Living Without School: The Daughter of Time

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

The Daughter of Time

by Josephine Tey is one of the ( many) books I am reading this month.

This is a re-read.

I first discovered Tey in high school English class.

Since then , I have read all her novels and re-read several - especially " The Daughter of Time" (1951), my first introduction to the author.

The novel is a mystery novel with a difference. It is engaging. It is a cleverly constructed detective history.

Tey recreates one of history's most infamous crimes - the murder of the princes in the tower by Richard III. Inspector Grant, of London on the 1950s, is on his sick bed and decides to pass time by attempting to solve the historical crime.

An intriguing mystery book, on the search for truth and for honesty in history, with Tey's clever writing and memorable comments.

"There are...far too many words written. Millions and millions of them pouring from the presses every minute. It's a horrible thought...It might be a good thing if all the presses of the world were stopped for a generation. There ought to be a literary moratorium. Some Superman ought to invent a ray that would stop them all simultaneously. "

2 comments:

Anonymous said...: Sounds intriguing! I remember standing there reading some little sign about this and being shocked at history in England. It's just so much older over there and this instance was one of the moments when the timeline seemed to crush down upon me.; 1:21 am
Leonie said...: How lovely to have visited England - one of my future plans is to do so. :-); 9:45 am

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Prayer of Consecration of St. Maximilian Kolbe

O Immaculata, Queen of Heaven and earth, refuge of sinners and our most loving Mother, God has willed to entrust the entire order of mercy to thee. I, N___, a repentant sinner, cast myself at thy feet humbly imploring thee to take me with all that I am and have, wholly to thyself as thy possession and property. Please make of me, of all my powers of soul and body, of my whole life, death and eternity, whatever most pleases thee. If it pleases thee, use all that I am and have without reserve, wholly to accomplish what was said of thee: "She will crush your head," and, "Thou alone have destroyed all heresies in the whole world."

Let me be a fit instrument in thine Immaculate and merciful hands for introducing and increasing the maximum in all the many strayed and indifferent souls, and thus help extend as far as possible the blessed Kingdom of the most Sacred Heart of Jesus. For wherever thou enters, one obtains the grace of conversion and growth in holiness, since it is through thy hands that all graces come to us from the most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

V. Allow me to praise thee O Sacred Virgin.
R. Give me strength against thy enemies.

Prayer of St Bonaventure

Pierce, O most Sweet Lord Jesus, my inmost soul with the most joyous and healthful wound of Thy love, with true, serene, and most holy apostolic charity, that my soul may ever languish and melt with love and longing for Thee, that it may yearn for Thee and faint for Thy courts, and long to be dissolved and to be with Thee.Grant that my soul may hunger after Thee, the bread of angels, the refreshment of holy souls, our daily and supersubstantial bread, having all sweetness and savor and every delight of taste; let my heart ever hunger after and feed upon Thee, upon whom the angels desire to look, and may my inmost soul be filled with the sweetness of Thy savor; may it ever thirst after Thee, the fountain of life, the fountain of wisdom and knowledge, the fountain of eternal light, the torrent of pleasure, the richness of the house of God.May it ever compass Thee, seek Thee, find Thee, run to Thee, attain Thee, meditate upon Thee, speak of Thee, and do all things to the praise and glory of Thy name, with humility and discretion, with love and delight, with ease and affection, and with perseverance unto the end.May Thou alone be ever my hope, my entire assurance, my riches, my delight, my pleasure, my joy, my rest and tranquility, my peace, my sweetness, my fragrance, my sweet savor, my food, my refreshment, my refuge, my help, my wisdom, my portion, my possession and my treasure, in whom may my mind and my heart be fixed and firmly rooted immovably henceforth and for ever. Amen.