"Five Windows"

I'm starting my first venture as a book-discussion leader today, in a section of D.E. Stevenson's Five Windows (1953) on the Stevenson Yahoo list.  I've really enjoyed reading this book -- this is my second read, having galloped through it last year when I picked up a copy almost as soon as it was reprinted by Greyladies.  Nobody seems to know why this particular title of Stevenson's is so difficult to find -- certainly in part because it was never issued in paperback, but why?  It's a charming and gentle story of a boy growing up, first in a little village in Scotland and then as a young man on his own in London -- the "windows" of the title are five places in his life that are especially significant.

Despite the fact that Five Windows is classic Stevenson, and I like it very much, I am nevertheless finding it rather difficult to come up with discussion questions, and so I'm dawdling a little, I confess, by looking for a suitable pattern for my virtual DES knitalong!  David's mother knits a pair of socks for the local shepherd when he goes off to war, so surely she would also knit something for her son, living on his own for the first time in a top-floor flat miles from home -- perhaps this thick but simple cabled slipover? Perfect for those early-morning walks around Covent Garden market!

This image is from The Vintage Knitting Lady, and a copy of the pattern can be had for a mere £1.50!  Yes, that is a very young Roger Moore, who did quite a lot of modeling early in his career.

(Oh, ha-ha!  I see that my immediately-previous Knitalong with DES post was also for Five Windows, in my first read just a little over a year ago!  Glad to see I chose something completely different to "knit" this time ....)

Comments

[Toffeeapple]

Checking on Goodreads it seems that I first read it in October last year and gave it four and a half stars. This is my review:

'I liked the story but was disconcerted by the errors on the pages which would never have happened had the book been typeset in the traditional way.'

I now have no idea what caused this comment and I cannot, now, find the book. It is a Greyladies one so should be easy to spot.

Lovely to see dear Roger Moore in his modelling period. I could use a pull-over like that at the moment, it is rather freezy here!

[Karen Knox]

How delightful! I love your choice of sweater for David knitted by his mother. I knit myself, mostly socks. I knit because it's relaxing and can be sort of mindless, at least that's how I choose patterns generally. I've been knitting the same sock pattern for 10 yrs now. My grandmother taught me to knit, and I still knit like a 10 yr old. Too pitiful. I haven't responded to your DES questions because I've been busy with Thanksgiving and a houseful of visitors--all family--and my husband's 70th birthday was this past weekend as well. We've been partying since last Wednesday night! The last guest left yesterday. Your leadership of Five Windows has been delightful, and I hope to get in on the last bits soon. It's lovely to find a DES aficionado AND a knitter! KWK

[Mary Lou Egan]

I have a book of vintage men's knitting patterns and Roger appears in several of them. The virtual knitting is so much faster, I like it!