Be open and supple; the brittle break

Sir Thomas Lemuel Hawke feels certain that he will die in battle, so he sets about writing a letter to his beloved children, outlining some rules for living. Chapter by chapter, he tells stories of his life, from childhood to manhood, imparting his own wisdom as it was passed down from his grandfather. These parables are a melding of Eastern and Western philosophies, and cover such topics as gratitude, grace, courage and discipline. It is a charming and though-provoking little book, handsomely bound and illustrated.

“How a knight lives is what is important, not on which particular afternoon he was born or on which specific morning he might die. That is why I do not want you to mourn inappropriately for me. Regardless of the outcome of today’s struggle, I will continue. The past and the future are alive in each passing instant. Eternity is not something that begins at the moment of death, it is happening now.”

In the Editor’s Note, Mr. Hawke explains that this document was discovered in his great-grandmother’s basement. No one knew how it came to be there, but he says that his family does lay claim to direct lineage to the noble Hawkes of Cornwall and that Sir Thomas Lemuel Hawke was killed in the Battle of Slaughter Bridge in the winter of 1483. Later, he had the document translated from the original Cornish, then adapted it in tone and language for his own children. The illustrations were in the letter as well, and as the Hawkes come from a long line of hawkers and falconers, different birds were used to illustrate each quality. They have been reconstructed by Mr. Hawke’s wife, Ryan. 100% of the proceeds of the sale of the book are donated to organizations that help young people with learning disabilities.