Books "THE SIGNAL MAN"

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Judul Asli : THE SIGNAL MAN

[ from Charles Dickens’ Three Ghost Stories | e-book ]

Copyright © by Charles Dickens

The Signal Man was one of many collected Ghost Stories by Dickens that have really good resume, aside A Christmas Carol or The Haunted Man and The Ghost’s Bargain I read previously. But this time, it not just another faery-tale about ghosts, but more daunting and chilling supernatural moment, involving unexplain event on the appearance of ‘ghost’.  

The story is quite simple, when young man have an encounter meeting with stranger who works as the signal-man on the train intersection. This event that cannot be explain at the first meeting, give strange impression on both of them. And by the second meeting, the signal-man open-up about was troubling him for days. Thsi conversation and detail description on the event, so vivid and give me sudden goosebumps while read it (and it’s at noon on the broad-daylight).

More and more on the detail, I suspect there is a ghost somewhere – victims that cannot be identify yet, or be found, until the signal man solve the mystery of the appearance of the ghost. The only things we all agree that the ghost give a warning of ‘Danger’ – that someone or something will be die if the answers of its mystery cannot be solve. Dickens wrote this based on the tragic incident known as Clayton Tunnel Crash that occured in 1861 – five years before he wrote this, and when it published on 1866, people just likely remembering those incident, all the mourning and devastation. 

This story reminds me on Alfred Hitchcock’s movies – full with suspense and interesting plot, suprising act between the story and of cource unpredictable ending. What’s surprise me most, not only the supernatural things are the main-theme on this story, but Dickens also mixed all kind new subject like haunted ghost-appearing (makes us thinking something terrible happen on the past) and the premonition (something that lead you into the future or would be happening if you don’t pay got attention on ‘the message’ ). If you looking some horror story, just try reading it ... not only spooky, also gonna makes you look at your back, is there something ‘appear’ on the corner ? [ suggestion : do not read at night or in the dark and not recommended if you have heart-dissease ]

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Quotes :

"One moonlight night," said the man, "I was sitting here, when I
heard a voice cry, 'Halloa! Below there!' I started up, looked
from that door, and saw this Some one else standing by the red light
near the tunnel, waving as I just now showed you. The voice seemed
hoarse with shouting, and it cried, 'Look out! Look out!' And then
attain, 'Halloa! Below there! Look out!' I caught up my lamp,
turned it on red, and ran towards the figure, calling, 'What's
wrong? What has happened? Where?' It stood just outside the
blackness of the tunnel. I advanced so close upon it that I
wondered at its keeping the sleeve across its eyes. I ran right up
at it, and had my hand stretched out to pull the sleeve away, when
it was gone."

Best Regards,

Books "LITTLE LORD FAUNTLEROY"

Original Title : LITTLE LORD FAUNTLEROY

Copyright ©  by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Puffin Classics
January 1996 | 238 p

Cover image by Charles Edmund Brock

[ courtesy of Mary Evans Picture Library ]
~ also read e-book version in HERE ~

Cedric Errol was only seven years old when his papa got sick and dies after a week. Now he live only with his mamma, alone in a little house New York. But he still happy because he had so many friends like Mr. Hobbs – the grocery man in store, Dick – a boot-black boy, and Bridget, who have twelve children and sick husband. Then, one day, a stranger come to their house. His name is Mr. Havisham, a lawyer for the Earl of Dorincourt – Cedric’s grandfather. Mr. Errol – Cedric’s father was a young one between three brothers and Lord Fauntleroy’s favorite, until he marry an American woman who not only poor also had no relative. Then Lord Fauntleroy never – ever contact his young son what so ever. Until now. Appearantly, all the three children are dead, and the one living heirs is little Cedric. Now he must go and live in England, as the new Lord Fauntleroy. 

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Ceddie – that’s his nickname, had to face different kind of living, leaving his neighbourhood, close friends and everything he love. But little Ceddie was a remarkable boy, he has big heart even as a little boy. His mamma told him that far away in England, there’s his grandfather he never meets, and he is the only family they got left. His mamma didn’t told him that Lord Fauntleroy was an angry, bad-tempered old man, bitter, grumpy and hated his son’s wife. Even they both leaving America, go into the journey to England, soon after they arrival, little Ceddie will live in Dorincourt Castle with his grandfather, while his mamma had to live in different house called Court Lodge. His mamma is a wonderful woman, she had pity on the old man and she also thinking only for Ceddie happines. So she manage her new life, even accepted by the society, because everybody else in the village love her, as they all love the new Little Lord Fauntleroy. 

