The Children of Green Knowe

I went to Ely Cathedral years ago as a homage to Tom’s Midnight Garden but The Children of Green Knowe was, at that time, just a vague memory of a tv series I’d loved. To think that two such iconic children’s books were inspired by the area. Mind you, I use the word children’s loosely because I think they’re books enjoyed by adults, too.

Clematis46

The Manor at Hemingford Grey is a fascinating place to visit. We lived in the next village for nearly 30 years and often took visitors there for Diana Boston’s guided tours. Lucy Boston (her mother-in-law, I think) led an interesting life - she was thought by many to be a German spy when she moved in to the house - and she was multi-talented. There were exquisite examples of her quilting in the house. Do go and visit if you or your children are Green Knowe fans and are spending time in Cambridgeshire.

I went on one of Diana Boston’s guided tours about ten years ago. During the war, the manor was used as a place of R&R for RAF pilots and you could visit one of the rooms complete with wireless, gramophone and piano etc.
It’s a beautiful place.

I loved the Children of Greene Knowe too, you can see the house in Hemingford Grey, it's a beautiful house in its own right, has a wonderful collection of patchwork and a really nice owner. She said that sometimes she hears a lady singing her baby to sleep, it would be unsurprising if such an ancient house didn't have a few ghosts

www.greenknowe.co.uk

Davisuz

If you loved the Green Knowe books then you may well enjoy the 'Dark is Rising' sequence by Susan Cooper. The first was produced on Radio 4 last Christmas and is still available on BBC sounds. Magical!

I’ve started listening to it on BBC Sounds. And have just listened to a podcast about it on Backlisted ( which was fascinating). Currently reading The Children of Green Knowe ( in an attempt to get back into reading again I’m reading the children’s books I’ve bought for my granddaughter). Should I carry on listening to the radio serialisation or should I read the book first? I’m enjoying The Children of Green Knowe even though I know the story. I know they made a very bad film of The Dark is Rising but can’t understand why it hasn’t been made into a tv serial.

Maybee, I read the Dark is Rising which is the second book 1st and am reading the 1st book Over Sea ,Under Stone now.
I saw a recommendation to read in this order (GoodReads I think). I cant wait to finish as I am very excited to listen to BBC Sounds. I too believe it would make the most wonderful TV series, perfect over 3 nights at Christmas. We can but hope!
I don't mint reading or watching things first but at the same time muddles up the pictures in my head

I’ve just finished the BBC Children of Green Knowe and enjoyed it.
I looked up the author Lucy M. Boston and now have her autobiography Memories to read. I know her original birth town very well.

I can’t seem to visualise The Dark is Rising from the BBC Sounds version. There are so many similarities with all these books. Herne the Hunter ( or Herbert the Hunter according to auto correct) is in both The Dark is Rising and The Box of Delights. I’ve just this minute finished reading The Children of Green Knowe. I’m not sure that my granddaughter won’t find it spooky though so I might hang onto it. It has another of the Green Knowe books in it as well which I’ll read. Backlisted is great. I think it’s my new favourite podcast. I’ve just listened to their discussion about Diary of a Nobody. Going to order Memories.

Herbert the Hunter! Sounds a little more 'bumbling' than majestic .

I am going to search along my daughters' book shelves and see if we still have the Lucy Boston books. I think Toms Midnight Garden fell apart and I threw it out.

I am also going to re read Heidi if I find it. The thread about duvets reminded me how much I enjoyed it as a child and how much my girls and I ennjoyed the .tv series years back.

Cold winter afternoons are perfect times for reading.

keepcalmandcavachon

*Maybee*, I read the Dark is Rising which is the second book 1st and am reading the 1st book Over Sea ,Under Stone now.
I saw a recommendation to read in this order (GoodReads I think). I cant wait to finish as I am very excited to listen to BBC Sounds. I too believe it would make the most wonderful TV series, perfect over 3 nights at Christmas. We can but hope!
I don't mint reading or watching things first but at the same time muddles up the pictures in my head

I was confused as to which order to read the books in. I hadn’t realised that The Dark is Rising was part of a series until I listened to the podcast. It featured a talk given by it’s author. She said that, if you write children’s books people expect you to grow up and write adult books which is silly because children’s books are so difficult to write.

