S3 E10: The Churchill Sisters: The Extraordinary Lives of Winston and Clementine’s Daughters

Sarah shares her thoughts on “The Churchill Sisters: The Extraordinary Lives of Winston and Clementine’s Daughters” by Rachel Trethewey.

As complex in their own way as their Mitford cousins, Winston and Clementine Churchill’s daughters each had a unique relationship with their famous father. Rachel Trethewey’s biography, The Churchill Sisters, tells their story.

Drawing on previously unpublished family letters from the Churchill archives,  Rachel Trethewey brings Winston’s daughters out of the shadows and tells their remarkable stories for the first time.

“Theirs was a double-edged sword. Being Winston’s daughters opened up a world of privilege and opportunity, but it also raised expectations. Their positions as handmaids to the great man were the easy part of their role; establishing meaningful lives of their own away from their charismatic clan was harder. Sadly, Marigold died too young to achieve her potential, but Diana, Sarah and Mary coped in very different ways with the demands of living up to their famous name.”

Rachel Trethewey, “The Churchill Sisters: The Extraordinary Lives of Winston and Clementine’s Daughters

The Churchill Sisters: The Extraordinary Lives of Winston and Clementine's Daughters – The Book Dialogue

S3 E9: The Things We Dare Not Tell by Henry Lawson

Welcome to The Book Dialogue.

My name is Sarah and I’m so glad that you joined me today.  The Book Dialogue is an exploration of poetry and books, philosophy, and all the things in life that happen and occur in and around us. We have wonderful conversations, and I would love you to be able to join us in the conversation.

Today, I will be reciting a poem by Henry Lawson.  His words are a powerful reminder of how we must reach out beyond ourselves to ensure that we don’t take people at surface value. But to look beneath that façade they wear to see the heart.

The Things We Dare Not Tell

The fields are fair in autumn yet, and the sun’s still shining there,
But we bow our heads and we brood and fret, because of the masks we wear;
Or we nod and smile the social while, and we say we’re doing well,
But we break our hearts, oh, we break our hearts! for the things we must not tell.

There’s the old love wronged ere the new was won, there’s the light of long ago;
  There’s the cruel lie that we suffer for, and the public must not know.
   So we go through life with a ghastly mask, and we’re doing fairly well,
While they break our hearts, oh, they kill our hearts! do the things we must not tell.

   We see but pride in a selfish breast, while a heart is breaking there;
  Oh, the world would be such a kindly world if all men’s hearts lay bare!
  We live and share the living lie, we are doing very well,
  While they eat our hearts as the years go by, do the things we dare not tell.

  We bow us down to a dusty shrine, or a temple in the East,
  Or we stand and drink to the world-old creed, with the coffins at the feast;
  We fight it down, and we live it down, or we bear it bravely well,
  But the best men die of a broken heart for the things they cannot tell.

Thank you for joining me today on The Book Dialogue.

We invite you to follow us on thebookdialogue.com or thebookdialogue.ca. As my sister is fond of saying, we like to think that we’re everywhere. So, join us in that everywhere and share what are you reading, what poem strikes your heart. We want to hear from you!

Sarah & Rebecca

https://open.spotify.com/episode/16eHT9JpMdjMvreE92nMsN?si=6e09b3c46d9b4016

The Things We Dare Not Tell by Henry Lawson – The Book Dialogue

S3 E8: The 5am Club: Own Your Morning Elevate Your Life

Welcome to The Book Dialogue!   Thank you for listening in.

“Take excellent care of the front end of your day, and the rest of your day will pretty much take care of itself. Own your morning. Elevate your life.”

 Robin Sharma, The 5 AM Club: Own Your Morning. Elevate Your Life.

Sarah shares her thoughts on Robin Sharma’s book, The 5am Club. Robin Sharma introduced The 5am Club concept over twenty years ago, based on a revolutionary morning routine that has helped his clients maximize their productivity, activate their best health and bulletproof their serenity in this age of overwhelming complexity.

