Poor Old Wapping
So, I've been reading Philip Pullman's Sally Lockhart mysteries (and loving them, especially The Shadow in the North.) However, this passage in The Ruby in the Smoke startled me:
Beyond the Tower of London, between St. Katharine’s Docks and Shadwell New Basin, lies the area known as Wapping: a district of docks and warehouses, of crumbling tenements and rat-haunted alleys, of narrow streets where the only doors are at second-floor level, surmounted by crude projecting beams and ropes and pulleys. The blind brick walls at pavement level and the brutal-looking apparatus above give the place the air of some hideous dungeon from a nightmare, while the light, filtered and dulled by the grime in the air, seems to come from a long way off – as if through a high window set with bars.
Oh, dearie me! I lived in Wapping for four months, and apparently I should be glad that the year was 2004 rather than Sally Lockhart's 1872! When I was there, it was the cutest place ever! I could, and did on almost a daily basis, walk to the Tower Bridge. I discovered a few favorite peaceful spots. And I made a point of exploring a new part of London every Wednesday -- packing up my notebook and some food and finding a pretty place to write. I rode double decker buses as often as possible (not only are they big and red and scary if you're sitting in the top front [all excellent qualities], but they're cheaper than the Tube). London, in general, and Wapping, in particular, was (were?), in fact, one (two?) of my favorite places of all the places I've ever lived. (Are six commas too many for one sentence? Was that even a sentence?) Of course, I was dead broke by the time I left (London is expensive), but I don't regret a minute of it.
Anyway. Philip Pullman: you have good brains. And Wapping: sorry to hear about your sordid past. You turned out pretty well, in my humble opinion.
(Speaking of such matters, Graceling has now been released in the U.K. I don't know what this means about immediate availability in libraries and bookstores, but at the very least, it should be showing up soon!)
So -- where have you lived? What was it like? And where do you dream of living?
Comments
My favourite of the Lockhart series if The Tiger in the Well - best social commentary and great feminism, I love Sally ! Pullman's a genius.
I've just bought a copy of Graceling (the UK edition) : I ordered it via The Book Depository where it's been available since yesterday but as I don't live in the UK I don't know if it's displayed in bookshops (I hope so!)
To answer your question, I've always lived in Paris but then I'm quite young too :) And I only visited parts of Europe so far (Spain, Portugal and the UK, that's not much !)
It looked excellent - and big (format wise) - which is always nice.
As for Pullman...ugh. Used to like him, till he killed off one of my favorite characters in the Lockhart series...I don't forgive easily...
I've only lived in Charleston, SC and now Asheville, NC. Not a big move. Asheville's great, don't get me wrong. There is so much to do, especially if you are an outdoorsy person. There's a really disappointing music scene here, though. Winter is a little depressing, but Spring, Summer and Fall certaily make up for that. Charleston is hot and HUMID and miserable during late Spring to early Fall. Winter is dull. I got so sick of the mostly crappy beaches living there (I said, mostly crappy, for those that oppose), that I am not much of a beach person now because of that.
I dream of living somewhere on the West coast. I have a brother in Seattle. It is so nice out there. Tons to do and see. Victoria, Canada is lovely also. But both are much too expensive!
I've never read Philip Pullman. Have it on the bookshelf though. Maybe after The Graveyard Book, which I love. Reminds me a little of The Hunger Games . Matter-of-fact description of an extraordinary situation.
To answer you question I have lived in Florida, always this stupid humid retirment community. I did have a stint as a child in Ohio, and I adored it to pieces. I desperatly miss the snow and cold.
London calls to me like no other place in the world. I have been unexplicably obsessed with it since I was a child becuase of this. So hopefully I will be there one day. I was supposed to be during school, but I decided to forgo my semesters there, so that I could save up money to follow my dream.
I shall be trying Vancouver, BC next. I am extremely excited, and thrilled to get away from the Sunshine state.
Hey, what's with all the venom towards Florida in the comments? Show it some love, people! Hasn't Kristin enchanted you with her descriptions of water and birds and weather?
a Katsa fan
I did read The Ruby in the Smoke which I liked a lot. Also saw a PBS film of it starring Billie Piper from Dr. Who. She's a little old for the part but it was still done well.
I had the good fortune to meet Philip Pullman at a reading here in Chicago. He was great...and he wrote this in my writing notebook when I asked him if he had any words of advice for those days when the Muse is absent.
He wrote: When those moments come remember that it is our job to write just as well and just as regularly when we're not inspired as when we are.
Advice I took to heart.
Anguilla in the British West Indies. Been there a few times. Love it.
Sorry, your question quite took me back there for a second!
:)
Frances
My parents still live in Charlotte, NC, and it's weird to think that I go "up" to there from Houston, and that Charlotte, from here is north.
I dream of living somewhere chilly, damp, and green. Vermont would do, or Seattle, or Scotland.
pullman is a genius with a weird sense of humor. also, the last of the golden compass series was much too long for my liking. also, to all people who think he wants to get rid of religion, he wrote the book to express his opinion, not to offend anyone.
"do you believe in god?"-cassie by flyleaf
I would LOVE to live where Harriet Vane lived! :o) That it so cool. And I love Asheville, Tink -- have even considered moving there, but it's just too far from my northern roots. (Says the girl who lives in FL)
Seems like we have a lot of cloudy-green-place lovers out there! And Frances, I blogged once about my ideal home, and my friend, YA writer Tui Sutherland, told me that it sounded to her as if New Zealand might be the place for me. (Okay, other than the giraffes, etc....) I hope to visit there someday. Now I just visit in Margaret Mahy books :)
Congrats on Graceling making it across seas. =] Thats exciting.
the songs a bit rusty, but i like it! in honor of gracelings!!!!!
Born to survive-
born with a curse
or was it born with a strength
was she born to survive in this murderous game
graced with the skill
graced to kill
what more is there to life
when this isnt her will
randa is in far over his head
he'd better let her go or else he is dead
oh~ katsa and po
~~~chorus~~~~~
something is wrong here
somethings not right
a king with one eye
no one suspects...
she didnt want this
its not how it should be
now her name is written in history~~~~~
how did she not notice
the love that began
between the two gracelings, this wasnt the plain
bitterblue is hiding
herfather is riding
po's out to stop him
please be ok
po says to leave him
says that he'll only slow down
oh~katsa let go
~~REpeat chorus~~~~
killing the king
she lost her control
to keep po's secret
she let the daggar go
po's lost his vision
but he sees more than before
now for the happy ending
together for more
-jasmine rochelle(if anyone wants to hear it i'll put it on youtube...)
Places I've lived... Hehehehe... This is quite long, but you did ask for it: Maryland, Arizona, Germany, Northern Virginia, Colorado, Ohio, Spain, Washington DC, Massachusetts, Canada, and now Japan (with repeats on Arizona, Canada and Colorado).
*PS: Sorry for the deleted comment earlier. There were typos that needed fixing.