The Magic Canopy
Time passes, love blooms
Published on 1. December 2021
Book
Paperback/Softback
360 pages
978-1-83952-343-4 (ISBN)
Description
A novel set in the Downs of southern England where a picturesque village, far from modernity, has declined into obscurity. The lives of several residents, some poor, some affluent, but all with aspirations, are portrayed. They have love and the dilemmas it poses, ambitions thwarted by poverty, and the psychological disturbance of self-repression. But they also have the determination to stumble onward in hope of fulfilling their dreams.
The main characters are a young couple longing for marriage, one afflicted by a damaged childhood, her fiance of small resources unable to rent or buy; an affluent young couple finding that love has its travails and does not run smooth; a middle aged couple finding fulfilment in village activities centred on the church; another who resolve their own failings by solving the problems of others. But also a widower's obsession to seek revenge for the death of his wife and child.
Numerous other characters include the village historian who plays a key role in safeguarding the village amenities, a young couple who benefit from his investigations, and the older residents who bring their wisdom to the resolution of turmoil and tribulation thereby also contributing to village renewal.
The fundamental decency and good sense of the residents ensures the continuance of peace and harmony as if a veil of comfort and security had descended over the village.
The main characters are a young couple longing for marriage, one afflicted by a damaged childhood, her fiance of small resources unable to rent or buy; an affluent young couple finding that love has its travails and does not run smooth; a middle aged couple finding fulfilment in village activities centred on the church; another who resolve their own failings by solving the problems of others. But also a widower's obsession to seek revenge for the death of his wife and child.
Numerous other characters include the village historian who plays a key role in safeguarding the village amenities, a young couple who benefit from his investigations, and the older residents who bring their wisdom to the resolution of turmoil and tribulation thereby also contributing to village renewal.
The fundamental decency and good sense of the residents ensures the continuance of peace and harmony as if a veil of comfort and security had descended over the village.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
The Self-Publishing Partnership Ltd
Dimensions
Height: 197 mm
Width: 134 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-83952-343-4 (9781839523434)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
David William Paley was born in Sandhurst and, until retirement, held several financial control positions in international companies. He lived in Germany for four years where he was Manager of Reporting for a multinational American manufacturing group. On return to the UK, he became financial controller for a German manufacturer of electrical products. In addition to his native English, he speaks both German (fluently) and French (less so) and lives with his French wife in Buckinghamshire. His interests lie in classical music, particularly opera, socialising with neighbours and writing and translation.
He has created several web sites including English Usage and poetry. http://www.poemswithoutfrontiers.com presents poems in their original text of English, French and German together with his translations of each into the other two languages in order to bring poetry to a wider audience. The site consists of several hundred poems mainly by European poets, including a selection of his own works. The site is visited by over 8000 readers per month. He is occasionally asked for permissions (always granted) for inclusion of his translations in CD or concert programmes. His two paperback collections of French and German poems in: "101 French Poems" and "150 German Poems" contain original texts each of which is followed by his translation into English.
The Magic Canopy is his first novel in a series that dismisses the obsession with the double and triple murders that seem regularly to feature in the current unhealthy mode of entertainment. He prefers the subject of life and love rather than death and its morbidity.
He has created several web sites including English Usage and poetry. http://www.poemswithoutfrontiers.com presents poems in their original text of English, French and German together with his translations of each into the other two languages in order to bring poetry to a wider audience. The site consists of several hundred poems mainly by European poets, including a selection of his own works. The site is visited by over 8000 readers per month. He is occasionally asked for permissions (always granted) for inclusion of his translations in CD or concert programmes. His two paperback collections of French and German poems in: "101 French Poems" and "150 German Poems" contain original texts each of which is followed by his translation into English.
The Magic Canopy is his first novel in a series that dismisses the obsession with the double and triple murders that seem regularly to feature in the current unhealthy mode of entertainment. He prefers the subject of life and love rather than death and its morbidity.