025 sound wonderful and I’ll really enjoy reading about the books you explore. I started looking at E. Nesbits children's books again last night but became side tracked by her adult ghost stories!
I loved E Nesbit as a child, especially The Enchanted Castle, although I have no memories of why I particularly loved that one. I have never read any of her adult ghost stories though! *mustn't head off on an E Nesbit ghost story side quest...*
😄It’s so easy to do!….
What a wonderful conversation! I’m about halfway through the book, and now want to go back and reread those stories I’ve already read. So much insight and encouragement. Plus, the two of you together are the embodiment of the women telling stories to one another. Thank you!
Thank you both, this was such a perfect discussion for an evening where my increasing frazzled-ness and brain fog were definitely needing soothing in community (even though I watched the recording, that sense of connection really came across).
I found that my thoughts were with my matriarchal ancestors as I listened. In ‘recent’ centuries Irish, Cornish and French ancestry dominates in my DNA, so Celtic in a broad sense, where women held greater equality I believe, but ultimately, all young women were at risk of dying if they gave birth, so to survive that, into what would have been perceived as old age (though in reality probably ‘old’ was very young compared to our life span now) would confer some degree of status , and wisdom, while those who lived long enough to go through the menopause and all that brings, were maybe seen to have even greater powers because it would have been relatively rare.
The beautiful story of the woman who became a vixen, reminded me of Mary Webb’s heartbreaking novel ‘Gone to Earth’ which is in contrast a familiar story of the impact men can have on women and wild creatures by wanting to own and control them, or kill them, if they can’t.
I hadn't heard of Mary Webb. She looks like an author whose work I would like to read one day. Ah, so much books! (I'm leaving it like that! lol)
This was a lovely interview! I am a therapist and will recommend this book . So many of us need these strong woman archetypes to guide us through this middle way.
thank you!
I have a whole new set of reading to do.
Soooooo good! Ordered 3 copies! ♥️