First edition of The Wind in the Willows a star lot at Bonhams
A first edition of the much loved children’s classic, The Wind in the Willows, inscribed by Kenneth Grahame to the daughter of the man who inspired the character of Ratty, is among the star lots offered at Bonhams Printed Books, Maps and Manuscripts sale at New Bond Street on 23 March. The estimate is £3,000 – 5,000.
The inscription in the book to be auctioned reads, “To Foy Felicia Quiller Couch from her affectionate friend Kenneth Grahame, Oct. 1908″. Foy was the daughter of the noted Cornish author, essayist and anthologist Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch at whose home, The Haven at Fowey, Kenneth Grahame often stayed and where he first found the inspiration for The Wind in the Willows. Quiller-Couch is thought to have been the model for the character of Ratty, both having a liking for “messing about in boats”.
“One can argue over the merits of most books, and in arguing understand the point of view of one’s opponent. One may even come to the conclusion that possibly he is right after all. One does not argue about The Wind in the Willows. The young man gives it to the girl with whom he is in love, and if she does not like it, asks her to return his letters. The older man tries it on his nephew, and alters his will accordingly. The book is a test of character. We can’t criticise it, because it is criticising us. It is a Household Book; a book which everybody in the household loves, and quotes continually; a book which is read aloud to every guest and is regarded as the touchstone of his worth. But I must give you one word of warning. When you sit down to it, don’t be so ridiculous as to suppose that you are sitting in judgement of my taste, or on the art of Kenneth Grahame. You are merely sitting in judgement on yourself. You may be worthy: I don’t know. But it is you who are on trial.”
A.A. Milne
Posted: March 10th, 2010
Author: Lee
Categories: Kenneth Grahame
More on the Kenneth Grahame biopic
The troubled life of the author who has captivated generations of readers with The Wind In The Willows is to be brought to the big screen.
Banking On Mr Toad will use private archives to explore Kenneth Grahame’s unconventional relationship with his wife Elspeth and his career at the Bank of England.
Grahame, to be played by Fantastic Four star Ioan Gruffudd, was a 41-year-old virgin when he met Elspeth Thompson, a 36-year-old hypochondriac spinster whose father had invented the pneumatic tyre. They married in 1899 after a bizarre courtship.
Samantha Morton, who played Myra Hindley in TV drama Longford and has received two Oscar nominations, is in negotiations to play Elspeth.
The couple had a son, Alastair, who is thought to have provided the inspiration for the gregarious and bumptious Mr Toad but he suffered from ill health and committed suicide on a railway line while at Oxford University.
Grahame moved in literary circles and was published in literary magazines as he rose in the Bank of England to become its youngest secretary.
Like many books now considered classics, Grahame’s manuscript for The Wind In The Willows was rejected several times and, when finally published by Methuen in 1908, attracted mockery from critics.
Generations of children have since enjoyed the tales of Mole, Ratty, Badger and Mr Toad, brought to life through the illustrations of EH Shephard.
The film, to be directed by Bruce Beresford – who made Driving Miss Daisy – will use animation similar to the techniques in Miss Potter, the biography of Beatrix Potter starring Renee Zellweger. Filming is due to start in Ireland later this year.
Source: Sunday Express
Kenneth Grahame was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on 8 March 1859. He died at his home on the 6th of July 1932, at the age of 73. He now rests with his wife and son in the St. Cross Church cemetery in Oxford, England. His headstone reads "To the beautiful memory of Kenneth Grahame, husband of Elspeth and father of Alastair, who passed the River on 6 July 1932, leaving childhood and literature through him more blest for all time."
Posted: July 19th, 2009
Author: Lee
Categories: Kenneth Grahame
Laughing librarians, Vatican thumbs up and Kenneth Grahame biopic
The following is a round up of the most recent and best fantasy-related stories.
Neil Gaiman, winner of the Newbery Medal for The Graveyard Book (HarperCollins, 2008), cracked up the roomful of librarians and publishers when he spoke of growing up in England as “a feral child who was raised in libraries by patient librarians.” As a child, Gaiman says, he devoured books, “the ones I loved, the ones that spoke to my soul, and those I merely liked.”
Gaiman was inspired to write The Graveyard Book—about a toddler who’s adopted by the residents of an old graveyard after his parents are murdered—in 1985, after seeing his then two-year-old son Mike pedaling his tricycle around a graveyard. But it was decades later before Gaiman thought he was a good enough writer to tell the story in a book. Winning the Newbery Medal, says Gaiman, “made me cool to my children, which is almost as good as it gets.”
Source: www.schoollibraryjournal.com
The Vatican has never been a fan of the Harry Potter series, but they must have done something right with the most recent film in the franchise, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
The new movie, which opens this week across Australia, “made the age-old debate over good v evil crystal clear”, The Associated Press reports The Vatican as saying.
The Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano applauded the film’s treatment of adolescent love, saying it achieved the “correct balance” and made the stars more credible to the general audience.
The newspaper said the film was the best adaptation yet of the JK Rowling series.
“In addition, the spastic search for immortality epitomised by Voldemort is stigmatised,” the review said.
Source: www.news.com.au
Ioan Gruffudd has boarded U.K.-based HSL Studio’s Kenneth Grahame biopic “Banking on Mr. Toad” with Samantha Morton in discussions to play the author’s wife Elspeth.
Helmer Bruce Beresford is attached to direct the project, which charts Grahame’s journey from his job as the secretary of the Bank of England during the era of industrialization at the end of the 19th century through to his authoring of classic children’s book “The Wind in the Willows.”
The project will also explore Grahame’s relationship with his autistic son.
Source: www.variety.com
Posted: July 14th, 2009
Author: Lee
Categories: JK Rowling, Kenneth Grahame, Neil Gaiman
Shenley Walled Gardens presents The Wind in the Willows
Toad, Ratty, Mole and Badger will be at Shenley Walled Gardens for a production of children’s classic Wind in the Willows this weekend.
The book by Kenneth Grahame will be brought to life on Saturday by theatre company Heartbreak Productions.
The adventure story will see the four unlikely heroes battle with the scheming stoats and wheedling weasels who attempt to take over Toad Hall and will include music, song and dance for entertainment for all the family.
The production starts at 6.30pm at the gardens at Shenley Park, in Radlett Lane.
Tickets can be brought in advance, adults £10 (on the gate £15), children £8 (on the gate £10) and free for children under five.
They are available from the Shenley Park Trust on 01923 852629, or with credit card via the Heartbreak website www.heartbreakproductions.co.uk/ or through ticketing company www.piranprint.com/bookingshop/Attractions/Wind-In-The-Willows
Group bookings available through the Shenley Park Trust Office only.
For more information log on to www.shenleypark.co.uk.
Kenneth Grahame was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on 8 March 1859. Excelling in both academic and sports pursuits whilst attending St. Edward’s School in Oxford, Grahame did not continue on with his dream of a university education due to financial constraints. In 1879 Grahame obtained a position within the Bank of England as a gentleman clerk but he found the routine so dulling that, from his rooms on Bloomsbury Street, turned his pen to writing stories. His first published story was titled By A Northern Furrow (1888), and his most famous short story is, still, "The Reluctant Dragon" (1898).
Posted: July 1st, 2009
Author: Lee
Categories: Kenneth Grahame
Kenneth Grahame at Home in Maidenhead
A local view of life in The Wind in the Willows can be enjoyed at Herries School in Cookham Dean on Sunday at 3pm. Kenneth Grahame At Home has been devised by Jean Hedger from material concerning the Grahame family and readings from the children’s classic Wind in the Willows. The school was the same house in which the family lived. Tickets: adults £4 and children £3 and available on the day or from Stationery Depot, Station Parade, Cookham.
Source: Maidenhead Advertiser
Kenneth Grahame was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on 8 March 1859. Excelling in both academic and sports pursuits whilst attending St. Edward’s School in Oxford, Grahame did not continue on with his dream of a university education due to financial constraints. In 1879 Grahame obtained a position within the Bank of England as a gentleman clerk but he found the routine so dulling that, from his rooms on Bloomsbury Street, turned his pen to writing stories. His first published story was titled By A Northern Furrow (1888), and his most famous short story is, still, "The Reluctant Dragon" (1898).
Posted: May 2nd, 2009
Author: Floresiensis
Categories: Kenneth Grahame
If at first you don’t succeed…
The Examiner takes a fascinating look at the author’s who went on to large-scale success despite initial rejections. They feature extracts from the rejection letters themselves. Here is a selective list of the books, click on the link below it to read about the topic in greater detail.
- Carrie by Stephen King
- Lord of the Flies by William Golding
- The Spy Who Came In From The Cold by John le Carré
- The Diary of Anne Frank
- Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by JK Rowling
- The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin
- Animal Farm by George Orwell
- Navajo Tribal Police mystery novels by Tony Hillerman
- Sanctuary by William Faulkner
- A Time to Kill by John Grisham
- Lolita by Vladimir Nabakov
- Dune by Frank Herbert
- Watership Down by Richard Adams
- A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
- On the Road by Jack Kerouac
- The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
30 famous authors whose works were rejected (repeatedly, and sometimes rudely) by publishers
Source: Examiner.com
Posted: March 22nd, 2009
Author: Floresiensis
Categories: JK Rowling, Kenneth Grahame, Ursula Le Guin
Royal books go on display at Bodleian
Books once owned by four medieval and Tudor queens went on display at the Bodleian Library in Oxford to celebrate World Book Day. Staff at the world-famous Oxford University library showed the books owned by St Margaret of Scotland, Queen Eleanor of Castile, Queen Catherine Parr and Queen Elizabeth I.
