Seniority Benefits

What Have I Been Reading?

The Whalebone Theater

Twelve-year-old Christabel takes possession of a whale carcass that has washed up on the shores of the English Channel near her home at Chilcombe Manor. She enlists the help of her sister and brother to host plays for the village. As they grow up, they find themselves embroiled in WWII where Christabel and her "brother" serve as British Secret Agents. They are transformed by the realities of war but yearn for their carefree days performing at the Whalebone Theater.

On Chesil Beach

Set outside of Oxford in July 1962 on the wedding night of Edward, a history student who has won the heart of Florence. The story moves back and forth, showing what led up to that night and the lifelong consequences that resulted through events triggered by unstated fears and desires. Told with a great deal of insight into the angst they both faced and while they never stopped loving each other, that night on Chesil Beach changed the course of their lives.

A Woman of No Importance

The story of Baltimore socialite, Virginia Hall who overcame incredible obstacles to become a member of the British Special Operations during WWII. She was a linchpin in the resistance movement in France, building networks and sharing intelligence which helped the allies, while risk her own personal safety. She was stymied by less qualified and jealous male bosses, but her persistence and courage sustained her and she finally got the credit she had been denied during her lifetime.