Read on Twitter
With all the loneliness out there, I wanted to share a love story about two people I've never met. The story begins with a book, and that book begins:
"There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it."
1/Thread.
"There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it."
1/Thread.
Reading books can be either a shared experience, or a solitary one. @emilyasbjorn & I read aloud to each other, and it's a wonderful practice. But solitude is an essential part of the pleasure of silent reading. Or is it?
This story starts with my copy of the Dawn Treader.
2/
This story starts with my copy of the Dawn Treader.
2/
It's a 1969 English hardcover. I bought it used from @russellbooks in Victoria, for $7.99 "as is." It's not in great shape. It had, of course, previous owners, and those owners are what this story is about:
Herald & Kathleen Stendel
3/
Herald & Kathleen Stendel
3/
In blue pen is written on the front map:
Herald y Kathleen Stendel
Colonia de San Pedro,
Artá, Mallorca
9 de agosto de 1.972-
Despite its wear & tear, I liked the idea of a book about a sea voyage coming back from the Balearic Islands, where I'll probably never go.
4/
Herald y Kathleen Stendel
Colonia de San Pedro,
Artá, Mallorca
9 de agosto de 1.972-
Despite its wear & tear, I liked the idea of a book about a sea voyage coming back from the Balearic Islands, where I'll probably never go.
4/
On the first page, there were a couple of notes in the same handwriting from 'K' - Kathleen:
K
9.23.72
K
11 3 20
5/
K
9.23.72
K
11 3 20
5/
It looks like Kathleen wrote in the dates she started reading the book. 9.23.72 must be September 23, 1972. But what's 11 3 20? Not 1920 or 2020.
Why would she write down when she started the book?
On p. 14, there's the same handwriting as on the front map: Herald's.
6/
Why would she write down when she started the book?
On p. 14, there's the same handwriting as on the front map: Herald's.
6/
"C.f. "Story of Kwashin Kogi", Lafkadio Hearn, Vol. X, "Japanese Miscellany" p. 213- & p. 223 for the parallel-"
For all you new to marginalia, erudite connections to source texts aren't normal.
Why's HS writing this down here? Why look up the page references to do so?
7/
For all you new to marginalia, erudite connections to source texts aren't normal.
Why's HS writing this down here? Why look up the page references to do so?
7/
Look, it's very cool to spot a precedent for the motif of a painted seascape coming to life, and someone entering the painting to board a boat. But why write it in the margin of a book you own? Who are you sharing this tidbit with by doing that?
Who are the Stendels anyway?
8/
Who are the Stendels anyway?
8/
The internet knows.
Herald Stendel was born in 1901, in California. In 1925, Kathleen Schofeld married Herald, and took the name Kathleen Schofeld Stendel.
“The most boring marriages,” said W.H. Auden, “are more interesting than the most passionate love affairs.
9/
Herald Stendel was born in 1901, in California. In 1925, Kathleen Schofeld married Herald, and took the name Kathleen Schofeld Stendel.
“The most boring marriages,” said W.H. Auden, “are more interesting than the most passionate love affairs.
9/
They had at least two sons: Gamble Morris Stendel (Why'd they name him Gamble? I bet that's another story.) and Mark Schofield Stendel.
Kathleen went back to school in her 40s, and on February 26, 1944, she graduated from UCLA, with a degree of Associate of Arts:
10/
Kathleen went back to school in her 40s, and on February 26, 1944, she graduated from UCLA, with a degree of Associate of Arts:
10/
Kathleen seems to have practiced as a counselling psychologist for the next couple of decades in Los Angeles. How many women born about 1900. She was still registered as a therapist in 1964.
11/
11/
Herald lectured and wrote on church art and architecture. In 1940, while they lived in DC, he wrote a pamphlet on the National Cathedral, and in 1951, back in California, he became the first administrative director of Lloyd Wright's @ChapelWayfarers
12/
12/
Herald was worked as a commercial artist for Crestlawn Memorial Park.
In 1954, Herald collaborated with Posetti Prassitello to design a "mosiac-in-cross cemetery, memorial - “Christ before Pilate” angels at bottoms", and in 1957, designed a “star of hope and joy."
13/
In 1954, Herald collaborated with Posetti Prassitello to design a "mosiac-in-cross cemetery, memorial - “Christ before Pilate” angels at bottoms", and in 1957, designed a “star of hope and joy."
13/
Kathleen and Herald drew closer in their retirement, travelling and writing books together. Together they wrote and privately published a book of 'Fireside Chats,' 'Additional Fireside Chats,' and a series called 'The Art and Travel Fireside Chats'.
