A Portrait in Words

I've discovered a new literary love. There are several books that I keep as a reflection of who I am - I think you can understand a lot about a person if you read the books they love - and recently a new volume was added to the stack.

"Mrs. Miniver" appeared as serial articles in the London Times in the 1940s. I saw a book of the collected articles at the Friends of the Public Library book sale and added it to my cart solely because it was from the 1940s and still had the original dust jacket. Since then, I've come to love Mrs. Miniver and her family.

Mrs. Miniver is a slightly older, more domestic version of myself. She considers picking an appointment book something to be done with care, she is reluctant to part with an old car, she sees the world in little moments, and is grateful to live in London where she can greet the first day of Spring three separate times.

This book is smart, thoughtful, and funny. And thoroughly feminine. That's me all over - sugar and spice and everything nice. Mrs. Miniver is naive and caring and lacks those qualities that make one generally respected today - sarcasm, a sharp eye, political commentary. There is something youthful in the quality of being saddened by events rather than embittered, and her philosophy is of a quiet, pastoral vein.

I love finding characters who understand me and think my thoughts. I suppose it's a form of narcissism, but it's very refreshing to find yourself within the pages of a book. And if anyone is curious what my private world contains, just read "Mrs. Miniver," add a hearty helping of artistic endeavor, and you'll have a fairly accurate portrait of Lady Kelli Elese Kirkman.