A Westminster childhood
A Westminster Childhood by John Raynor, published by Cassell in 1973, is a first edition hardcover that spans 213 pages. This book presents an enchanting account of Raynor’s childhood experiences in Westminster, London, where history and tradition shaped his formative years. Through vivid illustrations by Dennis Flanders, Raynor evokes the sounds, colors, and images that left a lasting impression on him, from the glorious organ of the Abbey to the vibrant flowers in secluded gardens.
Readers will find a perceptive and sensitive narrative that captures the essence of Raynor’s early life, including moments of wonder and fear. The book explores themes of childhood curiosity and the complexities of growing up, featuring elements such as nursery fires, a haunted bedroom, and the allure of his parents’ treasured possessions. With its rich descriptions and personal reflections, A Westminster Childhood offers insight into the social life and customs of Westminster during Raynor’s youth, making it a unique addition to the biographies of musicians in Great Britain.
Official synopsis Publisher
Raynor, John. A Westminster Childhood. With illustrations by Dennis Flanders. London, Cassell, 1973. 22.2cm x 14.2cm. 213 pages. Original Hardcover with original dustjacket in protective collector’s mylar. Excellent condition with only minor signs of wear. Name of preowner on endpaper. John Raynor, composer of nearly seven hundred songs/ enchanting account of the years of his childhood/ history and tradition were the companions of Raynor as a child/ perceptive and sensitive/ born at No. 3, Little Dean’s Yard/ sounds, colours and images which stayed with him all his life and recorded evocatively in this book/ brilliant-hued flowers of Westminster’s secluded gardens/ the magic of first hearing the Abbey’s glorious organ/ the clocks of London that became a lifelong passion/ nursery fires and braziers/ his mother’s jewel case and his father’s butterfly case, full of dazzling, glittering, shimmering things to feast a child’s eyes/ terror and a haunted bedroom which drove the five-year-old boy to the brink of a nervous breakdown/ the nameless, primitive horror borne on the wind from a tannery/
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