Queen Margaret’s influence on Scottish culture is symbolised by her favourite gospel book. A poem added at the start claims that the book was once dropped into a river and then rescued – almost without damage. Eleanor of Castile owned a Book of Revelation, classed as a masterpiece of English gothic art. Known as the Douce Apocalypse after its donor Francis Douce, the book is full of colourful illustrations. The young Princess Elizabeth translated, wrote out and embroidered texts, presenting them as New Year gifts to her stepmother, Catharine Parr, and half-brother Edward VI.
The Bodleian contains eight million volumes and a large number of manuscripts and rare books.
On past World Book Days, the library has displayed The Gutenberg Bible (2004), Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, (2005), a Shakespeare First Folio (2006), and Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows (2007).
Source: Oxford Mail
Posted: March 14th, 2009
Author: Floresiensis
Categories: Kenneth Grahame, Latest News
Wind in the Willows at Hyde Heath Village Hall
The exciting and often hair-raising adventures of Toad – from Toad Hall – are brought to life in spectacular fashion by Hyde Heath Drama Group in their latest production, The Wind in the Willows [link to book review by AA Milne].
Written by John Morley, this musical play for all the family is based on the best-selling children’s stories by Kenneth Grahame [link to biography] and features his much-loved characters, Ratty played by Howard Elson; Badger (Adam Wood); Mole (Lorraine Sutherland) and, of course, the hapless Toad, himself (Chris Kay).
It tells the story of our hero’s addiction to all the latest fads from motor bikes to caravans and high-speed motor cars as his three friends try desperately to keep him out of trouble, but to no avail. As Toad hops from one craze to the next, rarely pausing to take breath, danger lurks in the shape of his arch enemy, the Chief Weasel (Charles Pain) and his hordes of weasels, ferrets and stoats whose sole intention is to take over the Riverbank and threaten the lives of everyone who lives there.
After stealing a motor car Toad is sentenced to 20 years imprisonment. With his enemy incarcerated, the Chief Weasel seizes his opportunity and takes over Toad Hall in a bloodless coup and things will never be quite the same again on the Riverbank.
Or will they?
Can Toad escape from prison in time to save the day? Will Ratty, Badger and Mole come to his rescue? What is the secret of the Archdeacon? All is revealed in an hilarious and madcap finale as the battle for Toad Hall begins.
Directed by Erica Elson, The Wind in the Willows captures the essence of the Edwardian age in which the story was written by featuring several of the comedy songs and parodies that were popular at the time.
The Wind in the Willows will be staged, by arrangement with Samuel French Ltd., at Hyde Heath Village Hall on February 5, 6 and 7 at 8pm. Tickets are available from the Box Office: 01494 776193, Hyde Heath Village Shop and on the door.
Source: Buckinghamshire Advertiser
Posted: February 6th, 2009
Author: Lee
Categories: Kenneth Grahame
The 10 favourite bedtime stories
Hannah Tennant-Moore at babbleAustralia posted a great story on the 6th of January rounding up the top 10 bedtime stories according to parents on The Baby Web Site. Here are the results of the survey:
1. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
2. Mr. Men by Roger Hargreaves
3. The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson
4. Winnie the Pooh by AA Milne
5. Aliens Love Underpants by Claire Freedman & Ben Cort
6. Thomas and Friends from The Railway Series by Rev. W. Awdry
7. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
8. What a Noisy Pinky Ponk! by Andrew Davenport
9. Charlie and Lola by Lauren Child
10. Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Robert Southey
Posted: January 9th, 2009
Author: Lee
Categories: AA Milne, Kenneth Grahame
The Wind in the Willows is 100 years old
There are certain books that become a permanent part of your life, like an old tree that stands at the bend of a favourite path. You may not notice them, but if they were taken away, the world would be less mysterious, less friendly, less itself.
The Wind in the Willows, published 100 years ago this year, is one of those books.
Millions of other people share that feeling. Since its first publication, it has been issued in over a hundred editions and translated into many languages, with annual sales figures running into the hundreds of thousands. With Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer, JRR Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings and CS Lewis‘ Chronicles of Narnia, it is one of those rare books that speaks with the same eloquence to children and adults – and is equally beloved by both.
The pleasures of “The Wind in the Willows” are endless. Take the scene where Rat and Mole meet. Mole is shy. Rat rows across the river. Rat invites Mole to a picnic lunch. Afterward, Rat casually says, “Look here! I really think you had better come and stop with me for a little time.” Mole accepts, moves into Rat’s house, and as far as we know he is living there still. It’s an evocation of friendship right out of a fairy tale, where the prince and the princess fall in love at first sight. But it’s a fairy tale that Grahame makes real, capturing that moment when two people suddenly realize, without fanfare, that they’d rather spend time with each other than do anything else.
