May 2012
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Twentieth stop on the DWJ blog tour -- Fancy That! →
The Clifton suspension bridge in Bristol
Nic was lucky enough to meet Diana herself — and learned that the books she loved were simply one facet of a kind, generous, and (yes) brilliant woman.
“Diana Wynne Jones engaged with people all the time. Indeed, she still does, because that is how books work. Even after her death, Diana Wynne Jones can tell you a story. And each of her...
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From Diana's sister, Isobel Armstrong
Above: An old postcard of Clarance House, where Diana and her sisters were raised
Not only did Diana’s sister Isobel share her thoughts and memories at the Celebration, but she also wrote an elegy, which you can download and read at Agenda Poetry.
“I think the world was always magical for her. She decreed one evening that we children must all find a magical doorway from our shared...
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Nineteenth stop on the DWJ blog tour -- Chachic's... →
Chachic is a fan of many of the authors who have celebrated Diana here — and, of course, Diana herself. This link will take you to all of the DWJ Book Nook posts.
“I’m amazed at how Diana Wynne Jones has inspired so many readers and authors. She seems just as magical as her books.”
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Tribute: Delia Sherman
Following in Diana’s Footsteps
I can’t remember the first Diana Wynne Jones book I read. I suspect, from the age of the book and its well-thumbed aspect, that it was Cart and Cwidder. But The Magicians of Caprona is almost as decrepit. As for Fire and Hemlock, the words have been practically read off the page, but then I taught it, and that’s always hard on a book.
In any...
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The DWJ archive at Seven Stories →
As mentioned earlier, Diana’s papers are archived at Seven Stories. A list of the archive has just been uploaded to the Archives Hub, and here’s a description of the first item:
Untitled exercise book
This material is held at Seven Stories, the Centre for Children’s Books Contact Details | Location
Reference Number GB DWJ/01/01
Dates of Creation nd [c...
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Eighteenth stop on the DWJ blog tour --... →
Kelly turns our attention to an old favorite — the second book featuring Chrestomanci.
“Diana Wynne Jones’ books are such a pleasure to re-read. There’s always much more going on than you thought, and a second time through makes the reader realize that the clues were always right there, disguised. It’s almost a different book the second time around!”
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Tribute: Trish
I was so sad when I heard that Diana Wynne Jones had died, because there wouldn’t be any more of her wonderful books. I first read her books when I was in my 40s, and regret that I didn’t discover her as a child. I read the Chrestomanci books and was hooked — since then, I’ve read everything I could get my hands on. My favorite is Dogsbody.
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Tribute: Robyn Johnson
“It was 1983, and somehow a friend of my grandparents had come into possession of the UK edition of Witch Week. The friend left it with my grandparents, who passed it on to me, and just like that, it started. At that point in my life, books were prioritized by whether they were good enough that I’d insist on taking them with me out of the house. Those that were had to be carefully...
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Join the Fire and Hemlock Read-along! →
Kristen at We Be Reading is leading a Fire and Hemlock Read-Along — so why not join in? Make sure to grab a copy of Pamela Dean’s Tam Lin and/or Ellen Kushner’s Thomas the Rhymer, while you’re at it.
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Neil Gaiman on Diana Wynne Jones →
As astute DWJ readers know, Hexwood was dedicated to Neil Gaiman. Here he shares his delighted response.
“Reading Diana out loud is a delight. Her books unpack very tightly, with scarcely a word wasted in a hundred thousand.”
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Seventeeth stop on the DWJ blog tour -- AmoXcalli! →
Gina Ruiz, Shannon Muir, and Fred Patton of AmoXcalli turn their thoughts to Diana’s work — with a special focus on The Tough Guide to Fantasyland.
“As a writer as well as a reader, having this book be my initial exposure to her writing allowed me to fully appreciate her overall contributions to the field of fantasy.”
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Tribute: Howl's Moving Castle -- the best book in...
DWJ has long been one of my favourite authors, and of all her books there is no question but that Howl’s Moving Castle is my favourite.
What’s so great about it? Firstly there is a not-quite-tongue-in-cheek, but knowing use of the traditional fantasy setting. Consider the opening paragraph:
In the land of Ingary, where such things as seven-league boots and cloaks of invisibility really exist,...
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