Record Number: 27097

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'The rest of the evening was devoted to Bain's Indian Stories. It is impossible for one, not steeped in Indian mythology & with no knowledge of Indian life, to do justice to these extraordinary books. That they are beautiful with the overpowering scents & colours of the East is too obvious - that the author has a wonderful power of description hardly a word out of place or a jarring note is also obvious - that they are unique in literature is very likely - but --- perhaps I had better give the programme. [all extracts from] Bubbles of the Foam by E.E. Unwin Ashes of a God " Rosamund Wallis Syrup of the Bees " Alfred Rawlings In the Great God's Hair " Miss Marriage Digit of the Moon " Mrs Reynolds The club is indebted to Alfred Rawlings for introducing us to a new type of literature and if it left some of us gasping as with asthma in its rather overscented & sensuous atmosphere so that we longed for the moors & the winds of Heaven - others, whose breathing organs can cope with this Eastern air & whose palates are tickled by The Syrup of the Bees will feel that a new star has entered their literary constellation.'

Century:

1900-1945

Date:

9 Mar 1917

Country:

England

Time

evening

Place:

city: Reading
specific address: 7 Sidmouth St

Type of Experience
(Reader):
 

silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

Type of Experience
(Listener):
 

solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

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Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

Alfred Rawlings

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

1855

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

n/a

Religion:

Quaker or associated with the Friends

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

England

Listeners present if any:
e.g family, servants, friends

Members of XII Book Club

Additional Comments:

n/a

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Text Being Read:

Author:

Francis William Bain

Title:

'Syrup of the Bees'

Genre:

Fiction

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

reading group

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Source Information:

Record ID:

27097

Source:

Manuscript

Author:

Ernest E. Unwin

Title:

XII Book Club Minute Book, Vol. 2 (1915-31)

Location:

Private Collection

Call No:

n/a

Page/Folio:

26-7

Additional Information:

n/a

Citation:

Ernest E. Unwin, XII Book Club Minute Book, Vol. 2 (1915-31), Private Collection, n/a, 26-7, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=27097, accessed: 03 May 2024

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Additional Comments:

Material by kind permission of the XII Book Club. For further information and permission to quote this source, contact the Reading Experience Database (http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/contacts.php).