IN DAYS OF THE BOOK PEDDLER

 

Scarlet winds breathed autumn through chilled night air, sipping on the lungs of children… A wafting scent of distant smoke and cedar filled the senses… And he blew in with the leaves on gossamer wings…

 

I remember the days of the book peddler… wandering… waltzing our streets… his books were paths to the China Sea or ancient Egypt… times of war… times of love… fears unspoken... places distant… dreamish… far off places I would never venture to see in my lifetime… I would never even venture to the ocean that I could hear if I stood still in the shadows at night.

 

Pennies a page to ride a magic carpet or fight in the Bolshevik Revolution… Oh… and she was there… threaded in the pages… like a sunrise, her hair glistened gold… Though her name changed in each book, I knew her voice… Jane Eyre, Anne Elliot, Tess Durbeyfield, or Cleopatra… I could recognize her anywhere from her shadowed grace… and my heart raced to be with her again…

 

I would be toiling… earth’s rich soil covering me like the finest robes… and I would hear his voice… the wind would echo it… “Come… Books for sale… Come explore the depths of the ocean in a submarine that flies under the waves! Or sail the sea with Captain Ahab! See a man become a monster before your eyes!  Flee to hell or fly to heaven!  Oh, come!  Books for sale!”

 

At his call, the village would wander… those who could not read would cling to those who knew the trick… what an enchantment to linger over letters and see worlds come to life… what bliss to leave behind the toil for a moment and escape into the sky… Those words were my feast, and I gorged myself on them…

 

It has been years now since they buried my bones. You’ll only find a cracked, isolated stone, overgrown with vines and dust… barely legible writing… nothing of significance… And though I never travelled more than 5 miles from my grave, I circled the globe through the magic of the book peddler… Listen… oh, listen, my friend… and hear his voice still calling in the autumn winds… “Come”…

 

Reviews

[Bhavya Kaushik]

AH! This was a very very powerful piece of writing...
I mean, how do you came with this one...The plot and the language was simply outstanding.
The way with which you've written this piece is simply beyond my comprehension.
The imagery in the opening section was very appealing.
Great great great work :)

[Sean M. Addams]

wow this piece is just one simple word........... Brillant.... like how you blend in everything in this story ... told rather well ... overall i enjoyed this alot and loved this part alot....Pennies a page to ride a magic carpet or fight in the Bolshevik Revolution� Oh� and she was there� threaded in the pages� like a sunrise, her hair glistened gold� Though her name changed in each book, I knew her voice� Jane Eyre, Anne Elliot, Tess Durbeyfield, or Cleopatra� I could recognize her anywhere from her shadowed grace� and my heart raced to be with her again�
......................................................................... this part is amazing ... nice job with this Craig!!!!

[emmajoy]

This is a beautiful piece of writing! And, its accompanying picture is perfect.

I was transported back in time to when the book peddler did his rounds, going from village to village, carrying the world along with his eagerness to share - and earn a shilling or three.

You use such wonderful phrases, write in a near mystical or spiritual way - almost the sharing of fish and bread, the nourishing of the brain, the feeding of the spirit. So few ordinary folk could read, the rich didn't really want them to .. yet the peddler moved around from here to there, making dreamers and would-be adventurers of so many.

'.. what an enchantment to linger over letters and see worlds come to life� what bliss to leave behind the toil for a moment and escape into the sky� ' Maybe your books would have been among those sold. What things people could have learned from you, Craig.

The ending is near heartbreaking: old bones of a man who remained in the same place all his life yet valued the book peddler, valued his books and .. dreamed every time he turned a page.

Wonderful post, beautifully written!

[Lizanne]

Brilliant writing of what the written word can bring to lifes of those that have no hope of every traveling any farther than from one end to the other of the impoverished village or town in which they dwell. Imagine the great anticipation with which these captive readers awaited the peddler. Those that could not read, probably hung onto every breath and word of the narrator. The esteem they must have held for the readers of their village. When you cannot go to the world, the world can come to you through books.
You can live the life of a king, dowager, gentle giant, thief, great hunter,explorer...........As always your pen and imagination have served you well. What village will you visit tomorrow and what great adventures will be hidden within your wooden cart?

[Mark]

Encapsulating so beautifully the pure escapist joy that may be found within the leathers, yet with a sad note at the last, as he never permitted (or WAS never permitted!) his reading to fire his wanderlust, his need to experience in three-d what he had learned of via paper and ink. A most inspiring tale of a Giver, a Receiver, and of giving back again. Most moving! Thank you, Craig.

[Arthur Henn]

Craig... You my brother, you are one of an icon my heart of a man sees as a man of the written word. There are many talented writers here. All of us have a style of our own when it comes to writing. I'm one of those writers that will tell you that there is always something missing in mine. Most of the time its the salt that brings out the flavour of the words... like salt bringing out the flavour of the foods we eat.

I have too much, too little or, I just forgot all together to add any...lol

You my brother always have the right amount. All of your writing, writings is written and prepared like that of a fine chef.

Thank you for sharing.

[deeps]

This is simply amazing here, This is very well written
I really enjoyed this read. You did an outstanding job here.

[The Rock And Roll Cowbo..]

A really good book can take you places you have never been and stimulate the mind with new thoughts... with so many writers now a days it is hard to have a distinctive voice, but back in those golden days the greatest writers were like rock stars. A wonderful write.

[cest la vie]

Reading this piece took me back to my little,dark cozy closet where I used to read as a child. I too was transported all over the globe with a turn of each page (..Pennies a page to ride a magic carpet ...). what a wonderful, timeless write you have here. The imagary is brilliant..in a word, enchanting .

[Lauren Marie]

Ahh, this was amazing. Normally I don't like ellipses in stories, but here I think I adds that sense of dreams and adventure that you were going for. Your message was clear, and you portrayed it in a great fashion ...
Wonderful job!
~Lauren

[Stacey Watts]

WOW! This was a fantastic piece.. I love the story line and the way you told it was almost like being transported back in time. Such an adventure reading is. You can honestly get lost into a different time or place with a flip of a page. You told this story quite well and I loved it. Excellent Job as always.