Are you ready to join the 5am Club?

The 5am Club – Own Your Morning Elevate Your Life by Robin Sharma

Don’t forget to find us at The Book Dialogue and tell us about what you’re reading.

Sarah & Rebecca

The 5am Club: Own Your Morning Elevate Your Life – The Book Dialogue

S3 E7: Blowing the Bloody Doors Off: And Other Lessons in Life

Welcome to The Book Dialogue!   Thank you for listening in.

“In the end, if I could give you one bit of advice, it would be to find what you love and do it as well as you can. Pursue your dream. And, even if you never catch it, you’ll enjoy the chase. The rest comes down to luck, timing, and God, even if you don’t believe in Him, He believes in you.”

Michael Caine, Blowing the Bloody Doors Off: And Other Lessons in Life

Hollywood legend Michael Caine looks back on his remarkable acting career and shares insights and stories that inspire us to pursue our dreams. Join Sarah and Rebecca as they discuss Michael Caine’s book, Blowing the Bloody Doors Off: And Other Lessons in Life.

Blowing the Bloody Doors Off: And Other Lessons in Life by Michael Caine

Don’t forget to find us at The Book Dialogue and tell us about what you’re reading.

Sarah & Rebecca

Blowing the Bloody Doors Off: And Other Lessons in Life – The Book Dialogue

S3 E6: Hallelujah Anyway Rediscovering Mercy by Anne Lamott

Welcome to The Book Dialogue!   Thank you for listening in.

“Mercy is radical kindness. Mercy means offering or being offered aid in desperate straits. Mercy is not deserved. It involves absolving the unabsolvable, forgiving the unforgivable. Mercy brings us to the miracle of apology, given and accepted, to unashamed humility when we have erred or forgotten.”

Anne Lamott, Hallelujah Anyway: Rediscovering Mercy

Anne Lamott defines “Mercy” as radical kindness.  What is radical kindness?  And how do we experience it within our daily interactions? Join Sarah and Rebecca as they discuss Anne Lamott’s book, Hallelujah Anyway: Rediscovering Mercy.

Hallelujah Anyway Rediscovering Mercy by Anne Lamott

Don’t forget to find us at The Book Dialogue and tell us about what you’re reading.

Sarah & Rebecca

Sarah & Rebecca at The Park & Tilford Gardens, North Vancouver
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4LymiZYsGSpuZuIFiB6mEb?si=f7eccc836c33405e

Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim – The Book Dialogue

S3 E5: The Burglar Who Studied Spinoza by Lawrence Block

The Burglar Who Studied Spinoza, by Lawrence Block (Photo from Amazon.ca)

“Bernie Rhodenbarr doesn’t generally get philosophical about his criminal career. He’s good at it, it’s addictively exciting—and it pays a whole lot better than pushing old tomes. He steals therefore he is, period.”

Lawrence Block,  The Burglar Who Studied Spinoza

Welcome to The Book Dialogue!  

Thank you for listening in.

Bernie Rhodenbarr is bookseller by day, thief by night.  It is a dynamic combination.  

Join Sarah and Rebecca as they discuss The Burglar Who Studied Spinoza and the writer, Lawrence Block, who brought the character of Bernie Rhodenbarr to life.

Lawrence Block’s Bernie Rhodenbarr series includes 11 novels.  Exciting News!!  In his most recent blog post dated May 21, 2022, Lawrence Block reveals there is another book on the horizon: The Burglar Who Met Fredric Brown.

The story of the Liberty Head 1913 Nickel, complete with photos, is found at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History Website.

Perhaps there is a series that you would like to share with us.

Join us on The Book Dialogue and tell us about what you are reading.

The Burglar Who Studied Spinoza – The Book Dialogue

Happy Reading!

Sarah & Rebecca

Selfie of Sarah & Rebecca at Butchart Gardens on a rainy afternoon in Spring.