On a tip from my great friend Jessica, I ordered a used copy of Daphne du Maurier's collection of short stories called Kiss Me Again, Stranger from a famous non-tax-paying internet bookseller. Jessica read my previous entry praising Hitchcock's movie The Birds and she wanted me to know that Hitchcock used du Maurier's short story of the same name as the basis of his film.
I knew very little about Daphne du Maurier. I remember from years ago when I drove a bookmobile for a public library that her books were popular with mainly the white-haired, chatty, bespectacled grandmas who frequented the bookmobile and checked out tens of books every two weeks. In my ignorance, I assumed these stories would not interest me, so I never even took a peek at one. Was I ever wrong!
My well-worn, faded, three-dollar copy of Kiss Me Again, Stranger arrived a few days ago and yesterday I sat down to read The Birds. It's thirty-five spellbinding pages long, concisely gripping and dark. I loved it. I will read the rest of the stories now that I know what a vivid storyteller she is.
Maybe I have grown a little wiser and more open-minded in my old age? Dunno. But Daphne du Maurier can paint pictures with words and scare the pants off you, too, people. Those old bookmobile biddies back in the 1970's were onto something!
Peace, Love, and Daphne,
Jim
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.