This is like finding a bright shining jewellery in today's dark world! I adored Elizabeth Goudge as a teenager. I wrote to her to say how much I loved and appreciated her work when I was about 14 and received a beautiful letter and photo back from her when she was living at Rose Cottage. I am 67 now and her books still, even more so now, give me such comfort, and if I am feeling down and at odds with life, delving into one of her books soothes in a way nothing else can. Its like having an old friend who is always there for you. You asked others for favourite quotes from her books. There is one that touched me in particular, which I actually wrote in a book of condolence for the late Diana, Princess of Wales. I cannot remember it exactly now, but it was about understanding. Something along the lines of...lf you understand people, you are of use to them... saying essentially that even though it might not seem that much, to understand a person was to give them the greatest gift you could. Does that chime a chord with anyone? I have a feeling it may be from The Eliots of Dameroshay.
Yes! I think that we all here feel the same about Goudge—she is a bit of sanity in a world gone mad. How lovely that you have one of her letters! If you would ever like to share a photo of it we would love that!!
Yes, that quote sounds very like the Eliot series. I wonder if it could be The Herb of Grace? Perhaps between David & Sally? Or it may be in the third book, The Heart of the Family, between Sebastian and Sally. Sally was a very understanding sort of person :)
Sadly, I no longer have them as I have moved so much over the years and had so many ups and downs in life, and things just got lost. That makes me very sad, as when you get older, you realise how precious things like that are. I will never forget though how thrilled I was and touched that she send such a beautiful reply. Such a gracious lady. So lovely to see that so many people here feel the same as l do about her writing and draw such comfort from her books.
This is my first introduction to chained libraries. And *how* have I not read Elizabeth Goudge's A City of Bells? I have to get my hands on a copy of that. Thank you for sharing all of these wonderful quotes!
So glad you enjoyed it! Wells Library is really amazing. Goudge write about her birth city so compellingly that I should warn you that you may want to visit it after reading 😅📚❤️
"A writer has to spin his work out of himself and the effect upon the character is often disastrous. It inflates the ego."
It just struck me that this is an interesting thing for an author to put in the mouth of one of her characters! I wonder if EG experienced this as a temptation in her own work.
"He deals in the stuff of eternity and there's no death in a bookseller's shop. Plato and Jane Austen and Keats sit side by side behind his back, Shakespeare is on his right hand and Shelley on his left…"
I went up to the chained library when we visited Wells last winter. I’m not great with heights or spiral staircases but I had to see it. It’s so small! You have inspired me to re-read one of my absolute favourites.
Yes! I was thinking of The Shop Around the Corner when Jocelyn was opening his bookstore for the day!
I meant jewel, not jewellery!
This is like finding a bright shining jewellery in today's dark world! I adored Elizabeth Goudge as a teenager. I wrote to her to say how much I loved and appreciated her work when I was about 14 and received a beautiful letter and photo back from her when she was living at Rose Cottage. I am 67 now and her books still, even more so now, give me such comfort, and if I am feeling down and at odds with life, delving into one of her books soothes in a way nothing else can. Its like having an old friend who is always there for you. You asked others for favourite quotes from her books. There is one that touched me in particular, which I actually wrote in a book of condolence for the late Diana, Princess of Wales. I cannot remember it exactly now, but it was about understanding. Something along the lines of...lf you understand people, you are of use to them... saying essentially that even though it might not seem that much, to understand a person was to give them the greatest gift you could. Does that chime a chord with anyone? I have a feeling it may be from The Eliots of Dameroshay.
Yes! I think that we all here feel the same about Goudge—she is a bit of sanity in a world gone mad. How lovely that you have one of her letters! If you would ever like to share a photo of it we would love that!!
Yes, that quote sounds very like the Eliot series. I wonder if it could be The Herb of Grace? Perhaps between David & Sally? Or it may be in the third book, The Heart of the Family, between Sebastian and Sally. Sally was a very understanding sort of person :)
Sadly, I no longer have them as I have moved so much over the years and had so many ups and downs in life, and things just got lost. That makes me very sad, as when you get older, you realise how precious things like that are. I will never forget though how thrilled I was and touched that she send such a beautiful reply. Such a gracious lady. So lovely to see that so many people here feel the same as l do about her writing and draw such comfort from her books.
This is my first introduction to chained libraries. And *how* have I not read Elizabeth Goudge's A City of Bells? I have to get my hands on a copy of that. Thank you for sharing all of these wonderful quotes!
So glad you enjoyed it! Wells Library is really amazing. Goudge write about her birth city so compellingly that I should warn you that you may want to visit it after reading 😅📚❤️
"A writer has to spin his work out of himself and the effect upon the character is often disastrous. It inflates the ego."
It just struck me that this is an interesting thing for an author to put in the mouth of one of her characters! I wonder if EG experienced this as a temptation in her own work.
Such a funny bit 😅
"He deals in the stuff of eternity and there's no death in a bookseller's shop. Plato and Jane Austen and Keats sit side by side behind his back, Shakespeare is on his right hand and Shelley on his left…"
Wonderful!!!
What a quote! It reminds of of her passage in The Scent of Water as well about having all your friends in your bookshelf.
I went up to the chained library when we visited Wells last winter. I’m not great with heights or spiral staircases but I had to see it. It’s so small! You have inspired me to re-read one of my absolute favourites.
Definitely a good month for a cozy book, and I think we all need a story time with Kathleen as well! :)
Definitely!