My wife found a signed copy of Rosemary Sutcliff’s historical novel ‘The Eagle of the Ninth’ in my parent’s living room and took a photo. I think this must be the most original signature I’ve ever seen from a writer. I love how the tale turns into a dolphin.
If anyone has noticed a slightly different blogging style, that’s because the editor of this Rosemary Sutcliff site has changed.
For a few weeks the blog is being looked after by myself, Dom Lawton, Anthony’s son. Rosemary Suctcliff was my Dad’s godmother and second cousin. I’m not quite sure what that makes me.. second cousin once removed? Maybe. Despite the distant family title, Rosemary was very close to my father and his family. Some of my earliest memories are of Rosemary’s house in Sussex. Behind the doors of her calm and beautiful english abode were two terrifying Chihuahuas, Sebastian and Sophie. Actually, Sophie was very sweet, but she wasn’t as confident as Sebastian and was led astray by his forceful personality (excuse the pun). I can remember Sebastian and Sophie growling ferociously in a miniscule manner at one end of the hall and my mum, sister and me (bear in mind I was only six!) at the other end, unable to move with fear of being attacked. When Rosemary died, we looked after Sophie (the sweet, unconfident one) and for years I would carry her around on my arm, pretending I was a James Bond villain.
I remember Rosemary sitting at her writing desk with pen in hand, telling me all about the Roman Empire. She was absolutely passionate about history and stories. She had a sense of magic about her, like she was the keeper of an amazing world of imagination, which she could channel through her words.
I also remember her showing me the collection of detailed miniatures she had made and painted. She was a gifted artist as well as writer. We still have her miniature nativity scene, which we place in our front hall at christmas. It’s beautiful.
All in all she was an incredible person and will be remembered for a very long time I’m sure. It is a pleasure and an honour to be the editor and collector for this blog for a few weeks.
Channing Tatum rides into town in another still taken from the upcoming film of Rosemary Sutcliff’s Eagle of the Ninth!
Blogger Zornhau reads children’s writer and historical novelist Rosemary Sutcliff’s classic retelling of Beowulf to his son Kurtzhau.
The two of us together live through the dragon fight, the flight of Beowulf’s thanes, all except Wiglaf who tips the balance in his lord’s favor. Now Beowulf lies dying, poisoned by dragon venom.
Kurtzhau and I both hold each other, sharing a blast of emotions from our ancestors’ cold Dark Ages.
Abruptly, Kurtzhau slips off the bed and rummages with his plastic figures.
“Oh well,” I think. “He’s done pretty well for a—”
He bounces back to join me and thrusts a Playmobil barbarian at me. “This guy can be Wiglaf from now on. Now read the end!”
Afterwards, he’s outraged that the story is so short, and we talk about how lucky we are to have the story at all, and about bards and praise singers, and the irony that the two episodes of Beowulf’s life to come down to us are the ones that emphatically did not happen.
“What happened to Wiglaf?”
I shrug. “Was there a theory he lead a Germanic tribe to Britain? Sorry – I can’t remember and we’ve no Internet access here. But if there were any poems about him, they’re lost.”
Kurtzhau considers. “Somebody ought to write a sequel.
I was fascinated to learn from a comment on a post yesterday that the use of ‘IX’ to write nine as in ninth legion is a “modernism”, and that the ancient use of the number would have been VIIII . Rosemary (Sutcliff) would have known this, but I did not!
ROSEMARY SUTCLIFF (1920-92) 