“The Green Door” is a recently published collection of stories written by Hong Kong author Stefan Gannon. It is a book for the young and the not so young. While it tackles a number of difficult issues many of us have to face from time to time, it does so in clear, simple prose that is full of colour, moments of happiness, humour and friendship. It is an approachable and entertaining read.
The stories are of folk seen through the eyes of two young people, brother and sister. They live close to a village called Chalfont in the heart of the English countryside, the centre of a bustling rural community. They live surrounded by many kinds of animals, flesh and blood creatures, often working farm animals they meet helping their father who is a vet. They see nature in all is beauty and, sometimes, when it shows its harsher face. Their mother is a teacher and the music in their lives. They also see the struggle life can be for the people they know — coping with bereavement, self-doubt, prejudice, bullies and the like. And they witness their triumphs.
It may surprise the reader to discover that a book that deals with such contemporary issues is set in the late nineteenth century — steam locomotives, horse-drawn carriages, the lot. It only goes to show that the positive values it celebrates last; and are shared by all sorts of people from all over the world most of whom have never seen a village like Chalfont…. until now.
About the author
Stefan Gannon has lived and worked in Hong Kong since 1983. He first started telling stories about the two youngsters in this book to his children when they were young. He is hopeful they will want to read this collection now they are grown up.
See below for details of the book launch and click here to register.
