Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld

It’s time to highlight another week of storytelling in Voice by the staff and volunteers at the Seanchai Library. As always, all times SLT, and events are held at the Library’s home at Holly Kai Park, unless otherwise indicated.

Sunday, June 2nd, 13:30: Tea-Time at Baker Street

Tea-time at Baker Street returns with the opening of The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes, the final set of twelve Sherlock Holmes short stories first published in the Strand Magazine between October 1921 and April 1927.

This week: The Adventure of the Illustrious Client.

The year is 1902, and Sir James Damery visits Holmes and Watson on behalf of his mysterious and illustrious client. The latter never actually directly revealed to the reader, although it might well be the king himself.

Damery’s client is concerned about the relationship between Violet de Merville, daughter of General de Merville, and Baron Adelbert Gruner, from Austria. Gruner is viewed as a rogue and a sadist and – in Damery’s and Holmes’ opinion – a murderer.

Despite the matter of his last wife’s mysterious death and his reputation, Violet de Merville will not be dissuaded from her determination to marry Gruner. So secure is the latter in his position that he is unfazed by a visit from Holmes – indeed, he warns the latter that a French agent who once confronted him with similar accusations finished-up a cripple for life after receiving a beating from thugs shortly afterwards; a veiled threat if ever there was one.

So, lacking obvious proof, how do Holmes and Watson prevent Violet de Merville from marrying Gruner and possibly facing the same future as the Baron’s last wife?

WithDa5id Abbot, Savannah Blindside, Kayden Oconnell, and Caledonia Skytower.

Monday, June 3rd 19:00: Incident at Hawk’s Hill

Gyro Muggins reads naturalist and historian Allan W. Eckert’s popular novel.

In 1870, Manitoba became the fifth province of the (then) three-year-old Canadian Confederation. Over the previous 18 months, it had seen strife and rebellion, but for William MacDonald, his wife, Esther, and their family, the lands around what would eventually become the city of Winnipeg, are ideal for farming, and so they have settled and built Hawk’s Hill.

The open spaces are perfect for the MacDonald’s four children – or should have been; while the three elder children thrived, the youngest, six-year-old Ben, became increasingly introverted.

Small for his age, Ben was reserved and prefers being with animals, learning to imitate the sounds of many, and well as copying their movements and actions. In return, the local animals seem to respond well to him – although members of his family and the other locals consider him odd.

But then came the day when Ben, in seeking new animals to mimic, wandered further than was usual, venturing into unfamiliar territory – only to become hopelessly lost. When a storm breaks, he has no option but to hide in a badger hole – an occupied badger hole. And thus begins a relationship spanning several months between young boy and a female badger, to the benefit and comfort of both.

Tuesday, June 4th  19:00: Crenshaw

In her first novel after winning the Newbery Medal, Katherine Applegate delivers an unforgettable and magical story about family, friendship, and resilience.

Jackson’s parents are in serious financial trouble; their stressful circumstances are taking a toll on Jackson. Mum and dad remain cheerful and upbeat, putting on a happy face for their kids, but Jackson is not fooled. He knows times are bad and, whether he likes it or not, Crenshaw the giant cat is here to help him through the worst of it.

Crenshaw is not only very large, he’s both outspoken and imaginary. He has come back into Jackson’s life to help him. But is an imaginary feline enough to save Jackson and his family from losing everything?

Author Katherine Applegate proves in unexpected ways that friends matter, whether real or imaginary.

With Caledonia Skytower.

Wednesday, June 5th 19:00: A Thurber Salute

James Grover Thurber (December 8th, 1894 – November 2nd, 1961) was an American cartoonist, author, humorist, journalist, playwright, and celebrated wit. His work as a humorist and cartoonist celebrated ordinary people as they faced the more comedic eccentricities and frustrations of everyday life.

Published primarily in the The New Yorker magazine, his cartoon and short stories were popular enough to garner reprinting as collections. This success spurred him on to write for the stage, co-penning the Broadway comedy The Male Animal, which was adapted as a a 1942 film starring Henry Fonda and Olivia de Havilland.

Despite being also entirely blind in his later years, the combined long-term result of an accident at the age of seven, when his brother shot him in the eye with an arrow, and failing eyesight in his remaining eye, the last 20 years of Thurber’s life were his most prolific in terms of writing. His output ranged from books to short stories to some 75 fables, and a biography – that of the founder/publisher of The New Yorker, Harold Ross – and a five-party treatise on the American radio soap opera.

For this event, Kayden Oconnell and Caledonia Skytower read selections from three of Thurber’s most popular short stories. The first is The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, written in 1939 and which is perhaps most famously associated with the 1947 film of the same name starring Danny Kaye, Virginia Mayo and Boris Karloff (there was also a 2013 film adaptation, but no-one betters Danny Kaye…). Also on offer are selections from his 1937 short, The Macbeth Murder Mystery, and his alternate history parody from 1935,  If Grant Had Been Drinking at Appomattox.

Thursday, June 6th 19:00: Thor The Mighty Adapted by Elizabeth Rudnick

Asgard’s greatest warrior, the mighty Thor, has vowed to protect the mortals of Earth with his legendary hammer Mjolnireven from his trickster brother, Loki!

With Shandon Loring. (Also in Kitely grid.kitely.com:8002:SEANCHAI).