Audiobook · read by volunteers
All Round the Year
E. Nesbit (1858–1924) · Saretta Nesbit (1844–1899)
Read by Cori Samuel, David Barnes, Peter Yearsley, Lizzie Driver, Sarah McIntrye · 1 chapter · 12 min
About the book
A light, quick, rhyming year in verse. E. Nesbit, the author who gave children The Railway Children and The Story of the Treasure Seekers, collaborated with Saretta Nesbit on a collection of poems whose title promises a journey round the year, with a playful touch. The poems are short, bright and meant to be read aloud, and each has the sparkle of a game with words. In this recording, several volunteers share the reading, each lending a different voice and spirit to the verses. It lasts only about twelve minutes, so it makes an easy gift for a quiet moment, whether you want something seasonal, something for a child or just a small, cheerful dose of Victorian poetry. A charming little book to hear in one go and to return to when the year turns.
Introduction
Edith Nesbit, who wrote as E. Nesbit, was born in 1858 and died in 1924. She is remembered for her children’s books, which broke new ground by treating child characters with humour and respect and by bringing magic into ordinary English life. She also wrote poetry, journalism and fiction for adults, and was active in the political and literary circles of her day.
All Round the Year is a collection of poems written in collaboration with Saretta Nesbit, who lived from 1844 to 1899. The volume dates from 1880, early in E. Nesbit’s writing career, when she was still establishing herself and turning her hand to verse of many kinds. The poems have a whimsical eye and follow the manner of the popular children’s verse of the period. E. Nesbit was in her early twenties when this little book appeared, and these verses show her trying out the light, musical manner that later made her famous with young readers.
Readers who know Nesbit only for her novels may be surprised by her lyric side. The verses here are light, musical and sometimes sentimental, with the cheerfulness that characterises much of her work. They give a flavour of what Victorian families enjoyed reading together, and they were evidently written to be enjoyed rather than analysed.
This recording is a single section of roughly twelve minutes, shared by a small group of volunteers. It would suit a seasonal moment, a short reading hour with a child or a collector of old poetry, and it makes a pleasing introduction to an author who is better known for her stories.
Public domain
E. Nesbit died in 1924: the work is in the public domain in Switzerland, more than 70 years after the author’s death.
Saretta Nesbit died in 1899: the work is in the public domain in Switzerland, more than 70 years after the author’s death.
The LibriVox volunteers dedicated this recording to the public domain.
Sources : LibriVox page · Files at the Internet Archive · Original text