Posted by Nick de Gooijer on February 25, 2018, 1:05 am
Anybody else got this? How did you stumble upon the Jerusalem Quartet (or how did it find you?) For me, it started in 2005, when me, the mrs. and the dog went shopping in Alkmaar. Because of the dog I wasn't allowed in many stores (actually, we weren't allowed in any store except the pub) and while the mrs. was in a clothing store I found myself outside a bookstore. Outside, in a metal crate, a ton of books were thrown together all priced 1 or 2 Euro's. It was drizzeling, books got wet and I saw a lot of copies of one book lying there - something called 'Sinaļ Tapestry'. I picked it up, ran through it (I love reading & history) and thought well, for one Euro.. My wife got the jacket, but what I got was a lot more than I bargained for. Lying in bed that night, I remembered leaving the book in the car. She told me to forget about it, get it tomorrow but I got out and took it to bed as a night read. Couldn't put it away, as if the writer was whispering this unbelievable story straight into my ear, unlike anything I've ever read before. Nights after that I was looking forward of returning to Whittemore's Jerusalem, and it wasn't until I was finished - that unforgettable scene with Stern - that I found out there were three more volumes. I went back to the book store where I got the first one, everything was gone, it didn't fly they told me, try the internet & good luck. I completed the quartet, holding them as one of my fondest reading memories and spreading out each copy that I find for birthday's, Sinterklaas and Kerstmis, telling the receiver to have a taste of this. There are more books I hold dear - a lot of them actually!- like Moby Dick, Flanagan's Goulds Book of Fish and Cees Nooteboom for instance, but Edward Whittemore, maybe because of his obscurity (a.i. availability & fame, to name a few good reasons) to me is a torch.
Re: Finding Edward
Posted by Anne on February 25, 2018, 1:20 pm, in reply to "Finding Edward"
I too have a lot of favourite authors - John Crowley (another somewhat obscure American writer), William Gibson, Mervyn Peake, David Mitchell etc etc.
Cheers, Anne
--Previous Message-- : Anybody else got this? How did you stumble : upon the Jerusalem Quartet (or how did it : find you?) For me, it started in 2005, when : me, the mrs. and the dog went shopping in : Alkmaar. Because of the dog I wasn't allowed : in many stores (actually, we weren't allowed : in any store except the pub) and while the : mrs. was in a clothing store I found myself : outside a bookstore. Outside, in a metal : crate, a ton of books were thrown together : all priced 1 or 2 Euro's. It was drizzeling, : books got wet and I saw a lot of copies of : one book lying there - something called : 'Sinaļ Tapestry'. I picked it up, ran : through it (I love reading & history) : and thought well, for one Euro.. My wife got : the jacket, but what I got was a lot more : than I bargained for. Lying in bed that : night, I remembered leaving the book in the : car. She told me to forget about it, get it : tomorrow but I got out and took it to bed as : a night read. Couldn't put it away, as if : the writer was whispering this unbelievable : story straight into my ear, unlike anything : I've ever read before. Nights after that I : was looking forward of returning to : Whittemore's Jerusalem, and it wasn't until : I was finished - that unforgettable scene : with Stern - that I found out there were : three more volumes. I went back to the book : store where I got the first one, everything : was gone, it didn't fly they told me, try : the internet & good luck. I completed : the quartet, holding them as one of my : fondest reading memories and spreading out : each copy that I find for birthday's, : Sinterklaas and Kerstmis, telling the : receiver to have a taste of this. There are : more books I hold dear - a lot of them : actually!- like Moby Dick, Flanagan's Goulds : Book of Fish and Cees Nooteboom for : instance, but Edward Whittemore, maybe : because of his obscurity (a.i. availability : & fame, to name a few good reasons) to : me is a torch. :
Re: Finding Edward
Posted by Anne on February 25, 2018, 1:11 pm, in reply to "Finding Edward"
What a great reminiscence! Do you mind if I add it to the First Impressions page?
I discovered Whittemore back in the late 1970s.
Cheers, Anne
--Previous Message-- : Anybody else got this? How did you stumble : upon the Jerusalem Quartet (or how did it : find you?) For me, it started in 2005, when : me, the mrs. and the dog went shopping in : Alkmaar. Because of the dog I wasn't allowed : in many stores (actually, we weren't allowed : in any store except the pub) and while the : mrs. was in a clothing store I found myself : outside a bookstore. Outside, in a metal : crate, a ton of books were thrown together : all priced 1 or 2 Euro's. It was drizzeling, : books got wet and I saw a lot of copies of : one book lying there - something called : 'Sinaļ Tapestry'. I picked it up, ran : through it (I love reading & history) : and thought well, for one Euro.. My wife got : the jacket, but what I got was a lot more : than I bargained for. Lying in bed that : night, I remembered leaving the book in the : car. She told me to forget about it, get it : tomorrow but I got out and took it to bed as : a night read. Couldn't put it away, as if : the writer was whispering this unbelievable : story straight into my ear, unlike anything : I've ever read before. Nights after that I : was looking forward of returning to : Whittemore's Jerusalem, and it wasn't until : I was finished - that unforgettable scene : with Stern - that I found out there were : three more volumes. I went back to the book : store where I got the first one, everything : was gone, it didn't fly they told me, try : the internet & good luck. I completed : the quartet, holding them as one of my : fondest reading memories and spreading out : each copy that I find for birthday's, : Sinterklaas and Kerstmis, telling the : receiver to have a taste of this. There are : more books I hold dear - a lot of them : actually!- like Moby Dick, Flanagan's Goulds : Book of Fish and Cees Nooteboom for : instance, but Edward Whittemore, maybe : because of his obscurity (a.i. availability : & fame, to name a few good reasons) to : me is a torch. :
Re: Finding Edward
Posted by Nick de Gooijer on February 25, 2018, 10:42 pm, in reply to "Re: Finding Edward"
Hi Anne, thanks for your response, great to hear from you. Offcourse I wouldn't mind you adding this to the First Impressions page, I'd be honored & pleased to contribute. Reading some of the threads posted earlier was a joy, the phrase unlike I ever read before seems to run right through them all. I'll be sure to post some more comments later on. Thank you for all your efforts, we'll be in touch, Nick.
Re: Finding Edward
Posted by Anne on February 26, 2018, 1:20 pm, in reply to "Re: Finding Edward"
Thanks! I'll add your "First Impression" shortly.
--Previous Message-- : Hi Anne, thanks for your response, great to : hear from you. Offcourse I wouldn't mind you : adding this to the First Impressions page, : I'd be honored & pleased to contribute. : Reading some of the threads posted earlier : was a joy, the phrase unlike I ever read : before seems to run right through them all. : I'll be sure to post some more comments : later on. Thank you for all your efforts, : we'll be in touch, Nick. :