I can recommend reading with a You Tube ambiance background. For The Dark is Rising Maybee I loved the Raging Storm ones!

l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.backlisted.fm%2Fepisodes%2F127-susan-cooper-the-dark-is-rising%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR3c9PlNSUblbqo75Iid1fsPBezsDw4yAV2bdz864scB0he4ldqLn6xAdaM&h=AT1UM_5g0T1xFVeM37JCtUUX9nbSgRasscFvEpBYJypYh-nG5dXcWqYhnneDMlcVIX9oGpL-r_hvXzpJJty1O0BwoSNoggIrR-St1U_2aKc95bl82ywgyBp6FQidN3CNaLak9xGYKon7A2R8I1G6R1g&__tn__=R%5D-R&c%5B0%5D=AT3hGBmyO_PqrnehiWbi2nir3WIxIbDFwgV_YDRtb5aCgJiKe8w_k2Bsek0gqqdeAN9dAtakAPzO0vMyCQyXy3PS2K_h52Wr5WiD4d0hcRzuIXf21mgXt8oCgjOT0p2VBKQwwfo_2Rk6OlbzZevtr_2W3sxfD6mpNfAbZBl3kDgsKqHYKlDOBlVmXWfAWN92GmJxAFrG26G-Cjpp0amm8z0

Not sure if that link works. It’s the Backlisted discussion about The Dark is Rising….

Yes Maybee link is good, Ooh there's a lot to love in there, thankyou

Susan Cooper sounded nothing like I expected her to sound. And then, when I googled her she looked totally different, too. I so related to what he said about reading books from our childhood is due to a sort of homesickness. At least, I think that’s what she meant. I’ve just listened to the Backlisted review of Gormenghast which was also wonderful.

Davisuz

If you loved the Green Knowe books then you may well enjoy the 'Dark is Rising' sequence by Susan Cooper. The first was produced on Radio 4 last Christmas and is still available on BBC sounds. Magical!

Crikey. I’ve just discovered the music of Johnny Flynn ( did the soundtrack for Detectorists) and have just bought his cd’s) and I’ve realised he did the music for this. I kept thinking that I recognised the voice. It makes sense now because The Dark is Rising is the a book that could easily have been written by Flynn/ Macfarlane. I feel as if I’m on a literary/musical journey here and lots of pieces are falling into place.

Maybee70, You can also catch Johnny Flynn's wonderful music on Digging for Britain.
You put that so well about the "pieces falling into place", it's all out there waiting isn't it?

keepcalmandcavachon

*Maybee70*, You can also catch Johnny Flynn's wonderful music on Digging for Britain.
You put that so well about the "pieces falling into place", it's all out there waiting isn't it?

The Sun Also Rises cd is arriving today but there are several more albums I need to get too. I can’t get over how multi talented he is.

Coins for the eyes. Feet to the east, head to the west...Oh my life. Does he provide all the background music as well? Johnny, Robert and now throw Alice into the mix! All I need now is Michael Wood [swoon]. Going to pay my annual trip to the Duddo stones soon...

Oh Michael Wood! Ever since his History of the Dark Ages book and series came out I have been a devoted follower
He opens the doors to other worlds.......was watching an interview with him on the Primary Sources podcast/youtube last night! I've never been to visit the Duddo Stones, but love a stone circle especially if it's a dark cloudy day, have a lovely time Maybee70

The Dark is Rising is a series I absolutely adore. The film version was execrable. The books should be ready in sequence to get the most out of them.
Over sea, under stone
The Dark is Rising
Greenwitch
The Dark King
Silver on the tree
They are a bit dated now but still worth reading particularly if you are a fan of Arthurian legends.

keepcalmandcavachon

Oh Michael Wood! Ever since his History of the Dark Ages book and series came out I have been a devoted follower
He opens the doors to other worlds.......was watching an interview with him on the Primary Sources podcast/youtube last night! I've never been to visit the Duddo Stones, but love a stone circle especially if it's a dark cloudy day, have a lovely time Maybee70

He did a collaboration with Show of Hands last year. I couldn't get to see it or work out how to watch online unfortunately. He had a programme on BBC4 the other night about China. It was quite a recent one I believe, last couple of years'ish. I always used to fantasise about walking along our village flood bank and bumping into him...

May be Maybee, you'll bump into him at the Duddo Stones!

I’ve just listened to the radio adaptation of Over Sea Under Stone on a podcast called Mystical Magpie. It also has Gormenghast, The Jungle book and many more!