"The moment when Henry (Beston) died, all the lights in the house went out." Handel and Hayden Society Chorus's rendition of O Magnum Mysterium was playing in the background as I listened to this wonderful, well written piece about Chimney Farm and its owners, authors Henry Beston and Elizabeth Coatsworth, and their daughter, poet Kate Barnes; and booksellers and Chimney Farm's caretakers, Gary Lawless and Beth Leonard. The combination gave me chills. The house at Chimney Farm is full of books; when there was no more room in the house, the books spilled over into the barn. The sounds of the barn are particularly good. I love this barn: a great creaking door and the rustling of straw, plus oodles and oodles of books. Perhaps Elizabeth Coatsworth was referring to Chimney Farm when she wrote, "The sunset caught me, turned the brush to copper, set the clouds to one great roof of flame about the earth." Public radio is a favorite of book lovers and lovers of books will enjoy this piece. Give it a listen. This piece is poetry.
Review of Mingling Pen and Plow
Deborah Astley
Posted on July 06, 2005 at 01:04 PM
"The moment when Henry (Beston) died, all the lights in the house went out." Handel and Hayden Society Chorus's rendition of O Magnum Mysterium was playing in the background as I listened to this wonderful, well written piece about Chimney Farm and its owners, authors Henry Beston and Elizabeth Coatsworth, and their daughter, poet Kate Barnes; and booksellers and Chimney Farm's caretakers, Gary Lawless and Beth Leonard. The combination gave me chills. The house at Chimney Farm is full of books; when there was no more room in the house, the books spilled over into the barn. The sounds of the barn are particularly good. I love this barn: a great creaking door and the rustling of straw, plus oodles and oodles of books. Perhaps Elizabeth Coatsworth was referring to Chimney Farm when she wrote, "The sunset caught me, turned the brush to copper, set the clouds to one great roof of flame about the earth." Public radio is a favorite of book lovers and lovers of books will enjoy this piece. Give it a listen. This piece is poetry.