The Curve of Time By, M. Wylie Blanchet, Narrated by, Heather Anne Henderson

The Curve of Time
Sub Title:  The Classic Memoir Of A Woman And
Her Children Who Explored The Coastal Waters Of The Pacific
Author:  M. Wylie Blanchet
Narrator:  Heather Anne Henderson
Produced by: Post Hypnotic Press
7 Hrs 24 Min

The Curve of Time by M.Wylie Blanchet

Heather Anne Henderson
Narrator

                                          











Heather Anne Henderson will make you visualize precisely the very detailed descriptions that Blanchet gives in The Curve of Time: Memoirs about the Coastal Waters of the Pacific. Ms. Hendersons' voice is gentle, and pleasant and a joy to listen to. I did Google the areas Blanchet describes to anchor in my mind exactly where they are located and what the areas look like. Google classic maps is wonderful for that. It added a great deal to the book. As Ms. Henderson reads, she conveys exactly the meaning the author wrote, whether it's the fear of a mama bear, the sadness over a fish that they caught from the depths or the excitement of when the inlet opens up and shoots their boat across.

It takes a very special talent to read this type of book and maintain interest as it covers, history, geography, and personal accounts. I know nothing about boats, sailing or navigating, never had much interest but Heather Henderson with her marvelous narration manages to make it all sound fascinating, fun and terribly interesting. I was completely captured listening to her. Her pace is excellent, her pauses are well timed and her voice is magnificent. Heather A. Henderson is a popular and well established actress with a wide variety of performances and many voice over talents to her credit.

The Curve of Time, is about Muriel Wylie Blanchet and her adventures with her five children as they spend their summers sailing between Vancouver Island and the coast of British Columbia. It is a wonderful story worthy of more than one read. On their twenty five foot boat, called the Caprice, Muriel loaded her children, which she often refers to as her crew, and their dog, and set sail to explore and experience all mother nature offered them. Muriel has to be the ideal personification of a perfect mother that I'm sure any young person would love to have. She was gutsy, resourceful, a tower of strength and guidance, a calming influence, as well as educator.

As an adult their adventures sound intimidating, few mother's today would pursue these kind of summer vacations. For a young person, they sound exciting and wonderful. They settled into coves at night or on pristine beaches. They caught their own dinner and cooked it either over a Coleman type stove or out on a beach with a fire pit they made themselves. For the most part days could pass without seeing another person. They hiked into areas to find lakes they had heard about from fishermen or lumbermen, that few people had ever seen. Climbed thousands of feet up mountains to pick wild berries, and explored Indian villages.

The hanging Indian graveyard was eerie and her descriptions of what they saw was detailed and fascinating. Most of the villages were deserted already for a long time. A few she says were seasonal that the Indians returned to for part of the year. I wasn't clear if she meant during her time or in the past. There just are no words sufficient to describe how engaging and interesting The Curve of Time is and Blanchet had a magical imagination and unique view point on everything.

Heather Anne Henderson gives her own review of this book and has some lovely photos of the boat, the children and an Indian village, at Heather Anne Henderson. 

Anne of Green Gables By: L.M. Montgomery Narrator, Colleen Winton

Anne of Green Gables
By: L.M. Montgomery
Narrated by: Colleen Winton
10 hours 20 minutes
Publisher: Post Hypnotic Press

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Lucy Maud Montgomery

Narrator Colleen Winton

Colleen Winton is such a special narrator, capturing every nuance with sensitivity and great perception. Her interpretation of Miss Rachel Lynde is unrivaled making Miss Rachel sound just like the busybody that she is. I especially love how she expresses the enthusiasm Anne has for everything and her nearly non-stop chatter which is so outstanding it made me want to tell Anne to be quiet. Her interpretations of each character are consistent throughout the book  and she has a lovely voice too. She shows extreme talent doing the shy Matthew who has taken a liking to Anne during their eight mile trip home and he dreads to tell her they expected a boy. It is an award winning performance from Ms. Winton, when Matthew faces Merilla with a girl and a girl with red hair and freckles. Perfection is what you get with this narrators reading of this classic and much loved Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery.

Anne of Green Gables, first in the series of the Anne Shirley books, captures the heart and imagination from the very first page, where Lucy Montgomery skillfully blends the the nosy Miss Rachel heading for the Cuthbert farm to find out from Marilla Cuthbert where her brother Matthew was heading out to. To her astonishment she learns that Marilla and Matthew have decided to adopt a boy from the orphanage and he's to arrive on the train that day. Miss Rachel has nothing good to say about this yet can hardly wait to spread the news. The Cuthberts' feel a boy is just what sixty year old Matthew needs to help him out around the farm.

It's quite a surprise to Matthew when there is only a red haired, freckle faced girl waiting for him. Poor Matthew who is shy and doesn't talk much doesn't have the heart to tell the talkative child they were expecting a boy so he takes her home to let Marilla deal with it all. The journey home thrills Anne Shirley with her vivid and over active imagination and in a short time she has made a place for herself in Matthews heart thus becoming her champion in all things, especially when it is standing up for her against the stern and no nonsense Marilla.

Marilla is not pleased at all when Anne arrives and vows that she must be returned the very next day. Heartbroken and weeping little Anne Shirley is devastated as she already loved the farm, and everything she saw and was thrilled that she was going to have a  home and they wanted her. Marilla being a seemingly unlovely and harsh person is not too kind when she tells Anne and Matthew her decision. The story is as much about Marilla Cuthbert as it is about Anne Shirley and Matthew. As stern and flinty as Marilla appears she finds her inner core of softness though she would be loathe to admit it. She is deeply affected by Anne's telling of her past and Marilla feels pity for Anne and the sad life she'd had.

Such feelings are uncommon to Marilla, and instead of admitting that she really is intrigued with Anne she puts it on Matthew that he is the one that is taken with Anne and wants to keep her. When they arrive at Mrs. Spencer's her heart is already softening towards Ann and turning Anne over to be a drudge for the shrewish Mrs. Peter Blewett, who's reputation Marilla has heard a great deal and none of it good. Marilla has her first twinges of conscious and quickly back pedals and tells them that she came only to find out what the mix up was and that she'd have to talk it over with Matthew. With that Marilla heads home with a euphoric Anne Shirley. There is no mistaking the pleasure in Matthew's eyes when he see the both of them returning home.

Although the Anne Shirley books start in the late 1800's early 1900's they are so well written and poetic they still are loved by boys as well as girls. The characters are so well developed you become drawn into their circle of life and feel as if you know each one of them. It is so well divined that there is a special park people can visit on Prince Edward Island that is very popular. Where one can see the original Lover's Lane, and the Lake of Shinning Water and walk the paths that Anne did. You can visit their website here Anne Museum
or visit Green Gable's Park. I highly recommend buying the Audio Book as it is beautifully done by Colleen Winton and you will want to listen to it many times as you will never tire of it.
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