My little Gnudren,

If we are aiming to be better and more complete people, we continually need to learn to lay aside our prejudices. What we may have written off as rubbish in earlier years may in an unexpected way become a valued and a considerable help.

If you are a book lover and a clergy person you can immediately collect prejudices (in a middle-class parish) by looking at what’s on people’s bookshelves. This is called ‘pastoral visiting’, but you must maintain a pretence of focus on the person you are visiting. For many people old Gnu visited, books were not on their radar apart from the Argos and perhaps if they were rich, the Screwfix catalogue. And, yes, there is real poverty in our country that makes old Gnu weep.

Old Gnu has always been a great lover of charity shops. Their bookshelves have yielded some real bargains and treasures. Formerly he turned his nose up at such authors as Jackie Collins, Jilly Cooper and Danielle Steel. But now in his old age he has learnt to appreciate them in a way that he could never have envisaged in the past. In fact, he eagerly looks out for such authors’ beautifully produced hardback editions.

The Collins sisters, mainly the author, Jackie, have really come up trumps. Jackie has recently revitalised old Gnu’s interest in his dilapidated paperback copy of Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien, by making it a desirable book, a physical pleasure to pick up. At the moment, at bedtimes, old Gnu is trudging through Mordor with Frodo and Sam Gamgee towards Mount Doom. Yes, yes, I know he should be reading the Bible, but old Gnu is a sinner.

To his delight her sister, the actress Joan, has also come to Gnu’s aid. Her book, Passion for Life, is about to help in his study of Monteverdi’s 1610 Vespers of the Blessed Virgin! An unlikely helper for the study of such a subject.

But to be fair, old Gnu might flick through Joan’s Collins book, now alas only a paperback, to see how her passion for life negotiated its way through 6 marriages. Old Gnu jests not! It will undoubtedly be a help to some.

Joan will also be helping revitalise his study of a number of Eulenberg music scores, and old Gnu will be looking out for more copies of this wonderful book on eBay and in Charity Shops. She has already helped with old Gnu’s study of Vaughan Williams Pilgrim’s Progress, comme ça:

And below you will see a number of books that have now become an increased pleasure to dip into thanks particularly to the good work of Jackie Collins and Danielle Steel.

So, my dear little Gnudren, lay aside your prejudices and, if it is possible, let us try and see good in everyone, even if they have been left on a Charity Shop bookshelf.

Vetus Pater Gnu  [he/haw]
Academiae Musicorum et Theologia
Turris LA
XIX Mensis Iunni MMXXV