14/
14/
Around 1966, they seem to have lived for some time in Dublin, where they both became members of the Royal Society of Irish Antiquaries, but they...
15
15
... kept a home in California until at least 1968, when Kathleen helped organize a fashion show at their church, St. Aidan's Episcopal, overlooking Paradise Cove.
By 1972, they were living in Majorca, but by 1979, they were back in Dublin, and...
16/
By 1972, they were living in Majorca, but by 1979, they were back in Dublin, and...
16/
...they finally landed in Sidney, British Columbia (just north of Victoria, where I bought their book). Where my paternal grandfather & step-grandmother also retired to, by the way.
Back to the book, and the end of the story.
17/
Back to the book, and the end of the story.
17/
On p. 19, Herald pointed out a passage, and referred back to it on the inside of the back cover: "19 - the sooner the better for K Arthur to return"
On p. 31, Herald queried: "They were taken up to the fighting top": "sighting?"
18/
On p. 31, Herald queried: "They were taken up to the fighting top": "sighting?"
18/
When they finished the final chapter (The Very End of the World), they both signed off:
KS Sept 25th 1972 Mallorca
“ 11-18-72
H.S. 27th February 1974 - On train to Palma from Arta - Mallorca
KS Nov 8th 1979 Dublin
KS Oct 6 1998 Sidney BC xx
KS Nov 12 2000 Sidney BC
19/
KS Sept 25th 1972 Mallorca
“ 11-18-72
H.S. 27th February 1974 - On train to Palma from Arta - Mallorca
KS Nov 8th 1979 Dublin
KS Oct 6 1998 Sidney BC xx
KS Nov 12 2000 Sidney BC
19/
You notice that Kathleen left two xx mark for kisses? Those are for Herald, not her.
This is the key to understanding their notes.
Herald's notes aren't for him. They're for Kathleen, for the next time she reads the book, and Kathleen's notes are for him.
20/
This is the key to understanding their notes.
Herald's notes aren't for him. They're for Kathleen, for the next time she reads the book, and Kathleen's notes are for him.
20/
The notes are messages between them, over four decades. This copy of "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" is part of their correspondence: an artifact of their long love.
Here are pictures the opening of the Wayfarer's Chapel. They're in there somewhere.
21/
Here are pictures the opening of the Wayfarer's Chapel. They're in there somewhere.
21/
On April 20, 1994, Herald died in Sidney, at the age of 92.
On October 6, 1998, Kathleen finished re-reading the Dawn Treader, including Herald’s notes about Kwashi Koji, and King Arthur, and his inscription to her at the end.
She wrote back to him, with kisses. xx
22/
On October 6, 1998, Kathleen finished re-reading the Dawn Treader, including Herald’s notes about Kwashi Koji, and King Arthur, and his inscription to her at the end.
She wrote back to him, with kisses. xx
22/
On Nov 3, 2000, Kathleen read it one last time. For the first time since 1972, she wrote the day she started reading it on the first page.
If you were born in 1901, I guess you write '20' for the year 2000. It might be the only year you'll see that starts that way.
23/
If you were born in 1901, I guess you write '20' for the year 2000. It might be the only year you'll see that starts that way.
23/
For the last time, Kathleen inscribed the book to Herald. She must have been nearly 100.
By the time she died, their kids must have been in their sixties or seventies. They probably flew in to liquidate the estate, boxed up the books nobody wanted, and sold em.
24/
By the time she died, their kids must have been in their sixties or seventies. They probably flew in to liquidate the estate, boxed up the books nobody wanted, and sold em.
24/
Each signature supplies an answer to the question “Where were you, my spouse, when your mind was full of what mine now holds?” Each added signature declares: “I am here, and now, with my mind full of what’s held in this book.” It's beautiful.
25/
25/
These notes are such loving gestures. I cried when I realized what they meant. I'm weepy now.
Did Herald and Kathleen do this in all their books? Maybe the inscriptions in the Dawn Treader are comparatively sparse and uninteresting by their standards.
26/
Did Herald and Kathleen do this in all their books? Maybe the inscriptions in the Dawn Treader are comparatively sparse and uninteresting by their standards.
26/
I hope this story reminds you how wonderful love is, how our mortal loves throw long shadows. Even into a book a stranger buys for $7.99.
Have a very Merry Christmas, despite all! I hope this dark season you are alive to all the loves that entangle you.
End
Have a very Merry Christmas, despite all! I hope this dark season you are alive to all the loves that entangle you.
End
