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Just David

Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 5:12 pm
by LukeJavan8
JUST DAVID
I don't know where to post this exactly, so am doing so on this
thread, because it is the one I come to most often, though
I know you all are all over the site.
Somewhere in this thread on a topic I've long forgotten one
of you mentioned a book that exemplified whatever it was
that we were talking about. And I want to thank whoever
it was. I went and bought the book, and when it arrived it
lay here for a number of weeks before I picked it up last
week. I think the cover may have had something to do with
it, as it has a velvet-clothed young boy with fancy lacy collar
on it: a painting by one of the masters, tho' I've seen it before
I do not know who painted it. It sort of turned me off.
Yet I picked up the book a couple days ago and could hardly
put it down. What a message: the orchestra of life, the song
of the day, the old drudges of people who visit and whose
lives were changed by that boy, David and his violins.
I know I will re-read it, (I hardly ever do that) and want
to thank whoever suggested it. I think, that this book, (and
few have ever done this) has changed my outlook on life.
Maybe I needed it at this point in time. Call it fate or destiny
or whatever, but this book came into my life at exactly the
right time. Thank you, whichever one of you suggested it.

Re: Just David

Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 10:50 pm
by Perry Lassiter
Complete title and author, please?

Re: Just David

Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 11:07 pm
by Slava
Complete title and author, please?
"Just David". Eleanor Porter.

Re: Just David

Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2013 12:27 am
by MTC
Can't claim credit for the referral, but thought you'd want to know Just David is available as an eBook online:
http://gutenberg.org/ebooks/440

Re: Just David

Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2013 12:34 am
by Philip Hudson
Luke: I introduced this novel when we were discussing gnomon, the part of a sundial that casts a shadow. In the novel "Just David", David saw a Latin inscription on a sundial that said it reported only the sunny hours. He took that as his motto. I am glad you remembered it and read it. It probably hasn’t many current readers. It was written by Eleanor H. Porter, the author of “Pollyanna”, and was a best seller in 1916. Pollyanna has become a common word to describe someone who does not view the world realisically. Neither did David. But all lived happily ever after.

Re: Just David

Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2013 1:55 am
by Slava
For lovers of history, here is the original citation to Just David from the gnomon discussion.

Re: Just David

Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2013 3:00 pm
by LukeJavan8
As you say, 'maudlin', yes, and like 'Pollyanna' not very
realistic, true as well. But it sure is a nice book. Seeing
the beauty in everything is sorely needed when all our
news broadcasts are so dark. Thanks for the read, Philip.
I'd love to hear him play his violin.