And always, there is the glorious language. It is apples and oranges to compare Kenneth Grahame and the two other masters of genre-blurring imaginative prose, Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. Grahame cannot rival Tolkien’s epic grandeur, nor does he possess Lewis’ double ability to create completely different imaginary worlds and weave vivid and intricate stories. But neither of those geniuses handle English the way he does. Tolkien knows only the high style, and Lewis’ solid prose never soars. Grahame is the inheritor of the stately style of Thomas Browne and the lyrical effusions of Wordsworth, with a little Dickens and P.G. Wodehouse thrown in as ballast.
The Wind in the Willows can be so many books during one reader’s lifetime because it is more than one book to begin with. It is at once a children’s book and an adult book, a wish-fulfillment and a satire, a comic adventure story and a poetic bildungsroman, the rollicking story of Toad and the inward-turning story of Mole. It exists half in the human world, half in the animal: the very nature of its four-legged characters is unstable. And it also tells the secret story of its author — a story few know, and one as profoundly sad as the book is profoundly happy.
Source: Salon.com
Kenneth Grahame was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on 8 March 1859. Excelling in both academic and sports pursuits whilst attending St. Edward’s School in Oxford, Grahame did not continue on with his dream of a university education due to financial constraints. In 1879 Grahame obtained a position within the Bank of England as a gentleman clerk but he found the routine so dulling that, from his rooms on Bloomsbury Street, turned his pen to writing stories. His first published story was titled By A Northern Furrow (1888), and his most famous short story is, still, “The Reluctant Dragon” (1898).
“One can argue over the merits of most books, and in arguing understand the point of view of one’s opponent. One may even come to the conclusion that possibly he is right after all. One does not argue about The Wind in the Willows. The young man gives it to the girl with whom he is in love, and if she does not like it, asks her to return his letters. The older man tries it on his nephew, and alters his will accordingly. The book is a test of character. We can’t criticise it, because it is criticising us. It is a Household Book; a book which everybody in the household loves, and quotes continually; a book which is read aloud to every guest and is regarded as the touchstone of his worth. But I must give you one word of warning. When you sit down to it, don’t be so ridiculous as to suppose that you are sitting in judgement of my taste, or on the art of Kenneth Grahame. You are merely sitting in judgement on yourself. You may be worthy: I don’t know. But it is you who are on trial.” AA Milne
Posted: December 20th, 2008
Author: Lee
Categories: CS Lewis, JRR Tolkien, Kenneth Grahame
Book of the Month
Apartment 16 by Adam Nevill
Some doors are better left closed . . . In Barrington House, an upmarket block in London, there is an empty apartment. No one goes in, no one comes out. And its been that way for fifty years. Until the night watchman hears a disturbance after midnight and investigates. What he experiences is enough to change his life forever.
Latest interviews
Interviews plus question and answer sessions with authors, narrators and publishers.
Must-reads
The following reviews are of books that begin the very best fantasy series available.
Competition: Win a signed copy of Graham Hancock's Entangled
Graham Hancock is the author of The Sign and the Seal, Fingerprints of the Gods, Keeper of Genesis, Heaven's Mirror, Supernatural and other bestselling investigations of historical mysteries. His books have been translated into twenty-seven languages and have sold over five million copies worldwide. Written with the same page-turning appeal that has made his non-fiction so popular, Entangled is his first work of fiction. We have five signed copies of Entangled to give away as prizes. Email us the answer to the following question and the lucky winner, chosen at random, will receive a copy of the book, signed by the author.
Special Feature: Fantasy Book Review talks to the Book View Cafe
Book View Cafe is a cooperative site created by a group of writers - including internationally renowned authors Katharine Kerr, Ursula Le Guin and Vonda N. McIntyre - who want to take advantage of the internet's possibilities for reaching a wider audience and to distribute their work directly to their readers. The Book View Cafe is a place where you can find free, original fiction plus the authors' best and out-of-print work for a fee. Fantasy Book Review spoke to Book View Cafe member, science fiction author and memoirist Chris Dolley in February 2010.
Special Feature: Understanding the author of Alice in Wonderland
Lewis Carroll, the elusive author of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, has been the subject of enduring fascination for the past hundred years. The destruction of many major documents about his personal life by his descendants has only magnified the mystery. Jenny Woolf's biography, published to coincide with the release of the new Tim Burton Alice in Wonderland film, lays waste to the myths and suspicions that have obscured Carroll's reputation by placing him firmly in the context of his own time.
