"For My Own Amusement"

[fuguewriter]

I've begun reading Delderfield's autobiography in its American printing. Definitely interesting - after a very quiet first few pages, when I feared it would be a bore, it grabbed me. I'm on page 110, and it's illuminating. What an interesting introvert!

[emerald]

Delderfield on page 209 writes, “In the secret places of our hearts many of us hope that some day we may catch up with the folk we have met between the covers of favourite books.”

‘Diana’ styled by a BBC team, aids a close up visual examination to judge or delight in their sometimes perverse yet loving dance of opposites. Film, a glamorous mirror of hypnotic shimmering enhances our literary visions with elusive shadows. Do we minds-eye match the actors’ incarnation of Delderfield’s imaginings or do we impose our personal colouring on his projections? Probably both.

Disappointingly, his biographical caution in recounting familial relations as a mature man, forces us to unfair conjecture searching his novels for reality clues. Only an early ‘Muriel’ anima / muse figure is clearly described in this biography. “She was dark-browed, petite, outwardly modest and inwardly devastating! She at 14 was already a woman with ability to put a realistic price tag on her favours!”

He offers an apologetic yet quite sly version of personal encounter as precursor for Diana, I suspect! ‘Muriel’ of the Giaconda smile who caused a stammering into telephones and whose market value increased with age like Georgian silver. The one flawless trophy in the collection of butterflies. He is yet only Moth to her winged splendour of butterfly awareness.

‘Butterfly Moments’ chapter page 186 – on, is my favourite. He describes these “ as fleeting fragile things, coming unbidden out of nowhere and rarely caught. A frozen tick of time held onto in absorption of the sight, sound and smell of faded green hedgerows and glistening briars” on flinty wet soil.

The Diana moment arises from “ only those who have stood at Muriel’s gate, hoping, have lived! Then Muriel & I were in comforting darkness & darkness as any fool knows, is the ally of the bewitched.” His heart-felt butterfly moment of secret blissful success. Conjured fatefully are we, ever after by his clever telling.

[emerald]

Delderfield U. K. centenary celebrations in Sidmouth.

MIDWEEK HERALD, Devon U.K. Wednesday, January 18, 2012.

www.midweekherald.co.uk/news/delderfield_centenary_celebrations_in_sidmouth_revealed_1_1180883

12TH February 2012 will mark 100 years since birth of R F Delderfield.

A day of events on Sunday, June 24 2012, to commemorate Sidmouth’s most famous son.Exmouth and Budleigh Salterton will also mark Delderfield’s centenary. At Exmouth, his play, Worm’s Eye View, will be staged during its May arts festival, and his books will be exhibited at Budleigh Salterton Museum.

However, most of the celebrations will take place in Sidmouth, starting with introductory speeches at Kennaway House, by Marion, VIP guests, including Delderfield’s daughter Veronica Persse, and local people.
This will be followed by performances of Delderfield’s play Sailors Beware! by members of Sidmouth Amateur Dramatic Society, in Kennaway House’s Cellar Bar.

“At the same time there will be guided tours through Sidmouth, organised by museum guides, with particular emphasis on places and residences connected to the Delderfield family, including Delderfield’s homes and memorial stone,” said Marion, who has extended her biography of the writer and will sign copies of the special centenary edition on the day at Kennaway House.

The Toastrack will be on hand during the afternoon to take visitors to his homes, Dove Cottage, Manor Road and The Gazebo, in the grounds of Peak Cottage, Peak Hill. Free cream teas will be served during the afternoon at Kennaway House, either indoors or in the grounds if fine.

Marion said Jamie Hodder-Williams of publishers Hodders, had offered to fund posters in Sidmouth for the celebration and she hopes well-known actors !!, who have depicted parts in Delderfield plays, will accept invitations to join the event.

“I have also invited Caroline De Wolfe, whose father Felix was theatrical agent for Delderfield who got Worm’s Eye View on the stage,” said Marion.
Tickets for the day will go on sale at Paragon Books and Kennaway House from May 1, priced £5. Look out in the Herald next month for a chance to enter a competition to win copies of Delderfield’s books.