But how little Ceddie or now called as Little Lord Fauntleroy handle his old grumpy and demanding grandfather ? Can he makes a relationships with this awful-bitter man ? And how he gonna act or rules as the owner and the new leader in Dorincourt ? After all he just only seven years old. Then while our Little Lord Fauntleroy trying to manage his new life and responsibilty, came a very surprising news – something that had to do with the others heirs of Dorincourt, who just appears lately, after Ceddie and his mamma alreday stays for a while ...

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I know that Frances Hodgson Burnett are known by her book’s “The Secret Garden” – but this is her first book I’ve reads and just falling-in-love with it. There’s many children’s literature has describesion surrounding the life between wealthy and poorest, and the value on what’s right and what’s wrong. Little Lord Fauntleroy just another good examples if you looking for the lovable stories with great value too. Between my ‘heavy-duty’ pile of books, reading this kind of stories was like a fresh air that can clear my mind, makes me smile and feels ‘warmth’ inside my heart. This is a perfect recipe if you have a dull-boring days, even the grumpy, bad-tempered man finally can laugh and be happy, now can we stand too long to be unhappy too ... (^_^)

[ more about the author, books and related adaptations, check on here : Frances Hodgson Burnett | Little Lord Fauntleroy | Adaptations ]

Best Regards,

Books "A CHILD'S DREAM OF A STAR"

Books “ANAK YANG MEMIMPIKAN BINTANG”

Judul Asli : A CHILD’S DREAM OF A STAR

[ from Charles Dickens’ Ghost Stories : Second Story ]

Copyright © by Charles Dickens

Penerbit Mediakita

Alih Bahasa : Jarot Setyaji

Desain Cover : Indra Fauzi

Ilustrasi Cover © Natanii [ source : www.istockphoto.com ]

Cetakan I : 2012 ; 256 hlm
[ also read on the original e-book version ]

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Dahulu kala hiduplah dua kakak beradik yang saling menyayangi dan senantiasa melakukan apa pun bersama-sama. Sang kakak – seorang bocah laki-laki yang gemar berkelana, menjelajahi berbagai kehidupan luar dan merenungkan berbagai hal. Sang adik – gadis mungil yang ceria dan selalu menemani sang kakak, bertanya tentang apa pun yang mereka temukan serta lihat, tentang keelokan bunga-bunga, tentang  tinggi dan birunya langit, tentang gemercik air yang mengalir di pegunungan. Namun yang paling mereka sukai adalah memandang langit bebas di malam hari, melihat bintang-bintang nan cemerlang, dan ada satu bintang paling terang yang selalu muncul terlebih dahulu diantara bintang-bintang lainnya. Bintang tersebut selalu muncul setiap hari, berada di posisi yang sama, menyapa kedua bocah malam menjelang mereka terlelap. Bintang dan kedua bocah ini menjadi sahabat erat yang mengingatkan akan kebesaran Tuhan. Kemudian suatu saat terjadi peristiwa menyedihkan, mereka harus berpisah. Salah satu diantara mereka harus pergi ke tempat yang tampak dekat di depan mata, namun tak terjangkau karena berada di dunia yang berbeda. Namun tali kasih diantara mereka tetap terjalin kluat seiring perkembangan waktu, melalui berbagai cobaan serta badai kehidupan yang menyedihkan serta menyayat hati. Semuanya harus dijalani, hingga tiba waktunya untuk mereka semua berkumpul kembali di tempat yang indah dan menyenangkan – suatu saat, di waktu yang tepat.

My Random Though :

This is a very-very short story, but then again Dickens proove his talent on writing about the meaning of life and praising God’s Love on His Child. What can I say when the lost of beloved one are turn into story that give us hope, not to turn bitter nor blame it the sadness we got, but to hold in faith that someday we all will be reunited again. You can said it’s childish story, but again for me it’s so sweet and touch my feelings, I even don’t care if everybody mocks me as big-whimpy-girl, if  you don’t care or even touch by the story, well it might be you got no feelings at all ... 

[ more about this author, books and related adaptations, check on here : Charles Dickens | A Child’s Dream of A Star  ]

“A Child’s Dream of A Star” are include in my RC on :

4^th book (novella) in Dickens Literature’s and Celebrating 201^th Dickens

9^th book in 2013 TBR Pile

5^th book in Back To The Classic 2013

42^th book in The Classics Club

13^th book in Children’s Literature RC 2013

Best  Regards,