The Victorian Christmas Nook
There is in our house a corner that we sometimes call the Victorian Christmas nook. It's heart is a Queen Anne desk. Behind the desk is an ivory and mahogany chase-lounge and a set of wide bay windows. In front of the desk is a small fireplace. (There is also a wide screen TV but that detracts from the Victorian ambience so we'll leave that out of it.) To one side of the chase-lounge is a is a six foot tall grandfather clock. To the other side are book cases. Across the room, facing the clock a pair of barrister book cases. Book cases and a marble-top table line the rest of the walls.
During the Christmas season, this part of the house is where we put the tree. Garland tied with red ribbons lines the room, running along the top of the clock, over the wooden blinds, and over the barrister bookcases. Atop the clock is an oil lamp surrounded by holly and mistletoe. When the tree is lit this part of the house looks every inch of our Victorian Christmas nook and such is what we call it the year long.
It is between the desk and the chase-lounge that I alternate my work, sitting at the desk and napping on the chase-lounge. The window sill next to the chase-lounge makes yet another book case. The books I am currently reading (sometimes over the course of many months) are propped between sixty-one year old wooden book-ends crafted in the Forest of Dean. There are not only books on the sill, there are DVD's as well. Sometimes I watch will watch a movie on my notebook computer instead of reading.
It is probably of no particular interest to anyone, but since I am sitting on the chase-lounge next to the books, I thought I would list them. If I happen to think of it again, I will update the list.
On 5 July 2010, the reading shelf had on it:
Nothing - the books are cleared to
make room for cleaning.
On a similar note, the reading shelf has been mostly replaced by the Barnes &
Noble Nook ereader. There are over 50 ebooks on it, mostly free Google
Books, far to many to list here.
On 8 June 2008, the reading shelf had on it:
1491 by Charles C. Mann
Great Tales from English History by Robert Lacey
Who was the Man in The Iron Mask by Hugh Ross Williamson
Voyage up the Amazon by W. H. Edwards
The Discovery of Arthur by Geoffrey Ashe
1066: The Year of the Conquest by David Howarth
Liberators by Robert Harvey
The Falklands and The Dwarf by Rear Admiral C. H. Layman and Jane Cameron
Atlas of British History by Martin Gilbert
What is not on the shelf, but only because it is out on the deck where I have been reading it this morning is How Few Remain by Harry Turtledove.
On 2 September 2007, the reading shelf had on it:
1491 by Charles C. Mann
The Man Who Broke Napoleon's Code by Mark Urban (very little progress
made here - but not to be taken as a reflection on the book which is very well
written and a tremendous source of information and inspiration.)
The Winter King by Bernard Cornwell
Liberators by Robert Harvey
On 4 Febraury 2007, the reading shelf had on it:
The Man Who Broke Napoleon's Code by Mark Urban
The Pale Horseman by Bernard Cornwell
Who was the Man in the Iron Mask by Hugh Ross Williamson
Rebels of Babylon by Owen Parry
On 7 January, 2007, the reading shelf had on it:
The Mission Song by John
LeCarre
The Man Who Broke Napoleon's Code by Mark Urban
The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell
King Arthur directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Clive Owen
The Falklands and the Dwarf by Kit Layman and Jane Cameron
Rebels of Babylon by Owen Parry
Click here to buy Scott Langley's books directly from Third Millennium Publishing
